Voice to the City

One neighbourhood, one clear voice

The Ridge is growing, and the decisions that shape it are made at the City of Courtenay. One resident writing in is easy to overlook. A whole neighbourhood speaking together — calmly, reasonably, and with facts — is much harder to ignore.

This is where we keep track of the issues that affect our streets, when the City is meeting, and how you can add your voice. When we show up together, we earn a real say in our own neighbourhood and a genuine sense of ownership over where we live. None of this is about being against anyone — it's about being for the place we share.

Current issues

Where the neighbours' group is focusing right now. Each one is a constructive priority — background, our position, and what we're asking the City.

Safe crossings & traffic calming on our main access road

Active

As more families move in, the road most of us use to get in and out of the neighbourhood is getting busier. We're asking the City for safe, well-marked crossings and sensible traffic calming before it becomes a problem.

What you can do

  • Send a short, polite note to Mayor & Council describing where you feel unsafe crossing, and why.
  • Tell us about near-misses or trouble spots so we can map them and share the pattern with the City.
  • Add your name to the list so you hear about any City meeting where this comes up.

Read the full position →

More trail connections & protected parkland

Watching

The trails and green space are a big part of why people love the Ridge. As the neighbourhood fills in, we want to see those connections strengthened and real parkland protected for the long term.

What you can do

  • Tell us which trail links or green spaces matter most to you, so we can speak to specifics.
  • Learn how the City's park and trail planning works — we'll share a plain-language summary.
  • Join the list so you hear about comment periods and meetings while there's still time to weigh in.

Read the full position →

Sidewalks & street lighting as the neighbourhood grows

Watching

A walkable neighbourhood needs somewhere to walk and enough light to feel safe after dark. As the Ridge grows, we want sidewalks and lighting to keep pace — not lag years behind.

What you can do

  • Point out streets where you'd like a sidewalk or better lighting, and tell us why.
  • Share the times and spots where walking after dark feels uncomfortable.
  • Add your name to the list so you hear when these decisions come up at the City.

Read the full position →

Upcoming City meetings

These are the moments where decisions get made. The dates below are examples to confirm against the City of Courtenay's official calendar — always check before you plan to attend.

  • Wednesday, August 19, 2026Council

    Courtenay City Council — Regular Meeting

    Example date — please confirm against the City calendar. Agenda is usually posted the week before.

    City calendar & agendas →

  • Wednesday, September 2, 2026Committee of the Whole

    Courtenay Committee of the Whole

    Example date — please confirm against the City calendar. Committee of the Whole is often where topics are discussed before they reach Council.

    City calendar & agendas →

  • Wednesday, October 7, 2026Council

    Courtenay City Council — Regular Meeting

    Example date — please confirm against the City calendar. Agenda is usually posted the week before.

    City calendar & agendas →

How to weigh in

You don't need to be an expert or a regular at City Hall. Here's the plain-language version of how a resident makes their voice count.

Write to Mayor & Council

A short, polite email is one of the simplest and most effective things you can do. Say who you are and that you live on the Ridge, describe the one thing you're writing about, and make a clear, specific ask. A few honest sentences from a real neighbour carry real weight — and dozens of them carry much more.

Correspondence to Council is usually received through the City of Courtenay's website. Keep a copy of what you send.

Speak at a meeting

Council meetings often include a chance for residents to speak, sometimes by signing up ahead of time. It can feel daunting, so keep it simple: introduce yourself, make one point, and be respectful of the time limit. You can bring notes. If speaking isn't for you, a written submission counts too.

Check the meeting agenda in advance to see how and when public input is handled.

Know your representatives

The City of Courtenay is led by a Mayor and Council who are elected to represent all of us. You don't need to know them personally to write to them — they expect to hear from residents. Understanding who they are and how the City is organized makes it easier to direct your message to the right place.

The City's website lists Council members and how to reach them.

Watch for deadlines

Many decisions have a window for public comment, and once it closes it's much harder to have a say. That's the single biggest reason we run a mailing list — so nobody misses the moment that matters. When something relevant is coming up, we'll flag it with enough notice to act.

Timing is everything. Early and polite beats late and loud.

Don't miss the moment that matters

Join the list to hear about issues in time to weigh in — or reach out if you'd like to help shape what we ask for.

Hear about issues in time Get in touch