File photo (Image credit: CFJC Today).

By Aaron Schulze

Qu'Appelle Boulevard Extension

City proposing to take on Juniper West’s costs for second permanent access road, receive reimbursement years later

Oct 20, 2025 | 6:34 AM

KAMLOOPS — A plan is in place for the City of Kamloops to barrel on through with constructing a second permanent access route for Juniper Ridge residents and then recoup the funds later.

During Tuesday’s (Oct. 21) regular meeting, Kamloops council will read a development works agreement between the city and Juniper West Developments regarding a plan to connect Qu’Appelle Boulevard and Rose Hill Road. A development works agreement is a contract between a municipality and a landowner that allows the early construction of specific infrastructure and sets out the terms for repaying the municipality.

While city staff say the B.C. government approved construction on the public lands portion of the Qu’Appelle Boulevard extension – with work scheduled to start in 2026 – the Juniper West lands portion was meant to be constructed as housing development proceeded westward.

“With the downturn in the real estate market, Juniper West has no firm plans for when development of its lands will proceed. To provide certainty in completing the road, staff propose funding the road works now, with Juniper West responsible for repaying the funds within five years,” a report to council said.

According to the report, the public lands portion of the Qu’Appelle Boulevard extension is estimated to cost $4.5 million while the Juniper West lands portion is estimated to cost $6.7 million. The city says the public portion will be funded through development cost charges while the Juniper West portion will be funded through short-term borrowing.

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If council enters the development works agreement, the city says Juniper West is prepared to start clearing the alignment in the fall, undertake the major earthworks in 2026 and complete construction of the road by 2027. The road would have two travel lanes, a multi-use pathway and streetlights.

During a closed meeting on Aug. 12, 2025, council approved the acquisition of a statutory right-of-way for access purposes to accommodate the Qu’Appelle Boulevard extension through the Juniper West lands.

“The city’s funds will be secured through a mortgage against the lands, and the city must receive full repayment before the developer realizes any financial gain from the construction of the road,” the report adds.

According to the city, Juniper West would be contractually obligated to repay the full $6.7 million cost by Dec. 31, 2032.

Work on the Qu’Appelle Boulevard extension – which had been identified as far back as 2007 – as well as the three emergency exits in Juniper Ridge began in earnest after the Canada Day fire of 2021.

While the fire did not destroy any properties, a number of Juniper residents who were trying to flee were trapped on Highland Road due to a lack of available escape routes.

The new Juniper East emergency exit connects Kicking Horse Drive to Valleyview Drive while the one on Coldwater Drive connects to High Canada Place in Rose Hill. The third emergency exit — on Galore Drive — also connects to Rose Hill Road.

Council will read the Qu’Appelle Boulevard extension development works agreement bylaw a first, second and third time on Tuesday. A potential approval of the bylaw would transpire at a later council meeting.