Image Credit: CFJC Today / File

By Dave Barry

COVID-19

Kamloops mayor offers hopeful look past COVID-19 pandemic into 2021

Jan 3, 2021 | 3:00 PM

KAMLOOPS – The mayor of Kamloops is taking a positive approach to the new year after a tumultuous 2020. In a year-end interview with James Peters of CFJC Today, Ken Christian says the City will come through the COVID-19 pandemic in good financial shape however other health-related challenges still lie ahead.

Christian says city hall took a $5 million dollar hit in direct revenues as a result of the pandemic. While the books haven’t been finalized, he expects the revenue drop will be close to the $5 million figure that was estimated by City staff earlier in the pandemic.

Christian says the shortfalls have come in a number of areas including reduced bus fares, facility rentals and parking fees. “When we cancelled events, we cancelled revenue that would come to the city,” said Christian.

However Christian says $6.5 million in provincial and federal government assistance will help to balance the books in 2020. “That’s going to put us in pretty good shape in terms of covering the lost revenues,” said Christian.

The government support funds will also help the City deal with additional expenses that come with operating during a pandemic, including increased expenses for everything from sanitizing wipes to additional cleaning staff to ensure civic facilities are clean and safe.

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Christian says he is proud of the way residents have dealt with the pandemic. He feels residents were quick to take the pandemic seriously by practicing social distancing and wearing masks. “We started to see people really respecting the big issues like the stay at home if you’re ill, only do essential travel and Kamloops has done very well and I think that is reflected in the epidemiological
data that we have for the Kamloops local health area,” said Christian.

As the mayor looks towards 2021, he’s hopeful the federal government will act to get control over the opioid crisis. Kamloops city council recently supported a motion to call on the federal government to declare opioid use a national public health emergency. “We have seen a much greater toll in terms of the use of opioids in our community in 2020, than from COVID-19,” said Christian.

Christian says the crisis began in the west but has been moving across the country. “I’ve heard from mayors as far away as Halifax saying that this is an issue for them,” said Christian.

He believes the federal government must adjust the criminal code so the treatment of victims can move ahead. “So if you take away the criminality of personal possession so that we’re treating people that have an addiction, not as a criminal, but as someone who is in crisis, who needs a health intervention.”

Personally, he’s hopeful 2021 will bring a safe time when COVID-19 health restrictions are removed, and everyone can return to a more normal way of life. “For myself and my family, it will be just being able to be connected and to be able to see each other more.”

You can watch the complete interview with Mayor Ken Christian and James Peters of CFJC Today by clicking here.