It is a privilege to live and work in the unceded territories of the K’ómoks First Nation


Will Cole-Hamilton

UBCM Director at Large

Will Cole-Hamilton Councillor, City of Courtenay
Vice-Chair, Comox Valley Regional District
Director, UBCM

Proven record of:

  • collaboration
  • advocacy
  • leadership

Will Cole-Hamilton grew up in Ontario but visited BC when he was 12, and knew that this is where he would spend his life. He attended Queen’s University and Dalhousie Law School before moving west to BC. Will and his family live in Courtenay, on the unceded territories of the K’ómoks First Nation. First elected in 2018, Will is in his second term as a Councillor for the City of Courtenay.

Since being elected Will has consistently sought out opportunities to work together with other elected officials at the regional, provincial and national levels. These policy-driven leadership roles include:

  • Vice-Chair, Comox Valley Regional District
  • Director at Large, UBCM
  • Director at Large, FCM
  • Co-Chair, Comox Strathcona Waste Management, a 23 member board spanning two regional districts
  • Chair, Help Cities Lead - Will led a team which successfully lobbied the Province of BC to commit, in its Roadmap to 2030, to developing PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy), a low-interest loan program for home-owners to finance heat pumps and other energy efficient home upgrades. This was achieved by gaining resolutions of support from 37 local governments across BC from Kitimat to Vancouver, as well as a resolution endorsed by the UBCM Executive.
  • Chair, Climate Caucus - Will has worked to help build the grassroots organization (founded in 2019) into a national network with full-time staff and a membership of over 650 mayors and councillors from every province and territory - Climate Caucus supports elected officials by convening conversations, maintaining a policy database to share best practices on tackling climate change, and by creating a real-time database of current grant opportunities
  • Chair, Courtenay Drug Strategy Committee - As past Chair, Will successfully led its expansion to become a region-wide body with broader scope and membership
  • Trustee, Vancouver Island Regional Library Board

As a natural collaborator and advocate with a background in law, Will would bring a valuable skill-set to the FCM board. “Whether it’s meeting complex challenges or creating new opportunities, I believe that we are stronger, smarter, and more inclusive when we work together.”

Outside of his local government roles, Will works as a legal researcher at a family law firm in downtown Courtenay. He has a long history of contributing to his community: soccer coach; “chess club guy” at Puntledge Elementary School; Director of the Downtown Business Improvement Association; and Director of the Comox Valley International Film Festival.

Whenever he can, Will enjoys getting outside to enjoy the bounty of outdoor experiences that Vancouver Island has to offer, particularly skiing, cycling and hiking.

Contact:
wcole-hamilton@courtenay.ca
778 992 0102