Council met for about an hour and a half during our Regular Council meeting on April 5, 2023. Here are some highlights from the meeting.
During the Mayor’s Report, I provided updates on the following meetings and events that I participated in in recent weeks:
- Councillor Chris Istace and I attended the annual general meeting of the Chemainus and District Chamber of Commerce, which serves the communities of Chemainus, Crofton, Thetis Island and Saltair. I had an opportunity to discuss North Cowichan's priorities over the coming months and years, and to get feedback from the local business community. Congratulations to the Chamber's new Board of Directors, including new President Bill McKinney. The Chamber has been an excellent partner to North Cowichan and I look forward to continuing to work together.
- Along with Councillors Mike Caljouw and Bruce Findlay, I joined North Cowichan’s bylaw enforcement officers and the RCMP for a walkabout through the area surrounding the Warmland House Shelter and Cowichan Wellness and Recovery Centre, along York Road, Lewis Street, Beverly Street, and in the Somenos Marsh Conservation Area. These parts of our community are facing significant issues related to homelessness, mental health, addictions, and street disorder, which are impacting the surrounding neighbourhood, schools, and businesses. I appreciated seeing our bylaw enforcement team in action - they have built positive and cooperative relationships with many of the people experiencing homelessness and with local business owners. However, as was apparent during the walkabout, we are facing major challenges in this part of our community that require solutions that fall outside our limited powers as a municipality.
- Recently I met with several experts in mental health and addictions treatment, including an operator of recovery facilities in B.C., and professors from Simon Fraser University’s Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health and Addictions. Talking to these individuals is giving me a much better understanding of the current gaps in our local mental health and addiction services, and what we need to be advocating for with the senior levels of government. It will be important for us as a municipality to work with our local partners in the Cowichan region to advocate for funding through the recently announced $1 billion Provincial investment to expand mental health and addiction services, plus additional funding for thousands of supportive housing units.
Rosalie Sawrie, on behalf of Social Planning Cowichan, provided Council with a presentation and video on the Society’s recent work. The local organization provides leadership that brings the community together to create a sustainable quality of life for people in the Cowichan region including research to support cultural connections, advocacy for a living wage, and poverty reduction.
The Reserve Fund Establishment Amendment Bylaw was given first three readings to include the Growing Communities Fund, the recently announced provincial program that provided North Cowichan with a $7.7 million grant. The previous three readings of this bylaw on March 15 was rescinded in order to include this new fund, as well as housekeeping amendments to remove the Aquannis Centre Reserve and add the Bell McKinnon Local Area Plan Streetscape Reserve.
The Delegation of Authority Amendment Bylaw was given first three readings. This bylaw will delegate Council’s authority to issue development permits with retaining wall variances and to issue public notices, to municipal staff.
The Fees and Charges Amendment Bylaw, Parks and Recreation Fees and Charges Bylaw, and Waterworks Amendment Bylaw were given first three readings. The Fees and Charges Amendment Bylaw includes reduced waste collection fee, new fees for mobile home park permits, removes the fees related to parks and recreation into a separate bylaw, and transfers the provisions related to water leak fee adjustments to the Waterworks Amendment Bylaw.
The 2023-2027 Financial Plan Amendment Bylaw was also given first three readings. The financial plan now includes the Growing Communities Fund grant and reduces the waste collection revenue.
Council supported a NAV Canada telecom tower siting proposal for 531 Maple Mountain Road. The tower will improve communications for NAV Canada’s customers that include airlines, helicopters, and general aviation pilots. The proposed tower location is within an existing BC Hydro utility corridor.
The terms of reference for the new Accessibility Advisory Committee were approved, and Councillor Bruce Findlay will serve as the Chair. The Accessible British Columbia Act requires that North Cowichan establish an accessibility committee, develop an accessibility plan, and establish a process for receiving comments from the public on that plan and barriers to individuals in North Cowichan. People interested in volunteering as a committee member can review the terms of reference and apply through northcowichan.ca
Councillor Debra Toporowski will serve as Acting Mayor for the balance of 2023. The Acting Mayor serves as a temporary replacement for the mayor when the mayor is absent.
A Public Hearing was held for a Zoning Amendment Bylaw to rezone the Crofton Fire Hall site from R3 to Public Use (PU). Following the hearing, the zoning amendment was adopted by Council.
The next Council meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 19, at 5pm.
Thank you for reading and staying informed!
Rob Douglas, Mayor
Municipality of North Cowichan
T 250.746.3117
E rob.douglas@northcowichan.ca