*Senior (65+); Child (3-13); Students may be asked to present valid Student ID at the door. FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO PURCHASE TICKETS kamloopsfilmfest.ca
For more info and to watch trailers, visit: KamloopsFilmFest.ca AT THE PARAMOUNT THEATRE ADVANCE TICKETS AND PASSES ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AND AT THE PARAMOUNT THEATRE (503 VICTORIA ST.) DURING
7:30pm – The Painted Life of E.J. Hughes + Filmmaker Panel
SATURDAY, MARCH 7
8:30am - 4:30pm – Learn About Film Day 1
1:00pm – Family Event
2:00pm – The Wizard of Oz (1939)
4:30pm – Industry Reception — Invite only
6:00pm – Blue Heron
7:15pm – The Secret Agent
9:00pm – Reflection in a Dead Diamond
SUNDAY, MARCH 8
8:30am - 2:45pm – Learn About Film Day 2 11:00am – La Grazia
3:00pm – Kamloops Independent Short Shorts (KISS) Fest
5:00 - 6:00pm – KISS Filmmaker Reception
4:00pm – Orwell 2+2 = 5
7:00pm – The Chronology of Water
7:30pm – Father Mother Sister Brother
MONDAY, MARCH 9
STUDENT NIGHT
6:30pm – Mile End Kicks, pre-show set by Janky Eyed Jury
7:15pm – My Father’s Shadow
TUESDAY, MARCH 10
6:30pm – Resurrection
7:30pm – The Moment
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11
6:30pm – It Was Just an Accident
7:00pm – Arco
8:30pm – Wine-ing Discussion at Cordo
THURSDAY, MARCH 12
1:00pm – Tea & Tunes with Jeremy Kneeshaw
2:00pm – Unfinished Song
6:30pm – The Testament of Ann Lee
7:00pm – Cutting Through Rocks
8:30pm – Brew-ing Discussion at The Noble Pig
FRIDAY, MARCH 13
6:45pm – Pillion
7:15pm – Meadowlarks
9:00pm – Movie Trivia Night
SATURDAY, MARCH 14
2:00pm – Sirāt
2:30pm – Rental Family
6:00pm – Sentimental Value
6:30pm – Deathstalker
8:30pm – Closing Night Party at Delta
Please reuse, recirculate, and then recycle this paper.
Celebrate Black History
Social sketching
Drug decriminalization pilot ends
Sean Brady: Reporter news@kamloopschronicle.com
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 toxic unregulated drugs. That figure includes 3,099 deaths in the Interior Health region and 626 deaths in Kamloops, including more than 50 in the city over the past year.
Those horrific figures peaked in 2023 and have only shown a small decline province-wide since then.
Ultimately, the province declared the pilot project a failure and decided not to renew after its end date of Jan. 31.
“
Achoba told the Chronicle.
Achoba said no one among his group of peers expected the pilot to be successful because the government wasn’t listening to experts who advocated for a more complete implementation of the model.
Glenn Hilke, who operated The Loop drop-in centre for years before it was shut down, said a safe supply of drugs is a critical missing piece of the puzzle and one reason why the pilot failed.
– JOSIE OSBORNE Minister of Health of British Columbia
dangerous policy,” Neustaeter told the Chronicle.
The province later passed legislation outlawing public drug use in areas like playgrounds, on transit and in hospitals.
Neustaeter said the city’s business communities were supportive of council’s pushback against public drug use, but also that there was agreement among those groups that the pilot project did not do enough around recovery.
non-profit art studio that doubles, she said, as a “social justice human rights hub,” handing out harm reduction supplies and clothing to anyone in need.
Fine has a background in social work. She came to Kamloops and earned a master’s degree in human rights and social work from TRU and was previously a social worker and public outreach educator in Victoria for nine years.
Fine said stigma and shame are killing people much the same way the toxic drug supply is.
A return to criminalized drugs, Fine said, means people won’t feel safe to let others know they are using, which isolates them and causes more harm.
“In isolation, people can’t give themselves naloxone,” Fine said.
Valid Dreams Foundation hosting event on Feb. 21 A 19
According to the province, the intent behind the decriminalization pilot project was to allow those using drugs to get help without the fear of arrest and incarceration.
Urban Sketching Club invites you to come and scribble
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“Despite the hard work and good intentions behind the pilot, it has not delivered the results we hoped for,” said Josie Osborne, who has served as B.C.’s health minister since November 2024.
Among advocates, there was consensus early on the pilot would fail, according to Alfred Achoba, executive director at the Kamloops branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA).
Achoba pointed to the four pillars drug strategy, which is centred around harm reduction, prevention, treatment and enforcement.
“We focused heavily on harm reduction and enforcement. Those two are literally part of the model, they don’t stand alone.
“People have to be able to progress through the model in a way where enforcement becomes the last option to get them the care they need,”
“I really do think we could come up with a model that is not dissimilar to marijuana dispensaries, but in a controlled environment in pharmacies or within health authorities, where people could, on a regular basis, access a safe supply and also have conversations that lead to detox, rehab, treatment and sobriety,” Hilke said.
Hilke also pointed to action from Kamloops city council, which outlawed public drug use with a bylaw and spurred provincial action on the matter in late 2023 — something he saw as opposition to the project.
“They said it was going to increase crime, increase danger. They didn’t say anything about how it might be a help to some people. So, there was really a perfect storm going on to kill this thing from the get-go,” he said.
That bylaw was introduced by Kamloops Coun. Katie Neustaeter at a time when concern over street disorder was at an all-time high.
“The idea was to force Interior Health to the table on the topic and to get the province to wake up and listen to the concerns of residents, of the RCMP, of those who love people who are using drugs, and those with lived experience, who see the gaps in this
“There were no additional resources, no policy developed around making sure people have what they need for recovery,” Neustaeter said.
Kamloops Centre MLA Peter Milobar was similarly critical of the government’s approach.
“They didn’t put up guardrails, like enhanced access to treatment like they were supposed to have in place before they embarked on this. It was destined to fail. They rushed it out the door,” he said.
Milobar also said the government didn’t collect necessary data to measure the pilot’s success, including a baseline before its launch.
Among advocates, it is clear that a more comprehensive approach is needed, with decriminalization being one component of that approach in order to not drive people back into hiding their drug use.
“It’s complicated, but you have to do something other than force people back into the shadows, because when you do that, you are just saying, ‘It’s OK if you die. We don’t really care about you and your disease,’” Hilke said.
Lana Fine operates the Same Sky Collective at 417 Tranquille Rd., a
Among drug users and those who work with them, it remains unclear how the RCMP will react to the change.
Kamloops RCMP Superintendent Jeff Pelley commented on the end of the pilot project at council’s safety and security committee meeting on Jan. 26.
Pelley said officers would take a “measured approach” with simple possession and consider if the offence was part of other criminal activity.
“We won’t be supporting the use of those illicit drugs in our business corridors, in front of businesses, affecting business owners or patrons that want to use these premises,” Pelley said.
Pelley said the approach would be “very similar” to how drug use was handled prior to the decriminalization pilot.
Hilke said word had gone around, even prior to the deadline on Jan. 31, that decriminalization was ending, and that many people were taking the change at face value, with many worried the police would be out in force.
“So that’s going to force them to think about hiding their use, and that’s an incredible risk, especially if they’re alone,” Hilke said.
Toni Vuteva LAWYER
Councillors call out mayor over risks from motion
Sean Brady: Reporter
news@kamloopschronicle.com
Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson’s motion to bar family members of councillors from working for the city has failed.
Council addressed Hamer-Jackson’s motion at the Feb. 3 regular council meeting, with councillors concerned over the risks it presented.
The motion would have prohibited the hiring or employment of immediate family members of councillors while the councillor is in office. It would only apply to future councils, according to the motion’s text.
Appended to the mayor’s notice was a list of municipalities that supposedly have policies addressing the employment of relatives and nepotism.
Coun. Bill Sarai said he inquired with other locales and was met with confusion.
“They said it would actually be discrimination by not letting council’s family members apply for jobs, especially in smaller communities, if they didn’t have that opportunity, they wouldn’t be able to
function,” Sarai said.
“And the other feedback I got from larger municipalities, it would actually be discrimination, by not allowing council members’ families to apply for jobs, unless they were answering directly to a family member.”
Coun. Kelly Hall said he believed the motion presented a “potential legal risk” and found it “unnecessary and quite problematic” and that he would not support it.
Coun. Katie Neustaeter had similar concerns and asked Hamer-Jackson who helped him craft the motion, concerned that he did not understand its implications.
“I’ve actually talked to other mayors and I had a couple people help me out. I don’t think that’s the point here,” HamerJackson answered.
Neustaeter said she and other councillors had reached out to other mayors across the province and that “there was a lot of shock,” in response to the motion.
Neustaeter said it is “common knowledge” the motion would not be legal. Earlier in the meeting, and shortly after
See MOTION on A17
Defamation lawsuit dismissed
Sean Brady: Reporter news@kamloopschronicle.com
Kamloops Mayor Reid HamerJackson’s defamation lawsuit against Coun. Katie Neustaeter has been thrown out by a B.C. Supreme Court judge.
Neustaeter had filed to have the case dismissed under the Protection of Public Participation Act (PPPA), which is intended to protect discourse in the public interest.
The written ruling, given on Jan. 30 by Justice Jacqueline Hughes, comes after a series of hearings in September 2025.
The case addressed four instances of alleged defamation, including three emails and one public statement Neustaeter made on behalf of council in March 2023, all ultimately concerning communications between Hamer-Jackson and Neustaeter’s father.
Neustaeter had asked HamerJackson multiple times not to involve her father in city politics. According to the decision, Neustaeter believed at the time her
father was showing signs of dementia and she did not want him to be taken advantage of.
Hamer-Jackson had forwarded a voicemail he had received from her father to members of city council insisting they listen to it, as Hughes wrote, to show that Neustaeter’s father was supportive of him. He signed the email “Very confidential and not debatable.”
In response, Neustaeter sent an email to Hamer-Jackson and council telling him to “Never harass, meet with, attempt to meet with, or otherwise involve a member of my family in your dealings again.”
Email exchanges continued and the matter was brought up during a city council meeting. Then, on March 16, Neustaeter read a statement on behalf of council in front of Kamloops media at City Hall, reading, in part:
“While we, as councillors, have been subjected to repeated disrespect, violations of personal and professional boundaries, belittling, and constantly disruptive behaviour by the mayor, we have been willing to
absorb the impact in service to our community and in an attempt to have city business compromised as little as possible.”
Hamer-Jackson had alleged that statement “adopted and repeated the false allegation” made in previous emails.
“I agree with the defendant [Neustaeter] that this case is fundamentally one about political speech. Her assertion that the plaintiff [Hamer-Jackson] is using this litigation to target her as a political adversary for speech that she made, which was critical of his conduct and governance in his role as mayor, is supported on the record before me,” Hughes wrote in her decision.
Hughes concluded there is no evidence of any causal link between the harms alleged by HamerJackson and Neustaeter’s statements and that the mayor’s suit had a “significant chilling effect” on her ability to speak for and represent her constituents.
A date to decide on damages and costs will be decided within 30 days of the decision.
Milobar sets sights on leadership of BC Conservative Party
Sean Brady: Reporter news@kamloopschronicle.com
Former Kamloops mayor and Kamloops Centre MLA Peter Milobar has entered the leadership race for the Conservative Party of British Columbia.
Milobar told the Chronicle he wants the party to focus on serious issues like health care, crime and safety, affordability, and education.
As part of the rules for the contest, candidates must agree not to disparage one another and pledge their support to whoever wins the race.
Milobar said he has every intention to keep things civil throughout the race.
“My intention is to make sure party members understand what I stand for and the direction I
want to take things in,” he said.
“Hopefully others will do the same.”
Candidates must also pay $110,000 in fees to the party — which Milobar is not too concerned about.
“As a leader, one of your jobs is to ensure you are able to fundraise to the broader public, so that goes part and parcel with trying to raise the money for a fee as well. Leadership races are a drain on resources, so the party has to make up the difference somehow,” he said.
As of Chronicle press time on Feb. 4, seven other candidates had put forward their names, including former BC Liberal Iain Black, businessman Yuri Fulmer, Prince George-North Cariboo MLA Sheldon Clare, former BC United and BC Liberal staffer Caroline Elliott, former Conservative
The latest iteration of the party began after John Rustad was removed from the BC Liberals in 2022 and later won the BC Conservative leadership in 2023. Rustad oversaw a party rife with internal disputes, including the resignation or removal of five MLAs, with himself resigning in December 2025, prompting the race.
“I think what you’re watching unfold is a party that is still relatively new in terms of its membership and its MLAs,” Milobar said.
Now, Milobar said the party is “well on its way” to stabilizing, with the leadership race being an
important mechanism in doing so.
“You grow that membership number so you still have a wide diversity of opinions and views, but there’s more of them. And that seems to be stabilizing,” he said.
Asked how he might balance addressing issues locally here in Kamloops with his potential leadership duties, Milobar said there’s a lot of overlap in the issues he plans on addressing. “I’m still the same person and I know what I’ve been fighting for for Kamloops over the years, with healthcare front-and-centre,” he said, also mentioning crime and safety issues and affordability.
The party’s new leader will be announced at the leadership convention on May 30 and the deadline for members to vote is April 18.
MP Kerry-Lynne Findlay, businessman Warren Hamm, former Save-On-Foods president Darrel Jones, and Richmond-Queensborough MLA Steve Kooner
New SD73 secretary-treasurer ready to get started in district
Jason Hewlett: Reporter news@kamloopschronicle.com
Having spent 15 years in the world of school-district finances, Kim Morris sees few new challenges ahead as she steps into the role of SD73 secretary treasurer on March 2.
Which isn’t to say there won’t be hurdles she and her team will have to overcome. Inflation, capital expenditures, and child care for parents are among the financial concerns Morris will tackle while on the job.
“All districts are probably experiencing varied pressures,” she said, adding these are not unique to the Kamloops-Thompson School District.
Child care is a relatively new cost to school districts, although having learners in schools prior to starting kindergarten is a good way to ease
them into the system, said Morris.
An increase in staff benefits and the rising cost of running a school district – including maintenance costs – are also on Morris’s radar. Which, she again points out, isn’t unique to SD73.
“I’ve been doing this for 15 years. I think the financial challenges have always been there in terms of inflation and escalating costs to some degree in one department or another, or in one category or another,” she said.
“I’ve always maintained it’s not how much money you receive. It’s what you do with it.”
Prior to taking the job in Kamloops, Morris was secretary treasurer for the Peace River South School District in Dawson Creek. She has also held posts in Victoria, New Westminster, Nelson, Trail and
Prince Rupert, leading budget development, long-range facilities planning, capital projects and technology upgrades.
Morris sees the secretary-treasurer role and her department as “the glue that holds the organization together.” She looks forward to working with school district staff, the board of trustees, and new superintendent Mike St. John, who took over for interim superintendent Mike McKay on Feb. 2.
“I’m really looking forward to listening and asking questions and understanding the context of the district,” she said.
Morris considers herself a strong advocate of public education and sees it as a basic human right. When the Kamloops position came up, she found the depth and breadth of the programming here — and the discussions
she had with St. John and trustees — aligned with her views.
“I think the new superintendent, Mike St. John, is deeply commitment to supporting staff and supporting students and that certainly aligns with me,” she said.
Kamloops itself was also a draw. She and her family visited the city many times while on family trips or en-route to sporting events for her children. She remembers stopping during one of those excursions and enjoying a slice of pizza while listening to live music in Riverside Park.
“I’ve always imagined and wondered what it would be like to live and work in Kamloops. It was always in the back of my mind,” she said. Morris also looks forward to enjoying the many recreational options the city and region has to offer.
Experts should be heard
Continued from A3
At the CMHA, Achoba said the change presents “mixed messages” to the agency’s clients. “There’s a lot of education we need to do, letting them know that possession of drugs now, could be chargeable. They need to know that for their own safety, for their wellbeing,” he said.
Achoba said any future attempts at easing the impacts of the toxic drug crisis must include input from the experts.
“The government needs to listen to the experts. That is lived experience, medical sector, non-profit sector, who have been doing this work,” he said, also noting that there was no consultation done prior to cancelling the pilot project.
“There are other options out there, other ways we could have made it successful. But it stems from the policymakers not trusting experts in the field,” Achoba said.
Neustaeter said she has seen “palpable shifts in attitude” that give her some hope, including in the Ministry of Health under Osborne and from Premier David Eby.
“I think hope is the obligation of any good policy maker. We have to lean into that, and certainly these shifts in attitude and in policy. Hopefully consultation is the next checkmark,” Neustaeter said.
Fine said she favours an approach that would bolster social services, especially treatment and housing, but would also include decriminalization once again.
“We will never see the results we want without those other pieces. It’s just one part and it’s absolutely, to me, the biggest important factor in addressing the toxic drug crisis, but not without addressing the lack of affordable housing, cost of living, lack of adequate services,” she said.
Brock blaze part of downward trend in property fires
Jason Hewlett: Reporter news@kamloopschronicle.com
House fires are becoming less common in Kamloops, but a pre-Christmas blaze on Argyle Avenue served as a reminder that fire remains an ever-present risk, even in well-established neighbourhoods.
“I think, in the grand scheme of things, fires should be trending downwards because of the education and the knowledge people are possessing,” said Josh Cowen, Kamloops Fire and Rescue’s life and safety educator.
Compared to the number of blazes firefighters were
summoned to in the 1990s and early 2000s, structure fires have declined in the city. He said this is because of the level of education the public has received through KFR and the City’s fire-prevention efforts.
Installing smoke detectors, making sure homes and businesses have fire extinguishers, and knowing what to do in the case of a kitchen fire are just a few of the simple things people can do to prevent a fire. And Cowen says people have listened.
“Don’t throw water on a grease fire,” he said. At the same time, there’s only so much one can do to prevent fires, and sometimes
“I think, in the grand scheme of things, fires should be trending downwards because of the education and the knowledge people are possessing.”
– JOSH COWEN Life and Safety Educator Kamloops Fire and Rescue
a blaze will spark despite people’s best efforts. That’s what happened when firefighters were called to the 2600block of Argyle Avenue shortly after 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 21, where flames from a burning shed had already extended to a nearby residence.
Cowen said the blaze moved quickly from the shed
to the home’s deck and into the attic and second floor.
Two neighbouring sheds as well as a fence and hedge were also ignited, though firefighters were able to contain those flames before they caused too much damage to another house.
“There was some flame impingement to the home
on the west of 2664 (Argyle),” said Cowan.
The homeowner sustained minor burns while attempting to control the fire before crews arrived. All occupants were able to evacuate safely, and no firefighters were injured.
“In the main structure of the home, firefighters did an amazing job,” he said. “It got into the attic and they basically stopped the fire in the back left corner of the property.”
Kamloops RCMP attended the scene alongside fire crews, and Emergency Social Services was brought in to assist those displaced by the fire.
Kamloops Fire and Rescue and the RCMP’s General Investigation Support Team investigated the blaze. Cowen said investigators determined the fire was human caused but not the work of arson.
Damage estimates have not yet been released. Cowen said it will be some time before the homeowners are allowed to return home. However, they were able to salvage medications, some personal belongings and even Christmas presents, so the family didn’t go without for the holiday.
“It made for a good Christmas as the kids were obviously missing their presents,” said Cowen.
Series of January fires keep fire crews, RCMP busy
Jason
Hewlett: Reporter news@kamloopschronicle.com
Kamloops firefighters and RCMP responded to a
series of blazes across the city and surrounding area in January, with several incidents under investigation and others determined
to be accidental. Investigators were called into action on Jan. 7 after multiple vehicles were set on fire in the 200 block
of Victoria Street West. Firefighters arrived to find two vehicles fully engulfed, with witnesses reporting loud bangs as the flames intensified.
RCMP said the blaze is believed to have been intentionally set and noted the downtown location posed a significant public safety concern. No injuries were reported.
That same day, shortly after 2 a.m., a fire at a storage facility in the 700 block of Athabasca Street followed a break-in and theft. According to RCMP, two suspects cut through a fence, stole tools valued at about $4,000, then poured gasoline on wood inside the unit and set it on fire. The flames were quickly extinguished by firefighters.
A second fire believed to be connected to that incident was reported Jan. 11 at a secure compound in the 600 block of Kingston Avenue. A pallet and cardboard box were deliberately set on fire after suspects climbed a fence to access the property. RCMP said investigators believe the same individuals may be responsible for both fires. Damage was limited and no injuries were reported.
Later that evening, emer -
“Investigators were called into action on Jan. 7 after multiple vehicles were set on fire in the 200 block of Victoria Street West. Firefighters arrived to find two vehicles fully engulfed, with witnesses reporting loud bangs as the flames intensified. RCMP said the blaze is believed to have been intentionally set and noted the downtown location posed a significant public safety concern.”
gency crews responded to a devastating house fire on Shuswap Road in Tk’emlúps. The residence was heavily damaged and one man was seriously injured and transported to hospital by paramedics. RCMP and Kamloops Fire and Rescue continue to investigate.
On Jan. 12, firefighters were called to a detached garage fire in the 5000 block of Todd Hill Crescent in Dallas.
Fire officials said the blaze is believed to have originated in a wood stove or chimney system inside the garage. Crews used a defensive strategy due to hazardous materials stored inside the structure. No injuries were reported and investigators said the fire was accidental.
And on Jan. 14 crews prevented damage to neighbouring businesses after a late-night fire gutted a vacant storefront at 418 Victoria Street. Firefighters were called shortly before 11 p.m. to the former Fashion 5 location, where the building was fully engulfed. Firefighters worked from the front and rear of the structure to protect adjoining properties. The storefront was destroyed, though surrounding buildings were spared. Engineering crews are assessing the structure’s stability before investigators can determine the cause.
RCMP and Kamloops Fire and Rescue continue to investigate and ask anyone with information or video footage to contact police.
Cedar removal program open for 2026
Jason Hewlett: Reporter news@kamloopschronicle.com
A popular City program designed to reduce the risk of a wildfire sparking within town limits has already kicked open the doors to applicants ahead of the summer forest-fire season.
The Community Fuel Reduction Incentive was to roll out in March but Josh Cowen, Kamloops Fire and Rescue’s life and safety educator, opened the intake process Feb. 1 — a month ahead of schedule.
“We’ll hopefully have the same response (from the public) as last year. I know there was a lot of people who wanted in, which is great,” Cowen said of the program’s inaugural summer.
“All the cedars and juniper trees, they’re not native to this climate. They pose a huge fire hazard and we have the ability to pay people, essentially, to take them out.”
The dense growth and resin of junipers and cedars allow fire to climb quickly from the ground to rooflines, sometimes in a matter of seconds.
When located close to homes, sheds or neighbouring structures, they can significantly increase the risk of structural loss during a wildfire or even a smaller backyard blaze.
Last year about $140,000 was provided to homeowners. Cowen said 279 people applied for the program in 2025 and, of those, between 230 to 240 assessments were conducted.
“Some people just aren’t eligible,” said Cowen. There’s about $80,000 available to homeowners this year, with some leftover monies from last year’s incentive also at the ready. This means a few less homes will be able to take advantage of the program in 2026, he said.
The program is available to owners of single-family homes and duplexes within
Kamloops city boundaries, provided the hazardous vegetation is located within five metres of a structure. Strata properties are not eligible. The program provides $150 for the first tree and up to $800 for up to eight trees.
The process begins with a free FireSmart assessment conducted by Kamloops Fire and Rescue. During the visit, assessors identify fire hazards around the home and recommend specific steps, including the removal of cedar or juniper trees where appropriate. Homeowners who wish to proceed must then submit an expression of intent form, outlining their planned work and estimated costs.
Once approved, residents typically have about 90 days to complete the work. Vegetation must be fully removed from the property, not simply cut back. Afterward, homeowners submit a verification form, including before-and-af-
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ter photos, for final review. Approved applicants receive their rebate by cheque. Residents looking to book a FireSmart assessment, or learn more about the fuel reduction incentive program, can contact Kamloops Fire and Rescue or visit the City of Kamloops website at www. kamloops.ca for details.
Tom Dickinson, Chair, Lorry-Ann Austin, Kathleen Larose, Melissa Damini, Alison Bowman, Radhika Tabrez, Chris de Haan, Scott Montagliani, Riley Windeler, Stephen Treece, Peter Aylen
Editorial Contributors: Sean Brady, Jason Hewlett, Anna Montaner, Juli Harland, Marty Hastings, June Corcoran, Marg Archibald, Amy Tucker, Valerie Boyda, Mel Rothenburger
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OPINION
The many joys of serving on city council
Since the 2022 civic election, Kamloopsians have watched the dysfunction on our city council with understandable concern and anger. Most right-thinking people might look at what is currently happening and close the door on ever becoming a candidate.
Friends, this would be a mistake. The turmoil at city hall is likely an anomaly, a one term phenomenon. Most communities across BC that have had huge council conflicts in the past 20 years have had the voters steady the situation in the very next election. And… if we don’t get a diversity of strong collaborative community builder type candidates here in the October election, voters will have a harder time
bringing back stability and collaboration.
I will have no better job than serving on Kamloops City Council. I learnt so much, met amazing people, and had the incredible honour of representing my fellow citizens in good times and in bad times. While my days on city council are likely behind me, I look back on them with great fondness and gratitude. Last month, I wrote about the essential characteristics of a good council member - a lot of “need to dos” and “must dos”. Today, let me tell you a few stories about the joys of serving on council:
• Helping people with issues: Citizens naturally look to their city councillors to help them with issues. Often, people can be
quite emotional, even angry. To acknowledge emotion, to communicate you will work diligently to assist, if at all possible, and to help address issues successfully. This is a pretty great feeling. Council members can’t address every issue but, and this happens regularly enough, helping people suc-
cessfully is very satisfying.
• Learning and contributing ideas on a wide range of topics: City councillors are paid to learn about such a diverse range of community activities and then are often tasked to make decisions about them. I derived a lot of joy from being so well informed and was humbled by the opportunity to help make decisions for the whole community.
• Make a positive mark with specific projects: Our current city council will always be the council that finally got a Performing Arts Centre started after many councils failed in the same effort. My dear council colleague Marg Spina started the work to get the junior city council going and asked me to continue for her after she was diag-
nosed with cancer. I often think of Marg’s legacy and this incredible gift she gave us before she passed away and which will hopefully last long after I am gone from this earth.
• Discovering the huge power of collaboration: In my professional and personal life, I make decisions with a relatively small group of people. On council, and on the regional district and with provincial and federal local government associations, I got to witness firsthand the positive power of collaboration with larger groups of people. I had the privilege of learning how to agree well, to disagree well, and to help move important initiatives forward in the best way on a community wide and sometimes even larger forum.
Is the wrecking ball coming for Stuart Wood?
ANOTHER KEY PIECE of Kamloops heritage is in danger of being lost. This is a familiar story because the roll call of city heritage buildings has steadily diminished over the years to the point where we have little left.
Heritage homes and public buildings are torn down to make room for apartment towers, subdivisions, and offices, sometimes after years of neglect.
One of our most iconic historic buildings may not be with us much longer unless somebody in power steps up to champion it. I’m speaking of Stuart Wood School, built in 1907 in what’s called a “classical revival” architectural style.
In City council chambers, its future has been bandied about with seemingly little concern about whether it stays or goes. As council has looked for ways to reduce this year’s tax increase, Stuart Wood has become an issue — specifically, the $110,000 annual cost of mainte-
nance, and whether council should refuse to pay it.
The cavalier manner in which several councillors discussed the old school at a committee meeting was alarming. Coun. Mike O’Reilly made it sound as though Stuart Wood is no more than an inconvenience. “I don’t have any interest in sinking money into the building itself,” he said. “It’s an asset that’s not ours and … provides us nothing in return [for maintaining it].”
It’s true that the City doesn’t
have title to Stuart Wood and neither does the school district that abandoned it. The provincial government owns it. The Tk’emlups band has an interest in it.
If the City stops paying the $110,000, maybe the province will ante up, council reasons. Or not.
Council’s only concerns about the site were loss of storage space and keeping the playground, not about its heritage value.
Coun. Katie Neustaeter claimed it would take “hundreds of millions of dollars” to make it “functional.”
Where she got that figure from, I don’t know (actual estimates have been in the $4 million to $5 million range), but it sounded like a capitulation.
There has been some discussion between the City and Band about turning the school into some sort of cultural centre, or even re-opening it as an elementary school if the downtown core continues to densify but, so far, there’s no concrete plan.
Since it was shut down as a school 10 years ago, the building has been used for temporary shelter space. Meanwhile, as empty buildings do, it continues to decline. Which is the sad story of so many heritage buildings — let them deteriorate until they’re no longer usable and then bulldoze them. If you’re thinking, “Surely, nobody would support tearing it down,” consider the number of heritage buildings that have come under the wrecking ball in the past, usually in the name of progress. Even the beloved St. Andrew’s on the Square was once declared “an old pile of boards” and narrowly missed demolition by a council in the ‘90s.
Not all old buildings are worth saving. But Stuart Wood sure is. Mel Rothenburger is a former Kamloops mayor, former school board chairman, and a retired daily newspaper editor. He publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca news and opinion blog.
Todd Sullivan Editor
Tom Dickinson Chair Arjun Singh Exec. Director
Kamloops Local News Society
MEL ROTHENBURGER Armchair Mayor
Demolish the RCMP building and put up a parking lot
Dear Editor:
The city of Kamloops staff have convinced city council to bash down the existing Battle Street RCMP building and replace the 32-year-old 40,000 sq. ft building, that is fully paid for, with a new 120,700 sq. ft. RCMP Building at a construction and financing cost of approximately $286 million.
My proposal is to retain and renovate the existing 40,000 sq. ft structure and add an 80,000 sq. ft new structure on site to achieve the square footage required.
The design and construction costs for the new building are approximately $1000 per sq. ft.
Reducing the size of the new structure by 40,000 sq. ft at $1000 per sq. ft would reduce construction costs by $40 million. When adding finance costs the taxpayers would save approximately $75 to $80 million. The demolition budget of $1.3 million would go towards renovations of the existing building.
Staff’s Report to Council included the following reasons to bash down the existing building:
1) Building needs expensive seismic upgrades to meet the new code.
Rebuttal: excerpt from a national building code publication — “there is no universal requirement to upgrade existing buildings to the latest seismic code.”
2) Renovations will severely disrupt RCMP operations.
Rebuttal: the new building should be built first and as it is twice the size of the existing building, it should allow whole departments to move to the new building and allow for organized renovation of the existing building.
3) Concern that the new building built to match the existing, would be subject to flooding
Rebuttal: Potential flooding was not a concern when the original was built, and the city has spent millions on dikes since. Also, the private sector has not stopped building in the downtown.
4) Ceilings and floor heights might not match
Rebuttal: There are steps and ramps
It is a travesty that the only remaining way citizens can express their thoughts, in an impactful way, regarding the expenditure of major sums of their tax money is to organize an uprising to attack the Alternate Approval System. In the past we could talk about the project in a civilized way, make presentations to council, then simply go and cast a vote Yes or No.
Yes, it maybe time for Kamloops to provide additional space for local RCMP staff but let’s do it in a fiscally responsible manner.
As Joni says, “You don’t know what you got ‘til it’s gone.” Whether it is a building, tax money, or basic rights as a citizen.
— Stephen Cousins Kamloops
“It is a travesty that the only remaining way citizens can express their thoughts in an impactful way regarding the expenditure of major sums of their tax money is to organize an uprising to attack the Alternate Approval System. In the past we could talk about the project in a civilized way, make presentations to council, then simply go and cast a vote Yes or No.”
– Stephen Cousins
We should be embracing renewable energy not pipelines Dear Editor,
Some politicians are obsessed with pipelines. They are hoping Canadians will forget that building more pipelines means extracting more oil (bitumen), which means more climate-warming GHG emissions are emitted when the refined oil is burned. Then Canadians can expect more devastating wildfires and unhealthy smoke, more floods, and more drought.
These politicians are hoping folks won’t notice that most countries in the world are rapidly shifting towards renewable energy and electrification. This includes developing countries like Pakistan and oil-rich nations such as Saudi Arabia. And of course China is leading the way, installing twice as much solar capacity in 2025 as the rest of the world combined.
But never mind if there might not be much of a market for Canadian oil once another pipeline is built. No worries. We the taxpayers can pay for another pipeline, even though it may become a stranded asset. After all, taxpayers just paid about 34 billion for the TMX pipeline.
And, of course, certain political leaders are hoping to build another pipeline through northern BC to the Coast, despite opposition from Indigenous peoples who have the right to free, prior, informed consent. They are hoping Canadians will forget about the importance of protecting the water and lands through which this pipeline would travel. And most of all, they hope we will forget why the North Coast Oil Tanker Moratorium Act was enacted by Parliament in 2019.
These politicians are hoping Canadians won’t realize we are missing out on the economic benefits of the global renewable energy revolution taking place right now. We could be building more solar and wind energy capacity, more public transportation, including high speed trains, and strengthening our electrical grid. Now THAT would be nation-building.
— Patricia Spencer Kamloops
Aberdeen
Pick-up The Kamloops Chronicle at the following locations:
Kamloops Seniors Village 1220 Hugh Allan Dr On the Rocks 1265 Rogers Way
Pharmasave Aberdeen 68 - 1395 Hillside Dri
Pizza Now 1415 Hillside Dr #2
Runners Sole 1395 Hillside Dr #74
Straight 8 barbers Aberdeen 1390 Hillside Dr #5
Tim Hortons 1285 Rogers Way
Twin Rivers Market Unit A1420, 1420 Hugh Allan Dr
Barnhartvale
HappyValley Foods 6221 Barnhartvale Rd
Brocklehurst
Riverbend Pharmasave 760 Mayfair St #3,
Flutter Buys Thrift Store 1800 Tranquille Rd #14
Parkcrest Neighbourhood Store 2091 Parkcrest Ave
RiverBend & Mayfair Manor 760 Mayfair St
Downtown 7-Eleven 615 Seymour St & 6th
Amplified Cafe 465 Victoria St
Amplifon Clinic Kamloops 300 Columbia St # 104
Andres Tire World 341 Victoria St W
Artisan Market 705 Victoria St
Big Little Science Center 458 Seymour St
Bikley Law 186 Victoria St #301
Boomers Auto 375 Victoria St W
Brownstone Restaurant 118 Victoria St
Cafe Motivo 229 Victoria St
Canada’s Best Value Inn 1390 columbuia St
Carlos O’Bryan’s Neighborhood Pub 357 Victoria St
Centerpoint Printing 500 Victoria
Central Station Pub 126 4 Ave
Columbia Street Pharmacy 112-300 Columbia St
Continental Barber Shop 319 Victoria St
Cordo Restaurant 540 Victoria Street
Daana Paani - The Indian Grocery Store 414 Seymour St
Denny’s - Downtown 570 Columbia St
Dollarama 450 Lansdowne St
Dorian Greek House 430 Victoria St
Downtown Kamloops BIA 246 2nd Ave
Downtown Library 465 Vicroria Street
Embers 650 Victoria St
Fade Away Barber SHop 156 Victoria St
Frankly Coffee And Bistro 437 Lansdowne St
Frick and Frack 577 Victoria Street
He Brew’s Ahava Coffee Inc 210 Victoria St
Hearing Life 321 Nicola St #208
Hello Toast 428 Victoria St
Jacob’s Noodle & Cutlet 260 4th Ave
Kamloops Art Gallery 465, Victoria Street
Kamloops Brain Injury Association 408 Victoria St
Kamloops Community YMCA-YWCA 400 Battle Street
Kamloops United Thrift 421 St Paul St
Kekuli Cafe 300 Columbia St #101
Kipp-Mallery Pharmacy 3rd Avenue & Victoria Street
Kirstens Hideout Café 1390 Columbia St
London Drugs 450 Lansdowne St #216
Mauryas Restaurant 165 Victoria St
Mittz Kitchen 227 Victoria St, Kamloops
Nandis Restaurant 340 Victoria Street Nutters Everyday
Naturals 440 Seymour Street Paramount
Pavillion
Save-On-Foods
Safeway
Save-On-Foods
Adrenas
Pick-up The Kamloops Chronicle at the following locations:
Best Western Plus 660 Columbia Str
Canada Games Aquatic Centre 910 McGill Rd
Columbia Diner 555 Columbia Str
Connect Hearing 1315 Summit Dr
Earls 1210 Summit Dr
EZ Vape 1210 Summit Dr #915
Fox and Hounds Pub Sahali Mall, 945 W Columbia St #20
FraserCart Indian Store 795 McGill Rd #103
FreshCo Columbia & Summit
Golds gym 906 Laval Cresc
Kamloops Hearing Aid Centre 414 Arrowstone Dr
Kipp-Mallery Pharmacy (Landmark) Summit & McGill
Marjorie Willoughby Hospice 72 Whitesheild Cres S
Mercedes Benz Kamloops 695 Laval Cres
Mr Lube Summit 1200 Summit Dr
Nature’s Fare Markets - Kamloops 500 Notre Dame Dr #100
Pure Pharmacy #10 - 1380 Summit Dr
Ramada 555 W Columbia St
Save-On-Foods Summit Dr 1210 Summit Dr #100
Stock Pot Cafe 7 - 970 Laval
Superstore 910 Columbia St W
Tim Hortons 910 Columbia St W
Tim Hortons 910 Columbia St W
Tournament Capital Centre 910 McGill Rd
Toyota 1355 Cariboo Pl
Vista Inn 628 Columbia St W
Waypoint Convenience 910 Columbia St West
Wheaton Buick GM 685 Notre Dame Dr
Pritchard
Pritchard Store 4132 Trans - Canada Hwy
Stoney Flats Harvest 4227 Stoney Flats Rd
Tkemlups
Erwins 419 Mt Paul Way
Purity Feed 471 Okanagan Way
Agri Supply 782d Tagish St
Sweláps Market 100 - 302 Yellowhead Hwy
AgeCare Sunriveres 580 Shuswap Rd
Valleyview
Amsterdam Cafe 111 Oriole Rd Unit 1
Clearview Glass 2059 Trans Canada Hwy
Kamloops Mazda 2595, E Trans-Canada Hwy
Kamloops Ram Dodge Jeep 2525 East Trans Canada Highway Frontage Rd
McCracken Station Pub 1626 Valleyview Dr
Office Pub 2020 Falcon Rd
PetroCan Convenience Store 1885 Trans-Canada Hwy
Pharmasave Orchards Walk 101 - 3200 Valleyview Drive
Remedy’sRx 1967 Trans-Canada Highway
Riders Motor Inn 1759 Trans-Canada Hwy
Rivershore Chrysler Jeep 2477 East Trans-Canada Hwy
Save-on Valleyview 2101 Trans - Canada Hwy #9
Shoppers Drug Mart 2121 Trans-Canada Hwy Unit 2
Straight 8 barbers Valleyview 168 Oriole Rd
The Residence at Orchard’s Walk 3300 Valleyview Dr #100
Valleyview Barbershop 2172 Flamingo Rd
Volkswagen Kamloops 2483 Trans Canada Hwy
Westsyde Hamlets 3255 Overlander Dr
Save-On-Foods Westsyde Westsyde
Black Pines Restaurant 2992 Westsyde Rd
The Westsyder Neighbourhood Pub 3369 Westsyde Rd
Westsyde Pool & Fitness Centre 859 Bebek Rd
More locations added frequently. Check KamloopsChronicle.com for the complete list.
Good News
Still more to celebrate in Kamloops this month!
Hudson Williams takes the world by storm: It’s amazing how quickly a TV show can gain popularity and change the life of the people involved forever. Congratulations to Kamloops educated (Beattie and Sahali Secondary) Hudson Williams for his great success in a lead role in the hit show Heated Rivalry. Hudson has been featured in media all over the world, appeared on the Jimmy Fallon Show, wooed the Prime Minister, and will soon carry the Olympic torch for the Milan Games.
Local Expedia cruise
Vacation Consultant Kelly Van Genne teams up with Westjet Agent Himesh to help elderly client: Kelly writes on Facebook: “Huge kudos to Himish, the WestJet ticketing agent at YKA Airport, for going above and beyond today. I rushed down to the airport to help my sweet little elderly client after her flights needed to be rearranged due to oxygen issues onboard. With no phone and no way to navigate the changes on her own, she was facing two overnight stops in Calgary and Edmonton just to reach Puerto Vallarta. Thanks to Himish’s patience, kindness, and problem-solving skills, everything changed: Reduced to one
overnight; Hotel and meal vouchers provided. And best of all — she’s now traveling alongside two other lovely older ladies she met at the airport; all connected on the same flight. This is what exceptional customer service looks like. Thank you for treating her with such care and dignity — you truly made a stressful situation feel safe and manageable.
Kamloops Transit Wins International Award for Most Improved Bus Shelters: “The city has earned the Most Improved Award in the Superlative Stops category of the app’s 2025 Riders Choice Awards, a recognition driven directly by rider feedback. This means Kamloops riders were most likely to say their stop provided a comfortable place to wait — a clear sign that recent investments are paying off where it matters most, the everyday rider experience.”
Congratulations to Local Accountant Mario Piroddi for 25 years at BDO: Mario supports many communities across the province with strong financial advice and audits. He has served for many years as the volunteer treasurer of the Canadian Home Builders Association Central Interior.
Kamloops Adult Learners Society offering amazing seminars and programs: Perusing
through the Kamloops Adult Learning Society sessions showcases a wonderful diversity of affordable learning opportunities - and you get to spend time with interesting and interested people as well. Ginny Ratsoy writes: “Select from over 50 courses — everything from field trips to creative writing, the environment, visual art, and music. Learn more about AI, spotting fake news, and local history. See www.kals.ca”
Upper Clearwater Fire Brigade Fire Hall Construction Campaign: “The Upper Clearwater Valley Fire Brigade is constructing a Fire Hall in the Upper Clearwater Valley. The future Fire Hall will become the home of UCVFB and serve as base for emergency services to protect the community and tourism resources. The project was made possible by a very generous land donation from Ursula and Fritz Schaer and a major financial donation from Anne and Roland Neave in 2025. Schaer Hall construction commenced in October 2025, and the steel building will be assembled in Spring 2026. UCVFB is fundraising the project cost to complete Schaer Hall. To launch a major fundraising effort Anne and Roland Neave have kindly agreed to match all donations received until end of February 2026 up to an amount
of $75,000. UCVFB is a registered charitable organization and can issue tax-deductible donation receipts For information please contact: cathyarmstrong75@ yahoo.ca
Ryan Weichel celebrates one year of the “Ryan from Kamloops” video podcast: Ryan is a wonderful, friendly fellow who had really taken on a role as spreader of positivity and a true community connector and booster. His podcast is available through Facebook and YouTube. He features many awesome local people, events, and initiatives. And he sells t-shirts that are becoming pretty iconic in town. Contact info: ryanfromkamloops@gmail.com
Kudos to Krystian Shaw for 12 years of the Kamloops Self Advocate Newsletter: Often sharing space with the Chronicle at various locations across the community is the Kamloops Self Advocate Newsletter. The brainchild of local leader Krystian Shaw the Kamloops Self Advocate Newsletter is a disability focused media platform promoting inclusion and sharing voices of people with diverse voices. Krystian does an amazing job putting together lots of interesting articles and columns. Contact info: 250 828 1344 and www.ksanews.com
Ryan Weichel is celebrating one year of the Ryan from Kamloops video podcast.
St. John Ambulance is ‘more than putting on a band-aid’
June Corcoran: Columnist
Charlie, Marlee and Scout stole my heart. Each welcomed me gently, calmly and I in turn gave them each a pat and scratch. They are part of the St. John Ambulance (SJA) Therapy Dog Division 1113, a vital program that brings comfort to the Kamloops community.
Currently the Kamloops SJA has 25 therapy Dog Teams which visit long term care residences. Seventy teams are needed.
“The staff really benefits from the calming effect he brings. Everyone can have a bad day,” explained Jeff Ross who handles Scout, a Golden Retriever. Barb McKay and her dog Charlie, a Cavalier King Charles mix, concentrate on staff wellness and university visits. Sandy Williams and Marlee, a Golden Doodle, visit two long-term care residences.
Williams observed that, “In one case, it took a client two years of gradual visits before he felt comfortable enough to pet Marlee.”
“Research shows even five minutes spent with the dogs can bring the heart rate down, endorphins go up, stress is reduced and reduction in pain for up to 30 minutes,” reported Trudi Bonbernard, Therapy Dog Unit Facilitator.
The Therapy Dog Program was introduced in 1990.
Branch Manager, Stephen Orteza, one of two paid staff, explained that SJA is driven by highly trained volunteers.
“St. John Ambulance is more than putting on a band-aid,” said Andy Philpot, Division Superintendent. Medical First Responders (MFR) have skills via education and practical skills which cover everything from spinal packaging and
oxygen therapy to patient transfer protocols and emergency preparedness.
Andy Phillpot, Division Superintendent, welcomes new volunteers. They must have Standard or Intermediate First Aid Certification. Members are expected to maintain continued preparedness through training courses and practice exercises.
St. John Ambulance traces its beginning back to the Crusades. Blessed Gerard attended to the needs of pilgrims regardless of race or religion. Over the span of many years hospice centres were established in Cypress, Rhodes, and Malta and were established in England by 1830. By 1872 SJA concentrated on first aid in the mines, collieries and mills due to the accidents sustained by workers. Queen Victoria presented SJA a royal charter, formally acknowledging the organization in 1888.
The introduction of a first aid course in Quebec City expanded across the country leading to an alliance with the Canadian Armed Forces. SJA members served through World War I and II as stretcher-bearers, ambulance drivers and nursing staff.
A training centre was opened in Vancouver in 1907. During the 1960s to 70s SJA worked to improve First Aid Regulations in the workplace. The Kamloops branch was incorporated in 1964. The volunteer Medical First Responder Division was added in 1967 “Guided by the mottos Pro Fide (For the Faith) and Pro Utilitate Hominum (In the Service of Humanity) the volunteers of St. John Ambulance continue to stand ready. Whether facing natural disaster or personal crisis, they bring expertise, compassion and a helping hand-or-paw-to those in need.”
Loving the Grasslands returns with expanded program
Anna Montaner: Reporter news@kamloopschronicle.com
The rolling grasslands of British Columbia’s Interior may look quiet at first glance, but they are among the most ecologically important, and most threatened, landscapes in the province.
On Feb. 5, community members will gather to celebrate and protect these ecosystems at Loving the Grasslands 2026, the Grasslands Conservation Council of BC’s signature annual fundraiser.
This year’s event takes place from 5:30 to 9 p.m. in the Mountain Room at Thompson Rivers University, marking the first time the gathering has been hosted at TRU. The move reflects the event’s steady growth since it began just a few years ago.
“We hadn’t had a major fundraiser for a number of years,” Mike Dedels, Executive Director of the Grasslands Conservation Council of BC, said. “What started as a small, casual event turned into something the community really supported, and it’s been our major fundraiser for the past three years.”
Originally held at Mason’s Restaurant in Sun Rivers, Loving the Grasslands has evolved into a larger, more immersive evening. The 2026 edition will also feature a full buffet dinner for the first time, moving beyond the appetizer-style format of previous years.
Grasslands make up less than one percent of British Columbia’s land base, but they are home to more than 30 percent of the province’s species at risk. Beyond wildlife habitat, they provide vital for-
age for ranching operations, help retain water in dry climates, and offer recreational and cultural value to communities across the Interior.
Despite their importance, these ecosystems face an increase in pressure. Dedels points to development and subdivision of large land parcels as a major threat, along with invasive plant species that degrade native grassland habitats.
“These landscapes are often misunderstood,” Dedels said. “People see dry grass in the summer and don’t realize the diversity and complexity that’s there.”
The evening will include grassland stories, conservation updates highlighting on-the-ground work, and presentations recognizing supporters and partners.
Attendees can also take part in live, silent, and online auctions featuring local experiences and donated items, which help fund the Council’s conservation and education efforts.
Entertainment will feature live music from an experienced piano player, allowing the focus to remain on connection, learning, and community.
Besides attending the event, keeping yourself informed of the ecosystems around you, and the invasive plants that can affect it, are ways Dedels believes will further the conservation of Grasslands in BC.
The long-term impact of the event goes beyond fundraising. “It’s about awareness,” Dedels said. “Grasslands are natural landscapes, shaped by geography and climate, and they’re essential to wildlife, ranching, and the identity of this region.”
The Grasslands Conservation Council of BC is the only provincial environmental NGO based in the Thompson Nicola Regional District, bringing together ranchers, students, landowners, recreationists, and conservationists around shared stewardship of grasslands.
“When we gather for the grasslands,” Dedels said, “we strengthen the very community that protects them.”
More information on Loving the Grasslands 2026 can be found at https://bcgrasslands.org/grasslands/loving-the-grassland-fundraiser-2026/
CITY PAGE
Council Calendar
February 3, 2026
1:30 pm - Regular Meeting
February 10, 2026
10:00 am - Committee of the Whole
February 23, 2026
9:00 am - Governance and Service Excellence Select Committee
1:30 pm - Livability and Sustainability Select Committee
February 24, 2026
1:30 pm - Regular Meeting
View the 2025 Council Calendar online. Kamloops.ca/Council
Council Meeting Recap
Sign up for the Council Meeting Agendas and Highlights e -newsletter. Kamloops.ca/Subscribe
Community Engagement Check-In
Residents can participate in a short survey focused specifically on engagement, decision making, and trust. This survey builds on feedback from previous City surveys and engagement activities and is designed to better understand expectations—when people want to be involved, what they expect engagement to influence, and what helps build trust.
Take the survey until February 13, 2026, at LetsTalk.Kamloops.ca/Communications
Report an issue
Have a non-emergency issue you want to report to the City, such as a pothole or a broken street light?
• Call 250-828-3461
For after-hours emergencies, press 1.
• MyKamloops™ Mobile App
Download the mobile app to easily report an issue right from your smart phone.
• Visit KamloopsBC.CitySourced.ca
Create an account or log in with your existing account to use our online reporting tool.
Kamloops Centre for the Arts in the heart of downtown Kamloops.
As the priority project under the Build Kamloops program, the Kamloops Centre for the Arts will become a major cultural destination and a catalyst for economic activity, creativity, and community connection when it opens in 2029.
The City appreciates the patience and co-operation of residents, businesses, and visitors as this transformative project moves forward. Regular updates will be shared on LetsTalk.Kamloops.ca/KCA as construction progresses to help the community and impacted parties stay informed.
Family Day Festival
On Family Day, the City of Kamloops will transform the Tournament Capital Centre into a festival for families with children of all ages. The 12th annual Family Day Festival is a free event that will take place 10:00 am–2:00 pm on Monday, February 16, 2026.
In addition to this free family festival, residents can take advantage of the toonie skate and swim programs. For two dollars per person, families are invited to enjoy:
• Public Skating at Valleyview Arena
12:00–1:00 pm and 1:15–2:15 pm (registration required)
• Public Swimming at the Canada Games Aquatic Centre 1:00–4:00 pm
Find the full list of expo booths, the day’s performance schedule, and skating registration links at Kamloops.ca/FamilyDay
Scan the QR code for the City’s up-to-date news and events
Here’s what you need to know:
• Expect lane closures, pedestrian detours, and traffic pattern adjustments to portions of the surrounding roads until project completion in 2029. Motorists are encouraged to plan extra travel time and follow posted signage.
• On-street parking on the north, east, and south sides of the project site will be unavailable during the work.
• The southbound transit stop on 4th Avenue at Seymour Street will be unavailable throughout construction. The next available stop is on 4th Avenue at Battle Street. Riders are encouraged to visit BCTransit.com/Kamloops for the most up-to-date route and scheduling information.
A New Vision for Curling and Racquet Sports
Kamloops is building on its 75-year curling legacy with a new curling and racquet sports complex, a flagship Build Kamloops initiative.
Located on a 3.6 ac. site that includes the Kamloops Curling Club, Memorial Arena, and neighbouring properties. The project will transform the block into a vibrant downtown hub. The future facility will integrate curling and racquet sports with potential fitness space, community amenities, and even housing.
While the site location has been identified and secured, the facility’s vision, design, timeline, and budget have yet to be determined. As the project moves forward, engagement will create meaningful opportunities for residents, user groups, partners, and interested parties to help shape the vision and the detailed design of the new complex.
Learn more at LetsTalk.Kamloops.ca/CurlingComplex.
There you are, chugging along, a little walking, maybe pushing yourself on hills, some bike riding, swimming, a few at-home exercises then — BOOM — out of left field a diagnosis. It could have been your blood pressure, or bones, or prostate. Diabetes anyone? Something in your body is aging faster than you are. What are you going to do about it? There’s medication but also choices. You have heard the guideline that the older you get the more you need to exercise, just to hold your own. It will keep you alive longer, and give you more options in that life, more fun, maybe less pain. You don’t have to look hard to see the direct line to your diagnosis.
In my case it was weakening bones, getting brittle, actually corroding. A broken wrist skiing, okay that was a fluke. Then a broken hip walking dogs, hmmm,
that looked suspicious, and a bone scan sealed the deal. Osteoporosis. How did this happen? I thought I was already active. How do I up my game? My GP and I struck a deal: two years to prove I could turn that around with diet and exercise without the medication. Then he will test again.
A friend gifted me a threemonth membership to the Kamloops Y and I live three blocks away. Groan. I spent my life avoiding being part of a class, following a lead-
er chirping “...and now arms up, and to the right, knees high…” I couldn’t stand it. Squats? You’ve got to be kidding. But I couldn’t insult the gift-giver by saying “Umm, no thanks, don’t fancy that.”
So, I dragged myself to a three-times-a-week class called “PBS Gold” – Posture, Balance and Strength for seniors. I spent the first week and a half clock watching. How much longer? Will this ever end? How am I going to get through three months of this? Then something shifted. I noticed that my class-
mates were nice. Friendly. Helpful.
I got to like them, looked forward to them. We were a community. All of us with our sore knees, challenging backs, replaced hips, all of them cheerfully turning up because they too had heard the news: you want to feel good? be able to play with your grandchildren? then move the body. The class clown announced to a substitute instructor as she walked in: “Oh, they didn’t tell you? We don’t actually do exercises here. We are a social club.” And we are.
Next thing I knew I was looking forward to those three mornings a week. And shock, shock, within a few months, a classmate talked me into signing up for additional classes, harder classes, and starting this week a brand-new class - heavy-duty weight-lifting for seniors. I’m in.
It’s been just over a year and the benefits show up in my daily life, things like walking up stairs. I can now do squats holding a 50-pound weight. I know. Astonishing. But will I make it into the healthy-bones zone when re-tested in another year? We’ll find out.
I am an average person, small-to-medium build, some strong parts, some shockingly weak parts, sore knees, tender joints, weak hands, tummy that sticks out, unattractive dowager’s hump at the top of my spine, just your average senior. But I’m on a journey
and I’m hoping mine can encourage you to give exercise and eating habits a larger place in your life. We’ll explore fitness ideas and find out what other seniors say about their fitness journeys.
Let’s explore how to protect what we’ve got, build on it and improve life by looking after ourselves. One year in, I can say “Thank goodness for that diagnosis.” I’m determined to pass the bone-density test one year from now. I hope you too will up your own fitness journey, build your own health, because seniors deserve it. Let’s put fun into being little old ladies.
Margaret Archibald is a 79-year-old Kamloops retiree, who is neither medically nor fitness trained. She is not qualified to diagnose nor recommend health or fitness. She is simply learning how to develop her own fitness, bound and determined to keep on loving aging.
I help you get eyeballs on your business because nobody can buy from the best kept secret. I help you get eyeballs on your business because nobody can buy from the best kept secret.
Living on cruise control
How many of us are living on cruise control?
Not thriving. Not struggling, exactly. Just … moving. Getting through days rather than living them. Ticking boxes. Showing up. Going through motions that used to mean something but now just feel like motions.
I didn’t notice when it started. That’s the thing about cruise control. You set it and forget it. The car keeps moving. You arrive at places. From the outside, everything looks fine. But inside, something has gone quiet.
I remember the moment I realized how far I had drifted.
I was standing in my kitchen, staring at a coffee cup, unable to remember if I had already drunk from it or just poured it. Such a small thing. But it stopped me. When had I become so absent from my own life that I couldn’t recall the last five minutes?
Burnout does this. It doesn’t always announce itself with collapse or crisis. Sometimes it just dims the lights slow-
ly until you’re navigating by memory instead of by presence. You know the shape of your days so well that you stop actually experiencing them.
The body keeps moving because it knows the route. But the person inside? She checked out awhile ago.
If any of this feels uncomfortably familiar, pause here for a second. Not to fix anything. Just to notice. Notice where you are sitting. The way your breath feels in your chest. The fact that you’re here, reading this, instead of racing ahead to the next task. That small pause matters more than we give it credit for.
I think many of us have been running this way for longer than we want to admit. The pandemic taught us how to survive. We learned to push through uncertainty, to adapt endlessly, to keep going when going felt impossible. And we did it. We kept going.
But somewhere along the way, survival mode became the only mode we knew. We forgot there were other ways to live.
We forgot that presence was even an option.
Cruise control is useful on highways. It saves fuel. It gives your foot a rest. But it was never meant for the whole journey.
Rebuilding from burnout doesn’t ask for dramatic reinvention. It asks for small interruptions. Moments that gently bring us back into our lives.
It might look like pausing before you answer an email instead of firing back on autopilot. Like stepping outside and actually noticing the air temperature. Like tasting your coffee instead of just consuming it. Like asking yourself— quietly, without judgment— Am I here right now? Or am I just moving?
You don’t need a plan yet. You don’t need to overhaul your life. Awareness is enough for now. Presence always starts small.
If you’ve been living on cruise control, you’re not broken. You adapted to survive something hard. That was necessary. That was brave. But survival isn’t the same as living.
And you deserve to live. If this piece made you feel seen, consider sharing it with someone who might be quietly running on autopilot, too. Sometimes the first step back into presence is simply realizing you’re not the only one who drifted.
These moments matter. They interrupt the automation. They remind us that we are not machines designed only for efficiency. We are people. And people need more than productivity. We need a connection. We need experiences that register. We need to feel ourselves inside our own lives again.
Dividends Expected to Deliver in 2026
Investors continually look for strategies that balance growth, income and resilience, while headlines often focus on short term market movements, long term results are built through fundamentals and dividends remain a powerful and often under-appreciated component of total return. As we look ahead, it is a good opportunity to revisit why dividend paying companies have historically played such an important roll in a portfolio and why they may continue to do so. As a quick recap, a dividend is the portion of corporate earnings that a company distributes to its shareholders. We feel this is a great time reflect upon the last year and focus on five key benefits of dividend stocks:
1) Dividend Companies Can Provide Higher Returns
According to RBC Capital Markets Quantitative Research, companies that pay and grow their dividends had the best overall returns between 1986 to 2024:
2) Dividends Can Account for Significant Returns
Dividend paying stocks generally provide a steady income stream which can help to reduce the volatility of a portfolio when markets decline. The income they provide also helps add to the total return. Back in April 2020 during COVID, we highlighted an article on 6 dividend stocks.
While BCE cut its dividend and has been a disappointment to many investors, the dividends collected during this period provided for an overall positive return.
3) Dividends Outpace Inflation
The “silent killer” or forgotten risk is inflation which erodes purchasing power. Using the Bank of Canada inflation calculator (www.bankofcanada.ca), inflation averaged 2.67% over the past 10 years (2015-2025).
It is a challenge to find Canadian dividend data; however, according to Morningstar.com, the Canadian banks have grown their dividends by an average of approximately 7% a year over the same period widely outpacing inflation.
4) Canadian Dividends are Tax Friendly
Investments can generate interest, dividends, or capital gains which are all taxed differently. Because Canadian public companies have already paid corporate taxes, dividends are taxed more favourably than interest income in the hands of investors. Currently, based on the 2026 tax brackets, British Columbians pay virtually no tax on eligible dividends provided their income is below $58,523 a year. Those with income between $58,523 and $100,728 only pay 1.6% tax on dividends!
5) Interests Rate Equivalent Factor
A common guideline is to gross up the dividend by 1.3 times to arrive at an approximate interest equivalent factor. For example: a 4.0% dividend is similar to receiving 5.2% interest from a GIC or Bond. While there are more risks in dividends, the current low interest rate environment favours the higher expected cash flow from dividends.
We believe dividend investing continues to be compelling and can be a key contributor to one’s portfolio. As always, please consult with an investment professional before investing.
Written by Eric
Until next time... Invest Well. Live Well.
Kamloops gears up for Black History celebration
Anna Montaner: Reporter news@kamloopschronicle.com
Kamloops is once again preparing to celebrate Black History Month with a vibrant, community-centered event that promises to be empowering, uplifting, and unforgettable.
The Kamloops Black History Celebration 2026, hosted by Valid Dreams Foundation, will take place on Feb. 21 from 5:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. at the Thompson Rivers University Grand Hall.
The event is open to everyone and aims to bring communities together through storytelling, culture, and shared experiences. With a focus on unity and learning, this celebration offers residents a chance to deepen their understanding of Black history and cultures in a welcoming and inclusive environment.
Valid Dreams Foundation began with a simple but pow-
erful goal, to break down social isolation and build bridges between individuals and communities. Executive director Sally Martin explained the foundation’s purpose, saying it was started by a group of
individuals to break social isolation, break barriers, going to individuals and connect communities, and different cultures.
“The black community has, since time immemorial,
been a part of our existence,” Martin said. “It is important for every community to learn about each other and the different stories we all carry with us, and in this particular case about the history of the black community, about the culture, and what shapes who they are.”
Attendees can expect an evening filled with diverse stories, inspiring experiences, and celebrations of Black excellence within the community. The event will also feature multicultural performances, a fashion show, and a delicious selection of traditional African and AfroCaribbean cuisines.
Martin explains that the celebration is about more than entertainment, it’s about sharing the history and culture of the Black community in a way that fosters understanding and appreciation.
The success of the event relies heavily on community partnerships and support.
“Without the partnerships, we would not be able to put the event as we have in the past.” Martin said.
The sponsors and partners of Valid Dream Foundation have made it possible for Kamloops to enjoy multicultural events. “The sponsors allow us to appreciate Black talent, bring cultural experiences, and deepen the overall event,” Martin said.
Residents can support the foundation in many ways beyond attending the event. offers monthly cultural dinners in collaboration with Como United Church, giving people a chance to connect with different cultures and newcomers throughout the year. Volunteering, sponsorship, and financial donations.
“We try our best to break barriers for individuals,” Martin said, “so purchasing tickets for those who might not afford them is always a great way to support us.”
The event has grown steadily since its beginnings. “When we started, we had only 50 people, and now we have about 150 to 200 people attending every year,” Martin said.
She also shared that the celebration has expanded to Kelowna, where they now host a yearly event. “We hope once we have stabilized that, we can replicate and support at the smaller communities that might not have the capacity to be able to facilitate such again.”
Tickets and details can be found at https://www.validdreamsfoundation.com
A new kid’s fashion show will also be added to this years celebration. “A lot of the times kids are not always reflected in community events,” Martin said. “We want to incorporate children. We want to build that talent, build the confidence, and also allow children to have an opportunity to experience the event and to be a part of what makes black history month so special.”
BREAKFAST
COLUMBIA STREET BREAKFAST
Choice of bacon, sausage or back bacon 2 eggs, hash-browns, toast.
Four
STACKS ON STACKS
Fluffy
555 COLUMBIA STREET W. • 236-425-5081
7 DAYS A WEEK • MONDAY - SATURDAY 7 AM - 10 PM | SUNDAYS 8 AM - 9 PM
Okanagan apples, vanilla ice cream, topped with caramel kettle corn.
Celebrate Valentine’s Day with a #LoveAtColumbiaDiner selfie!
& DINNER
GAME DAY EVENTS
Celebrate NFL, NBA, NHL, and Soccer Premier League games with us!
DRINKS
BANANA CRUNCH FRENCH
TOAST (V)
pieces of Texas toast Cornflake crusted Texas toast, fresh bananas. Topped with powdered sugar.
buttermilk flapjacks, whipped cream, strawberry, blackberry, blueberry and raspberry sauce.
ONION BAHJI (V)
Crispy onion pakora, spicy tomato jam
FREE Hot Chocolate with Marshmallows by Nestle with Breakfast
Vegetable gardening for beginners
With some planning, a first garden can provide years of enjoyment and fresh homegrown produce. Gardeners should focus on two basics: how to build the garden and which vegetables they enjoy eating.
Creating a new vegetable garden takes thought and planning. Some things to consider when building your garden are:
• Six to eight hours of daily sun for warm-season crops such as tomatoes, peppers, corn, melons, cucumbers and beans
• Four to six hours of daily sun for cool-season crops such as lettuce, spinach, radishes, kale, and peas
• Protection from strong winds that can break or sand blast your plants
• Convenient access to a reliable water source for regular watering
• Available space for one large garden bed that can be accessed without walking on it or several smaller beds
• A drawn-to-scale plan on paper that includes buildings, fences, trees (or other permanent items that may cast shade). Mark out the garden with a rope
• Path widths that allow comfortable planting and weeding
• Raised beds for gardeners with mobility issues and/ or for improved spring drainage and warmer soil, in contrast to ground-level beds that maintain moisture and keep roots cooler
In the past gardeners used a shovel to dig out weeds and grass. Today gardeners are encouraged to disturb the soil as little as possible to avoid damaging soil structure and the organisms found in the top several inches of soil. To
VALERIE BOYDA
The Garden Bench
create your garden:
• Cut vegetation low and apply a thick layer of organic mulch such as arborist wood chips or sterilized straw — 7.5 to 10 cm for wood chips and 10 to 15 cm for straw
• Allow several weeks for the grass and weeds to die back before planting — six weeks for sterilized straw and twelve weeks for arborist wood chips
• Create and mulch pathways with wood chips, straw or leaves; add an annual layer of compost to the garden bed
The first year of gardening might feel overwhelming. It can be simplified by direct-seeding some vegetables and buying some readyto-go transplants. Things to consider as you start:
• Draw up a plan showing which vegetables, and how many of each, will be grown
• Direct-seed short rows or blocks of vegetables weekly to extend the harvest period
• Hotter and drier conditions make vegetable variety selection more important than ever
• When reading seed packages look for words such as drought tolerant, heat loving and slow-to-bolt; locally-grown seed is better acclimatized to this area and often performs well; local seed sellers can be found at Seedy
PUBLIC NOTICE – NAME CHANGE
I, Arshdeep Singh, son of Sukhbir Singh, resident of H. No. B-9/871, Gali No. 3, Simble Chowk, Teh Batala, Gurdaspur, PIN: 143505, Punjab, India, and presently residing at 10-600 Cambridge Crescent, Kamloops, BC, V2B 5B6, do hereby solemnly declare that I have changed my name from Arshdeep Singh to Arshdeep Singh Malhi with immediate effect.
Saturday events
• Seed packages provide information on sowing time and method, days to germination and harvest
• The Kamloops area has a wide range of gardening zones; 3 (coldest) to 6 (mildest). The City of Kamloops’ website hosts a plant hardiness zone map that identifies local climate conditions that influence frost risk and the timing of planting and harvesting
• Cool season vegetables are planted in the spring, followed by warm season vegetables in early summer. Mulch the garden bed with well-composted wood chips after planting to suppress weeds and conserve water.
• Label rows with the vegetable name, variety and planting date
• Keep a journal with the same information, noting harvest results and any problems; photos help track what performed well
• Regular watering is required; a general rule is
one inch of water per week, with more frequent watering during hot weather, in sandier soils and for transplants and seedlings
• Leave plant roots in the ground at the end of the season to maintain soil structure
• Shade cloth can help protect plants during extreme heat
• Local information sources include garden clubs, neighbours and community gardens
When a cactus grows in your garden without any help, listen to what it has to say.
Upcoming Gardening Events in the Thompson Shuswap
• Kamloops Naturalist Club “Loving the Grasslands” fundraiser - Feb 5
• Cache Creek Seedy Saturday - Feb 7
• Kamloops Community Garden plot applications are now being accepted. Contact Mount Paul Food Centre
February 19th at noon
Please call 250.376.0315
RSVP by February 16th
Sandwiches & Sweets
Tickets $5
Motion causes concerns
Continued from A4
Hamer-Jackson put forward notice of his motion at the Jan. 27 meeting, Coun. Nancy Bepple questioned its legality, referring to the B.C. Human Rights Code, which provides protection based on family and marital status.
“I would strongly encourage you to work with those who can help you craft a motion that makes sense and doesn’t put the corporation at risk, because whoever you did work with seems to be grossly
misinformed about the legality of this,” Neustaeter said.
Hamer-Jackson, who attended the meeting remotely via video call, called Neustaeter’s remarks a “lengthy spiel” but did not answer who had helped him craft the motion.
Couns. Stephen Karpuk, Margot Middleton and Mike O’Reilly recused themselves because of potential conflicts of interest or because they had an immediate family member who works at the city.
OBITUARY
April 28, 1930 - January 18, 2026
Beverley O.J. Steele (Beverlee) of Kamloops, British Columbia, passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 18, 2026, at the age of 95, surrounded by the love and devotion of family and friends.
Bev was born on April 28, 1930, in Lamont, Alberta, to John Checknita and Mary Margaret Procinsky Checknita. She was predeceased by her parents, as well as three brothers and eight sisters.
Bev leaves her daughter, Deb (Bernie) Steele-Kretschmer, and her son, Harold (Renee) Justinen to cherish her memory, along with extended family and many dear friends who were enriched by her presence.
A remarkable and independent woman, Bev spent her career in the fashion and beauty industry, where she was known as a shrewd businessperson with an eye for style and a genuine love for people. She was the long time proprietor of 3B Best Beauty Buys in Sahali Mall, where she
worked for more than 30 years before retiring at the remarkable age of 87. Her shop was more than a place of business—it was a welcoming place where customers were treated as friends she simply hadn’t met yet.
Bev had a special talent for helping others find just the right piece of jewelry for any occasion, and she took great joy in making people feel confident, valued, and seen. Caring and compassionate, she was dedicated to community service and left a lasting impact on all who knew her.
Over the years, Bev was actively involved in several community and social organizations, including the Royal Canadian Legion, Red Hat Club, Excelsior Rebekah Lodge, and Crown Jewels. She was an accomplished bridge player and greatly enjoyed a friendly game of crib, pastimes that reflected both her sharp mind and her love of companionship.
The family extends special thanks to the loving and compassionate staff at The Hamlets at Westsyde, as well as to Dr. Jennifer Evancio for the remarkable care and support during Bev’s final days.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Beverley’s memory to the Canadian Cancer Society, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada, or the Heart & Stroke Foundation.
Bev will be lovingly remembered for her strength, generosity, kindness, and enduring spirit.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Kamloops Festival of the Performing Arts close to a century of celebration
Juli Harland: Reporter news@kamloopschronicle.com
For generations of Kamloops families, the Festival of Performing Arts has been a part of their creative lives. Performers of all genres and abilities come and meet with encouraging adjudicators while parents sit nervously on the sidelines. Young artists learn, grow, and realize that their voices matter. Year after year, through changing times, changing faces, and changing stages, the Festival of Performing Arts has been a part of Kamloops for almost as long as the settlers have.
“It is the 93rd year. It started in 1930,” said Annette Glover, a member of the festival’s publicity team and longtime volunteer.
Starting with just a handful of early settlers, the festival has since grown into a three-week celebration of music, dance, speech, and performance. This year it is taking place from Feb. 22 to March 15 and wrapping up, as always, with the Honors Concert. Nearly 1,000 performances across 10 disciplines adjudicated by professional artists from across the country will be taking part in this amazing celebration of all things performance.
Participants can enter choral, instrumental music, piano, voice, strings, dance, and speech and dramatic arts, among others. The festival itself is incredibly inclusive andGlover emphasized that accessibility has always been very important to the festival’s mission. “There are no prerequisites,” she said. “There are classes by age and category within each discipline.”
For many young performers, the festival is about much more than scores and certificates (though those are cool, too). It is about learning how to walk onto a stage full of nerves and walk off feeling like a superstar. It is about seeing in real time that effort, encouragement, and the support of one’s community matter.
“It is more of a supportive atmosphere and congratulatory,” Glover said, noting that performers regularly cheer one another on, especially backstage at venues like the Sagebrush Theatre.
That supportive energy carries on well past the actual event. Some participants go on to perform with Western Canada Theatre or the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra. Some build careers in the arts. Others take that energy into class-
rooms, offices, boardrooms, and the world around them.
Over the decades, participants have included teachers, musicians, lawyers, and community leaders, who were all shaped in some way by their experiences in the performing arts.
For Glover, the connection is personal. Her mother did the festival, she did the festival, and she became really involved when her daughter spent years participating in dance.
After retiring, Glover chose to volunteer as a way of giving back.
The festival, itself, is run almost entirely by volunteers.
From hiring adjudicators and booking venues to selling programs and managing schedules, volunteers quietly keep everything running. During the three-week festival alone, between 75 and 100 peo-
ple donate their time and skills.
Those volunteers come from all walks of life, including parents, retired teachers, musicians, theatre professionals, administrators, and even software specialists. People who show up year after year, because they believe in what this festival offers young people.
“It involves the whole community,” Glover said.
Members of the public are encouraged to attend performances throughout the festival. While any session offers a glimpse of local talent, the Honors Concert is where things really shine. Rather than showcasing only the highest scores, adjudicators select performances that create a balanced, engaging evening. Scholarships, awards, and provincial recommendations are also presented.
As for Glover, she said that volunteering remains one of the most rewarding parts of her involvement.
She recalled hearing a performance so amazing that it drew her right out of her seat from a young musician who later went on to national success.Moments like that, she said, are why people return year after year. Not just for the music or the applause, but for the experience of watching someone discover what they are truly capable of.
As the Kamloops Festival of Performing Arts approaches its hundredth year, its strength is still about the people who take part. The performers who walk up onto the stage. The families who support them. The volunteers who keep the tradition alive.
Photos submitted by Annette Glover
Dancers perform at the Kamloops Festival of the Performing Arts 2025 Honours Concert.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Kamloops Urban Sketching Club is building community
Juli Harland: Reporter news@kamloopschronicle.com
Since August, local artist and TRU instructor, Arts Council board member, and mentor, Clement Yeh, has been running the Urban Sketching Club in Kamloops. And if you’ve ever wanted to embrace your inner (or outer) artist, you are invited to join in on the good times. What it looks like is a group of people gathered around tables at Red Beard Café on the last Wednesday of the month, ordering drinks, opening sketchbooks, chatting about life, and sketching whatever they may be working on or sparks joy. There are no rules, no technical requirements, no judgment.
And that’s sort of the point.
“When I started it, I said there were no rules and no fees,” Clement Yeh, local artist, teacher, and creator of the Urban Sketching Club, explained. “I wanted all skill levels to feel welcome.”
He had said he wanted something meaningful and not overwhelming. Between teaching, mentoring, board
there are almost always newcomers.
People can bring their sketchbooks and work on whatever they want. They talk. They laugh. They sit quietly. Nobody has to perform or explain themselves or their work. The point is connection, community, and being present in the community and their own experience.
“It was really refreshing how many people were okay with doodling, even if it wasn’t their main identity,” Yeh had said.
And that openness matters, especially in a city where creative communities don’t always overlap easily.
“There are so many talented people here,” said Yeh. And even in a small town, it can be challenging to bring those talented people together sometimes.
Kamloops has unique challenges. Artists are often branded in certain ways. People stay in their own circles. Sometimes our arts scene struggles with unity and growth.
The Urban Sketching Club is doing its part to bridge
Photo submitted by Clement Yeh
Participants at a recent Urban Sketching Club meeting at Red Beard.
a sketchbook at the dollar store. You don’t have to be “good.” You just have to be curious.
Yeh himself has started around 40 sketchbooks over the years. None of them are technically finished. None of them are perfect. And, thankfully, none of that matters. What matters is showing up.
In a town where every single person makes a difference in keeping arts and culture alive, this informal, word-ofUnderstand Your Bible
Feb 3 - Who is Lucifer and Satan?
Feb 17 - Who Are the 144,000?
Mar 3 - What is the Soul and What Happens When We Die?
Mar 17 - Will the World Really End in Fire?
Mar 31 - Who Was Mary—And Why Does She Matter?
Apr 14 - What Does the Bible Say About Heaven and Hell?
NIGHTLIFE
February 13 @ 7:00 pm at the Effie Arts Collective: Haus of Misfit presents Valentine’s is a DRAG! An evening of local drag starring Autumn Horizon, Miss Mousse, and Stevie Nips; featuring spotlight performances by Gene Debender, Goosey Loosey, and Harry Ash Long. A little heartache never keeps a good queer down! Advance tickets are $25, or $30 at the door.
February 21 @ 6:00 pm at Cascades Casino: Viva Las Vegas Social! Free event, no tickets or registration required. Experience the thrill of Vegas without the plane ticket. Step through the doors of Cascades Casino and straight onto the Strip, where dazzling showgirls, a charismatic Rat Pack, Elvis impersonators (and more!) bring all the glitz, glamour, and excitement that make Vegas unforgettable. 19+
MUSIC
February 7 @ 7:30 pm at Sagebrush Theatre: Kamloops Symphony Orchestra presents Bach to Brass. A brass-forward program that puts baroque brilliance front and centre, with the kind of big, glowing sound that fills the hall. If you love crisp precision, bold harmonies, and that “lift” you only get from live orchestral energy, mark this one.
February 8 @ 7:00 pm at The Effie Arts Collective: John Wort Hannam. A songwriter night built on finely crafted stories, warm vocals, and the kind of folk set that lands close to the heart. Expect a listening-room vibe with moments that swell into sing-
along energy. Great for fans of roots, prairie poetry, and honest, lived-in songs.
February 13 @ 7:30 pm at the Bridgeview Theatre: Valentine’s Night Punk Show with Artist PopUp Shops. Come early, bring a friend, for a night of music, art, and great times. Tickets are $20 solo, or $15 each if you bring a partner. Doors at 6:30, show starts at 8.
February 14 @ 7:00 pm at The Effie Arts Collective: Via Castello. A Valentine’s weekend show with a band that leans into groove, hooks, and a full-room good time. If your ideal night is live music that gets people moving, this is a strong pick. Come ready for a lively set and a crowd that wants to dance.
THEATRE
February 19 @ 7:30 pm, February 22 @ 2:00 pm at Western Canada Theatre: The Fiancée. A new production landing in late February with evening performances that keep the story moving at full pace. If you love theatre that mixes tension, humour, and heart, this is the kind of title that tends to spark word of mouth. Plan a weeknight outing and make it dinner and a show.
COMEDY
February 7 @ 7:00 pm at The Effie Arts Collective: Freudian Slips. A night of improvised comedy where the show is made up on the spot, with audience fuel and big “you had to be there” energy. Expect fast scenes, unexpected turns, and a full-room laugh track. Bring a friend who needs a reset.
February 11 @ 7:00 pm at The Effie Arts Collective: Julie Kim, Stand Up Comedy. A touring headliner night with sharp, story-driven comedy and a full set. If you like smart punchlines and a room that stays buzzing between jokes, this is that kind of show. Come early, settle in, and plan to stay for the full run.
DANCE
February 13 @ 7:00 pm at Let’s Move Studio: Swing Sweethearts Valentine’s Dance. A social dance night with a sweet theme, a room that wants to move, and a mix of beginners and regulars. Dress up if you feel like it, or keep it casual and come for the fun. Expect partner-rotation friendliness and that warm, big-smile swing vibe.
Friday 13 @ 7:00 pm at St Paul’s Cathedral: Lindy in the Loops presents Swing Sweet Valentine’s Dance. A night of dancing, community, and fun! Bring a partner, bring a friend or just bring yourself. Expect a fun night for all. Tickets begin at $25 online and will be $30 at the Door. First hour is a lesson, then a social dance until 11 pm.
February 15 @ 7:00 pm at St Paul’s Cathedral, 360 Nicola St: The Kamloops Social Club Dance featuring Jerry de Souza, who does a good mix of classic rock, blues, and country. Everyone welcome Tickets $15.00 at the door!.
ART
February 6 @ 1:00 pm at Kamloops Art Gallery: COZI CLUB A Friday afternoon club for ages 19+
with a cozy, creative studio vibe. Drop in, make something, and enjoy a slower pace that still feels social. Free for members, $5 drop-in. COZI CLUB runs Fridays in February from 1:00 to 3:00 pm, with a calm, welcoming atmosphere.
February 11 @ 4:00 pm at Kamloops Art Gallery: Studio Chill. A free, drop-in studio space for ages 15 to 25, designed for trying materials, exploring styles, and building skills in a relaxed setting. If you want low-pressure creative time with supplies and space ready to go, this is it. Wednesdays, 4:00 to 6:00 pm.
February 12 @ 6:00 pm at Kamloops Art Gallery: By Hand: Futures. Adult studio sessions on a pay-what-you-can scale, with February dates that include paper marbling, drawing, and gouache painting. Come to learn, experiment, and leave with something made by your own hands. Thursdays run 6:00 to 8:00 pm.
LITERATURE
February 6 @ 6:00 pm at Delta Hotels by Marriott Kamloops: Slow Burn Social. A romance-forward literary night with “cocktails, steamy reads and hot heroes” energy, featuring Kamloops romance authors and a fun, flirty crowd. Expect a mix of mingling and bookish delight, with plenty of chances to meet other readers.
COMMUNITY
February 16 @ 11:00 am at Kamloops Heritage Railway at Pioneer Park: Heritage & Hot Chocolate. Spend Family Day cel-
ebrating BC Heritage Week with a warm, community-focused event. Runs 11:00 am to 2:00 pm, by donation, with history displays, family activities, and hot drinks.
February 16 @ 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Tournament Capital Center: The City of Kamloops presents its Annual Family Day Festival. This free event is open to children and families of all ages. Pick up an experience passport at the door to be entered in a draw to win 1 of 3 one-month family passes to the Tournament Capital Centre.
BUSINESS
February 17 @ 4 to 6:00 pm at 780 Windsor Ave: NSBIA FEb Business Mixer.This month at the beautiful SRD K9s Training Center. Come out for community, networking, and local flavors. A delicious buffet provided by Hacienda Cielito Lindo. Stay afterwards for the AGM: (approx. 45 mins).
SPORTS
February 14 @ 7:00 pm at Sandman Centre: Kamloops Blazers vs Prince George Cougars. A Saturday night home game with full-arena weekend energy.
February 16 @ 2:00 pm at Sandman Centre: Kamloops Blazers vs Kelowna Rockets. Family Day afternoon hockey with rivalry energy and an early start. Great for a sports outing without a late night.
February 28 @ 6:00 pm at Sandman Centre: Kamloops Blazers vs Spokane Chiefs. A weekend home game with an earlier start time.
PLEASE NOTE: Events are listed for the upcoming calendar month and beyond, but due to limited space, priority is given to events occurring closest to the publishing date of the current issue. Event listings are free of charge and can be sent by email to events@kamloopschronicle.com
Please ensure your event is submitted by the 20th of the previous month
SPORTS
Remembering Team Brown on the ice
Recently disbanded Team Brown will be remembered among the greatest Kamloops curling rinks.
With a history of covering skip Corryn Brown, third Erin Pincott, and lead Samantha Fisher that dates back to the early 2010s (when they were Justin Bieber-loving teenagers), I’ve been looking forward to sharing a few words on my professional relationship with the team.
One thought stands out above the rest: They always picked up the phone.
Of course, the accomplishments on the ice are incredible, but Team Brown’s class in defeat and willingness to answer questions in the moments following soul-crushing losses are more endearing than any championship victory.
Skip Brown spoke to me while crestfallen on several occasions, including through tears after her team’s disheartening defeat to Sarah Wark of Abbotsford in the 2019 B.C. Women’s Curling Championship final in Quesnel.
Screening my call was the easy way out, but she had the guts to pull back the curtain and give readers a raw look at reality on the competitive curling circuit. Revenge on Wark in the 2020 provincial final in Cranbrook was sweet.
Fisher fell on the media sword in November in Halifax, plunking down for a Zoom interview and fighting off the frog in her throat while reflecting on the team’s early exit from the Canadian Olympic Trials. Perhaps some little girl out
MARTY HASTINGS
The Tattle of Hastings
there saw that interview and learned how to lose with dignity.
No defeat was more agonizing than the loss to Clancy Grandy of Vancouver in the 2023 B.C. final in Chilliwack.
The Kamloops Curling Club quartet was catapulted into the throes of pebbled-ice despair after an extraend setback that dynamited once-ina-lifetime aspirations to compete on home ice at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.
Pincott picked up my call, her anguish pouring through the phone and into public domain.
Readers and listeners found out exactly how much representing the city at nationals in her hometown meant to Pincott because she was brave enough to pick up the phone.
That type of rawness and vulnerability resonates — it made me proud to be a Kamloopsian — and it is why athletes should be interviewed after both triumph and defeat if willing.
Team Brown formed in 2006 (Brown, Pincott, Fisher and Sydney
Photo by Amanda Wong
Fraser) and with various iterations compiled a résumé that includes three junior B.C. titles, one junior national championship, Canada Winter Games gold, two provincial women’s banners, four national Scotties Tournament of Hearts appearances, and Kamloops Sports Hall of Fame induction.
Ashley Klymchuk, Dezaray Hawes, Jennifer Armstrong, Sarah Koltun and Marika Van Osch had spells with the team, along with coaches Pat Cotter, Ken Brown, Allison MacInnes, and Jim Cotter.
The core three of Brown, Fisher and Pincott grew up together at the Kamloops Curling Club. They are
family and this professional split — they each intend to explore curling options with new teams — is painful and delicate.
I know they’ll pick up the phone to let us know if there is green grass on the other side of Team Brown.
OBITUARY
Joseph Emmanuel Lucien (Lou) Tessier
December 27, 1938 - December 24, 2025
Lou was born on Dec. 27th 1938 in a log farmhouse, near the small town of St. Front Saskatchewan. He was the 12th and last child of Joseph Philippe Benoit Tessier and Rose Arthemise Regina Laquerre.
At the age of 17, in June of 1956, Lou hitched a ride with the Plamondon family, their destination was to find jobs and a new life in British Columbia. Everyone packed into a 5 ton grain truck.
Lou was on his way to visit his 3 brothers, Leo, Harvey, Maurice, and his sister Marguarite Brisson and families.
On his first day in Merritt, he met Yvonne Racine, the girl he would marry on Feb 15th 1958, and share a glorious 67 years and 10 months. They raised 3 children Roger, (Shelly Huntington), Lillian (Jeff Bell) and Andy (Joyce MacLean).
In Merritt Lou worked in the sawmills as a lumber grader,, diamond drilling in what would become Craigmont Mines, and learned the plumbing and heating trades.
In Oct. 1966 Lou moved his family to Brocklehurst and started his job at the only Liquor Store in Kamloops, at the time it was on Victoria St. Lou transfered to the newly built Liquor store on Seymour St. For a number of years was a well respected member of the Kamloops Kinsmen Club.
While working at the BCLC during the day he apprenticed for his
Projectionist License at night, and got his Class 1 Projectionist license in 1970.
He left the BCLC in 1971 to be the relief Projectionist for the Sundown Drive-in in Valleyview.
When that Drive-in closed, he was awarded the Skyway Drive-in in North Kamloops. Lou was the only projectionist in Kamloops that worked the 2 drive -ins and 3 Movie Theatres in his 27 year career as a Projectionist. With lots of free time between his shifts at the theatres, in 1977 Lou and Yvonne purchased an Orchard in Rayleigh. He expanded the Fruit Stand and gardens,and named it “ YELLOWHEAD FARMS.”
After the Highway department twinned the Yellowhead Highway, Lou and Yvonne starting selling their fruit and produce at the Kamloops Farmers Market.
Lou became President of the Farmers Market, and for 2 years Yvonne was the Secretary/ Treasurer.
In 1994 they purchased property in Yuma, Arizona, where for 18 years they spent winters enjoying golf and socialising with family and new found friends.
In 1995 they sold the Orchard and moved into Sierra Vista Estates in Aberdeen.
For 5 years Lou served on the strata council and became the handiman for the neighbourhood. They continued to visit with old and new friends they met after moving to Aberdeen.
Lou and Yvonne enjoyed travelling and went on numerous cruises and tours, both domestically and internationally.
Lou enjoyed building, repairing and “repurposing” things, and he passed on those interest and skills to his kids.
Lou was loved by his kids and he and Yvonne instilled the important senses of honesty, integrity and a strong work ethic in them.
Lou was predeceased by his 2 Brothers, Leo and Harvey, 2 sisters Marguarite Brisson and Noella Ladner, and a number of nieces and nephews.
Along with his 3 kids, Lou leaves behind his sister, Rita Sunderland and his brother Maurice Tessier.
Lou will be lovingly remembered by his grandchildren Nathan, Kelsey, Justin, Tyler, Jennifer, Sarah and Robert. Lou died peacefully at RIH on Dec. 24, 2025, with his loving and devoted wife Yvonne by his side, just 3 days shy of his 87th Birthday.
Lou will be remembered for his cheerfulness, laughter and unwavering support for friends and family.
“Gone but never forgotten” A gathering for family and friends at a later date. Memorial donations can be sent to the Heart and Stroke foundation or the Cardiology Dept at RIH.
OBITUARY
Lorraine Ada Harries
August 20, 1935 - January 19, 2026
With great sorrow, we announce the passing of Lorraine Ada Harries, mother, grandmother, greatgrandmother, sister, and friend to all. She was born in Myrnam, Alberta, on August 20, 1935, and passed peacefully on January 19, 2026, surrounded by her family at 90.
Lorraine met her husband, Jack, in Lethbridge, and they were married on February 13, 1954. They later moved to British Columbia, living in several places before settling and building their first home in Burnaby. They then built their second home in Paul Lake, Kamloops, where they raised their family in a home filled with warmth, laughter, and care. Lorraine’s dedication to her family was at the center of everything she did, and
her home was always open, welcoming everyone with kindness.
She was predeceased by her daughter Diane, her siblings Hilda, Addy, and Ray, and her husband Jack. She is survived by her children Tom, Shannon (Guy), Bob (Rhoda) and (Clark, son-in-law); her grandchildren Leonard, Clark, Melanie, Owen, Mikayla, Teija, and Taegan; her great-grandchildren Ashley and Matthew; and numerous nieces and nephews who loved her dearly.
Lorraine dedicated her life to helping others. She worked teaching and supporting people with special needs, making a lasting difference in the lives of those she guided.
She was also a devoted volunteer with the Ladies’ Auxiliary, sewing and crafting beautiful items that brought joy to many. Her sewing reached far and wide—often appearing in hospital gift shops and given as gifts—and remains a lasting reminder of her love, creativity, and care.
Above all, Lorraine was known for her non-judgmental heart. She met every person with compassion, respect, and understanding, no matter their circumstances. She
taught those around her the true meaning of how to live and love, simply by the way she treated others. To know Lorraine was to feel accepted, valued, and cared for—she was, without question, one of the kindest people anyone could meet.
She faced life’s challenges with remarkable courage, beating cancer five times, and maintained her good spirit no matter what health challenges came her way. She also loved baking, especially her famous cinnamon buns, and preparing meals for family and friends— small gestures that reflected her generosity and devotion. Lorraine’s legacy is one of compassion, kindness, creativity, and joy. She leaves behind family and friends who cherished her guidance and love, and a community forever touched by her warmth, her handiwork, and her indomitable spirit.
A Celebration of Life will be held on May 16, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at the West Highlands Community Centre, 1185 Links Way, Kamloops, BC. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Canadian Cancer Society.
Rendering of the log home where Lou was born in Saskatchewan.
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