Kamloops city council has passed a heavily amended version of Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson’s motion calling for an independent audit of BC Housing-funded housing and shelter programs in the city.

The motion passed 8–1 after a lengthy debate Tuesday, with the mayor casting the lone vote against it.

“I didn’t vote against my own motion. I voted against the amendments because I thought my motion was fine,” Hamer-Jackson said after the vote, adding that council “chopped it up.”

Original motion sought independent performance audit

The mayor’s notice of motion called on the city to write to Premier David Eby, Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon, Health Minister Adrian Dix, and other provincial officials requesting an independent external performance audit of taxpayer-funded BC Housing “harm reduction/drug housing” facilities — including shelters, motels, hotels, and supportive housing operated by local non-profit agencies.

The motion said those facilities provide critical services but have also experienced “significant challenges,” including record emergency calls, safety incidents, and ongoing community impacts. It proposed a review to determine whether programs are meeting intended outcomes, assess safety and emergency data, and recommend improvements to coordination, accountability, and measurable results.

Hamer-Jackson also sought authorization to personally advocate to the province on behalf of council, citing previous discussions with provincial leaders.

Council amends motion, removes wording and changes process

Before passing the motion, council approved several amendments. The term drug housing was removed, and the focus shifted from Kamloops-specific sites to a broader provincial review of BC Housing programs.

The amended motion also removed the word personally from the section authorizing the mayor’s advocacy role and directed that he work collaboratively with the Safety and Security Select Committee to draft the city’s letter to the province.

Councillor Kelly Hall said the revisions ensure the city’s request targets provincial oversight rather than local non-profits. “At the end of the day, we’ve identified that the focus needs to be on a provincial review and the housing policies and outcomes,” Hall said. “But we need the mayor to participate.”

Councillor Margot Middleton said she would support the amended motion but raised concerns about the mayor’s approach and tone toward local service providers.

“It’s difficult for me, and perhaps for us as a council, to not see this as an opportunity to go after the non-profits,” Middleton said. “One of the reasons that I’m reluctant to have you as our spokesperson on this is because of your past history on this file.”

She added that, while the motion might only result in a letter to the province, it “doesn’t hurt to ask” for an audit.

In response, Hamer-Jackson defended his record of supporting local agencies.

“Please don’t characterize me as somebody different than I am,” he said. “I supported the Emerald Centre, the Mission Manor, the CMHA — I’ve worked with outreach workers to get people into safe places. I’ve supported a lot.”

However, the mayor later signalled he had no interest in joining the committee to help draft the city’s letter. “Go do your little Safe and Secure Committee meetings,” he said. “You can craft it, whatever you want.”

Council seeks to move forward

Councillor Bill Sarai said the lengthy discussion showed progress despite the friction. “We spent close to almost two and a half hours on this, and we actually got somewhere,” Sarai said, noting the amendments reflected “the will of council.”

Councillor Dale Bass and others urged council to focus on gathering and reviewing existing provincial documentation on housing performance rather than waiting for a full audit.

Ultimately, the amended motion carried 8–1, committing the city to ask the province for a review of BC Housing-funded programs to ensure they are meeting intended outcomes and to examine safety data for systemic challenges.

Council staff are expected to begin preparing the letter to provincial officials in the coming weeks.