PEOPLE OFTEN MISUNDERSTAND what I do for work. When I tell people I work for the Kamloops Food Policy Council (KFPC), they ask if that's a food bank. Although frontline services like the food bank have goals similar to those of the KFPC, like relieving hunger and reducing poverty, we act on these goals differently.Fron...

TOURISM KAMLOOPS IS IN THE PROCESS of hiring a consultant to help develop an "iconic attraction" in Kamloops - an initiative that aims to "enhance the city's appeal as a premier tourism destination in British Columbia". The consultant will develop draft concepts for potential attractions tailored to...

"JUST UNDER TWO-IN-FIVE British Columbians think the introduction of the carbon tax has led people to be more mindful of their carbon consumption and change their behaviour", a new ResearchCo Poll finds. Yet, at the same time, more than 52 per cent of British Columbians think that if the federal government sc...

Business Intelligence for B.C. recently reported that AI-powered robots are helping boost B.C.'s construction industry. On Mitchell Island, for instance, new AI-powered robots were seen moving concrete blocks, demonstrating how this technology can step in when the sector suffers labour shortages. These robots can perfo...

THE KAMLOOPS FOOD POLICY COUNCIL (KFPC) has been working on our relaunch of Food and the City, a citizen-led policy research initiative aimed at addressing key community concerns regarding food security in Kamloops. This project was originally introduced in 2022 before the municipal election, and resulted in the creati...

TURNS OUT the Red Bridge could be brought back to life stronger, wider and better than ever, and keep its historic look. A man who knows how to do it will be in town today.Randy Ludwar lives in the Okanagan and works for a company called Timber Restoration Services. It specializes in the use of mass timber, an engineer...

It's mid-September and, as any gardener knows, this means it's harvest season. Gardens are being overrun - in a good way - with squash, peppers, tomatoes, eggplants and more. It's the season of leaving a zucchini on your neighbour's doorstep. I love the abundance gardening brings and the many opportunities to share tha...

THE MAJORITY OF CANADIAN ORGANIZATIONS report a need for workers with digital skills, while at least 55 per cent of Canadian tech entrepreneurs can't find the talent they need in order to grow. While this highlights a significant skills shortage across the country, there can be immense value in initiatives that aim to ...

DEAR KAMLOOPS CITIZENS, I am writing in response to Garry Davies' comments on September 4 about the AAP process. I want to clarify his assumptions with facts and provide clarification. He said the AAP is undemocratic and not fair. The AAP process is not meant for emergency situations and is commonly used for recreation...

DEAR MR. DAVIES, Thank you for your letter regarding the AAP and the costs of borrowing funds and building Kamloops. While I share your concern with the rising cost of everything, it's also painfully obvious that a city the size of Kamloops needs major infrastructure pieces like a centre for the performing arts, ice sh...

DEAR FELLOW KAMLOOPS TAXPAYERS, we are writing to urge you to send a response letter before September 12 to city hall challenging the Kamloops city council's use of the Alternate Approval Process (AAP) to borrow $140 million for a performing arts centre (bylaw 57-1) and $135 million for a multiplex facility (bylaw 57-2...

THE KAMLOOPS COMMUNITY SEED LIBRARY is a program run by the Kamloops Food Policy Council (KFPC) that has been facilitating the sharing of community seeds since its start in 2018. Originally, the Seed Library began by facilitating the 'seed swap' during one of the many Seedy Saturday events that have sprung up across th...

DEAR EDITOR,I am writing in response to Doug Collins' recent op-ed concerning changes to the location for some portions of training in Thompson Rivers University's Respiratory Therapy program. While I understand the concerns raised, I want to clarify a few points that may have been misunderstood.Contrary to the implica...

I READ THE ARTICLE about the high crime rate in Kamloops and then the rebuttal by RCMP Officer in Charge Jeff Pelley.As stated in the article, the crimes that are rising in Kamloops are break and enters, mischief, theft from vehicles and shoplifting. Most of those crimes are low level crimes associated with drug use, i...

FOR AN IMMIGRANT arriving in a new country, meeting new people can be an exciting and daunting experience, as it was for me. When I arrived in Tkʼemlúps in September of 2022, the air was cool. Beautiful yellow, orange, red and green autumn leaves enveloped the city. It was as if the land I came to live on held ...

IT'S SATURDAY, which means that it's farmers' market day. (There is a Wednesday market day, too, by the way.) In our family, we shape our weekend activities around this weekly event, unless we are out of town altogether. Okay, that sounds a bit silly, you might think. I'll argue it's not and I have solid reasons why - ...

AFTER SEVEN YEARS UNDER THE NDP, British Columbians face an escalating housing crisis. Despite a series of big and shiny promises made since 2017, the policies implemented by David Eby's NDP government has exacerbated the problem at a time when the government should be doing everything possible to help alleviate it. As...

THERE'S NO PLACE for hate in B.C. Over the past few years, we've seen a disturbing uptick of racist incidents, like Islamophobia, anti-semitism, and anti-Asian hate, being reported in B.C. What's even more concerning is that we know that many incidents go unreported and leave victims alone to manage the aftermath. That...

SEVENTY-SIX PER CENT OF BRITISH COLUMBIANS think political polarization is becoming more extreme and is 'definitely' or 'probably' a threat to democracy, a recent poll by Research Co. reveals. Indeed, polarization is now firmly entrenched in Canadian politics. Issues ranging from the rising cost of living and carbon ta...

AS SUMMER APPROACHES, we find ourselves bracing for another wildfire season here in British Columbia. Already, there are a staggering 111 active fires burning in our province.The scars from last summer are still fresh in our memories and the early onset of fires this year serves as a stark reminder of the challenges th...

AFFORDABLE HOUSING CONTINUES to be one of the most important issues facing British Columbians today. And that's why we are continuing to take action on creating more homes for people, in the communities they love, at prices they can afford. Over the past year, significant steps have been taken in reshaping housing poli...

BY EVERY SOCIAL MEASURE, British Columbians are worse off now than they were when the NDP first took office seven years ago. As the Legislature adjourns ahead of the next provincial election, it is clear David Eby has failed to deliver any tangible results for British Columbians or inspire confidence that the NDP can p...

BRITISH COLUMBIA IS A BEAUTIFUL and amazing place to live, but together we have faced unbelievable challenges over the last few years, like global inflation, the pandemic, climate-related emergencies and more. Under the leadership of Premier David Eby, our government has focused on the lives of everyday people, not the...

AI JOB GROWTH IN BRITISH COLUMBIA and wider Canada increased by almost a third in 2023, which is some of the biggest growth experienced across all sectors. And now, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced a $2.4 billion funding package designed to boost jobs in Canada's AI sector even further. Canada's nat...

WELCOME BACK to the Gleaning Abundance Program (GAP)! I'm thrilled to be the GAP coordinator for this season and invite you to participate in our local fruit and vegetable harvests. With the help of our volunteers and homeowners with an abundance of fruits and veggies, the GAP works to reduce food waste by harvesting, ...

ACROSS BRITISH COLUMBIA, communities are facing an unprecedented crisis of gang violence that the NDP government seems unwilling to address. In Kamloops, we've witnessed a terrifying escalation. Five brazen shootings occurred within just four days. Despite the best efforts of our dedicated RCMP officers, who are doing ...

BRITISH COLUMBIA'S DRIVERS have reason to celebrate as they receive more benefits from the New Democrat government's overhaul of ICBC. Last week, David Eby announced a new rebate of $110 will soon be going out to ICBC policy holders in B.C., accompanied by a continued freeze on basic car insurance rates for everyone in...

IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY YEAR, the wildfire season in British Columbia intensifies, devastating families and communities. This year, wildfires have started unusually early and are already burning across many parts of the province. Despite the long-lasting impacts wildfires have, we have not seen evidence to suggest the NDP ...