The Comox Valley Regional District is the regional government serving approximately 72,000 people across three municipalities (Courtenay, Comox, Cumberland) and three electoral areas (Baynes Sound/Denman/Hornby Islands, Lazo North, and Puntledge/Black Creek). Think of them as the coordinating body that delivers essential services across jurisdictions that individual municipalities can’t or don’t handle alone.

Major service areas include emergency services like fire protection and the North Island 9-1-1 system, utilities including water and wastewater treatment, recreation facilities like aquatic centers and sports complexes with community programming, and planning and development through building permits and zoning. They also coordinate community support services addressing homelessness, run transit including island bus connections, and handle bylaw enforcement. Currently they’re managing a significant Sewer Conveyance Project replacing pipes and upgrading pump stations that move over 14,000 cubic metres of sewage daily.

The CVRD works with K’ómoks First Nation through governance structures, operates regional hospital district services, and coordinates waste management and recycling programs across multiple jurisdictions. If you’re looking for work, they actively recruit across many areas: lifeguards, instructors, fire service positions, student and co-op placements, and various other roles through their “Work+ With the CVRD” career portal. It’s the regional government layer between municipal and provincial.