Regular Council Meeting–June 24, 2025

City Hall front exterior

Delegations

Thompson Rivers Recovery Club Society

Gord Schmidt, Vice President; and Rick Gibson, Director at Large, Thompson Rivers Recovery Club Society, introduced their organization and shared the benefits they provide to the Kamloops community.

The Thompson Rivers Recovery Club is the only drug and alcohol referral centre serving Kamloops and the Thompson-Nicola region. They offer drug and alcohol referral services every day of the year, accessible by phone, email, or walk-in. They maintain a facility staffed seven days a week, with peer counselling available year-round. On average, the facility welcomes over 100 visitors daily who come to attend meetings, seek referrals, use the common area, and connect with dedicated staff and volunteers.

Public Submissions

2024 Annual Report

Sarah Hawkins, a City Communications and Community Engagement Advisor, provided Council with the 2024 Annual Report, a requirement under the Community Charter. The report includes the audited financial statements, which the municipal auditor presented to Council on April 8, 2025. The presentation highlighted some of the key accomplishments noted in the narrative portion of the report, which demonstrate progress made under each of the pillars of Council's Strategic Plan.

Maurya’s Fine Indian Cuisine Licensing Change

Council authorized a resolution of support for Maurya’s Fine Indian Cuisine's application to amend their existing food and liquor licence to permit activities such as dancing and karaoke. The resolution of support states that any amplified entertainment shall be located indoors, and all patron participation activities shall terminate at 12:00 midnight. For more details, view the full report from the June 10, 2025, regular Council meeting.

Consideration of Bylaws

Bylaw Amendment to Pilot Responsible Liquor Consumption in Riverside Park

Council adopted Parks and Public Lands Amendment Bylaw No. 35-102, 2025, to allow a pilot program for responsible liquor consumption in a designated area around the Rotary Bandshell in Riverside Park, where members of the public may bring their own liquor to consume. The pilot will run throughout the summer until October 1, 2025. For more details, view the full report from the June 10, 2025, regular Council meeting. 

Reports to Council

Build Kamloops Temporary Borrowing

 Lewis Hill, the City's Financial Services Manager, provided Council with a report seeking authorization to temporarily borrow from the Municipal Finance Authority of British Columbia for Build Kamloops initiatives, including the Kamloops Centre for the Arts, the arena multiplex, and the development and planning for future recreation facilities. Borrowing would not exceed the limits approved in the recent alternative approval process.

Temporary borrowing allows the City to access funds through the construction period of the Build Kamloops projects. Once the projects are complete, the outstanding temporary borrowing balance will be converted into long-term debt. One of the most significant advantages of temporary borrowing is the ability to access funds immediately. Borrowing may also occur incrementally to reduce the interest on the temporarily borrowed funds.

When the project is complete, the City will be in a better position to assess its cash reserves, grants received, and outstanding debt to decide how much of the temporary borrowing the City may be able to pay down before locking it in for the long term.

The two bylaws to authorize the borrowing were introduced and given three readings, and Council will vote on the adoption of both bylaws at a future regular Council meeting.

2024 Statement of Financial Information

Lewis Hill, the City's Financial Services Manager, provided Council with the 2024 Statement of Financial Information, which is required under the Financial Information Act and highlights employee remuneration, supplier payments, and Council remuneration. The overall increase in remuneration reported from 2023 to 2024 was 10.6%, or approximately $8.7 million. The increase in 2024 total remuneration over 2023 equates to an approximate $37.19 increase in property taxes paid on an average City of Kamloops residence.

Council approved the 2024 Statement of Financial Information, as presented, in accordance with the Financial Information Act.

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 information 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. The last of these events is on: 
  • EPermit Project: The City is undertaking a transformational project to streamline citizen services to manage and process electronic building and development permit applications. Drop by an information session to learn more about the EPermit Project and what to expect during the move to an online application system. 
    • June 25, 2025, 4:30–6:30 pm
    • Sports Centre Lounge, McArthur Island Sport and Event Centre, 1665 Island Parkway
    • An online survey is also available until July 9, 2025.
    • The survey and project details are available at LetsTalk.Kamloops.ca/EPermit

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.
  • Kamloops property owners are reminded that 2025 property taxes are due by July 2. To assist with in-person payments, City Hall began offering extended hours on June 23 and is open from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm until taxes are due. In-person payments are also accepted at the Tournament Capital Centre. Both City Hall and the Tournament Capital Centre will be closed on July 1. A full list of payment methods and hours is available at Kamloops.ca/PropertyTax.

The update also noted that, at this year’s Local Government Management Association Annual Conference, held June 10–12, Corporate Officer Maria Mazzotta received the Professional Service Award for her outstanding leadership, governance expertise, and unwavering commitment to supporting effective local government. 

Notices of Motion

Mayor Hamer-Jackson's Notice of Motion: Forensic Audit of City Management and Departments presented at the June 24, 2025, Council meeting was considered and defeated.

Committee Reports

In response to recommendations from the June 17, 2025, Committee of the Whole meeting:

  • Council voted to implement Option 4 of the Water Rate Structure Options and Option 4 of the Sewer Rate Structure Options, outlined in the June 17, 2025, Water and Sewer Bylaw and Rate Updates Report. Council further directed staff to prepare new Waterworks Bylaw and Sanitary Sewer Bylaws for Council’s consideration in Q4 2025. Staff will finalize the recommended water and sewer rates structures and present options for Council’s consideration as part of the 2026 utility rate report.
  • Council directed staff to schedule meetings with the following ministries at the 2025 Union of BC Municipalities Convention, and with topics as presented in the June 17, 2025, Report: 
    Ministry of Citizen’s Services
    • Ministry of Education and Child Care
    • Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness
    • Ministry of Finance
    • Ministry of Health
    • Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs
    • Ministry of Infrastructure
    • Ministry of Labour
    • Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
    • Ministry of Transportation and Transit
    • Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship
    • Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport

Councillor Reports

  • In response to Councillor Neustaeter's report, Council resolved to send a letter to Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs, Ravi Kahlon, and to BC Housing with relevant copies to community partners expressing Council's clear expectation without exception that the Leigh/Fortune supportive housing site be recovery-focused and that individuals who are in recovery from substance use disorder are prioritized for occupancy.
  • In response to Councillor Bepple's report, Council passed a motion to authorize Councillor Bepple to serve on the Federation of Canadian Municipalities standing committees and forums and that Council incur the cost of Councillor Bepple's attendance at meetings of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Board of Directors.

Correspondence

Council reviewed a call for award applications received from the Union of BC Municipalities and supported an application for a Community Excellence Award for the City's work on the Kamloops Access Hub Leadership Group.

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