Consideration of Bylaws
Transit Oriented and Reduced Parking Areas
Council adopted Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 55-108, 2026, and Purpose-Built Rental Development Revitalization Tax Exemption Amendment Bylaw No. 22-4-22, 2026. The Zoning Bylaw amendments exempt residential developments within 400 m of three prescribed transit exchanges from providing required residential parking, and both bylaws update maps to show updated Reduced Parking Area boundaries. View the full January 27, 2026, report here.
Residential Subdivision and Open Space Dedication in Juniper Ridge
Council adopted Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 55-111, 2026, which rezones various parts of 1830 Qu'Appelle Boulevard to facilitate residential subdivision and open space dedication in conjunction with the extension of Qu'Appelle Boulevard westward to Rose Hill Road. View the full April 14, 2026, report here.
New Apartment Building on McGill Road
Council adopted Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 55-110, 2026, to rezone 821 McGill Road on a site-specific basis to increase the maximum density and floor area ratio to permit a one-lot subdivision and issued a development permit for the property for a proposed 83-unit, six-storey building on the new lot. View the full March 24, 2026, report here.
City Parking Rates
Council introduced and gave three readings to Traffic Amendment Bylaw No. 23-81, 2026, Fees and Charges Amendment Bylaw No. 44-22, 2026, and Municipal Ticket Information Amendment Bylaw No. 43-27, 2026, to update City parking rates and fines effective as early as June 1 as follows:
| Current Rates | Proposed Rates | |
|---|---|---|
| On-Street Parking (3 hour max) | First two hours - $1.50/hr Last hour - $2.50 | First two hours - $1.50/hr Last hour - $3.00 |
| Reserving On-Street Parking | $15 | $20 |
| Surface Lot Day/Event Parking | $4 | $6 |
| Surface Lot Monthly Parking* | $40–$55 | $50–$65 |
| Parkade Monthly - Random | $85 | $95 |
| Parkade Monthly - Reserved | $105 | $115 |
* See bylaw for exact rates specific to each City lot.
| Current Rates | Proposed Rates | |
|---|---|---|
| Expired Time/Unpaid Parking | $40 | $80 |
| Reduced Ticket Amounts | $10, if paid within 24 hours $20, if paid within 30 days | $40, if paid within 24 hours $60, if paid within 30 days |
| Serious Parking Violations (e.g. obstructing a fire hydrant or crosswalk) | $50 | $100 |
| Reduced Ticket Amounts | $15, if paid within 24 hours $25, if paid within 30 days | $50, if paid within 24 hours $75, if paid within 30 days |
Adoption of these bylaws is pending. View the full March 31, 2026, report here.
Reports to Council
Kamloops Square and Kelson Group Mural Applications
Dušan Magdolen, the City's Cultural Services and Events Manager, presented Council with applications for two new murals in downtown Kamloops. Council authorized Kamloops Square Management to administer a mural on the east-facing wall at Kamloops Square, located near the corner of St. Paul Street and 2nd Avenue, and Kelson Group to administer a mural to the southern alley side of the Galloway-Ellis Building at 220 4th Avenue.
- View the full report.
- View the presentation within the Council meeting slide deck.
- Contact for further information:
Dušan Magdolen | dmagdolen@kamloops.ca
Emergency Management and Seasonal Preparedness Update
Ty Helgason, the City's Emergency Preparedness Manager, provided Council with an update on the City’s Preparedness Program, highlights from 2025, current initiatives, and the seasonal preparedness outlook for 2026. In 2025, the extreme heat response was activated five times during the summer, totalling 23 activation days, and the cold weather response plan was activated five times over the 2025/2026 winter season.
Emergency Preparedness staff remain focused on priority initiatives that strengthen readiness, coordination, and resilience as the City prepares for the 2026 hazard season. It was noted that Kamloops is uniquely positioned as staff prepare for the wildfire season, with the city located within a geo‑climatic zone that experiences higher wildfire risk compared to many other municipalities in the province. At the same time, Kamloops benefits from the presence of a BC Wildfire Service zone office, providing opportunities for coordinated response, access to significant ground and air resources, and ongoing joint training with Kamloops Fire Rescue.
The City will activate its heat alert response protocol when Environment and Climate Change Canada issues a heat warning. This response includes activating indoor and outdoor cooling options, promoting neighbour health checks, expanding community outreach, and sharing messaging aligned with the BC Heat Alert and Response System before, during, and after activations.
The Kamloops Emergency Preparedness team continues to advance work to strengthen early recovery planning during emergency response, applying best practices to the Emergency Operations Centre learned from other jurisdictions that have experienced large‑scale disasters and complex recoveries.
View the full memo.
View the presentation within the Council meeting slide deck.
Contact for further information:
Ty Helgason | thelgason@kamloops.ca
Kamloops Prestressed Concrete Cylinder Pipe Water Main Risk
Travis Pahl, a City Utilities Engineer, provided Council with an overview of risks associated with the City’s prestressed concrete cylinder pipe water mains and how the City manages these risks. With several high-profile failures of prestressed concrete cylinder pipe water mains having made national news over the past several years, the City has developed a program to proactively manage the risks associated with these pipe types and completed the first inspection in October 2025, covering 7.6 km of concrete pressure pipe. Initial reporting indicates Kamloops is “well below the Canadian average” for issues related to the condition of concrete pressure pipes. These findings aligned with City staff’s expectations, as corrosion risks are lower in Kamloops than in other areas of Canada. One leak was detected at a joint, which will be repaired as soon as practicable.
City staff are taking a proactive approach to managing and inspecting the concrete cylinder pipe water mains in the Kamloops water distribution system. It will take seven years to scan all the concrete pressure pipes within the City of Kamloops, based on the annual inspection budget and resource allocation.
View the full memo.
View the presentation within the Council meeting slide deck.
Contact for further information:
Travis Pahl | tpahl@kamloops.ca
2026 Provincial Budget - Impacts
David Hallinan, the City's Corporate Services Director, provided Council with an overview of the key items outlined in the Province’s 2026 budget that directly impact the City, including:
- expanding British Columbia’s provincial sales tax (PST) tax base to include some professional services
- removing PST exemptions for some goods and services that were once deemed essential but are not as commonly used anymore
- changing the interest rate structure for the Property Tax Deferment Program from simple to compound and adopting a prime plus 2% rate for new loans
- the Province investing $15 million in 2025/2026 to recapitalize the FireSmart Community Funding and Supports program, helping approximately 75 more local governments and First Nations strengthen wildfire resilience through training, equipment, bylaw updates and home-hardening measures
Also outlined were provincial impacts that potentially have a direct impact on Kamloops residents, including:
- increasing the Additional School Tax rates from 0.2% to 0.3% for property values between $3 million and $4 million and from 0.4% to 0.6% for property values above $4 million, effective for the 2027 tax year
- increasing the Speculation and Vacancy Tax rate for foreign owners and untaxed worldwide earners to 4% for the 2027 tax year, up from the current 3%
- implementing changes in 2027 to reduce the Home Owner’s Grant by $200 for the basic deduction, from $770 to $570
- changing the interest rate structure for the Property Tax Deferment Program from simple to compound and adopting a prime plus 2% rate for new loans.
View the full memo.
View the presentation within the Council meeting slide deck.
Contact for further information:
David Hallinan | 250-828-3811
Public Engagement Opportunities
Council received an update on upcoming community engagement opportunities, as listed below.
Featured Engagement Opportunities
- Reimagine Downtown! will be at the downtown Farmers’ Market to gather community input that will play a critical role in shaping a downtown that reflects local needs, supports economic vitality, and strengthens downtown Kamloops as a vibrant place to live, work, and gather.
- May 9, 2026, 8:30 am–12:30 pm, 300 block St. Paul Street
- LetsTalk.Kamloops.ca/ReimagineDowntown
- The City is launching a new web page called Let’s Learn to provide residents and Council with a trusted, easy-to-use source of clear, factual information about topics that often generate questions or confusion in our community. The site breaks down complex subjects, such as development cost charges, how local government works, and safety and security issues. Public submissions for topic suggestions will also be collected through this site.
Advocacy Update
- Following Union of BC Municipalities meetings and ongoing correspondence, Council and corporate leadership have had meetings with the Hon. Ravi Kahlon, BC’s Minister of Jobs and Economic Growth, and his staff to advance Kamloops’ economic opportunities.
- Council sent a letter of support to the District of Peachland for its resolution requesting that the Union of BC Municipalities ask the Government of British Columbia to exempt municipalities from provincial sales tax on professional services required for municipal operations, legislated requirements, and capital projects, or to provide equivalent financial offsets so these costs are not borne by municipal taxpayers.
- Council provided engagement feedback to the Province on the Ministry of Forests’ recent policy paper on the Heritage Conservation Act Transformation Project.
Community Collaboration Activities
- Tuesday, May 5, 2026, 10:00 am–2:00 pm, Tḱemlúps te Secwépemc is hosting a Red Dress Day Ceremony at Moccasin Square Garden, 357 Chief Alex Thomas Way.
- Saturday, May 9, 2026, is Emergency Services Day. Join the City’s free event in the south side parking lot at McArthur Island Sport and Event Centre between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm. The City will also be issuing a test Voyent Alert! notification in support of Emergency Preparedness Week.
- To celebrate National Public Works Week, May 17–23, the City will be hosting its Civic Operations Open House. This free, family-friendly event includes activities for all ages and abilities. The event is on May 23, 10:00 am–2:00 pm at the Civic Operations Centre, 955 Concordia Way (parking and access via Bunker Road).
Follow On Let's Talk Website
Subscribe to ongoing projects to be notified when engagement opportunities arise:
Councillor Reports
In response to Councillor Bass' report, Council resolved to send a letter to the Premier and various provincial ministers to highlight the importance of the Government of British Columbia’s Local Government Climate Action Program and to request a meeting to discuss the impacts on Kamloops if this funding is cut.
Mayor's Report
Deputy Mayor Neustaeter highlighted that the City of Kamloops is a recipient of the BC Recreation and Parks Association Events and Festivals Excellence Award for the inaugural Kamloops Christmas Market. The award was presented at a ceremony held in Vancouver, BC, on April 30, 2026.
