Regular Council Meeting - June 23, 2026

City Hall front exterior

Public Submissions

2025 Annual Report

Quinn Hatch, the City's Communications Supervisor, provided Council with the 2025 Annual Report, which is a requirement under the Community Charter. The Annual Report includes the City's audited financial statements, which the municipal auditor previously presented to Council on April 14, 2026. The presentation highlighted some of the City's key accomplishments, demonstrating progress under the pillars of Council's Strategic Plan. The 2025 Annual Report Highlights document was also presented.

View the 2025 Annual Report.
View the presentation within the Council meeting slide deck.
Contact for further information:
Quinn Hatch | qhatch@kamloops.ca 

Consideration of Bylaws 

Amended Political Sign Regulations

Council adopted Sign Regulations Amendment Bylaw No. 11-85, 2026, amending the City's regulations regarding political (election) signs. Election signs may now only be put up starting on the first day of the nomination period and must be removed no later than seven days after general voting day. Election signs are not permitted in parks, medians, or other areas that are landscaped, irrigated, or maintained by the City of Kamloops.

  • Read the full June 9, 2026, report here. 

Affordable Market Rental Housing on Precinct Lands

Council adopted Housing Agreement Bylaw No. 64-11, 2026, authorizing a housing agreement for the first phase (126 units) of a two-building, 251-unit affordable market rental housing development at 535 Columbia Street. The proposed development is being delivered through the Province's BC Builds program and will be operated by the Connective Support Society. BC Builds supports the creation of attainable rental housing by partnering with non-profit, public, and private sector organizations to increase the supply of homes for middle-income households. In accordance with BC Builds program requirements, a minimum of 20% of units must be rented at below-market rates. The housing agreement facilitates the provision of affordable market rental housing units in perpetuity in exchange for reduced parking requirements and eligibility for a 10-year revitalization tax exemption.

  • Read the full June 9, 2026, report here. 

Reports to Council

East Kamloops Water Break Debrief

Byron McCorkell, the City's Chief Administrative Officer; Kristen Rodrigue, the City’s Communications and Strategic Partnerships Director; and Jen Fretz, the City’s Civic Operations Director, provided Council with a summary of the response to and lessons learned from the water main break in the east end of Kamloops on May 10 to 21, 2026.  

Civic Operations crews were alerted to the water main leak on River Street on May 10. Over the next few days, while crews attempted to locate and repair the leak, reservoir water levels dropped below acceptable levels, and affected residents were intermittently asked to reduce and/or cease water use. On May 14, the repairs were completed, and by May 15, the final backfilling and system pressurization were completed.

From May 15 to May 21, work shifted to system flushing, water quality testing, and the staged removal of public health restrictions. On May 18, results from the second round of testing were received, reviewed, and provided to Interior Health. That day, the "Boil Water" advisories were lifted for Valleyview, Juniper Ridge, Rose Hill, and Campbell Creek. On May 21, Interior Health authorized the removal of the “Do Not Consume” advisory in Barnhartvale.

The communications issued throughout the event included:

  • 17 posts made to the City’s four social channels (Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky), with 687,151 views (views exclude Bluesky)
  • 103,391 notifications sent through 48 alerts to seven zones via Voyent Alert! and registration for Voyent Alert! increased by 4,421
  • the event landing page moved from Kamloops.ca to LetsTalk.Kamloops.ca on May 14, and the Let’s Talk page had 21,950 views, with 16,857 visits from 8,758 visitors
  • nine media advisories/news releases and six media briefings

To learn from what happened and improve in future situations, teams met internally to debrief the event. Interviews were also held with representatives from the East Kamloops Business Improvement Association, members of the media, and neighbourhood associations. Some of the lessons learned include:

  • earlier, more transparent updates about the challenges and expected outcomes to better prepare residents and businesses
  • better integration and coordination with media, Council, and community partners to help ensure broader reach both within and beyond the affected area, as well as more tailored communications for specific audiences
  • more education on the capabilities of Voyent Alert! to ensure residents are registered in the way that works best for them (app, text, email, or phone call) and for all the locations they need (home, work, parents’ home, school)
  • the need to better align how incidents are communicated with how they are experienced by residents and businesses, as feedback from residents, businesses, and partners indicated that the tone, timing, and visibility of communications should more clearly acknowledge community impact, even when technical risks are being actively managed

Some things that worked well included:

  • excellent teamwork between the Department Operations Centre and the field crews to carry out a repair on a very large, very deep critical water main
  • Let’s Talk proved far superior to the Kamloops.ca alert banner as a single source of truth due to its ability to display comprehensive information
  • physical signage had a positive impact on reaching impacted residents

A heartfelt thank you was extended to Kamloops residents for stepping up in meaningful ways, including sharing accurate information, reducing water use, and volunteering at water stations. Kamloops residents' co-operation, patience, and willingness to do their part were highlighted as critical to the success of the response.

View the full memo.
View the presentation within the Council meeting slide deck.
Contact for further information:
Byron McCorkell | 250-828-3498

Local Leadership for Climate Adaption Initiative Application

Ty Helgason, the City's Emergency Preparedness Manager, provided Council with a report seeking authorization to apply for grant funding under the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Local Leadership for Climate Adaptation initiative to support a joint climate readiness and resilience advancement initiative with Tḱemlúps te Secwépemc aimed at strengthening climate adaptation capacity, disaster risk reduction, and long-term community resilience across the Kamloops region.

Project activities would include the development of a shared climate resilience governance framework, a Climate hazard, risk and vulnerability assessment that complies with the Province of British Columbia’s Emergency and Disaster Management Act, a climate adaptation and resilience strategy, and tools to support implementation, monitoring, and continuous improvement.

Council authorized:

  • the submission of a joint application with Tḱemlúps te Secwépemc to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Local Leadership for Climate Adaptation initiative in support of a climate readiness and resilience advancement initiative
  • the City’s participation as a co-lead partner in the project, including the provision of staff time and expertise contributions within the approved project scope and budget, should the application be successful
  • staff to work collaboratively with Tḱemlúps te Secwépemc to establish appropriate governance, funding administration, procurement, and other arrangements necessary to deliver the project, subject to the terms and conditions of the grant program 

View the full report.
View the presentation within the Council meeting slide deck.
Contact for further information:
Ty Helgason | 250-828-3452

Amended Liquor Licence Hours for Downtown Club

In response to a report from Marvin Kwiatkowski, the City's Development, Engineering, and Sustainability Director, Council provided a resolution to support amending an existing liquor primary licence for the Night Shift on 5th (130 5th Avenue) to permanently change the opening time from 7:00 pm to 5:00 pm, Monday through Sunday.

View the full report.
View the presentation within the Council meeting slide deck.
Contact for further information:
Marvin Kwiatkowski | 250-828-3452

2025 Statement of Financial Information

In response to a report from David Hallinan, the City's Corporate Services Director, Council provided a resolution approving the 2025 Statement of Financial Information (SOFI) report, as required by the Financial Information Act. The SOFI report includes summary and detailed reports that highlight employee remuneration, supplier payments, and Council remuneration.

The reporting criteria for the SOFI report have remained largely unchanged since the Ministry of Finance implemented it in 2000, with the goal of presenting a financially transparent, standardized version of the annual financial statement information for provincial corporations, boards, commissions, school districts, universities, and municipal governments. The SOFI report includes the following:

  • the names, positions, and total amount of remuneration paid to each employee whose earnings exceed $75,000 and the total amount of expenses paid to or on behalf of that employee in the calendar year
  • the names, positions, and total amount of remuneration paid to each elected official and the total amount of expenses paid to or on behalf of that elected official in the calendar year
  • the vendor names and amounts paid to all suppliers whose aggregate payments received exceeded $25,000 for the calendar year
  • the organization names and amounts paid to organizations as grants whose aggregate payments received exceeded $25,000 for the calendar year

View the full report.
View the presentation within the Council meeting slide deck.
Contact for further information:
David Hallinan | 250-828-3811

Temporary Overnight Sheltering Regulations

Will Beatty, the City's Community Services Manager, and Natasha Hartson, the City's Social, Housing, and Community Development Manager, provided Council with a report regarding amendments to the temporary overnight sheltering regulations within Parks and Public Lands Bylaw No 35-66, 2026, and fees in Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 44-14, 2026. The proposed amendments are intended to better protect the community from wildland-urban interface fire risks, establish appropriate buffer zones around areas frequented by children and families, and enhance the protection of critical infrastructure while continuing to provide clear and enforceable regulations for temporary overnight sheltering on public lands. Specific proposed amendments to Parks and Public Lands Bylaw No 35-66, 2026, include: 

  • Adding “nature parks, linear parks, and open space areas” to the list of prohibited areas for temporary overnight sheltering.
  • Establishing buffer zones prohibiting temporary overnight sheltering:
    • 25 m from playgrounds, waterparks, swimming pools, wading pools, or tot lots on public lands
    • 50 m from schools
    • 4 m from sidewalks, multi-use pathways, roads, bridges, or any form of transportation or active transportation infrastructure
  • Establishing 10 m buffer zones around water intakes, reservoirs, lift stations, and any form of civic utilities infrastructure

Through the Homeless Encampment Action Response Team (HEART) initiative, partners from BC Housing, Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, Interior Health, social agencies, and the City are developing an Encampment Response Plan for Kamloops. The plan is intended to establish a coordinated and consistent approach to encampment response that prioritizes engagement, outreach, and connection to services. It will clarify roles and responsibilities, improve communication and coordination among partners, and support more proactive efforts to help individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness access shelter, housing, and other supports.

Council gave first, second, and third readings to Parks and Public Lands Amendment Bylaw No. 35-104, 2026, and Fees and Charges Amendment Bylaw No. 44-23, 2026, and both bylaws will be considered for adoption at a future Council meeting.

View the full report.
View the presentation within the Council meeting slide deck.
Contact for further information:
Will Beatty | wbeatty@kamloops.ca 
Natasha Hartson | nhartson@kamloops.ca 

Community Engagement Opportunities

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

Featured Engagement Opportunities

  • The City is heading into the pre-election period, where staff will shift from project-specific engagement and focus on sharing information to ensure service continuity and advancing previously approved work. The City’s Community Engagement team will shift its focus to voter engagement through the Love Your City campaign, ensuring residents are well informed ahead of the municipal election this fall.
    • Visit the first pop-up event at the Saturday Farmers’ Market on June 27, 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/Love-Your-City.
  • The Westsyde Pool and Fitness Centre - Recreation Conversation invites the community and facility users to share input on opportunities to optimize facility use, improve cost recovery, and enhance programs and amenities.

Advocacy Update

City representatives met with Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan) on June 12, 2026, following direction from the federal Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, to discuss Build Kamloops and related funding submissions for the Build Communities Strong fund. PacifiCan confirmed the City’s proposed projects—including the Kamloops Centre for the Arts and arena multiplex—align with funding criteria and emphasized the importance of secured co-funding and readiness to begin construction, with priority given to projects that can start within the current fiscal year (particularly fall 2026). PacifiCan also advised that smaller, shovel-ready projects may be better suited to the Local Impact stream and submitted separately, and staff are now preparing those submissions for the next intake phase.

Community Collaboration Activities

  • All 104 FIFA World Cup™ matches will be shown on a large screen at the Rotary Bandshell in Riverside Park, giving fans a free, community-centred place to watch the action from the group stage through to the final on July 19.
  • Join the Canada Day celebrations at Riverside Park on July 1.
  • A short survey has been distributed to downtown businesses through the Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association and the Kamloops District Chamber of Commerce to help City staff understand how we can plan more effectively to receive contributions to plans and projects that affect businesses within the downtown. The survey will be open until midnight on July 5, 2026, at LetsTalk.Kamloops.ca/DowntownBusiness-Survey.

Community Collaboration Activities

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

Councillors' Reports

  • In response to Councillor Neustaeter's report, Council authorized sending a letter of thanks to the FIFA selection committee for selecting Kamloops as one of the host cities for Canada Celebrates during the FIFA World Cup 2026™.