A motion presented at Kamloops council’s meeting this week by Coun. Denis Walsh directing staff to research and review feasibility of a treatment and recovery centre in rural Kamloops failed in a split vote but prompted conversation about an issue likely to be front and centre this election season.
The Aug. 30 motion failed in a 5-4 vote, with many suggesting the issue was outside the scope of the city’s mandate.
Mayor Ken Christian and councillors Dale Bass, Dieter Dudy, Sadie Hunter and Kathy Sinclair voted to defeat the motion, while councillors Mike O’Reilly, Bill Sarai, Arjun Singh and Walsh voted in favour.
This was Walsh’s second motion on the issue. His first, introduced in November 2021, was voted down by council.
Bass said a treatment centre is needed, but argued it is up to the province to build. She said the motion was redundant because city staff have been working with experts and lobbying has occurred. She pointed to a sobering centre business case currently with the province.
“It must be written in Klingon because they obviously don’t get it,” Bass said, noting the upcoming Union of BC Municipalities conference provides an opportunity to raise the issue again with Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Shelia Malcolmson and Health Minister Adrian Dix.
