For Immediate Release—February 21, 2025

Fight not over for KCU

KAMLOOPS-Civic education and advocacy group Kamloops Citizens United, says the fight isn’t over.

Last September, the group launched a petition in BC Supreme Court to quash the City of Kamloops’ Alternative Approval Process (AAP) for its Arena Multiplex and Centre for the Arts funding bylaws.

Today, Justice Joel Groves handed down his decision upholding the two bylaws.

“We’re disappointed, of course,” said KCU spokesperson Kathrine Wunderlich.

“Justice Groves’ ruling sets an unfortunate precedent confirming that local governments can borrow significant amounts of public money, over a quarter of a billion dollars in this case, without a full referendum, or even effective notice to electors,” she said.

The group is concerned that municipalities across British Columbia will now have a clear path to use an AAP with minimal notice to electors rather than seeking direct voter approval through referendum.

The case centered around a provincial regulation requiring that notification to residents be comparable to a published notice in a newspaper in communities, like Kamloops, that no longer have a community newspaper.

While the former Kamloops This Week was delivered to about 35,000 homes, “the City of Kamloops’ advertising of the AAP on its website and social media platforms like Twitter reached only about 5% of the population,” said Wunderlich. “This diminishes the public’s ability to have any meaningful say in spending their tax dollars.”

Wunderlich thanked all who supported the court challenge and urged them to have confidence as KCU moves forward with an appeal process.

“This is not the end of the road,” she said. “The fight isn’t over. Because of the far-reaching and long-term consequences of this ruling, this fight is not just about one project or one city—it is about protecting democratic rights and ensuring that citizens are not left out of crucial financial decisions that will impact them for generations.”

For more information:

Kathrine Wunderlich 250-819-9018

kamloopscitizensunited@gmail.com

Read the Castanet article here: https://www.castanetkamloops.net/news/Kamloops/534570/Court-rules-in-city-s-favour-petition-challenging-Build-Kamloops-AAP-dismissed