Delegations
Legislative Assembly of BC
Peter Milobar, Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Kamloops Centre, responded to Council's invitation and spoke on topics related to Canada's tariff response, funding opportunities in the recent provincial budget for projects like the Red Bridge, and the municipal impacts of Bill 15. MLA Milobar responded to questions related to the Red Bridge, the City's transportation needs, the catch and release criminal justice system, the Kamloops cancer centre project, and tactics to address the opioid crisis.
Junior Council
Members of the City's Junior City Council presented a Term in Review report to Council on the work they have completed throughout their term. Junior Council held monthly meetings where they received administrative reports, discussed and asked questions, and voted on city business. Their input added a youth voice to decisions made by Council throughout the year. Each Junior Council member provided feedback to Council on what they loved about the experience and what they would love to see improved in the program.
Junior City Council Members:
- Meaghan Bourgeois, Valleyview Secondary
- Katherine McCleary, Valleyview Secondary
- Rasiq Dewan, Sahali Secondary
- Matthew Lysak, Sahali Secondary
- Alya Van Laer, South Kamloops Secondary
- Ave Rieger, South Kamloops Secondary
- Jacey Hallstrom, Westsyde Secondary
- Jay Sullivan, Westsyde Secondary
- Jake Washington, NorKam Secondary
- Lauren MacLean, NorKam Secondary
Reports to Council
Debt Borrowing
Lewis Hill, the City's Financial Services Manager, provided Council with a report seeking authorization to initiate loan authorization bylaws for a list of projects presented to Council over the past two years that have been approved to be funded through debt borrowing. All projects other than the police services building and 965 McMaster Way have already been accounted for in the 2025–2029 Five-Year Financial Plan.
| Project Name | Approved | Completed | Debt Pending |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Police Services Building | No | No | $150,650,000 |
| 965 McMaster Way | Yes | Yes | 16,750,000 |
| Sandman Centre Improvements | Yes | Yes | 2,500,000 |
| Tranquille Phase 3 | Yes | No | 9,000,000 |
| Kamloops Centre for Water Quality Intake Upgrade | Yes | No | 11,750,000 |
| Rose Hill Road Realignment | Yes | No | 5,800,000 |
| Pacific Way Off-Ramp | Yes | No | 1,200,000 |
| Copperhead Drive Emergency Access | Yes | No | 1,650,000 |
| Total | $199,300,000 | ||
Council authorized Administration to begin preparing alternative approval processes to gain the public support necessary to proceed with borrowing.
- View the full report.
- View the presentation within the Council meeting slide deck.
- Contact for further information:
Lewis Hill | lhill@kamloops.ca
Responsible Liquor Consumption in Riverside Park Pilot Program
Andrew Smeaton, the City's Business Operations and Events Supervisor, provided Council with a report on a proposed pilot program to allow responsible liquor consumption in parks. Following a presentation to the Governance and Service Excellence Select Committee on June 27, 2024, Council directed staff to work with Tourism Kamloops to consider options for permitting liquor consumption in City parks. Over the past several years, many other British Columbia municipalities have allowed responsible consumption of liquor in designated parks or public areas.
Staff recommend piloting a designated area around the Rotary Bandshell in Riverside Park where members of the public may bring their own liquor to consume. the pilot would run through the summer until October 1, 2025.
While responsible consumption of liquor will be permitted within the designated area, public intoxication is not permitted. There are provincial laws in place regarding public intoxication, as well as federal laws for causing a public disturbance that allow people to be removed from a location, which could lead to arrest. The responsible consumption program is designed to allow moderate and social use of liquor, and evidence from other communities indicates that incidents and reports related to liquor have declined in the designated areas since the adoption of their programs.
Council gave three readings to Parks and Public Lands Amendment Bylaw No. 35-102, 2025, and will vote on whether to adopt the bylaw and initiate the pilot at a future regular Council meeting.
- View the full report.
- View the presentation within the Council meeting slide deck.
- Contact for further information:
Andrew Smeaton | asmeaton@kamloops.ca
Japanese Beetle Response
Danielle Sparks, the City's Environmental Services Supervisor, provided Council with information regarding the ongoing response to the detection of Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica) in Kamloops. During routine pest surveillance conducted by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in 2024, 11 Japanese beetles were detected in and around Exhibition Park. The Japanese beetle is a federally regulated and quarantined pest in Canada under the Plant Protection Act. If left unmanaged, this pest can cause significant damage to parks, golf courses, gardens, and crops.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is establishing a regulated area in Kamloops that surrounds the beetle detection location. A Canadian Food Inspection Agency movement certification is required year-round to move regulated articles out of a Japanese beetle-regulated area. The City is also required to treat public lands within the regulated area, which was carried out on May 21–22, 2025, by a contracted licensed applicator.
Standard operating procedures are being developed to guide City staff on best management practices. A comprehensive communications plan has been developed to provide key messaging to all impacted parties, including the public, private landowners, business operators, developers, contractors, and City staff. Messaging will focus on identification and reporting, potential environmental and economic impacts, treatment details, and movement control measures.
- View the full report.
- View the presentation within the Council meeting slide deck.
- Contact for further information:
Danielle Sparks | dsparks@kamloops.ca
Public Engagement Opportunities
Council received an update on upcoming community engagement opportunities, as listed below.
Featured Engagement Opportunities
- KAMPLAN: Official Community Plan Update 2025: Changes to provincial legislation in 2023 require local governments to update their Official Community Plans to accommodate anticipated housing needs over the next 20 years and address specific housing types. The City will provide information on some of these changes at a series of engagement sessions. Events are open house style, and residents can drop in anytime between 4:30 pm and 7:30 pm to view information boards and ask questions of staff on the following dates:
- June 11, 2025 - Yacht Club, 1140 River Street
- June 18, 2025 - West Highlands Community Centre, 1185 Links Way
- June 19, 2025 - Kamloops Sports Council Office, McArthur Island, 101--1550 Island Parkway
- June 24, 2025 - Valleyview Community Hall, 2288 Park Drive
- Project details are available at LetsTalk.Kamloops.ca/KAMPLAN.
Follow On Let's Talk Website
Subscribe to ongoing projects to be notified when engagement opportunities arise:
Community Collaboration Activities
- ParticipACTION Community Challenge: This national competition to find Canada’s most active community comes with a top prize of $100,000! The challenge runs from June 1 to 30, 2025. Sign up as an individual and take the pledge to be active for your community, or attend a free, low-barrier, inclusive Try It! event offered through various organizations in the community. See all the details at: Kamloops.ca/Participaction.
Notices of Motion
Mayor Hamer Jackson presented a Notice of Motion: Forensic Audit of City Management and Departments, which is up for consideration at the June 24, 2025, regular Council meeting.
Councillor Reports
- In response to Councillor Neustaeter's report, Council resolved to put forth a motion to the Union of BC Municipalities to call upon the Province to end the detrimental justice system practice of catch and release in British Columbia immediately and to work with all federal parties on bail reform for the safety and security of the people of British Columbia.
- In response to Councillor Bepple's report, Council passed a motion to send a letter of support to the Union of BC Municipalities and the City of Delta for their resolution asking the provincial government to review existing legislation to allow greater flexibility in the timing of development cost charges collection and to provide new mechanisms to secure collection at occupancy as well as to explore alternative mechanisms to secure payments.
