Why I’m Running for Re-Election as Mayor of Courtenay

Sep 28, 2026 | Affordable Housing, Community Safety, FAQ, Fiscal Responsibility, Open and Collaborative Governance

I am running for re-election because Courtenay and the Comox Valley are entering an important period of change, with major housing, infrastructure, public safety, economic and regional projects requiring experienced and consistent municipal leadership.

Being of service to my community has always been important to me. But when I consider why I am running for another term as Mayor of Courtenay, the answer needs to be more specific than simply wanting to serve.

I am passionate about this community, and over my time in local government I have developed considerable experience working with municipal, regional, provincial, federal and First Nations partners. I have also seen major projects move from discussion and planning into implementation.

Courtenay and the wider Comox Valley are now entering another important period. Several significant initiatives are underway, while others will require difficult decisions about priorities, costs and long-term impacts on taxpayers.

I am seeking another term because I want to continue that work and provide continuity as these projects move forward.

Continuing the focus on housing

Housing remains one of the most important issues facing our community.

As I have discussed throughout this series, there is no single housing solution. We need to continue working across the full housing spectrum:

Shelter for people who need an immediate safe place to stay;

Non-market housing for residents whose needs cannot be adequately met by the private market; and

Market housing to increase overall supply and provide more choices for people at different stages of their lives.

Municipal government does not build most of this housing itself. Its role includes establishing appropriate land-use policies, improving development processes, contributing land or funding where appropriate and working with non-profit organizations, developers and other levels of government.

At the regional level, another important piece is now taking shape.

Establishing the Comox Valley Housing Authority

The Comox Valley Housing Authority is being launched in 2026 to help facilitate the creation of additional non-market rental housing throughout the region.

The Comox Valley Regional District estimates that approximately 2,500 additional affordable non-market homes are needed in the region. The Housing Authority is intended to work with non-profit housing providers, First Nations, governments and private-sector partners, including helping secure land and funding for affordable housing projects.

Establishing an organization is only the beginning. Governance, partnerships, land acquisition, financing and the selection of viable projects will determine what it ultimately accomplishes.

This is an area where continuity and an understanding of regional government will be important as the Housing Authority moves from its organizational stage toward delivering housing.

Making careful decisions about regional spending

Courtenay residents do not only pay for City services. They also contribute to services provided through the Comox Valley Regional District.

Over the coming years, the Regional District will be considering significant infrastructure and service investments. Some may be necessary, but necessity does not eliminate the responsibility to scrutinize costs.

Large projects need clear business cases, realistic cost estimates, consideration of alternatives and a transparent understanding of how much taxpayers will be expected to contribute.

Where major borrowing proposals warrant direct elector approval, my position is that a referendum should be used rather than relying on an Alternative Approval Process.

An Alternative Approval Process is a legitimate mechanism available to local governments under provincial legislation. However, for major expenditures with significant long-term implications for taxpayers, I believe there are circumstances where asking residents to vote directly provides a clearer mandate.

Fiscal responsibility does not mean refusing to invest. It means establishing that an investment is necessary, determining the most effective way to deliver it and being transparent about what it will cost.

Completing the East Courtenay Fire Hall

One major City investment is already under construction.

Approximately half of Courtenay's population now lives east of the Courtenay River, and the City expects to add approximately 4,500 residents and 2,900 homes by 2031.

The new East Courtenay Fire Hall is intended to improve emergency response times, increase volunteer firefighter capacity and strengthen the City's resilience as the community grows.

Construction began in 2026, with the current estimated construction cost at approximately $14 million.

This project illustrates the importance of long-term planning. Population growth changes the demands placed on municipal services, and infrastructure needs to evolve accordingly.

The next term of Council will see this project through construction and into operation.

Planning for a new RCMP detachment

The Comox Valley also needs to continue planning for the future of its RCMP detachment.

The existing Ryan Road facility is more than 40 years old and has significant building and operational deficiencies. Discussions about replacing it have been underway for more than a decade.

In February 2026, Comox Valley elected officials and RCMP leadership toured the newer North Cowichan detachment as part of renewed regional discussions about what a future facility could require.

A new detachment would be a major regional investment. Before commitments are made, local governments need to understand the appropriate facility size, operational requirements, location, costs, cost-sharing arrangements and opportunities for provincial or federal participation.

This is exactly the type of project where early planning matters. Beginning that work does not mean approving a particular building or expenditure. It means ensuring that elected officials have reliable information before those decisions eventually need to be made.

Continuing downtown vitalization

Downtown Courtenay will remain another major focus.

The Downtown Vitalization Local Area Plan is bringing together housing, commercial development, transportation, parks, public spaces, infrastructure and environmental planning into a long-term framework for the downtown.

This work needs to continue in partnership with residents, property owners and the Downtown Courtenay Business Improvement Association.

Downtown is both a neighbourhood and an economic centre. Decisions about housing, public spaces, transportation, safety and infrastructure all influence the businesses operating there.

The objective should be a downtown that can accommodate growth while retaining the human scale and local character that make it distinctive.

Preparing for major investment at 19 Wing Comox

Changes at 19 Wing Comox will also have significant implications for the region.

The federal government is undertaking major defence investments nationally, including infrastructure associated with new multi-mission aircraft that will operate from 19 Wing Comox. The broader P-8A Poseidon procurement is a $10.4-billion national program, with the aircraft to be based at Comox and Greenwood.

The Department of National Defence has also been making local housing investments, including its 2025 purchase of a 52-unit apartment building in Courtenay for Canadian Armed Forces personnel.

The scale of future activity at 19 Wing creates opportunities for local businesses, construction and employment, but it can also add pressure to housing, transportation and other infrastructure.

Strong partnerships among local governments, the federal government, 19 Wing, businesses and community organizations will be important as these investments proceed.

A changing relationship with K'ómoks First Nation

The evolving relationship with K'ómoks First Nation will be equally significant.

K'ómoks citizens voted to ratify the K'ómoks Treaty and Constitution in 2025, and the Province introduced the K'ómoks Treaty Act in April 2026 as part of the provincial ratification process. Additional steps remain before the treaty becomes effective.

The treaty represents a significant change in governance and the relationship among K'ómoks First Nation, neighbouring local governments, British Columbia and Canada.

Courtenay needs to approach that future with respect, consistency and a commitment to government-to-government relationships.

Our communities share this region. Housing, infrastructure, transportation, economic development, environmental stewardship and watershed management provide many areas where our interests intersect.

The relationships established before treaty implementation will help determine how effectively we work together afterwards.

Restoring the Anderton Avenue riverbank

The Anderton Riverbank Restoration is another project that will extend into the next term.

The City is planning to remove approximately 320 metres of failing retaining wall along the Courtenay River and restore the riverbank. The project needs to address structural and erosion concerns while also considering habitat restoration, accessibility, recreation, public space and the connection between downtown and the river.

Public engagement during 2026 helped identify community priorities, and the project team is now developing a preferred option that balances those priorities with technical requirements and long-term maintenance.

The preferred option and cost estimate will need to come before Council before the project advances through future design and construction.

This is another example of why continuity matters. The next Council will inherit years of technical work, public engagement and planning and will be responsible for deciding how the project proceeds.

The cost of postponing necessary infrastructure

One of the lessons I have taken from my years in local government is that keeping taxes low in the short term cannot be the only measure of fiscal responsibility.

Sometimes postponing necessary infrastructure simply transfers a larger problem to the future.

The Comox Valley's drinking-water system provides an important example.

The region experienced repeated turbidity-related boil-water notices before the new water treatment system was completed. The CVRD's own project history documents that earlier deferral meant residents would face additional winters of boil-water notices, requiring temporary ultraviolet treatment while the permanent system was being developed.

By 2017, the permanent treatment project was estimated at approximately $110 million. Following procurement and changes in labour and material costs, the project budget was updated to $126 million in 2019.

Fortunately, more than $62 million in federal and provincial funding helped reduce the amount that had to be borne locally.

The completed system now provides filtration, ultraviolet treatment and chlorination and has eliminated the turbidity-related boil-water notices that affected the previous system.

The lesson is not that every proposed project should proceed immediately. Large expenditures require scrutiny.

The lesson is that doing nothing also has a cost.

Responsible government needs to consider the long-term consequences of delaying infrastructure as carefully as it considers the immediate cost of building it.

Experience and continuity

None of these projects belongs to one mayor or one Council.

They involve City staff, elected officials, residents, K'ómoks First Nation, neighbouring municipalities, the Regional District, non-profit organizations, businesses and provincial and federal governments.

That collaborative approach has been central to how I have worked as mayor.

My reason for seeking another term is straightforward. There is significant work underway, and I believe my experience with these projects, organizations and government partners can contribute to continuity as the next decisions are made.

The priorities are substantial: continuing to increase housing supply across the housing spectrum, establishing the regional Housing Authority, completing the East Courtenay Fire Hall, planning responsibly for the future RCMP detachment, advancing downtown vitalization and the Anderton riverbank restoration, preparing for investment at 19 Wing Comox and strengthening the City's relationship with K'ómoks First Nation as treaty implementation approaches.

At the same time, every major expenditure needs to be evaluated carefully against its impact on residents and taxpayers.

That is why I am seeking another term as Mayor of Courtenay: to continue the work already underway, apply the experience gained over the past several years, and help guide these major decisions through their next stages.