On February 4, 2026, local Comox Valley mayors, senior staff and RCMP leadership toured the newly constructed North Cowichan RCMP detachment, completed in 2024. The visit was part of ongoing efforts by Comox Valley mayors to advance the development of a new detachment in the Comox Valley.
The Ryan Road RCMP building, now more than 40 years old, faces numerous concerns and deficiencies. Local elected officials and RCMP representatives have been discussing the condition and replacement of the Comox Valley RCMP detachment for more than a decade. In 2019, officials were informed that a condition assessment was required to confirm that the building was no longer serving the needs of the detachment.
In 2022, local officials met with the commander of RCMP “E” Division (responsible for RCMP buildings), who confirmed the condition assessment was complete but that a needs assessment was required before any cost analysis could proceed. The RCMP “E” Division let officials know that
once the assessment was complete, they would report back on next steps. Further discussions took place between the RCMP and municipalities between 2023 to 2025.
Local governments play an important role in advocating to provincial and federal governments to move the project forward. The City of Courtenay, Town of Comox, and Village of Cumberland will be sending letters of support, urging the next steps toward a new detachment.
“After touring both the North Cowichan and our local detachment, the urgency to get this facility replacement process moving became very obvious to me,” Cumberland Mayor Vickey Brown shared. “Now we need to sort out how to move it forward with the least impact on our
residents.”
“The RCMP building is unfortunately well past its prime,” says Courtenay Mayor Bob Wells. “We are taking this seriously and have requested to meet with RCMP “E” Division leadership again to advocate for improvements at the current detachment while we also work toward a new facility.”
“The Comox Valley RCMP provides an essential service to our municipalities and continues to evolve to meet the changing public safety needs of our growing community. As we look ahead, we will need a new building to serve the next 40 years — one that can accommodate population
growth, support response to natural disasters and major emergencies, and future policing needs that were not envisioned when the current building was constructed,” says Comox Mayor Nicole Minions. “This project has been identified as a priority over the past three years, and moving
forward, we will work with our provincial and federal government partners to advance it as a jointly funded priority for our region.”
The existing detachment is maintained by the RCMP. Significant issues include a risk of structural failure during a major seismic event — an outcome that could disrupt police communications across North Vancouver Island. Additional health and safety concerns include lead in water pipes, asbestos in building materials, unreliable heating and ventilation systems and space shortages. Nearly 200 police personnel are currently working within approximately 1,700 square metres.
“I was encouraged to learn that significant conversations have taken place between local elected officials and the commander of RCMP “E” Division,” says Inspector Scott Mercer. “We hope letters of support from local governments will continue to demonstrate the intention to build and put our words into action. This will help move us to the next steps so we can work with provincial and federal partners on a solution that better supports police services in the Comox Valley and North Island.”
The North Cowichan detachment — built on municipally owned land — provides space for specialized units and modern operational support. Mayor Wells requested the tour from North Cowichan Mayor Rob Douglas, noting that both detachments serve a similar number of RCMP
members.
In the months ahead, local governments and RCMP leadership will continue reviewing options, exploring funding models, and learning from recent detachment projects like North Cowichan’s. This collaborative work aims to ensure the Comox Valley is well-positioned to support a police
facility that meets the needs of the community for decades to come.
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Media contacts:
Town of Comox
Nicole Minions, Mayor
Tel: 250-339-2202
City of Courtenay
Bob Wells, Mayor
Tel: 250-207-0778
Village of Cumberland
Vickey Brown, Mayor
Tel: 250-218-0321
