A wide-ranging pitch to address social issues in Kamloops has been defeated at the city council table.
Councillors voted 5-4 against the motion with the majority feeling it was too broad to be able to act on at once successfully. The topic was discussed for over an hour, including talk about the struggles for street-affected residents to access services, the plight of businesses dealing with vandalism and property crime and the lack of supports available to improve social outcomes.
Councillor Dale Bass was disappointed by the vote, but says there was commonality of viewpoints among council about the impacts of social issues.
“I’ve been saying all along I’ve been really hoping for a fullsome discussion about the ongoing issues, in a quest to maybe find some other ideas. We didn’t hear any other ideas, but our motion certainly gave councillors an opportunity to express how they feel. Which is certainly something we haven’t done as a council,” Bass says.
The motion was brought forward by Bass, and councillors Sadie Hunter and Kathy Sinclair. They, and councillor Mike O’Reilly, voted in favour of the motion.
It called to expand the homeless storage facility on West Victoria Street, to investigate building a day lodge, to do an in-depth study on social issues, to have city staff departments report on their contributions to social outcomes, to expand the city’s Safe and Secure Kamloops group and to lobby the B.C. government for funding.
Councillor Arjun Singh proposed a similar motion, which called for the same action items minus the in-depth study on social issues. It was not seconded and was defeated on the floor.
“I think we could stay here all afternoon kind of word-smithing it,” mayor Ken Christian said. “The point has been made through discussion that I think there’s elements of this we all support. And I don’t think we’re leaving without having accomplished something.”
Bass suggested the motion she and fellow councillors brought forward could be revised and come forward in the future.
“Because something has to be done, and we can’t keep doing things the exact same way all the time and think that’s going to change. Because it’s not,” she says.
“And while we’re sitting there meeting and talking and studying and all of those other things that take forever to get done, people are being robbed, people are being threatened with knives, people are setting fires. Businesses are in danger, and people are afraid to go shopping. Our city is getting that mark, as are other cities. This is not unique to Kamloops. But I just care about Kamloops.”
