Local leaders from Kamloops and the Thompson-Nicola region say they’re making important progress advocating for housing and infrastructure needs while attending the Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference in Ottawa this week.

Kamloops Councillor Stephen Karpuk says they’ve been pressing federal decision-makers on a lack of support through the Housing Accelerator Fund, a federal program designed to speed up housing development across the country.

Kamloops has been rejected twice for funding under the program, despite submitting what Karpuk called a “very good grant application.”

“To find out that, in the end, it doesn’t really matter once the scoring matrix is done — that it ultimately becomes a ministerial decision — was frustrating,” Karpuk said. “That’s why we sought out the minister directly to plead our case.”

Karpuk described a recent impromptu 10-minute meeting with federal Housing Minister Gregor Robertson after question period as a “great win” for the region. He said the minister appeared receptive and open to visiting the city in the future.

“We’ve been left out. We’re that part of the province that seems to get neglected,” argued Karpuk. “We do everything right to look after our infrastructure, while others with failing systems get rewarded. We just want a fair shot.”

He added that the conversation included hopes of a collaborative approach across levels of government — potentially involving Gregor Robertson and BC’s Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon to come up with broader ideas to support growing communities like Kamloops.

Broader Advocacy on Housing, Education, and Labour

In addition to housing, Karpuk and other members of Kamloops council have met with a number of other federal officials through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities meeting to discuss a variety of other pressing issues.

That included a one-hour meeting with Randeep Sarai, Secretary of State for International Development, who is also the brother of Kamloops Councillor Bill Sarai.

Karpuk says the conversations touched on local development projects, including expansion at the Kamloops Airport and ongoing challenges faced by Thompson Rivers University connected to the federal government’s international student policy.

One concern highlighted was the inability of international students to transition directly into trades training upon arriving in Canada, a restriction that Karpuk says runs counter to the urgent need for skilled labour.

“We’re facing a national housing shortage and yet we’re turning away capable people who could be part of the solution,” he said. “We got an assurance from Secretary Sarai that this issue is being looked at, which is encouraging.”

Karpuk says the meetings reflect a broader effort to put Kamloops and the surrounding region on the federal radar, particularly as it continues to grow and face increasing demands on infrastructure, housing, and labour.

“This trip is about making sure our voices are heard, and that the Interior is no longer overlooked,” he said.