Rezoning application (image credit - CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

BC HOUSING BUILD

‘I’m not happy with the processes’; Kamloops councillors, public push back on rezoning for BC Housing project

Aug 27, 2024 | 6:00 PM

KAMLOOPS — A proposed BC Housing development along Fortune Drive on the North Shore in Kamloops took centre stage at the regular meeting of city council Tuesday (Aug. 27) afternoon. The project requires a zoning amendment from city hall after the Province of BC announced a 54-unit affordable housing development earlier this month.

“I would move that we postpone discussion on [the rezoning proposal] until the council meeting of November 5, 2024, in order to give staff time to consult further with BC Housing,” proposed Councillor Dale Bass.

The motion put forward by Bass was quickly approved by a unanimous vote.

“I’m moving this because I’m not happy with the processes that have happened so far. And I think our staff needs more time to talk to BC Housing and share the concerns that have been expressed by many, many, many people within the community,” added Bass.

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While the discussion was pushed to November, several members of the community took time during public inquiries to voice concerns about the neighbourhood they call home.

“I would love to see recovery initiatives. Right now, I see enabling,” said Dannielle Oswell. “I have coworkers who live down from Moira House and every morning he gets up and has his coffee and watches them go down the river, up on to Schubert and get their drugs. I used to have drug deals daily on the corner of my property and I have been doing by best in the last three years to clean it up along with my neighbours who have kids and I don’t see that anymore.”

Other speakers asked council directly what they can do to stop the development, but all conversations led back to what type of housing the new build will be.

“I did receive a response from BC Housing about this and they told me quote-unquote, ‘They will not be discriminating about drug use.’ And this in my backyard. I’m terrified,” Oswell told council.

The B.C. government passed legislation in November of 2023 meant to speed up the delivery of affordable housing across the province — even so, council’s move to delay a decision on rezoning until after the provincial election will see this project stalled for more than two months.