Author: Sean Brady
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City hall business playing out in courthouse
MAYOR AND COUNCIL Much of the news around mayor and council in the past month has taken place at the courthouse, rather than city hall. O’REILLY RESPONDS A B.C. Supreme Court petition to disqualify Coun. Mike O’Reilly from his office will be heard in March. A group of 10 petitioners is alleging that O’Reilly is…
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Leaked report causing further trouble for mayor
Sean Brady Further legal trouble has emerged for Kamloops Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson, with the province filing suit at the end of January to force him to destroy or return all copies of a report concerning his behavior. B.C. Attorney General Niki Sharma filed a petition in B.C. Supreme Court on Jan. 30, seeking a court…
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Crime, housing among council conversation
MAYOR AND COUNCIL Coun. Bill Sarai issued a public apology in early December for secretly recording a conversation between himself and Kamloops Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson, who had earlier received the recording with no indication it was Sarai who had created it. Sarai said his actions were “unprofessional and unacceptable” but not illegal in the apology.…
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A century-old steam locomotive is being readied to return to service in Kamloops. Pictured here, from left to right: Byron Poppleton, TRU trades instructor and locomotive technician; Jordan Popadynetz, KHR leader of railway development; and Howard Grieve, former KHR operations manager. Sean Brady photoSteam train to return to the local tracks
The city’s own steam locomotive is being readied for service as the Kamloops Heritage Railway prepares for its triumphant return to the tracks. Efforts are underway to get the locomotive back in operation and pulling guests as soon as 2026. The non-profit society, which acts as a steward and operator of the 2141 “Spirit of…
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Property values mostly increase
Property values in Kamloops saw a two percent increase, on average, according to the latest data from BC Assessment, which published its 2025 update in early January. Kamloops’ typical assessed value for a single family residence went from $678,000 in 2023 to $693,000 in 2024. That increase is typical for most areas in the Southern…
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Kamloops living wage now nearly $24 per hour
An annual calculation of living wages in B.C. cities has seen Kamloops’ jump the most, up 13 percent from last year to $23.69. The living wage is the hourly rate a family of four with two working parents must earn to support themselves, based on the actual costs of living in a city. It includes…
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Citizen files petition
The city is standing its ground on its use of the alternative approval process to authorize borrowing a combined $275 million for two projects, including an arena multiplex and the long-sought performing arts centre. In October, Kathrine Wunderlich filed a petition with the B.C. Supreme Court to quash a pair of bylaws enacted by council…
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City council catch-up
While the chaos at city hall has dominated the headlines over the past year, council has continued to advance an agenda focusing on issues like transit, housing, the drug crisis and large projects like the performing arts centre. The following is based on noteworthy events over the past year, as reported in media and discussed…
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Conservatives Win Kamloops
Kamloops has sent Peter Milobar back to the legislature for a third time, alongside party mate and now first-time MLA Ward Stamer. Preliminary election results indicate a minority government, with the NDP likely to end up one seat short of a majority with 46 elected, the newly formed BC Conservative party picking up 45 seats…