Image Credit: CFJC Today

By James Peters

BC Lottery Corporation

Local MLAs press Eby to assure community that new BCLC execs will be based in Kamloops

Aug 21, 2019 | 8:34 AM

KAMLOOPS — The two BC Liberal MLAs for Kamloops have sent a letter to Attorney General David Eby, asking for his word that newly-hired BC Lottery Corporation executives will be based at the Crown corporation’s Kamloops headquarters.

In the letter, Peter Milobar and Todd Stone say BCLC will soon be recruiting to fill vacant senior roles.

Milobar says when Eby decided in January to shelve plans for a new headquarters building, it raised doubts about the NDP government’s commitment to maintaining Kamloops as BCLC’s home base.

“When the minister decided to not proceed with the new building and the added jobs that came with it, the minister assured Kamloops that we would still be the headquarters and that those senior positions would still be located in Kamloops,” said Milobar.

“We’ve now seen, over the last couple of months, some very high-level executives moving on to other career options,” he continued. “We’re seeking confirmation that, in fact, those positions will be filled and staffed in the Kamloops office and predominantly work out of the Kamloops office to ensure that we really are maintaining ourselves as the headquarters for [BCLC].”

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Speaking to CFJC’s Balance of Power in May, Eby said the government was committed to keeping the lottery corporation in Canada’s Tournament Capital.

“I understand why people are concerned. I understand there has been a history of discussion about where the headquarters for BCLC should be located,” said Eby. “I had the opportunity to meet with business leaders from across Kamloops to talk about the importance of BCLC to Kamloops and government’s commitment to keeping BCLC there.”

But Milobar says recent rumours cast doubts that potential senior executives will want to move into BC’s Interior.

“We have heard some rumblings that, already there are some signals that [BCLC] is indicating they’re not 100 per cent sure whether or not they’ll be able to fill the positions with people wanting to locate into Kamloops,” said Milobar. “That’s usually the first step of getting ready to announce the inevitable – that in fact the position will be filled in Vancouver.”

He says he sees the letter, dated August 14, as an opportunity for Eby to give Kamloops a positive sign.

“It should be very simple for the minister to assure the residents of Kamloops and everyone in [BCLC] that, in fact, those positions will be filled locally. It doesn’t have to be a local person, obviously, but we want to make sure that whoever comes in to fill those positions is located within that Kamloops office,” said Milobar.