TRU, City of Kamloops hope new MOU helps the community flourish even more

Aug 23, 2018 | 12:11 PM

KAMLOOPS — The City of Kamloops and Thompson Rivers University have officially entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the hopes of building off the strong relationship already established and creating new opportunities to make the city and university better. 

Kamloops mayor Ken Christian and TRU President Alan Shaver signed the memorandum on Thursday morning at the Tournament Capital Centre, which symbolizes, more than anything, the partnership that has flourished between the two sides. 

“We wanted to really document those partnerships and the expectation that TRU and the City of Kamloops would work together, particularly in areas of research but also in the areas of building our city,” said Christian. “Things like the Innovation Centre, the law clinic, the potential for residences here at TRU, and the relationship between the university and Kamloops transit.”

Shaver hopes this is the launching point for more great things for the university and city. 

“I hope it’s going to be a catalyst. It’s sending a message to the students, faculty and staff that we’re part of the community and we want to be even more a part of it,” he noted. 

The city and university say there are more opportunities to partner on research and projects, hoping to help the community flourish even more. 

“In the area of research, there are a whole host of issues, not the least of which are the social isues that are plaguing the streets of Kamloops,” said Christian. “The ability of TRU, which is located here, to study and help us find solutions to things like affordable housing, the opioid crisis.”

Shaver added, “The creation of knowledge that are solving problems for Kamloops and the region is really important. Also, the creation of more Masters programs serves the students here. They get to study things they’re familiar with and ask questions like ‘what’s going on with the smoke?’ What’s going on with whatever.”