We all know the expression, “If you build it, they will come.” But what if the ‘it’ is multiple housing developments close to Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre (KRCC). Will they still come? And what if the project is being spearheaded by a developer with a controversial past? Will there still be a demand? A Kamloops company is endeavoring to find out.
The company in question is Arkhitektons Design Build – and the phone number listed on the business license shows as belonging to Mike Rink.
A web search of Mike Rink brings up many news stories spanning over a decade – from condo projects being stalled due to financial difficulties, contractors not getting paid, environmental concerns related to a project in Chase, and bankruptcy.
That said, Mike Rink has had some successes too.
The Kamloops Chronicle reached out to Mike Rink by telephone, email and webform as we did want his side of the story. We did not hear back from Mike Rink before our publication deadline.
As for what the project entails, according to an administrative report submitted to Kamloops City Council on December 8, 2025, Arkhitektons Design Build is seeking redesignation of three lots totalling 36.3 hectares. The plan includes a mix of townhomes, duplexes and mid-rise apartment buildings, along with a commercial mix of space for the trades, technology, research, development, warehousing, wholesale distribution and storage of materials. Lastly, they also intend to include parks and open space.
[The project is] not currently approved. The application for the Official Community Plan amendment has been authorized by Council to go to a public hearing on January 13,” said Marvin Kwiatkowski, Director of Development, Engineering & Sustainability for the City of Kamloops. “After the public hearing, Council will deliberate the application and either approve or deny the application.”
Kwiatkowski also explained the vetting process involved, “[There will be] significant vetting internally and externally, depending upon the different provincial ministries involved. [It] will also depend upon the current land use and zoning.
“Prior to any building construction, there will be development permit approvals [for form and character] required, as well as building permit approvals [to ensure compliance with the Building Code and Building Bylaw],” said Kwiatkowski. “Provincial legislation requires various reviews and approvals such as archaeology, transportation studies, stormwater management plans, etc.”
So, there are still a few hoops left to jump through before this project sees the light of day. But that’s only one piece of this story.
The Kamloops Chronicle asked Kwiatkowski if Kamloops is running out of viable land for housing? “Roughly three per cent of the land base is suitable for greenfield development, so [there is] not an abundance of land,” said Kwiatkowski. “The new official Community Plan forecasts that majority of new development will occur though infill, which includes redevelopment of existing developed areas.”
As of October 2025, The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) says Kamloops has a vacancy rate of 1.2 percent — well below the three percent the CMHC considers to be healthy. The CMHC says this number indicates high demand and low supply.
Kwiatkowski offers this, reinforcing the CMHC’s assessment, “We were in the first group of ten municipalities to receive provincially mandated housing targets, so that is also an indication of the need,” said Kwiatkowski. “Given Kamloops has seen a higher growth rate in recent years than comparable municipalities, the need is higher.”
Next, there’s the potential safety issue of living by a jail. In order to dive into this piece of the puzzle, we first need to understand what exactly KRCC is — it’s a provincial regional centre, not a federal prison. We reached out to Nina Krieger, the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General for the Province of British Columbia for clarification on what this means.
“BC Corrections provides secure custody for individuals who have been remanded by the Court into provincial custody while awaiting trial, as well as for individuals serving a court-ordered custodial sentence of less than two years.”
If an individual is sentenced to two years or more, they would serve that sentence at a federal prison – not KRCC.
When asked how many escapes KRCC has experienced, Krieger offered the following, “Escape attempts are very rare. No escapes have occurred at KRCC in the past ten years.”
Next, we asked Krieger if there has there been any illegal drone activity around KRCC. “BC Corrections began tracking drone sightings in 2018 and can confirm that there has been no illegal drone activity around KRCC,” said Krieger.
Lastly, we asked Krieger if the province have any concerns about housing around correctional centres like KRCC. “The Province does not have specific concerns about housing or commercial development near correctional centres. Provincial correctional centres have long been part of their communities and operate under strict security protocols,” said Krieger. “Further, BC Corrections ensures that consultation and information sharing occurs with the city and community partners as appropriate.”
The Public Hearing is scheduled for Jan. 13, 2026, at 7 p.m. It will be happening in Council Chambers at Kamloops City Hall, located at 7 Victoria Street West.