Mesage from the City

INTRODUCTION

Message from the City

Message from the City

Campbell River is maturing into a growing mid-island centre. As a tourist destination and a technology and innovation hub, while maintaining our roots in resources based economies, we are ’re well positioned to welcome invite more people and businesses to call Campbell River home.

This annual report highlights our continued pursuit of progressive initiatives, forward-looking services and award-winning functions.

Management and Governance

The City’s fiscal practices are admired recognized by municipalities all over North America. We continue to strengthen our balance sheet and win multiple awards for financial systems and communications.

In 2019, the City also received awards for engineering excellence, innovative use of wood in construction and commercial building excellence.

This year’s citizen satisfaction survey indicated that quality of life, satisfaction with City services and excellent customer service were high points for local residents. Top marks went to trails, water supply, sewage system and recreation programs. However, as with many communities, citizens said the most important community issue is homelessness and addiction. Services with lowest satisfaction ratings were bylaw enforcement, public washrooms, transportation and traffic flow and snow and ice removal.

To ensure ongoing community involvement, three new advisory committees were formed.

Community Planning Advisory Committee and

Environmental Advisory Committee, and

Community Public and Safety Advisory Committee. The City replaced more than $15 million in capital assets and critical infrastructure, well above the minimum amortization threshold. This includes work to replace much of the sewer line along the waterfront, upgrades to Highway 19A from south of Rockland Road to Big Rock Boat Ramp, upgrades for sewage treatment at Norm Wood Environmental Centre, Centennial Pool renovations and renewal of the historic Walter Morgan Studio.

Campbell River Airport (YBL) continues to be an industry leader, using our innovative airport lighting and safety model to train electrical technicians from across Canada.

Livability

The City enhanced community life by adapting service levels and infrastructure.

In 2019, we continued to focus efforts on recreation and culture programs, especially to draw people downtown. CR Live Streets and Spirit Square events offered many free family programs. Grants were offered for commercial building murals, sign and storefront improvements.

This year, Campbell River’s sea walk was extended along Robert’s Reach, connecting the waterfront walkway from the Tyee Spit to Maryland Road. Also, the new bike skills park pump track opened, six new bus shelters built, more sidewalks were installed and there were improvements to dedicatied cycling lanes along Highway 19A.

Economic Health

Following good economic development practices, the City worked with and provided training opportunities for existing businesses, attracted new ones, refined the technology attraction program, and enhanced tourism marketing.

Businesses continued to grow and invest in Campbell River. Examples include a completely upgraded and re-designed golf course with a state-of-the-art virtual golf driving range and lounge, plans for a large hotel and conference centre, a new high-tech aviation business at YBL airport and cannabis stores. The tax benefit of new construction fostered by the downtown incentive program brought additional revenue to the City.

The completed employment lands study indicated the need for new serviced property, particularly for light industrial businesses.

Growth Management

With a vacancy rate of 0.4 per cent, rental housing is a major priority for Campbell River. Both private and non-profit developers are responding to the need. In 2019, more than 600 housing suites were constructed or in development – and 273 multi-family units were approved.

Market housing demand remained high. In 2019, 100 hundred new lots were created, and another 400 were under review.

The new Jubilee Heights single-family neighbourhood and the Merecroft Landing multi-family area grew, complementing housing construction near the southern city boundary, Quinsam Heights and numerous small infill areas. Development contributed more than $10 million in community assets such as sidewalks and underground infrastructure for sewer, water and storm drains. The City is actively engaged in a housing growth review to determine how best to match available land with demand for a range of housing options.

With growth comes increased demand on City services. In 2019, development engineering resources were increased to improve application review and processing times. Fire services were increased to improve response times in the south, and planning for a new fire hall continued. Two new police officers joined our local RCMP detachment.

The Planning Institute of British Columbia recognized the City with an advocacy and innovation award.

Environment

The City works to minimize environmental impact and plan for climate change. Our sea level rise planning sets the bar for coastal communities, with adaptation strategies that incorporate community values. Climate action plan work continues, and the City’s education and rebate programs for home energy retrofits received an award of distinction.

A local landowner, directed by the Province and the City, completed construction to restore the Jubilee wetland, which is now under a conservation covenant.

The regional organics facility approved for Argonaut Road will help reduce the amount of solid waste going to landfill.

We introduced a green burial option in the cemetery.

Andy Adams Mayor

Relationships

A number of solid relationships have turned into partnerships that provide housing for vulnerable members of our community. Projects include Habitat for Humanity homes, Linda’s Place by the Head Injury Support Society, M’akola’s affordable housing facility, new construction next to Rose Harbour for women and children fleeing violence, and an agreement with BC Housing to provide 50 units of supportive housing in Campbell River.

The City’s new social housing and community development function actively supports the progressive initiatives of the Coalition to End Homelessness. Our nonprofit sector continued to provide much needed services with the support of City grants and tax exemptions. The City launched a social grants program and distributed $100,000 to social service agencies.

The City successfully concluded two long-term water supply agreements: one with BC Hydro that will provide stability and certainly for community water supply for the next 25 years, the other to provide water to our regional district neighbours in Electoral Area D.

Dialogue and collaboration are key components for healthy relationships. Tangible examples of the City and local First Nation communities working together for community good include: the waterfront walkway between the BC Ferries terminal and the Discovery Harbour Shopping Centre, and improved emergency preparedness and wildfire planning.

Looking ahead – Changes and Challenges with the COVID-19 Pandemic

By March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic had begun affecting communities around the world. More than three million Canadians lost jobs, and household consumption declined. Economists say we can expect the economy to contract by approximately eight per cent, with reduced activity into 2021. Local businesses are proving to be resilient, and the City is working to help them adapt and rebuild.

Along with the strain of financial impacts, social isolation and restricted activity takes a toll. In response, our recreation and culture team moved a number of programs online and outdoors – another way we’re doing what we can to keep people connected and resilient. In these times of major change, we’re here for you. City employees continue to provide safe drinking water, sewer treatment, emergency response, roads and parks maintenance and 100 other local government services our community relies on.

Where necessary, front counter service delivery has changed to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. We appreciate your patience as we serve you more by phone and email rather than face-to-face.

To offset lost revenue from facility closures and program cancellations, we’ve left positions vacant and temporarily laid off some employees. Some projects have been cancelled or postponed. This will help reduce costs and maintain predictable property tax rates as we make our way through the pandemic.

Working with you to keep Campbell River strong and healthy,

Mayor Andy Adams and City Manager Deborah Sargent