Campbell River council has taken another step toward cracking down on repeat nuisance properties in the city.

At its most recent meeting, council gave third reading to two bylaws aimed at deterring ongoing nuisance behaviour and recovering costs tied to repeated non-emergency responses.

They include the proposed Nuisance Abatement and Cost Recovery Bylaw and an amendment to the City’s ticketing bylaw.

Currently, Campbell River’s public nuisance bylaw focuses on issues like unsightly properties, but it does not allow the City to recover costs when RCMP, fire crews, or bylaw officers are repeatedly called to the same address.

Other communities, including Courtenay, Port Alberni, Nanaimo, and Cumberland, already have similar cost-recovery measures in place.

Under the proposed changes, council would be able to formally designate certain locations as “nuisance properties”.

Once designated, the City could recover costs associated with repeated non-emergency calls for service involving RCMP, fire, or bylaw enforcement.

The bylaw is intended to discourage ongoing problem behaviours such as loud parties, public intoxication, fighting, and illegal activity.

Emergency and medical calls would be excluded. Properties typically affected are those linked to persistent drug activity or chronic party complaints.

City staff emphasized that bylaw enforcement remains complaint-driven, impartial, and consistent.

The process to designate a nuisance property would involve a detailed, multi-stage review by a working group that includes City staff and RCMP representatives.

That review would look at repeated complaints and situations where property owners have failed to address ongoing issues.
Only if council approves a recommendation would the City be able to recover costs tied to non-emergency responses.

Read the full meeting highlights at City of Campbell River.

Watch the webcasts at Campbell River Webcasts.