Regular Council Meeting - August 11, 2026

City Hall front exterior

Public Submissions

Expanded Liquor Licence Area for Kamloops Virtual Golf

Council authorized a resolution of support for Kamloops Virtual Golf, located at 141 Lorne Street, to amend their liquor primary licence area and increase capacity from 30 people to 50. The applicant submitted a building permit application in May 2026 to expand their virtual golf business into the existing vacant commercial space in the adjacent building unit. This expansion will facilitate the addition of one new virtual golf bay and lounge area, increasing the gross leasable area by 67 m².  

  • Read the full July 14, 2026, regular Council meeting report here. 

Consideration of Bylaws 

Density and Building Height Regulations Update

Council adopted Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 55-119, 2026, to align the bylaw's density regulations with provincial legislation and align building height regulations with KAMPLAN: City of Kamloops Official Community Plan.  

  • Read the full June 23, 2026, report here.  

Companion Housing for Kamloops Cancer Centre

Council adopted Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 55-120, 2026, and Housing Agreement Bylaw No. 64-13, 2026, to allow the property at 772 Battle Street West, owned by the Royal Inland Hospital Foundation, to be used as a short- or long-term rental for two specific groups: out-of-town patients and their family members, and medical learners doing clinical rotations or visiting health care professionals doing locum work. This use is intended to be a companion to the Kamloops Cancer Centre currently being constructed as an extension of the Royal Inland Hospital. 

  • Read the full July 14, 2026, report here.

Development Cost Charges Amendments

Council adopted Development Cost Charges Amendment Bylaw No. 48-105, 2026, rescinding first, second, and third readings of an earlier amendment bylaw and now passing a version without exemptions that were unauthorized under provincial legislation. Specifically removed are clauses that cap the maximum development cost charges for a residential development and a clause that granted an exemption for an accessory building used specifically for storage. The original amendment bylaw received three readings in May 2026 with a focus on removing development cost charge exemptions for not-for-profit rental housing.

  • Read the full July 14, 2026, report here. 

Rezoning for New Hotel at 1475 Hugh Allan Drive

Council adopted Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 55-112, 2026, to accommodate the final phase of a three-hotel building development at the corner of Hugh Allan Drive and Pacific Way.

  • Read the full June 23, 2026, report here. 

Reports to Council

Agricultural Land Reserve

Stephen Bentley, the City's Community Planning Manager, provided Council with background on Agricultural Land Reserve policies and decisions and their impact on land use planning in Kamloops. The Agricultural Land Reserve takes precedence over local land-use legislation, meaning the City must ensure plans and bylaws affecting Agricultural Land Reserve land comply with provincial requirements and must refer certain proposals to the Agricultural Land Commission. 

Since legislative changes in 2019, private property owners can no longer apply directly to the Agricultural Land Commission to remove land from the Agricultural Land Reserve, and the Agricultural Land Commission’s decisions now focus primarily on preserving agricultural land rather than broader community, economic, or planning considerations. This policy change correlates with a significant decline in successful exclusion applications. The City has been increasingly limited in its ability to redirect Agricultural Land Reserve land toward urban development.

Kamloops Central Business Improvement Area Local Service Area 

Maria Mazzotta, the City's Corporate Officer, provided Council with a report seeking authorization to proceed with a petition process to re-establish the business improvement area for the Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association for a five-year period, in accordance with the Community Charter, Part 7, Division 5 - Local Service Taxes.

Council authorized the process allowing impacted property owners 30 days to formally petition against re-establishment. The submission deadline is 4:00 pm on Friday, September 11, 2026.

Official Kamloops Central Business Improvement Area petition forms are available at Kamloops.ca/KCBIA, at City Hall, or by request from Legislative Services at legislate@kamloops.ca. As with previous levy renewal processes, only official, City-provided petition forms will be accepted.

965 McMaster Way Land Purchase and Tranquille Phase III Sanitary Main Replacement Project Municipal Security Resolutions

Lewis Hill, the City's Financial Services Manager, provided Council with a report seeking authorization to set up short-term borrowing for two major capital projects while staff finalize legally required engagement with the Thompson-Nicola Regional District before long-term borrowing can be put in place. 

Council authorized Administration to borrow from the Municipal Finance Authority of British Columbia until July 2027 and convert that loan to long-term capital borrowing as part of the 2027 spring borrowing intake for the following projects, pending the consent of the Thompson-Nicola Regional District:

  • 965 McMaster Way (not exceeding $16,750,000) 
  • Tranquille Phase III (not exceeding $9,000,000) 

View the full report.
View the presentation within the Council meeting slide deck.
Contact for further information:
Lewis Hill | lhill@kamloops.ca

Non-City-Owned Land Vegetation Maintenance - 2026 Update

Jeff Putnam, the City's Parks and Streets Manager, provided Council with information on the estimated cost, proposed scope, and operational impacts associated with re-establishing maintenance of select non-City-owned lands for the remainder of 2026.  

Administration has identified a proposed maintenance program and estimated cost of $38,000 to re-establish maintenance for select non-City-owned lands for the remainder of 2026. The work would improve the appearance of the identified areas while requiring temporary adjustments to other mowing and weed control service levels. A contractor option is also available for maintenance of non-City-owned land along the Valleyview corridor, including Frontage Road areas, at an estimated cost of $45,000 for the remainder of 2026, bringing the combined estimated cost of both options to $83,000. 

A funding source would need to be confirmed before the work proceeds. Seasonal flower planting is not included in the estimate.

Public Engagement Opportunities

Council received an update on upcoming community engagement opportunities, as listed below.

Featured Engagement Opportunities

  • Love Your City: The Love Your City campaign is focused on voter engagement and ensuring residents are well informed ahead of the municipal election this fall.
    • Visit the pop-up events at Overlanders Day on July 19, 2026, and the Saturday Farmers’ Market on July 25, 2026. Stop by the City’s booth to learn more about the role of municipal government and win prizes.
    • Learn more at LetsTalk.Kamloops.ca/LoveYourCity.

Advocacy Update

  • Minister and ministry, agency, commission, and corporate staff meeting requests for the September 14–18, 2026, Union of BC Municipalities Convention have been submitted. Approved appointments are expected in early September.  

Community Collaboration Activities

  • The City is once again inviting residents to submit their best photos of the places, spaces, activities, and events they love most in Kamloops for a chance to be featured in the 2027 City Calendar and other major publications. The deadline for submissions is 4:30 pm on September 29, 2026. For more information or to submit photos, visit Kamloops.ca/Calendar.
  • The public is invited to a free event to celebrate hometown hockey success story and former Kamloops Blazer Logan Stankoven, who recently won the National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes. Local fans can join Logan with his family and friends on Sunday, August 16, 3:30–6:30 pm in Riverside Park. The program will feature speakers, a highlight video, a live interview with Stankoven and local sports broadcaster Jon Keen, and a huge group photo with the Stanley Cup. 100 lucky attendees will have an opportunity to win a photo with Stankoven and the Cup.

Follow On Let's Talk Website

Subscribe to ongoing projects to be notified when engagement opportunities arise:  

Notices of Motion

Committee Reports

In response to a recommendation from the July 27, 2026, Safety and Security Select Committee meeting, Council directed a letter to be sent to the relevant ministry outlining the positive outcomes and success of the Kamloops Interagency Supports Table and reaffirming the City’s readiness to action a community court to complement the situation table model and address service gaps. 

In response to recommendations from the July 28, 2026, Committee of the Whole meeting, Council:

  • rescinded third reading of Police Services Building Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 57-3, 2025 
  • amended Police Services Building Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 57-3, 2025, such that the amount to be borrowed is $160 million 
  • gave third reading to Police Services Building Loan Authorization Bylaw No. 57-3, 2025, as amended 

Council authorized an alternative approval process in the first quarter of 2027 to seek elector approval of the long-term borrowing for the Kamloops Police Services Building.