Kamloops council, March 24, 2026. (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Coley Ecker and Kathrine Wunderlich

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SOUND OFF: Kamloops deserves the full story

Apr 1, 2026 | 1:40 PM

A VIDEO CONTAINING CLIPS from last week’s city council meeting is drawing strong reaction on social media. Beyond the dismissive tone toward some residents, the claims made by councillors were reported by local media – but not fully examined.

When councillors cited millions in AAP project delay costs, there should have been accurate, verifiable calculations. The public should be able to trust those numbers – not be given rough “napkin math.”

The same applies to broad statements like project sponsors “walking away” – which sponsors, what amounts and were there formal agreements in place?

Without that information, residents are left to accept significant financial claims without the details to assess them.

Those are basic questions local media should be asking and answering – a healthy community depends on strong local journalism.

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In this case, one outlet reported what was said at the meeting but did not include the mayor’s perspective or seek input from those who question or disagree. This approach can amplify one side and leave residents with an incomplete picture of what actually took place.

Other local outlets do engage more broadly. Coverage from CFJC often includes additional context and perspectives, and InfoNews, despite being a smaller outlet, often takes a more investigative approach. 

That work is important – but it doesn’t close the gap.

With an October election approaching and economic pressures rising, residents deserve a complete, well-informed understanding of what is being presented at city hall.

With opportunities to address council through public inquiries suspended and city communication often appearing carefully curated and managed, in-depth, consistent scrutiny matters even more.

Residents shouldn’t be responsible for doing the investigative work – yet as it stands, they continue to fill that role.

KCU reviews city hall documents, researches claims, asks questions and shares information online that should already be part of the public conversation.

That work takes significant time from unpaid volunteers – and it shouldn’t fall to residents to fill that gap.

Coley Ecker and Kathrine Wunderlich, Kamloops Citizens United (KCU)

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.