Municipality of North Cowichan
Committee of the Whole
AGENDA

Tuesday, September 09, 2025 at 5:00 P.m. - 6:00 P.m.

Municipal Hall - Council Chambers & Electronically

This meeting will be conducted by video conference using the Cisco Webex platform. This meeting, though electronic, is open to the public and will be streamed live and archived for viewing on demand at www.northcowichan.ca.

Members of the public may attend the Municipal Hall [7030 Trans-Canada Highway] in person, or join the meeting electronically to participate during the 'Public Input' and 'Question Period' portions of the agenda. Please visit northcowichan.ca/virtualmeeting for instructions on how you can connect online or you may dial 1.844.426.4405, enter 1# for English, enter the meeting ID 2774 400 9024, and then enter the meeting password 1111.

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1.

CALL TO ORDER

As soon as there is a quorum present after the time specified for the Council meeting, the Mayor shall call the meeting to order. If there is no quorum of Council present within 15 minutes of the scheduled time for the meeting, the Corporate Officer records the names of the members present and those absent, and adjourns the meeting until the next scheduled meeting.

2.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

Purpose: To consider any items of business not included in the Agenda that are of an urgent nature they must be introduced and approved at the time the agenda is adopted. Matters must be taken up in the order that they are listed unless changed at this time.

• Recommendation:

  THAT the agenda be adopted as circulated [or as amended].

3.

ADOPTION OF MINUTES

Purpose: To consider if there were any errors or omissions prior to adopting the minutes of previous meetings of Council.

3.1

Minutes from the February 11, 2025 meeting for adoption

• Recommendation:

  THAT the minutes of the meeting held February 11, 2025 be adopted, as circulated.

4.

PUBLIC INPUT ON AGENDA ITEMS

Public Input is an opportunity for the public to provide feedback on matters included on the agenda. The maximum number of speakers to be heard during the public input period is limited to five (5), and each speaker is allotted up to a maximum of three (3) minutes to provide their input. Members of the public must register at least 10 minutes and not more than 30 minutes before the meeting using the webform available on North Cowichan’s website. Please visit Addressing Council to access the webform and for instructions on how to participate. Speakers are asked to state their name and residential address when commencing their address to Council, as per Council’s Public Input and Meeting Conduct Policy.

5.

STAFF REPORTS

This section includes reports from staff requiring a decision of Council and/or staff presentations.

5.1

Chemainus Off-leash Dog Area

Purpose: To present Council with the results of public engagement regarding potential solutions to conflicts at the off-leash dog area located at Field 3 in Chemainus Baseball Park, and to seek direction on identifying a suitable alternative location on municipally owned land.

• Recommendation:

  THAT the Committee of the Whole recommend Council directs staff to:

  1. Establish a year-round off-leash dog area at the Elm Street location, substantially in the location shown in Attachment 2; and,
  2. Revise the Animal Responsibility Bylaw to remove Field 3 as a designated off-leash dog area and add this location.

5.2

2026 Permissive Tax Exemption Application

Purpose: To provide the Committee of the Whole with the Permissive Tax Exemption applications received for the 2026 assessment roll and to seek direction to prepare a Permissive Tax Exemption Bylaw.

• Recommendation:

  THAT the Committee of the Whole recommend that Council deny the 2026 applications for permissive tax exemptions.

5.3

Letter of Support: University of Victoria (UVic) Planning Program

Purpose: To provide a letter of support for a potential new Masters in Community Planning Program at UVic for Council’s consideration and endorsement.

• Recommendation:

  THAT the Committee of the Whole endorses the attached Letter of Support addressed to the University of Victoria for the Proposed Master of Community Planning Program to be signed by the Mayor on behalf of Council.

6.

QUESTION PERIOD

Members of the public shall be provided an opportunity to ask questions of Council regarding matters discussed at the meeting and shall be allotted up to 30 seconds each to ask their question. Question Period is limited to 15 minutes.

7.

ADJOURNMENT

Once all the business is done and over with, the Mayor may declare the meeting adjourned without requiring a resolution of Council.