File photo (image credit - CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

HOUSING POLICY

Kamloops council looks to set guidelines for density around transit hubs

Aug 20, 2025 | 4:37 PM

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops city council is currently working its way through an Official Community Plan (OCP) update. On Tuesday (Aug. 19), council’s Committee of the Whole provided feedback on a number of topics related to housing policy within the community, with the bulk of conversation coming around future transit hubs and work to align the city with current provincial legislation.

Late last year, Kamloops council green-lit a development on Glenwood Drive for a six-storey building. Now, city council is looking to align its Official Community Plan in the neighbourhood to closely reflect provincial legislation for transit hubs.

“What the province will do with the Valleyview transit exchange, we don’t know,” said Community Planning Manager Stephen Bentley. “They have not designated it yet. They still could, so the question is, should we basically plan assuming that is going to happen, or assuming that we like the idea, that we want to support the density or do we want to maybe scale it back a little bit?”

While the changes are a slight step back from provincial legislation, both Councillors Mike O’Reilly and Katie Neustaeter spoke in favour of the approach.

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“This will continue to be a real challenge as we densify neighbourhoods — making sure we are being fair to people who have lived there for a long time, while creating opportunities and space for people who want to call Kamloops home in the future to come,” said Neustaeter. “I really appreciated [the map] that showed the sectors and where it can be portioned out into heights and storey requirements and I think this is a really wise approach.”

The motion was approved by the committee. However it was noted, the province still has the ability to come in and override the OCP, similar to designations placed on the Lansdowne, North Shore and TRU transit hubs.

The model picked by committee looks at more of a scaled approach.

Options presented to council (image credit – City of Kamloops)

“That would give basically a bit of a transition from the low-rise existing type of development that is there and the 10-storey high-rise development in the town centre,” outlined Bentley.

Council also provided feedback on rental replacements and tenant protections, as well as the need for more family-oriented units.

The information shared on Tuesday will be included in the next draft OCP before the next step of public engagement.