Higher rec fees for outsiders?
The city is considering raising fees for recreation facilities for those living outside of Kamloops.
Sport, recreation, and wellness manager Sherri Holmes told council the city is looking into higher fees for non-residents, but noted that it’s not yet clear how the program would be administered.
“We also want to make sure we’re being supportive and inclusive of all our neighbouring communities, as well,” Holmes said.
The changes were discussed after a review of the city’s recreation fees.
City misses housing targets for a second year
A report to council in November revealed the city has failed to meet its new housing targets for a second year in a row, but council and staff say the problem is beyond their control.
City planning manager Eric Beach told council the city has missed its target of 735 permits this year, falling short with 433 permitted properties.
That number nearly matches the figure from the previous year, when the city issued 449 permits of its 679 permit target.
The targets are issued by the provincial government, and according to councillors, most communities who received targets are not meeting them.
Beach said factors affecting the subpar build rate include higher interest rates overall, economic uncertainty with tariffs and the U.S. political situation, higher construction costs, federal policies concerning immigration and international students and general economic uncertainty.
“None of that has anything to do with this. None of those are under our control. We have done everything we can to make this a reality,” said Coun. Stephen Karpuk.
Beach said after the first year’s targets were missed, the province commended the city for trying, encouraging it to meet its Year 2 targets.
“We can approve everything under the sun, they want us to see how many people get it built and get it lived in, which are factors beyond our control,” he said.
Council voted in favour of writing to Minister of Housing Christine Boyle, requesting a meeting to discuss the effectiveness of issuing the targets.
Free downtown parking on weekends
Council has authorized free weekend on-street parking downtown until Dec. 27.
The move, intended to bolster holiday shopping in the downtown core, is estimated to cost the city between $55,000 and $60,000.
The Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association initiated the request to council, which had similar requests approved in 2023 and 2024.
Property tax increase nearly 11 percent, but work remains
An early budget meeting has yielded a 10.76 percent increase in property taxes for the coming year, but that figure may drop as council further considers supplemental items that will be discussed in January.
That percentage amounts to a $17.5 million increase in next year’s budget, barring any changes made by council before the budget is approved. For the average homeowner in the city, that means an annual increase of $309.93.
City staff said a number of factors are driving the increase, including rising costs for contracted services, operational changes and a slowdown in construction and housing.
A number of external factors are also putting pressure on the city, including everything from international to provincial economic conditions. City staff pointed to inflation, falling interest rates that still remain above pre-COVID levels, immigration changes and supply chain issues.
Council directed staff to review options to reduce the increase, including looking at capital projects, RCMP member costs, management of the Stuart Wood facility and how the city contributes to its Community Climate Action program.
Council will review supplemental budget items at its January 20, 2026, meeting of the committee of the whole.
Council calls for rebate to return
A rebate program previously offered by the province was ended in 2024, but council is once again asking for it to return.
The program offered up to $2,000 per year to businesses to help protect properties from vandalism or clean up in its wake.
Council sent a similar letter back in May but did not hear back from the province. Coun. Neustaeter said she expects council will keep reaching out to the province until a response is given.
Bear-resistant carts rolling out
To date, the city has issued 545 bear-resistant carts throughout the city, following a pilot project that began in 2022.
The carts are now available on a first-come, first-served basis, with an additional annual fee of $20.
Environmental services supervisor Danielle Sparks said the carts, which are reinforced with a locking mechanism and stronger lid, can prevent human-bear interactions and prevents bears from being conditioned to seek out human spaces for food.
Sparks said there have only been two reports of carts being accessed by animals, with both instances due to a broken carabiner clip.
She also pointed to fewer bears destroyed in recent years, including 15 in 2023, four in 2024 and two in 2025, although Sparks acknowledged changes to how the BC Conservation Office approaches the issue and abundant food available elsewhere in recent years.
Opening date coming soon for Riverside rink
Council heard an update on the outdoor skating rink at Riverside Park, which is currently under construction but set to open in early 2026.
Sport and recreation manager Sherri Holmes said the space will be open for ice skating from December to March each year, depending on the weather. Holmes said the ice plant will work when the outside temperature is 8 C or lower.
Its planned hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays to Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
The rink will be free to access and features a skating loop, three fire pits, and curbless entry onto the ice. During the non-winter months, the space will transform into a plaza, featuring removable tables and chairs and space for roller-skating/inline skating.
Skate and skating aid rentals are still being considered, but Holmes said availability is slim for operators and supplies to do so.