City of Courtenay Website Redesign & Development

About Project

Objectives: Upanup partnered with the City of Courtenay to create a next-generation municipal website, Courtenay.ca, that is visually engaging, functionally powerful, and thoughtfully curated to meet the needs of City audiences.

Challenges and Solutions: Built on Drupal's content management system, the site blends modern design with exceptional usability, ensuring that staff, residents, and visitors can quickly access the information and services they need within a fully accessible digital environment.

The redesigned homepage provides an intuitive gateway to the City’s most-used content, with clear navigation pathways for residents, businesses, and visitors. Prominent quick-link categories and search bar streamline access to high-demand services, while homepage re-ordering (e.g. rows and background colour) allows staff to adjust the layout with ease. A striking feature is the flexible land acknowledgement banner, which the City can reposition anywhere on the homepage below quick-links, reflecting both cultural respect and content adaptability. The design also introduces toggle-on/off functionality for featured events, giving staff control over how and when key content is displayed.

In addition to these dynamic homepage elements, the site includes a range of purpose-built page templates and features tailored for municipal needs. Included are a calendar of events, job postings list, as well as alerts that can be displayed site-wide or page-specific. Features such as responsive tables, stats/infographic rows, and a dedicated media gallery option enrich content presentation, while rotating banners and featured areas provide engaging visual storytelling tools. Behind the scenes, a link checker module maintains content accuracy, while conditional webforms enable smarter online interactions for residents. The site also integrates with Cyberimpact for email lists, providing the City with a powerful tool for managing and growing community communications.

Accessibility was a central priority throughout the project. Brand colours were carefully adjusted to meet WCAG 2.2 Level AA contrast standards, ensuring legibility and inclusivity. The City’s team also received comprehensive training sessions, including a dedicated accessibility workshop, equipping them with the knowledge and confidence to manage and evolve the site over time. Engagement was also a key component of the project: a community survey gathered valuable input from residents, helping to shape priorities, while structured user testing during the project ensured that recommendations were implemented before launch. With content fully migrated into Drupal, the City now has a secure, scalable, and future-ready platform with flexible content models and page templates that protect design integrity while allowing easy updates.

The result is a polished, innovative, and accessible website that truly elevates the City’s digital presence. It reflects the City’s identity, empowers staff with new tools, and provides a barrier-free user experience for the community. With their new municipal website, the City of Courtenay is not only meeting today’s digital expectations but is also well-equipped to adapt and thrive in the years ahead.