Council met for about three hours during our Regular Council meeting on December 4, 2024.
My Mayor’s Report included the following:
- School Board Chair Cathy Schmidt and the team at the Cowichan Valley School District, Cowichan Tribes, and Urban One Builders provided me, MLA Debra Toporowski, and local reporter Robert Barron a tour of the new Quw’utsun Secondary School, which is set to open in early 2025. The new three-storey school has space for 1,100 students from grades 10 to 12, and includes an Indigenous language and culture centre and a youth health centre, in partnership with Cowichan Tribes and Island Health.
- I met with new Cowichan Valley MLA Debra Toporowski at municipal hall to discuss how we can work together to advocate to the provincial government for North Cowichan’s priorities. Having served on Council for the past six years, Debra has a very strong understanding of the municipality’s current challenges and where we require additional resources and policy changes from the senior levels of government.
Brandy Callihoo, Eagle Tree Executive Director, presented a petition in support of the proposed child care facility on Berridge Street in Crofton, which has received a provincial grant funding for 44 early learning and child care spaces.
A Zoning Amendment Bylaw to permit a detached accessory dwelling unit (ADU) at 6344 Woodgrove Way was adopted.
The Traffic Bylaw Amendment was also adopted. The updates provide authority to the Director of Engineering to place and remove traffic control devices (signs) and close roads under construction for periods longer that 28 days. Previously, Council had to approve any traffic control signs.
Zoning Amendment Bylaws to permit a detached accessory dwelling units at 6495 Wicks Road and at Lot 6 Marine Crescent both received first three readings.
The South End Waterworks District Amendment Bylaw received first three readings. The amendment would expand water service to 7570 Mays Road.
Council approved an energy conservation assessment of the Cowichan Aquatic Centre. The study will allocate up to $32,785 from the Climate Action and Energy Plan Reserve Fund and direct any future reimbursements by Fortis BC incentives back to the reserve fund.
Council approved the 2025 Regular Council and Committee of the Whole meeting schedule. Regular Council meetings are scheduled for the first and third Wednesday of the month, and Committee of the Whole meetings are scheduled on the second Tuesday of each month, with exceptions due to conflicts with the upcoming by-election in April 2025. Joint council meetings with the City of Duncan were also scheduled for February 25 and October 9.
Council authorized an Agricultural Land Commission Subdivision Application for 7088 and 7136 Richards Trail (Promise Valley Farm and Creamery) which would enable the farm’s acquisition of adjacent pasture and hay fields. The application will also be referred to the Agricultural Advisory Committee simultaneously.
The Delegations and Presenters Policy was approved. The policy was updated to align with the newly updated Council and Committee Procedures Bylaw.
Council passed a motion that I introduced at the November 7, 2024 regular Council meeting regarding North Cowichan’s diverse and contradictory housing needs projections and the recent decision from the federal government to drastically reduce immigration levels. As mayor, I will write to the Minister of Housing to request clarification on the different housing needs projections, whether the recent changes to Canada’s immigration policy impact provincial housing requirements for North Cowichan, and whether these changes impact the viability of the local development and construction industries to meet housing needs given potential new market dynamics.
The Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD) requested a letter of support from North Cowichan for the continued use of Online Accommodation Platform Municipal Regional District Tax revenue for affordable housing within the CVRD. Council provided support subject to the revenue being distributed proportionally based on contributions from each local government, and that the CVRD review the existing service agreement with Tourism Cowichan to explore better collaboration and governance when the agreement renews in 2027.
The next council meeting is on Wednesday, December 18 at 5:00pm. The third and final budget open house is on Tuesday, December 10 at the Chemainus Fire Hall with an open house at 4:30pm and a presentation (Committee of the Whole) at 6:00pm.
Thank you for reading and staying informed!
Rob Douglas, Mayor
Municipality of North Cowichan
T 250.746.3117
E rob.douglas@northcowichan.ca