 | COMOX VALLEY REGIONAL DISTRICT BOARD | |
| Tuesday, July 25, 2023 | ||
| Minutes of the meeting of the Comox Valley Regional District Board of Directors held on Tuesday, July 25, 2023 in the Civic Room of the Comox Valley Regional District offices located at 770 Harmston Avenue, Courtenay, BC commencing at 4:00 pm. | ||
| MINUTES | ||
| Present: | ||
| Chair: | J. Ketler | Village of Cumberland |
| Vice-Chair: | W. Cole-Hamilton | City of Courtenay |
| Directors: | R. Hardy | Lazo North (Area B) |
| D. Arbour | Baynes Sound-Denman/Hornby Islands (Area A) | |
| K. Grant | Town of Comox | |
| E. Grieve | Puntledge/Black Creek (Area C) | |
| D. Hillian | City of Courtenay | |
| M. McCollum | City of Courtenay | |
| W. Morin | City of Courtenay | |
| J. Kerr | Town of Comox | |
| Staff: | J. Warren | Acting Chief Administrative Officer |
| L. Wiwcharuk | Chief Financial Officer | |
| M. Rutten | General Manager of Engineering Services | |
| A. Yasinski | Acting General Manager of Planning and Development | |
| L. Dennis | Manager of Legislative Services | |
| ATTENDANCE: | ||||||
| Director Kerr was not in attendance when the meeting was called to order. | ||||||
| RECOGNITION OF TRADITIONAL TERRITORIES: | ||||||
| The Chair acknowledged that the meeting was being held on the unceded traditional territory of the K’ómoks First Nation and read the following Call to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action report:
Call to Action 28 - Justice: We call upon law schools in Canada to require all law students to take a course in Aboriginal people and the law, which includes the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Aboriginal rights, Indigenous law, and Aboriginal–Crown relations. This will require skills-based training in intercultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights, and anti-racism. | ||||||
| IN-CAMERA MEETING: | ||||||
| D. Arbour/E. Grieve: THAT the board adjourn to an in-camera session pursuant to the following sub-sections of section 90 of the Community Charter:
90(1)(c) Labour relations or employee negotiations; 90(1)(g) Litigation or potential litigation affecting the regional district; and, 90(1)(j) Information that is prohibited, or information that if it were presented in a document would be prohibited from disclosure under section 21 of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act; AND FINALLY THAT the in-camera portion convene immediately following the open portion of the meeting. | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| ADOPTION OF MINUTES: | ||||||
| D. Arbour/D. Hillian: THAT the Comox Valley Regional District Board minutes dated July 11, 2023 be adopted. [Item] | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| PETITIONS AND DELEGATIONS: | ||||||
| CITIZENS FOR SAFER CYCLING | ||||||
| D. Arbour/D. Hillian: THAT the information presented by Spencer Cappallo and Debbie Bowman regarding the construction of a dedicated cycling route from Cumberland to Courtenay and request support from the various jurisdictions be received. [Item] | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| CYCLING ON LITTLE RIVER ROAD | ||||||
| D. Arbour/E. Grieve: THAT the information presented by Andrew Clements regarding expanding Little River Road for cycling be received. [Item] | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| REPORTS: | ||||||
| ELECTORAL AREAS SERVICES COMMITTEE – JULY 10, 2023 | ||||||
| E. Grieve/W. Morin: THAT the Electoral Areas Services Committee minutes dated July 10, 2023 be received. [Item] | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| COMOX VALLEY SEWAGE COMMISSION – JULY 11, 2023 | ||||||
| D. HillianTHAT the Sewage Commission minutes dated July 11, 2023 be received. [Item] | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION NETWORK PLAN IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY | ||||||
| D. Arbour/M. McCollum: THAT the report dated July 21, 2023 regarding the Active Transportation Network Plan (ANTP) Implementation Strategy and next steps for the implementation of the two ATNP projects identified as high-priority be received [Item] | ||||||
| 208 and 212 | Carried | |||||
| D. Thiessen, Policy and Planning Analyst, and R. Holme, Manager of Long Range Planning and Sustainability, presented an overview of the report regarding the Active Transportation Network Plan (ANTP) Implementation Strategy. [Item] | ||||||
| Director Kerr entered the meeting at 4:56 pm. | ||||||
| D. Arbour/D. Hillian: THAT Active Transportation Network Plan Implementation Strategy, prepared by Urban Systems and dated July 4, 2023, which outlines priority projects and the long-term buildout of the regional active transportation network, be approved. | ||||||
| 208 and 212 | Carried | |||||
| E. Grieve/D. Arbour: THAT staff be directed to work with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, Comox Valley Schools, and the Comox Valley Cycling Coalition on the design and facility type for the Royston Road (Seaside Trail to Royston Elementary) project, including the preparation of engineered drawings and submittal of grant funding applications. | ||||||
| 208 and 212 | Carried | |||||
| D. Hillian/D. Arbour: THAT staff be directed to work with the Village of Cumberland, City of Courtenay, Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, and the Comox Valley Cycling Coalition on an options assessment for a Cumberland to Courtenay active transportation connector to determine the most appropriate routing and facility type, and to pursue cost sharing through a Regional Growth Strategy implementation agreement. | ||||||
| 208 and 212 | Carried | |||||
| M. McCollum/W. Cole-Hamilton: THAT CVRD staff work with City of Courtenay staff on exploring options for financial support for the City's Lake Trail multi-use path project and possible integration with CVRD’s Lake Trail Rd project identified as Project Q in the Active Transportation Network Plan. | ||||||
| 208 and 212 | Carried | |||||
| REGIONAL DISTRICT OF NANAIMO REGIONAL GROWTH STRATEGY REFERRAL COMMENTS | ||||||
| D. Arbour/D. Hillian: THAT the report dated July 21, 2023 regarding endorsement of the Regional District of Nanaimo’s draft Regional Growth Strategy “Shaping our Future 2040” be received. [Item] | ||||||
| 208 and 212 | Carried | |||||
| D. Thiessen, Policy and Planning Analyst, and R. Holme, Manager of Long Range Planning and Sustainability, presented an overview of the report regarding endorsement of the Regional District of Nanaimo’s draft Regional Growth Strategy “Shaping our Future 2040". | ||||||
| D. Hillian/W. Morin: THAT the Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) Board forward the staff report dated July 21, 2023, to the Regional District of Nanaimo Board Chair in response to the request for comments on proposed amendments to the RDN’s Regional Growth Strategy, being the “Regional Growth Strategy Bylaw No. 1871, 2023.” | ||||||
| 208 and 212 | Carried | |||||
| REVISED PROPOSED CVRD INVESTMENT POLICY | ||||||
| D. Arbour/K. Grant: THAT the report dated July 20, 2023 regarding revisions to the proposed Comox Valley Regional District Investment Policy to consider amendments to the draft policy’s guiding principles be received. [Item] | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| L. Wiwcharuk, Chief Financial Officer, provided an overview of the report regarding revisions to the proposed Comox Valley Regional District Investment Policy. | ||||||
| E. Grieve/W. Morin: THAT the proposed Comox Valley Regional District Investment Policy, attached as Appendix A, to the staff report dated July 5, 2023, be approved;
AND FURTHER THAT Comox Valley Regional District Investment Management Policy P14, attached as Appendix C, be rescinded. | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING GRANT APPLICATION | ||||||
| W. Morin/D. Hillian: THAT the report dated July 21, 2023 regarding approval to apply to the Provincial Government under the Infrastructure Planning Grant for the Decarbonization Strategy for the Comox Valley Sports and Aquatic Centres be received. [Item] | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| T. Morgan, Assistant Senior Manager of Recreation Services, provided an overview of the report regarding approval to apply to the Provincial Government under the Infrastructure Planning Grant for the Decarbonization Strategy for the Comox Valley Sports and Aquatic Centres. | ||||||
| W. Morin/D. Arbour: THAT the Comox Valley Regional District Board support an application to the Infrastructure Planning Grant program for the development of a decarbonization strategy and roadmap for the Comox Valley Sports and Aquatic Centres for up to $10,000. | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| COMOX VALLEY WATER RESTRICTIONS | ||||||
| E. Grieve/K. Grant: THAT the report dated July 21, 2023 regarding an update on water restrictions in the Comox Valley in the context of level 5 drought conditions being called for east Vancouver Island be received. [Item] | ||||||
| 209 | Carried | |||||
| M. Rutten, General Manager of Engineering Services, provided an overview of the report regarding an update on water restrictions in the Comox Valley in the context of level 5 drought conditions being called for east Vancouver Island. | ||||||
| DIRECTORS UPDATES ON EXTERNAL APPOINTMENTS | ||||||
| K. Grant/D. Arbour: THAT the report dated July 11, 2023 from Director Grieve regarding 2023 external appointment activities be received. [Item] | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| K. Grant/D. Hillian: THAT the report dated July 19, 2023 from Director Arbour regarding 2023 external appointment activities be received. [Item] | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| K. Grant/W. Morin: THAT the report dated July 20, 2023 from Director Cole-Hamilton regarding 2023 external appointment activities be received. [Item] | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| E. Grieve/D. Arbour: THAT the verbal updates regarding 2023 external appointment activities from Chair Ketler and Director Hillian be received. | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| BYLAWS AND RESOLUTIONS: | ||||||
| K. Grant/D. Arbour: THAT Bylaw No. 589 being "Rural Comox Valley Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 337, 2014, Amendment No. 4" be adopted. [Item] | ||||||
| 208 and 213 | Carried | |||||
| E. Grieve/K. Grant: THAT Bylaw No. 657 being "Rural Comox Valley Zoning Bylaw No. 520, 2019, Amendment No. 7" be adopted. [Item] | ||||||
| 208 and 213 | Carried | |||||
| NEW BUSINESS: | ||||||
| ISLAND COASTAL ECONOMIC TRUST – PREMIER MEETING REQUEST | ||||||
| K. Grant/D. Arbour: THAT the correspondence dated July 21, 2023 from Chair Ketler regarding requesting support for a letter to Premier Eby and meeting request to discuss the long-term vision for the Island Coastal Economic Trust (ICET) be received. [Item] | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| D. Hillian/M. McCollum: THAT the Board support the request as outlined in the correspondence from Mayor Stone dated July 13, 2023, for Chair Ketler to be a signatory to the follow-up correspondence to Premier Eby requesting a meeting to further discuss the long-term vision for the Island Coastal Economic Trust. | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| ADJOURN TO IN-CAMERA: | ||||||
| The Board adjourned to its in-camera session at 6:45 pm. | ||||||
| RISE AND REPORT: | ||||||
| The Board rose from its restricted in-camera session at 8:57 pm. | ||||||
| TERMINATION: | ||||||
| M. McCollum/E. Grieve: THAT the meeting terminate. | ||||||
| 208 | Carried | |||||
| Time: 8:57 pm. | ||||||
| Confirmed this 15th day of August, 2023: ____________________________________ Jesse Ketler Chair | |
| Certified Correct and Recorded By: ____________________________________ Lisa Dennis Manager of Legislative Services |