Author: Sean Brady
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Mayor fails in bid to halt major capital projects
Hamer-Jackson sought to pause arts centre and arena multiplex development for a year, or until a new council could provide direction A motion from Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson to immediately halt the development of the Dufferin arena multiplex and Kamloops Centre for the Arts has failed. The mayor’s motion called for a pause on development for…
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Tranquille shelter subject of upcoming public meeting
Council will be accepting public submissions on extending the temporary use permit (TUP) for the Pathways Shelter at 142 Tranquille Rd. at its April 21 meeting, following council’s approval to host the meeting in a larger space as it anticipates plenty of feedback. The 44-bed shelter, which has been open since January 2025, has garnered…
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A rally for transgender rights drew about 60 people outside the Kamloops Law Courts on March 25. Photo by Sean BradyRallying for trans rights
A rally in support of transgender rights was held in front of the Kamloops Law Courts in late March, following the attempted introduction of a number of bills in the B.C. legislature that could have reverted progress made on trans rights in the province. Three controversial bills by independent Kelowna MLA Tara Armstrong, including two…
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Fundraiser sounds ‘red alert’ over cardiac care
The upcoming ICCHA-Wish red carpet fundraising gala will be held in protest of the closure of the eponymous cardiac care unit at Royal Inland Hospital. ICCHA-Wish co-founder Al Patel said he’s sounding the alarm over cardiac care at the Kamloops hospital due to the prolonged closure of the ward. “Despite years of community fundraising, donations…
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Concern over autism funding
Parents and service providers alike are sounding the alarm over changes to autism funding in B.C., which could mean some children will lose their existing funding by 2027. The new funding model, first announced by the province in February, delivers payments directly to families for a wider range of disabilities, meaning thousands of more families…
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Police share 2025 crime statistics
Kamloops RCMP have reported a slight increase in crime in 2025, both in overall reports and actual crimes committed compared to 2024. Superintendent Jeff Pelley addressed council at its regular meeting on Feb. 24, presenting the force’s year-end figures. Pelley said there has been a four percent reduction in crimes against persons and an eight…
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Shelters not sufficiently filling need
The latest point-in-time count in the city has revealed there are 419 people in Kamloops experiencing homelessness, who are either sleeping on the streets, in shelters or without a permanent place to lay their head. The count took place over a 24-hour period in October 2025 and was done in conjunction with more than a…
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City may consider improvements to public washroom access
The City of Kamloops may soon address its No. 1 and No. 2 problems — a dearth of access to public washrooms in key areas. A recent report to city council highlighted the work of the city’s Clean Team, which is charged with keeping the city’s most active corridors nice and tidy. Oftentimes that includes…
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Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc provides update on probable graves
Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc has provided an update on the 215 probable grave sites located on the property of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. The update says the investigation has been more complex than initially thought, with the band taking a “multi-pronged” approach, including the use of ground-penetrating radar (GPR), a LiDAR scanner and historic…
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Drug decriminalization pilot ends
The provincial government has ended its three-year pilot project that saw personal possession of illicit drugs decriminalized. The problems with the pilot became apparent quickly, drawing criticism from advocates and the political opposition alike, with many pointing out the missing pieces. Provincial data collected from 2014 to October 2025 shows nearly 19,000 deaths due to…