The Comox Valley Regional District is announcing the retirement of its Chief Administrative Officer, Russell Dyson. Russell served the CVRD for more than six years and is looking forward to retirement from the regional district on August 31, 2023.
In addition to leading the CVRD and supporting its many committees and commissions, Russell also served as the CAO for the Comox Strathcona Regional Hospital District and the Comox Strathcona Waste Management Board and as the Secretary for the North Island 911 Corporation. These roles have required managing the complexities of governance bodies with representatives from different regional districts, comprising numerous municipalities, rural areas and First Nations, while also working with the staff and political leadership of those varied jurisdictions.
Russell’s tenure has been highlighted by a number of significant projects, including completion of the $120 million Comox Valley Water Treatment Plant project and guiding the $101 million Sewage Conveyance project. He also excelled in leading the CVRD through the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating his skills in change and crisis management. Among his most signature accomplishments was the development of the working relationship with K’ómoks First Nation and the CVRD’s Indigenous Relations Framework, laying the groundwork for a new era of collaboration and engagement.
Overall, Russell has positioned the CVRD as an effective and well-functioning local government organization providing services for the benefit of those living in and visiting the Comox Valley. The CVRD is grateful for his dedicated service and leadership.
The Comox Valley Regional District is a federation of three electoral areas and three municipalities operating on the unceded traditional territory of the K’ómoks First Nation, the traditional keepers of the land. The members of the regional district work collaboratively on providing sustainable services for the benefit of the diverse urban and rural areas of the Comox Valley.
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Media contact:
James Warren
Acting Chief Administrative Officer
250-334-6007