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AT NEWSSTANDS
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T H E I M PAC T O F T R U WO R L D
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS:
KAMLOOPS THIS WEEK TUESDAY
NOVEMBER 24, 2015 | Volume 27 No. 141
kamloopsthisweek.com • kamloopsthisweek •
kamthisweek
Council mulls smoking ban ANDREA KLASSEN
STAFF REPORTER
andrea@kamloopsthisweek.com
It is a significant economic engine that also adds to the cultural mosaic of Kamloops. The Thompson Rivers University international-student program operated by TRU World has grown substantially since its birth in 1983. More than 2,600 international students attend the university, They represent more than 80 nations across the globe. Today, Kamloops This Week begins a comprehensive threepart series on the internationalstudent program at TRU. We look at everything from economics, education, the history of the program and its future — and the personal lives of some of the students. Our week-long feature begins on page A23 of today’s edition of KTW and will continue in the Thursday and Friday editions. The entire series will also be online at kamloopsthisweek. com/internationalrelations. We welcome reader feedback via email at editor@kamloops thisweek.com.
Kamloops parks could soon become no-smoking zones. At its meeting this afternoon, Kamloops city council will decide whether to draft a bylaw prohibiting smoking and e-cigarette use in parks and on civic property. Council asked staff to investigate the move this past summer after a request from the Interior Health Authority’s tobaccoreduction team. According to a report, 56 communities across the province already have bans on smoking in public spaces, though the breadth of the rules varies from
place to place. The bylaws aren’t actively enforced, save through community-education campaigns. “Some communities advised that complaint response is limited or not provided, given the competing priorities for existing enforcement resources,” Linda Stride, recreation, health and wellness supervisor for the city, wrote in a report to council. “Therefore, the bylaw’s focus is on education and enforcement coverage is limited to routine patrols in park.” Stride said the bylaw would reduce litter from discarded butts, decrease interface fire risk in nature parks and improve quality of life for residents who
would be less frequently exposed to secondhand smoke. The city would not hire new bylaw personnel as a result of the bylaw, Stride said, though there would be some costs for new signage and public education. “The City has an opportunity to make a statement by contributing to a smoke-free society, which will impact public health in our community,” she wrote. “Our municipality can take a leadership role with other local governments by prohibiting smoking, not only in parks, but on civic building properties as well.” If council moves forward with the bylaw, it could come into effect by April.
After the snow comes the cold ARCTIC BLAST WILL SEND MERCURY DOWN TO -12 C The last of the second snowfall of the season is expected to end today. It will be followed by the first cold snap of the fall and winter, one that will see the temperature dip to as low as -12 C by tomorrow. Environment Canada was calling for up to 20 centimetres of snow to have fallen between Sunday night and tonight, with Arctic air and blowing snow making conditions difficult for travel today. The storm is forecast to end tonight and the Kamloops area will settle into an extended period of up to six days of sunny, chilly days. As the coldest air of the season arrives, temperatures will fall, wind
chills will worsen and poor visibility in snow will be further reduced in blowing snow. The forecast high today is -3 C and the forecast low is -9 C. By tomorrow, the forecast high is -4 C and the forecast low is -12 C, while the rest of the week is calling for continued cold, with lows of -8 C and sunny skies heading
into the weekend. The sudden arrival of Old Man Winter in the dead of autumn has led to excellent early-season conditions for skiers, with Sun Peaks Resort coming off its opening weekend and the crosscountry trails at Stake Lake enjoying the earliest opening in 21 years when the Overlander Ski Club had them ready for
trekking as of this past Saturday. The cold weather means shelters for homeless will be open. The Out of the Cold program provides shelter at St. Paul’s Cathedral. To volunteer, call 250-3180236. The Emerald Centre also has 28 spaces for those in need during the cold spell.
dq.ca Sale ends Midnight, Sunday, December 6th, 2015
KAMLOOPS LOCATIONS!
Buy 1 box, get 1 bo ox
Downtown - 811 Victoria Street 250.372.3744 Aberdeen - 1517 Hugh Allan Drive 250.372.3705 North Shore Grill & Chill - 1075 8th Street 250.554.4390