CLAC Calls for Urgent Action to Protect Stevenson Place Residents and Workers

Comox, BC—CLAC is calling on the Town of Comox and the strata corporation responsible for Stevenson Place to take immediate action to prevent the disruption of essential support services at the independent living residence in Comox, BC, where residents and workers face an uncertain future.

David Herrod, CLAC representative, will be onsite at Stevenson Place on Friday, October 16, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to answer questions and address concerns about the potential impact on residents and workers. Herrod will also be available to speak with members of the media.

Nova Pacific Care Inc., which currently provides support services at Stevenson Place, has given notice that it will discontinue its services effective October 18, 2026. However, the strata corporation responsible for the residence, The Owners, Strata Plan VIS 4342, has yet to secure a replacement service provider. Without a replacement, residents could lose access to daily meals, housekeeping, laundry, emergency response, and other essential services, while workers represented by Service, Health, Manufacturing and Allied Workers Union, CLAC Local 501, face the loss of their jobs.

"The strata corporation has had six months to find another provider, yet neither the corporation nor its property management firm has taken the necessary steps to do so," says Herrod.

The strata corporation's bylaws require it to retain a support services company to provide residents with 24-hour onsite staffing, daily meals, weekly housekeeping and laundry, resident monitoring, and emergency response support. A registered covenant agreement with the Town of Comox also requires that basic support services be made available to residents.

Despite these obligations, no replacement provider has been confirmed. CLAC has been working to address the situation for several months. On June 19, the union formally notified the property's management company, Advanced Property Management, of its position regarding successor rights under section 35 of BC's Labour Relations Code.

Under these provisions, CLAC maintains that workers have the right to continue performing their duties for a replacement service provider, with their existing collective agreement and union representation continuing in effect, subject to the application of the legislation.

On September 18, CLAC wrote to the Town of Comox requesting urgent intervention to ensure the continuity of services. The union called on the Town to contact the strata corporation, confirm whether a replacement or interim service plan was in place, consider exercising its available enforcement authority, and arrange an urgent meeting with all parties before October 18.

"I have made several attempts to resolve this matter with the strata corporation through its property manager, including meeting with them in person," says Herrod. "I was advised that, based on legal advice, they believe enforcement of the covenant agreement with the Town is optional for Comox Town Council. I have also contacted Town officials and the mayor, who characterized the matter as complicated but did not identify what action the Town is prepared to take. In light of the ongoing lack of resolution, immediate action is now required."

With the deadline rapidly approaching, CLAC is calling on the Town and the strata corporation to work together to ensure that residents are not left without essential services and that experienced workers are not unnecessarily displaced.

"Our members are ready and willing to continue providing essential services to the residents of Stevenson Place, but their jobs are now at risk within days," says Herrod. "The Town of Comox and the Stevenson Place strata must act immediately to address this crisis, protect residents, and respect the dedicated workers who provide these vital services. Inaction is not acceptable."

CLAC represents workers in a wide range of sectors, including healthcare, construction, transportation, manufacturing, and service industries, and is committed to advancing workers' interests through fair representation, collective bargaining, and workplace advocacy.

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