Here are the highlights from the October 21 and 23 Council and Committee meetings, including important community initiatives and Council decisions. Watch City Council meetings live or view recordings at www.campbellriver.ca/webcasts.
The City of Campbell River acknowledges that we are on the territory of the Laich-Kwil-Tach people of the Wei Wai Kum and We Wai Kai First Nations.
Finance Update
2026 Permissive Tax Exemption Recommendations
Council adopted Permissive Exemption from Taxation Bylaw No. 3998, 2025. The City’s Permissive Tax Exemption (PTE) program supports local organizations that operate community arts, culture, recreation, social, emergency, and spiritual facilities and programs that enhance quality of life in Campbell River.
For 2026, the City received 114 PTE applications, which were reviewed using the new Financial Assistance Policy (FAP) eligibility and evaluation criteria. Following Council direction and informed by staff recommendations:
- 91 applications are proposed to receive a 100 per cent exemption
- 7 applications are proposed to receive a 50 per cent exemption
- 17 applications are not recommended and are not included in the proposed bylaw
- The total value of proposed exemptions is $601,652.
Throughout 2024, the City developed and adopted the FAP, which consolidates policies for grants, PTEs, and leases into a single framework. The policy streamlines processes, improves transparency and accountability, and expands financial assistance across sectors. To ease the transition, staff engaged with organizations throughout 2024 and 2025 to help local charities and non-profits build financial resilience.
Community feedback received through public consultation and correspondence received were considered by Council. PTEs must be approved by bylaw and submitted to BC Assessment by October 31, 2025, in accordance with the Community Charter.
Community Updates
Citizen Satisfaction Survey Results
Discovery Research, an independent engagement consultant contracted to complete the survey, presented the results of the City of Campbell River’s 2025 Citizen Satisfaction Survey to Council.
This fall, 1,600 randomly selected residents received the bi-annual survey by mail, while all residents could participate online. In total, 810 surveys were completed, providing a robust snapshot of community sentiment. The mail survey, which achieved a 25% response rate, is considered representative of Campbell River’s population and accurate within ±5% at a 95% confidence level. Key findings include:
Quality of Life:
- 93% rate Campbell River’s overall quality of life as good or very good.
- 93% say it’s a great place to raise children; 92% recommend it as a place to retire.
City Services:
- 70% agree the City is doing a good job overall.
- Satisfaction with City trails (94%) and parks/events (93%) remains strong.
Customer Service:
- City staff received high marks for helpfulness (86%) and knowledge (89%).
Top Issues:
- 56% identify homelessness and addiction as the most pressing issue.
- 34% say housing availability and affordability should be a top priority.
- More people feel safe downtown—safety concerns dropped from 49% to 29%.
Budget and Services:
- 54% support maintaining current service levels through moderate tax increases.
- 18% prefer reducing services to keep taxes unchanged.
The 2025 Campbell River Citizen Survey - Detailed Report is available at www.getinvolved.campbellriver.ca.
New City Website Launched
Council received a presentation from staff on the new City of Campbell River website, which launched on October 16, 2025. The updated website will continue to be the primary online destination for residents and businesses seeking information and services from the City.
The updated website features a modern, user-friendly design that improves accessibility, streamlines navigation, and enhances the overall user experience. It reflects the City’s commitment to providing accurate, reliable, and up-to-date information while supporting the online services that residents rely on, such as bill payments, license renewals, development applications, and much more.
The redesign was informed by website development industry experts, Upanup, and shaped by community engagement, including surveys, user testing, and feedback from residents. The result is a site that better meets the needs of the community and organization. Highlights to explore include:
- The new and improved Community Events page. Have an upcoming event? Share it with us and the community at Community Events Calendar | City of Campbell River.
- Be the first in the know. Sign-up capabilities for City news, traffic updates, and more are now available at Subscribe to City Updates | City of Campbell River
- Streamlined navigation and search function.
Residents are encouraged to explore the new website at www.campbellriver.ca.
Community Safety
Community Resiliency Investment Program Grant Application
As part of the City's ongoing initiatives to reducing wildfire risk in the community, Council directed staff to submit a 2025 Community Resiliency Investment Program grant application to the Union of BC Municipalities as recommended in the Fire Department's October 7, 2025, report. If successful, the grant would provide funding for wildfire risk reduction, education, and community preparedness initiatives within the City of Campbell River and local First Nations.
Delegations/Presentations
Campbell River 2025 Homelessness Point in Time Count
Stefanie Hendrickson, Executive Consultant, Strathcona Housing Alliance, presented to Council on the Homelessness Point in Time Count (PiT count) information for Campbell River. The PiT count, which provides a snapshot of people who are experiencing homelessness over a 24-hour period in a community, was completed on April 30, 2025.
In total, 174 people in Campbell River were included in the Count by either staying in a shelter or completing a survey. This was down approximately 12% when compared with the 197 people identified in the previous PiT count, which was conducted in 2023. Ms. Hendrickson presented the estimated number of people experiencing homelessness, and explored demographic characteristics and other information, including service use, income, and reasons for housing loss. Ms. Hendrickson stated that the opening of 40, soon to be 48, temporary housing units on Homewood Road could have contributed to the reduction in homelessness. The City and the Province, through BC Housing, partnered to build and develop Homewood, which is now operated by Lookout Housing and Health Society.
Mayor and Council Reports
Big Tree Hatchery Aquaculture Tour
Councillor Lanyon provided an update on the Aquaculture Tour held on October 22, 2025. The tour brought together representatives from across British Columbia to visit Big Tree Hatchery and an operational salmon farm off the coast of Sayward, hosted by MOWI. Lanyon spoke to the information shared with participants regarding the aquaculture industry, including its broad economic contributions to British Columbia, Alberta, and other regions across Canada.