Tensions flare at city hall before council opts for public input on Pathways shelter

In Nov. 2024, city council approved a 20-month temporary use permit for the facility, which opened in January last year. A date for the upcoming public meeting has not yet been picked, as council as staff and council are working to find a suitable time and location.

Heated Discussions

No other decision was expected to be made Tuesday, but before discussions could even begin, there were fireworks at council chambers.

“I would suggest you stop before you walk further into slander,” Councillor Dale Bass said to Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson at one point. “No, you are out of order because you are slandering me. And I will be dealing with it.”

“No, you are out of order,” retorted Hamer-Jackson. “I’m telling you, you are out of order. If you are out of order again I will be asking the bylaw to actually remove you from this meeting.”

“Okay, you will be sued,” Bass added.

“That’s fine,” replied Hamer-Jackson.

Hamer-Jackson said Tuesday he is not in a conflict on interest on the matter, which also involves ARPA Investments as the property owner. That directly contradicted an independent investigation which found the mayor to be in conflict as he is suing Joshua Knaak of ARPA Investments for defamation.

“And you want me to sign a letter apologizing to Joshua Knaak because he made up a story about me grabbing his wife’s butt and groping women on dance floors,” Hamer-Jackson said to Corporate Officer Maria Mazzotta when she inquired about the mayor’s potential for conflict of interest on the matter.

“Mr. Mayor, the legislative officer is not the one requiring you to do anything,” McCorkell interjected. “Mr. Mayor you are attacking my staff. Mr. Mayor this is a conversation for council not staff.”

“Listen you are out of order, you are out of order,” Hamer-Jackson replied.

“No, I’m not,” responded McCorkell.

Hamer-Jackson was briefly removed from the room on a point of order but he was later allowed to return and resume chairing the meeting. The mayor maintained he had received a legal opinion that allowed him to participate in the discussion and the vote.

Discussion Finally Begins

Once the dust had settled, council was able to consider the issue at hand.

Ahead of the meeting, ASK Wellness pointed to several success stories at the Pathways facility, while local businesses and neighbours asked for the pilot to be ended.

“Closure of the shelter would eliminate available shelter capacity on the North Shore and place additional pressure on emergency services and partner agencies,” a City of Kamloops staff report said.

That report also noted that 304 people accessed the shelter at the former Butler Auto and RV lot, and that approximately 85 per cent were identified “as an appropriate fit for the shelter model.”

“In its first year, [the shelter] provided more than 15,000 bed nights – that is 15,000 times last year that a person did not have to sleep outside, to find a place in an alleyway, on a river bank or on a doorstep,” Natasha Hartson, the city’s social, housing and community development manager, said Tuesday.

Hartson added there are regular perimeter checks and patrols conducted to address issues outside the shelter. She also admitted that people in the area have strong opinions of the shelter, but urged council to consider those who have benefitted.

“Many of them won’t have the opportunity or privilege to stand at this microphone and tell you what this place has meant to them,” Hartson said. “For 16 people, the shelter was a step to help them move into housing. That is not just a statistic, that’s a life-changing transition.”

According to ASK Wellness, another 12 users of the shelter were able to get government‑issued identification. They noted another nine people accessed detox or recovery services, 25 received ministry‑funded health supports and 15 connected to community resources.

“The shelter provides emergency accommodation alongside health, cultural and housing supports on Kamloops’ north shore for people experiencing homelessness,” report author Eric Beach, the city’s current planning manager, wrote.

“The site was established in response to a significant gap in shelter services on the North Shore.”

Public Input is Needed

There was agreement around the council table Tuesday that people should be given the opportunity to have their say on the proposed extension. Hamer-Jackson was the lone vote against that motion, while Councillor Mike O’Reilly recused himself citing a business relationship with someone involved in the ownership of the site.

“This is a matter of importance not just to the business owners but the community in general,” Deputy Mayor for March Stephen Karpuk said. “I think we all want to hear the voices. We all want to understand these issues and the best way to do that is to hear that from the public and the citizens that are affected.”

There was also a sentiment around the horseshoe Tuesday that this extension request was putting city council in a no-win scenario.

“We are doing these people a disservice by giving them fake hope that they are there for 18 months and we are getting some success from people,” added Councillor Bill Sarai. “And then we are getting tasked with either do this for longer or put them back in the street.”

“That’s not fair for us to make that decision and that is what is in front of us.”

by Victor Kaisar & Michael Reeve

Tensions flare at city hall before council opts for public input on Pathways shelter

Heated Discussions

Discussion Finally Begins

Public Input is Needed

Our Community