City advances community’s top needs at UBCM
News Release
Mayor Tom Dyas, Councillors Cannan, DeHart, Lovegrove, Singh, Wooldridge and key City staff attended the annual Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM) convention in Vancouver last week, meeting with Provincial Ministers to advance action on Kelowna’s greatest needs.
“It is important to have that in-person connection with Provincial ministers to continue advocating for improved services and infrastructure investment needs that will support and advance the quality of life for our residents and businesses here in Kelowna,” said Mayor Dyas. “It was also valuable to connect with leaders from communities across B.C. to advocate for change collectively on the biggest issues municipalities face today: housing need, infrastructure funding gaps, improved mental health and addictions supports, and increased public safety. I’m pleased with the constructive conversations we had to advance Council’s and our residents’ priorities.”
At a meeting with Minister for Mental Health and Addictions Jennifer Whiteside and Minister of Housing Ravi Kahlon we pressed the Ministers to fulfill last year’s commitment to see 20 complex care spaces fully operationalized, and for new, purpose-built Complex Care housing with supports in Kelowna, including exploring potential for a regional Red Fish Healing Centre model. Also discussed was the need for more emergency shelter spaces in advance of the cold winter to address homelessness as well as exploring more affordable and attainable housing on City-ready lands with Provincial contributions.
In a meeting with Solicitor General and Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth, the Kelowna delegates raised the need for ongoing approaches to address public safety, including changes to ensure repeat property offenders face appropriate consequences or have adequate pathways to care if needed. This included advocating for non-police civilian-led crisis and mental health teams, as per the recommendations in the Province’s Lepard-Butler report on repeat offending. As one of the fastest growing communities, we recognized the strides our Superintendent has made within our local police detachment and asked the Minister to keep Kelowna as a RCMP resourcing priority.
A meeting with Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Rob Fleming centred on making progress toward a new transit operation centre, which is needed to expand and improve transit service. The project would see the electrification of the regional bus fleet to advance GHG emissions reduction, and Council’s and the community’s climate and environment goals. The importance of continued planning and investments for the Highway 33 Clement extension, Commonwealth Road intersection improvements, and alternative routing along Highway 97 due to slides were also discussed. The City, in alignment with other B.C. municipalities, continues to ask for permanent, consistent, and predictable infrastructure funding to be made available by senior levels of government.
A meeting with Education and Childcare Minister Rachna Singh and Minister of State for Child Care Grace Lore focused on the continued need for more childcare spaces, including potential for new spaces through City partnerships, and school investments to support growth in our community. Mayor Dyas thanked the Ministers for the $3.7 million in childcare funding that was provided last year to YLW Kelowna International Airport to create 86 new spaces at a new childcare centre in partnership with the YMCA. The school needs for Rutland and Wilden neighbourhoods as well as the redevelopment of Parkinson Recreation Centre for a co-located campus model with a site for a future school were discussed.
At various touch-points during the convention, Mayor Dyas spoke with Premier Eby and Tourism Minister Lana Popham about the effects of the recent wildfires on small and tourism-oriented businesses and asked for the Province to explore solutions to support them. Mayor Dyas also raised to the Premier the provincial initiatives around decampment policies, mental health supports, and increased substance use treatments – this includes asking for continued and increased deployment of the provincial HEART and HEARTH programs.
In addition to these meetings and discussions with elected officials, key City staff met with a number of ministry and provincial agency staff including from BC Housing, BC Transit, RCMP leadership and the Municipal Finance Authority for continued conversations to advance City projects and opportunities.
City Manager Doug Gilchrist presented his vision for a City of the future to delegates, describing how digital transformation is making that vision a reality. The City’s Director of Information Services, Jazz Pabla, presented on Kelowna’s use of artificial intelligence to provide faster service to residents, such as in the development application process, along with the latest cyber security information for municipalities.
The City won the Climate & Energy Action Award in the Community Planning & Development category for building resilience to wildfires through its FireSmart program and the Community Chipping Program.
