Council met for about an hour and a half during our Regular Council meeting on March 20, 2024.
My Mayor’s Report included the following:
- Earlier this month, I joined Councillor Mike Caljouw and municipal staff for a tour of Nourish Cowichan’s kitchen facilities at École Mount Prevost. Recognizing that many students were coming to school hungry and that this was affecting their learning, in 2017 Nourish Cowichan formed a partnership with the Cowichan Valley School District that now supports over 1,300 students in 20 different schools. Their programs offer breakfast, lunch, snacks and weekend food support, through the hard work of more than 70 staff and volunteers.
- Council was also given a tour of Canadian Bavarian Millwork and Lumber, a 40-year-old business located in the Chemainus Industrial Park that employs 30 people and specializes in high-end custom millwork, manufactured lumber and architectural products. We also had an opportunity to tour BioFlame Briquettes, which has production plant located in the Chemainus Industrial Park that produces sawdust briquettes that can be used in any woodstove.
- Last week I joined Nanaimo-North Cowichan MLA Doug Routley, Councillor Debra Toporowski, Chris Jaycox from the Chesterfield Sports Society, and represenatives from the City of Duncan, Cowichan Valley Regional District, and the Society’s Board of Directors, to celebrate the progress to date in building the new field house at the Cowichan Sportsplex. This new facility that opens this summer will feature fully accessible public washrooms and changerooms, along with an improved facility administration area, enhancing the user experience for all visitors.
- North Cowichan is very pleased to announce that Ron French will continue to support North Cowichan Fire Services as the permanent Fire Chief for the next 3 years, as we continue to implement several high priority initiatives. Ron joined North Cowichan as the Interim Fire Chief in August 2023, bringing more than 40 years of fire leadership experience. Ron’s previous roles include Superintendent of Fire Services with BC Wildfire Service and Deputy Fire Commissioner with the Office of the Fire Commissioner. He has also served as Fire Chief and Deputy Fire Chief with municipal fire departments.
Two zoning amendment bylaws were adopted that will:
- permit a detached accessory dwelling unit at 1935 Maple Bay Road.
- update on-site garbage, recycling and composting containers and enclosures provisions for multi-family lots.
Council authorized an Agricultural Land Commission amendment request be forwarded to the Agricultural Land Commission with a recommendation to approve the application. The application is for the redevelopment of the Cowichan Rugby Club’s clubhouse at 1860 Herd Road.
One Development Variance Permit application and two Development Permit with Variances applications were authorized, facilitating the development of more than 280 new housing units, including lands in the Bell McKinnon Local Area Plan surrounding the new Cowichan District Hospital currently under construction:
- To allow a reduced rear yard setback to facilitate a future subdivision at 1578 Adelaide Street.
- To allow a decrease in parking requirements to facilitate the construction of two 4-storey and one 5-storey apartment buildings (262 total units) located at the northeast corner of Drinkwater and Ford Roads.
- To reduce the front and side yard setback requirements to construct a 5-unit townhouse at 6258 Seablush Crescent.
Council approved the allocation of $40,000 from the Climate Action Energy Plan (CAEP) to the 2024 CleanBC Better Homes Program. This program aims to reduce the energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from participating homes by providing financial incentives for energy efficiency and electrification upgrades, including for switching to a heat pump. Staff estimate that this program has reduced 865 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually in North Cowichan (equivalent to removing 200 cars from the road).
Council supported several actions related to an innovative primary care model in the Cowichan Valley to increase the number of local family physicians. This item was referred from presentations made by the Cowichan Valley Primary Care Society and the Saunders Foundation to Council at the January 17, 2024, meeting. Actions include a letter from the Mayor to the BC Minister of Health expressing support for the proposal, participation in a working group to advance the primary care model, and providing a $1,000 grant-in-aid contribution to support activities of the society.
The next Council meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 3, 2024 at 5:00pm.
Thank you for reading and staying informed!
Rob Douglas, Mayor
Municipality of North Cowichan
T 250.746.3117
E rob.douglas@northcowichan.ca