Proposed new RCMP headquarters (Image Credit: City of Kamloops)

By James Peters

City Borrowing

AAP discussion on 3 projects, including Kamloops RCMP headquarters, pushed further forward

Dec 10, 2025 | 3:22 PM

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops council won’t consider its next set of potential alternative approval processes (AAPs) for capital borrowing until labour strife at Canada Post is finally put to rest.

At its regular meeting Tuesday (Dec. 10), council voted 7-2 to push consideration of three AAPs until Canada Post and its union serve public notice that a collective agreement has been ratified and finalized.

AAPs gather public feedback on potential borrowing for major capital projects. For its next set of proposed AAPs, city staff intended to allow the public to express its dissatisfaction in part by using mail-in response forms.

The disruption to mail service launched earlier this fall due to CUPW job action led council to reconsider. In October, it voted to put off the AAP discussion until the job action is resolved or the first regular meeting in 2026. Tuesday’s decision potentially pushes any decision-making out further.

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“For whatever reason, there could be a possibility that [the contract] doesn’t get agreed upon and there’s more disruption,” noted Councillor Bill Sarai, a retired postal worker. “That could go into spring.”

The three AAPs council is waiting to consider could potentially trigger funding for a new RCMP headquarters ($150.65 million), the third phase of the Tranquille sewer main replacement ($9 million) and the purchase of property to expand the city’s civic operations footprint on McMaster Way ($16.75 million).

On Tuesday, staff told council a fourth AAP to trigger $11.75 million in funding for upgrades to the Kamloops Centre for Water Quality is no longer necessary. Staff now say the project can be funded through “the existing water utility,” meaning revenue from Kamloops ratepayers.

“For members of the public who feel this is a process we’ve been sneaky about or we’ve done something different about, we’ve been using AAPs for probably 70 years. This has been in place since 1962,” noted Corporate Services Director David Hallinan. “Every AAP has been advertised in the newspaper. Many, many, many members of the public have opportunities to read the newspaper. There is a greater degree of awareness of AAPs today than there has been historically.”

Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson and Councillor Katie Neustaeter voted against the motion to put off consideration until the Canada Post situation is fully resolved. Neustaeter noted she does not favour an AAP for the RCMP headquarters, specifically.

“I’ve consistently voted against this AAP and I will continue to do so. I don’t believe this is an appropriate use of an AAP process,” said Neustaeter. “I think there are a lot of questions that the public still have about the particular building at how it will work.”

Outside council chambers Tuesday, several members of the public rallied against the AAP process.