Doug plays competitive soccer, hikes and sings in a community choir. He has lived in Courtenay for 43 years, with 12 years coaching youth soccer, co-founded the Transition and Social Planning Societies, and served on numerous boards like the Justice Centre, where he still volunteers as a facilitator. Doug and his partner Shelagh have four adult children and three grandchildren.

Doug's priority on Council is to balance attention to big picture issues like climate change, reconciliation and housing with the day to day issues involved in running the City, like providing core services and maintaining our infrastructure. To assure he is accessible and responsive to citizens, he responds promptly to email and meets regularly with residents to problem solve on neighbourhood issues or challenges in their dealings with the City. A local government survey by Decafnation found the following:

Courtenay respondents were most satisfied with Councillor Doug Hillian, who got a 68 percent satisfied rating, with 44 percent rating his performance at the top very satisfied level.

One respondent said Hillian was the council’s “Elder statesman. Eloquent. Ever diplomatic. Grateful to have him.”

Another person wrote, “Councillor Hillian is very knowledgeable and experienced, he’s empathetic, cares about the environment and related issues, and is responsive to taxpayers.” Source: decafnation.net

Doug’s current additional responsibilities on Council include: Regional District Director, Liaison with K’omoks First Nation and Project Watershed on Kus-kus-sum Project (since 2015), Community Justice Council (since 2009), Coalition to End Homelessness (since inception), Physician Recruitment and Retention Task Force (2022) He previously served on the July 1st committee, Centennial committee, Social Planning Society, Puntledge Restoration committee, Finance Select committee and the Tree Bylaw committee.

Since retirement from his professional career, Doug has taken on added responsibility as one of Courtenay’s four Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) Directors, providing leadership as follows: CVRD Representative to K’omoks First Nation Main Treaty Table; Chair, Comox Valley Sewage Commission; Vice-Chair, Comox Strathcona Regional Hospital District Board; Director, Comox Valley Water Committee, Comox Valley Recreation Commission, Comox-Strathcona Waste Management Board, North Island 911 Board; Chair, Economic Development Select Committee