Regular Council Meeting–January 27, 2026

City Hall front exterior

Delegations

Construction Foundation of BC

Daria Lysenko, Senior Community & Career Catalyst; Keri Taylor, Manager of Operations - Indigenous Programs; and Syed Yaser Ali, Career Catalyst, representing the Construction Foundation of BC, provided Council with an update on their ongoing efforts to assist skilled tradespeople with credential recognition, access to training, and pathways to employment in the Thompson-Okanagan region. In spring 2025, the Construction Foundation of BC launched a Welcome Exchange program in Kamloops to help immigrants and residents in the Thompson-Okanagan region access employment and training opportunities in the skilled trades, working closely with Kamloops Immigrant Services and Open Door Group.

Kamloops Sports Council and Tourism Kamloops

Duncan Olthuis, Executive Director of the Kamloops Sports Council, and Chloe Pasemko, Destination Events Specialist for Tourism Kamloops, provided Council with an update on the pilot year of the Kamloops Christmas Market, which took place over 10 days in November 2025. The event welcomed over 23,000 visitors with 46 vendors, 3 food trucks, and 2 coffee vendors. The estimated economic impact of the event is $2.6 million. Based on several evaluation metrics showing the pilot’s success, the event coordinators plan to expand the market in 2026 with more vendors and wider range of entertainment.

View the delegation presentations within the Council meeting slide deck.

Public Engagement Opportunities

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

Featured Engagement Opportunities

  • Budget 2026: An online opportunity for residents to participate in providing their level of support towards the nine proposed items that were presented to the Committee of the Whole on January 20, 2026, aiming to reduce the 2026 tax requirement following the provisional budget. The feedback opportunity will close on February 6, 2026.
  • Kamloops Centre for the Arts: The City is hosting a construction-focused information session where impacted residents and businesses will learn more about the Kamloops Centre for the Arts project timeline and sequencing, project benefits and impacts, and ask questions of the project team.
    • January 29, 5:30–7:30 pm, DoubleTree by Hilton, 339 St. Paul Street.
    • Follow the project for updates at LetsTalk.Kamloops.ca/KCA.

Follow On Let's Talk Website

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

Community Collaboration Activities

  • At a media event on January 23, 2026, the City announced the future home of the next Build Kamloops project—the curling and racquet sports facility—in the 700 block of Victoria Street. Follow the project at LetsTalk.Kamloops.ca/CurlingComplex.
  • On January 25, 2026, the City hosted the first of many regularly scheduled pop-up flexible recycling events. The events will take place 10:00 am–2:00 pm on the last Sunday of each month at a different parking lot location around the city, with last week being hosted in Valleyview. A full list of dates and locations is available at Kamloops.ca/RecyclingPopUp.

Notices of Motion

Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson presented two notices of motion, which will be considered at a future, regular Council meeting.

Committee Reports 

In response to recommendations from the January 20, 2026, Committee of the Whole meeting, Council directed staff to work with the Westsyde Community Development Society to assess the feasibility of a skateboard park at Westsyde Centennial Park, in accordance with the new community-initiated project framework launching in 2026. Council further directed staff to report back with recommendations on the proposed skateboard park at Westsyde Centennial Park before the 2027–2031 Financial Plan is finalized.

Councillor Reports

In response to Councillor Sarai's report about gas prices in Kamloops in relation to elsewhere in British Columbia’s Interior, Council passed a motion to send a letter to The Honourable Adrian Dix, Minister of Energy and Consumer Affairs, along with our local members of parliament, requesting information about how gas prices are monitored to ensure consumers are treated fairly.

Correspondence 

Council reviewed correspondence received from the Southern Interior Local Government Association welcoming resolutions for consideration at its annual general meeting and convention in Revelstoke, April 29 to May 2. Council members will have the opportunity to propose and discuss potential resolutions at the February 3, 2026, regular Council meeting.