Image Credit: City of Kamloops

By Victor Kaisar

Grant Applications

Kamloops staff seeking approval to apply for grants for Centre for the Arts, asset management

Aug 10, 2025 | 11:20 AM

KAMLOOPS — City of Kamloops staff are asking council to green-light an application for $7-million in grant funding, most of which will go towards covering costs associated with building the Kamloops Centre for the Arts downtown.

In a report going before Tuesday’s (Aug. 12) meeting, city staff say they want to apply for $6-million from the Strategic Priorities Fund’s (SPF) Capital Infrastructure Stream and another $1-million from the Capacity Building Stream.

Both grants are administered by the Union of British Columbia Municipalities. Applicants are able to submit one application for each funding stream with a combined maximum ask of $7-million.

According to the report, city staff say they envision using money from the Capital Infrastructure Stream to support the construction of the 17,400 square foot feature lobby, café, and gallery at the Centre for the Arts.

“This dynamic component of the Kamloops Centre for the Arts will support economic and social benefits through community connection and entertainment opportunities for residents and visitors while demonstrating innovation in design and functionality that extends beyond the core use of the facility,” the report said.

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“It will create a multi-functional community space and street-front activation that supports the vision outlined in the Downtown Plan and expands the reach of arts and culture in the community through active and passive displays and activities.”

The city also wants to use money from the Capacity Building Stream for its life-cycle management project. The project aims to summarize the current life cycle management of civic facilities, identify priority improvement areas some of which would be piloted. It also aims to implement data modelling at other buildings.

“The civic facilities life-cycle management project is expected to be well over $1-million when all civic facilities have been completed, but this current intake of the SPF fund will cover phase one of the project,” the report said.

If the grant application for the Kamloops Centre of the Arts is successful, the city says it will reduce the amount it needs to borrow for this project. Kamloops councillors have approved the borrowing of up to $140 million for this project, an amount which will be offset by government grants as well as corporate and private donations.

If the grant application for the life-cycle management project does not come through, staff are expected to bring that funding request forward as part of the 2026 budget project.

You can read the entire report connected to the two grant applications here.