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Council met May 26 for a general council meeting and May 27 for a committee of the whole meeting. SPIN is working on a recap of the committee of the whole meeting, where an official community plan update was discussed. We will share more next week.
Kamloops Search and Rescue presentation
Representatives from the Thompson-Nicola Regional District and Kamloops Search and Rescue presented a proposal for a new $9.5 million joint Search and Rescue and Fire Rescue Facility. To cover the regional district’s 75 per cent portion of the building, it is running a public assent process to borrow $6.3 million. Sun Peaks would contribute around three per cent of the regional budget for the service. In the previous year, Kamloops Search and Rescue responded to several callouts at Sun Peaks and provides aid to the region. Read SPIN’s story here.
Mayor and council reports
Mayor Rob O’Toole reported on a morning delegation to Adams Lake. Topics discussed in the meeting included work on the Official Community Plan, emergency management, the new medicine trail working group and a follow-up meeting in Sun Peaks over the summer.
CAO Report
CAO - Union of BC Municipalities meetings memo
Council discussed scheduling virtual and in-person meetings with provincial ministries for the 2026 Union of BC Municipalities convention in Vancouver. O’Toole requested adding a meeting with the minister of health to address Sun Peaks making significant assessment-based financial contributions to the regional hospital board, even though it receives no medical services in the community and keeps an annual estimation of 3,000 people out of the Kamloops emergency rooms. The Sun Peaks Community Health Centre has remained closed since October of last year.
Wastewater capacity expansion projects update
Director Clint Burton provided an update on ongoing delays in receiving Ministry of Environment approval to expand the municipality’s wastewater basins. The ministry has requested that the municipality combine a short-term infrastructure widening application including a long-term new basin application. Council discussed elevating the issue to provincial ministers to advocate for faster permitting.
Temporary use permit renewal at 2442 Fairways Dr.
Council authorized the notice of intent to renew the TUP for three years. There were two complaints on file: an idling diesel vehicle in 2025 and snow being shovelled onto municipal roads in 2026.
Temporary use permit at 2417 Fairways Dr.
Council authorized the notice of intent for the new TUP for a basement suite, with smoke detector inspections pending. Approving this permit brings the municipality to a 24.6 per cent capacity for TUPs, keeping it under the 25 per cent cap limit.
Bylaw No. 0203-005 Business Licensing and Regulation Amendment
Council adopted this bylaw. It was noted that there was a flat real estate agent fee that was inexplicably combined with the rate for retail spaces larger than 185 square meters, which may be corrected in future updates.
New business
O’Toole initiated a discussion regarding the need for a stronger public communication plan concerning summer wildfire risks. Council discussed collaborating with Tourism Sun Peaks and the Sun Peaks Resort to better educate new staff and visitors on fire safety and the importance of emergency go bags.
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