City Council, Feb 4 (image credit - CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

REZONING APPLICATION

Council cautiously moves Fortune Drive BC Housing rezone ahead, though questions remain

Feb 4, 2025 | 5:15 PM

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops city council spent an hour on Tuesday (Feb. 4) afternoon discussing a rezoning for three properties along Fortune Drive.

“If it’s just simply denied, there are all sorts of different implications there,” Development, Engineering and Sustainability Director Marvin Kwiatkowski told council. “To be super frank, there is a good chance the province could override the council’s decision. They have that ability given that we are behind in our housing targets.”

With that giant anvil of the provincial government above their heads, councillors debated the merits of moving forward a rezoning the along Fortune Drive with the intent of creating 54 beds of supportive housing.

“Right now, we have 132 shelter beds, we have another 35 extreme shelter beds — so we have 167, plus we have an overflow. As much as we can debate whether we want this type of housing, my goal — and I think the goal of council — is to actually drive down the number of shelter beds and this is a solution,” said Councillor Nancy Bepple.

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The chief concern from much of council was the use of the building with regard to whether drugs and alcohol would be allowed. While nothing is set in stone, a ‘wet’ facility is by no means guaranteed.

“I think it’s been quite clear from some of the operators in the community publicly, that they would plan to pursue supportive recovery housing — so to say that this site would be a wet site or a harm reduction site, there is absolutely no guarantee of that whatsoever,” stated Carmin Mazzotta, assistant director of social and community development.

Councillor Mike O’Reilly raised a concern that council was only meant to be considering the density and not the use, putting councillors in an awkward spot, thanks to the transparency of BC Housing providing further details on the build.

“I think 80 per cent of the conversation, so far, has been about how it’s going to operate. That is where it gets mixed. And so what we’ve heard from the community, from the neighbours, has been nothing. I haven’t heard a question or a comment about the density. It’s all about how it’s going to operate,” said O’Reilly. “When it comes to us sitting here, it feels backwards to me. It feels like we are put in an extremely difficult position.”

In the end, council voted 6-3 to approve distribution of intent to rezone the property, noting the bylaw will still need to receive council adoption. Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson opposed, along with Councillors O’Reilly and Katie Neustaeter.

“I would think that they (BC Housing) see a willing partner, they hear our concerns and we are going to go forward and figure out a way to get this done,” said Councillor Stephen Karpuk. “But I’m also mindful that future could be that somebody just brings a numbered company as a land assembly and does whatever they want because it conforms with our (Official Community Plan). At least we have a partner that is willing to talk to us about the use in this very public and very concerning area of our community. I think we need to build on that trust.”

Following the approval, council voted 8-1 to arrange a meeting with BC Housing to ensure the facility falls within their expectations for the space.