Official Community Plan

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INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS: LOCAL, PROVINCIAL, AND FEDERAL

the City of Courtenay exercises these delegated powers in regulating land uses and businesses and providing and maintaining community assets and services such as parks and recreation facilities, sidewalks, roads and cycling facilities, and underground sewer and water infrastructure within municipal boundaries. At the time of the writing of the OCP, the provincial government has provided two focused directions directly connected with the OCP's cardinal directions: Climate Action and Reconciliation. In 2007 the provincial government established the Climate Action Charter, a voluntary agreement in which local governments commit to taking climate actions including becoming carbon neutral in their corporate operations, measuring community wide emissions, and creating complete, compact, energy-efficient communities. The City of Courtenay became a signatory to the Climate Action Charter in 2007. In 2019 the provincial government passed the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) which forms the foundation for the Province’s work to advance reconciliation. The Province’s work is expected to include the provision of directions and powers to local governments to fulfill this important mandate. The City of Courtenay continues to work with all levels of government including First Nations in the fulfillment of these two important mandates, as well as many others.

The City of Courtenay as a local government exists within a larger democratically determined federal and provincial governance system. The ability of the City to achieve the OCP vision and follow the four directions of reconciliation, climate action, equity, and community well-being will be influenced by then federal and provincial policies and programs of the day as well as the authority to undertake actions as granted by provincial legislation. Therefore, it is important to understand what the City of Courtenay’s roles and responsibilities are and consider how the City of Courtenay fits within this multi-jurisdictional context in delivering on the OCP vision and goals. Within Canada, a federal state, legislative constitutional powers are assigned to both federal and provincial governments. Federal powers include matters of national interest such as banking, citizenship, and defense. Provincial powers include matters of more regional interest such as education, health care, and the management of natural resources. In BC, the Local Government Act and the Community Charter are the principal pieces of legislation that define the core authority of local governments and guide the decision-making process. The provincial legislatures delegate some of their powers to local governments. Examples of the delegated authorities are the ability to hold municipal elections, collect property taxes, make bylaws, and establish regulations, all of which must comply with the legislative authority provided by their province. Accordingly,

City of Courtenay OCP Background Report PART A Foundations