A motion put forward by Coun. Mike O’Reilly to limit new shelters or transitional housing builds on riverfront properties has been adopted by council in a 6-3 decision.

“Fundamentally, I don’t think that riverfront property is the highest and best use of land when it’s riverfront. I also don’t think we have any guard rails in place as to where we think shelters should not be in this city,” O’Reilly said.

Those opposed were Coun. Nancy Bepple, Coun. Stephen Karpuk, and Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson.

“To have such a blanket statement, that nowhere along 80 kilometres of riverfront, would ever be considered, is too strong of a resolution for me,” Bepple said.

Hamer-Jackson called for only restricting “wet” shelters or “drug houses” on the riverfront, but did not find a seconder for his amendment. Karpuk said he wanted clarity on how this motion would affect the city’s memorandum of understanding with BC Housing.

City survey on communications

The City of Kamloops wants to know what you would like to hear from them and how you would like to hear it.

The 14-question survey, available on the Let’s Talk section of the city’s website, asks which social media or other media is preferred and what information needs to be communicated.

The survey is available online at letstalk.kamloops.ca/communications.

Municipal medical clinic coming?

Kamloops may become the next B.C. municipality to open its own medical clinic, following a notice of motion put forward by Coun. Kelly Hall at the April 15 regular council meeting.

In the motion, Hall said approximately 40,000 people in Kamloops are without reliable access to a doctor and that this initiative is meant to help bring more doctors to Kamloops.

Hall pointed to a clinic established in Colwood, a municipality west of Victoria, where doctors are recruited, hired and paid by the municipality.

Hall’s motion, if approved, would prompt city staff to develop a business case for the clinic, which would then be considered by council.

The motion will be considered at the next regular council meeting on May 6.

Seeking funds for next-generation 9-1-1

Council has given its support to an application for $2.1 million in funding for Next-generation 9-1-1 (NG911) via provincial funds distributed through the Union of BC Municipalities.

The new emergency services system has been mandated by the federal government, and support for municipalities switching over is available via grants.

Once implemented, NG911 will support real-time text messaging, better location information on 911 callers, streaming audio and video support and new ways to direct calls to other services.

Mulling changes to short-term rentals

In March, council asked city staff to amend its zoning and business license bylaws to permit and license short-term rentals in the city in alignment with provincial legislation.

Currently, short-term rentals aren’t allowed in the city under its current zoning bylaws.

The amendment, as presented at the April 15 regular council meeting, defines a short-term rental as a rental of less than 30 days within or encompassing the principal residence of the owner.

If approved, those providing short-term rentals could only accept one booking at a time on any given unit or lot, with occupancy limited to the maximum household size. The rentals would be allowed within single-detached homes, with or without a suite, or two-unit buildings in applicable zones.

Those renting out their properties would also have to agree to abide by a good neighbour agreement and apply for a business license. Any suites being rented out would also have to be legal.

The zoning amendment will have a public hearing at City Hall on May 6 at 7 p.m. before the matter is discussed at council once again.

Council adopts ‘Made in Canada’ policy

Coun. Dale Bass put forward a motion at the April 8 regular council meeting, calling for city staff to prioritize buying Canadian-made goods whenever possible.

Bass’ call for a “Made-in-Canada” procurement policy was drafted in conjunction with the city’s procurement manager, David Hallinan.

“There will be times when there is only a U.S.-based supplier, and we may need to do that,” Hallinan said, but noted that the focus will be on goods and products manufactured and available in Canada, over those elsewhere.

The motion carried unanimously.

Mustard Seed day space operations going for another year

The Gathering Place, run by The Mustard Seed at 48 West Victoria St., has received council’s approval to continue operating for another year.

The day-space for unhoused people operates seasonally from spring to fall each year, beginning operations in 2021. Its funding comes from Reaching Home, a federal government program. In 2024, the space saw 3,366 total visits.

Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson called for a brief recess to clarify whether or not he was in conflict on the matter, as the property in question is on West Victoria Street, the same street on which he owns a business. Unable to determine his conflict status after a recess, the mayor recused himself. The motion passed unanimously.

Council to lobby for involuntary care at prison site

A motion brought forward by Coun. Dale Bass and Coun. Bill Sarai to lobby the provincial government to bring involuntary care centres to the Interior passed at council’s April 15 meeting.

The motion called for using the Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre (KRCC) as the space for a new centre.

The motion passed 8-1, with Coun. Nancy Bepple opposed.

Bepple said she doesn’t believe health care should be done at correctional facilities and said she would not be supporting the motion.

“We would not put a dialysis unit in the KRCC and expect people to go there. We have to think of individuals who live in our community,” Bepple said.

Coun. Sarai said he and Bass serve on the KRCC community advisory board and have heard the idea from those in government before.

“It’s a good thing and a bad thing, our jails are empty. There are wings in our jails that are absolutely empty,” Sarai said.

“Getting them into a wing in a correctional institute, that is a health wing, where the doors are not locked, with health-care providers on site, … This is something that doesn’t need to be built. It’s already there.”

Sarai said involuntary care would apply to people who are not capable of asking for help.

“They need us to help them survive and live. They can’t make that choice on their own,” he said.

Bass said involuntary care would only apply to those who are “flagrantly mentally compromised,” and would be done under the province’s Mental Health Act.

Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson asked how many of those needing involuntary care are in the area, and how many would come into the area should the province expand its involuntary care centres into the Interior.

Bass said she didn’t know, and expected that information to come from the province before moving forward.

“This is just to lobby and get some information. … I expect, if this passes, a lot of discussion. Frankly, I am also challenged by this. But this is what’s out there. It’s for a very small amount of people and I think it behooves us to at least look at it,” she said.