Kelowna rides the wave at UBCM, advocating for Council’s priorities

News Release

The City of Kelowna delegation, led by Mayor Tom Dyas, returns following a packed week of advocacy meetings with Provincial leaders, panel presentations, voting on resolutions and a provincial recognition for strong asset management at the annual Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) convention in Vancouver. The goal: building on collaborative success and giving voice to Council’s priorities to drive results for Kelowna.

“With the upcoming Provincial election, this year’s UBCM convention was unique. As a local government, we recognize the importance of working collaboratively and respectfully with the government in power. Whatever the results of the political landscape over the next month, our advocacy to advance Kelowna’s priorities, however, remains focussed and stronger than ever,” says Mayor Tom Dyas.

The week began with Mayor Dyas joining a coalition of Mayor’s from across the Province as they collectively voiced the urgent need for a national approach to mandatory compassionate care and bail reform for repeat offenders to the Federal government.

“Standing alongside this coalition of Mayors we were united in our call for federal changes for improvements to public safety within our communities,” says Mayor Dyas, “By working together, with pace and purpose, I am confident that we can build a system that prioritizes both public safety for the broader community and compassionate, dignified care for individuals in need of better pathways to treatment.”

As the week progressed, the Kelowna delegation, which also included Councillors DeHart and Lovegrove and senior staff, met with provincial leaders to advance and collaborate on initiatives that serve the needs of the largest community in BC’s interior.

The delegation met with Premiere David Eby to keep City of Kelowna’s priorities and needs top of mind and remain a focal point for the province and its mandates. This includes building on recent announcements for the need for a regional approach for mandatory compassionate care and for provincial supports for infrastructure, transportation and economic development opportunities at YLW Kelowna International Airport.

In meetings with Solicitor General and Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth and Attorney General Niki Sharma, discussions centered on public safety as a top Council priority. Mayor Dyas spoke of the need to increase local crown prosecutors, requested the Province to advocate to Federal counterparts for bail reforms for repeat property offenders in a similar way that results were delivered for violent repeat offenders and explored opportunities for a Red Fish Healing Centre and compassionate mandatory care in the Okanagan as a result of the NDP Government’s announcement this week.

A meeting with Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Rob Fleming focused on continuing the collaboration to advance the Clement Avenue multi-modal partnership extension project that will create a transportation corridor to alleviate congestion on Highway 97, improve traffic flow and create a connective transportation spine from downtown ultimately to UBCO and YLW.  As the City plans for a new Transit Operations Centre, we sought Ministerial and BC Transit support to prioritize Kelowna to expand and improve transit service in one of the fastest growing communities in Canada.

The Kelowna delegation also met with senior Mental Health and Addictions ministry staff to build on the success of collaborating on the advancement of a new Complex Care Facility in Kelowna and focus on the future need for a regional Red Fish Healing Centre model for compassionate mandatory care in the Okanagan. There is a need for a shift in emphasis from a housing first model to ensure a stronger health first and health partnership approach to meaningfully address the issues and challenges we see and experience on our streets relating to untreated mental health and addictions.

Mayor Dyas spoke at the Plenary Session on Public Safety and Mental Health and Addictions. The panel explored the complexities of the toxic drug crisis and specifically the impacts decriminalization has had on local communities and first responders, including our RCMP and Bylaw officers and firefighters. Mayor Dyas spoke to the impacts on public safety in Kelowna, the need for a local approach to compassionate mandatory care and urged health agencies including Interior Health to go beyond the minimum of care for mental health and addiction and advance treatment options for those most in need.

“We don’t send a doctor to a robbery in progress, so why send a police officer to a health incident?” said Mayor Dyas on the panel.

The City also received a Union of BC Municipalities Community Excellence Award in the asset management category for strong asset management and for Kelowna’s ability to accelerate infrastructure delivery.

The City runs a comprehensive asset management program aimed at enhancing operational efficiency, extending the lifespan of assets, coordinating capital projects, and minimizing the risk of service disruptions. The City owns and operates approximately $7 billion worth of infrastructure assets. Given this extensive portfolio, even minor improvements can result in substantial financial savings. For instance, extending the average lifespan of these assets by 2 per cent could save the City around $3 million each year in deferred maintenance and renewal costs.