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Peter Milobar
Curbside recycling pickup resumes Monday in Kamloops
KAMLOOPS – With the Emterra Environmental strike officially over and the City of Kamloops says recycling collection will resume Monday. A tentative agreement between Emterra and the Steelworkers’ Union was struck and ratified unanimously by the union membership yesterday, Aug. 13. The recycling company and its employees had been locked in a labour dispute since June 22....
Kamloops city councillor denies conflict of interest accusation
KAMLOOPS – Coun. Arjun Singh has been accused of a conflict of interest following a recent vote on whether to impose a buffer between liquor vendors, something he strongly denies. Singh participated in a public hearing, July 28, to decide the fate of a motion that could have seen the city enact a one-kilometre buffer...
Group claims dust from Blackwell Dairy contains biosolids
KAMLOOPS – A group of concerned Dallas residents say dust from Blackwell Dairy is impairing their quality of life. According to a group of residents lobbying city council to investigate the issue, the dust makes it impossible to enjoy the outdoors and is responsible for respiratory and other health issues. City staff believe the dust...
KGHM and anti-Ajax group being asked to help fund independent review
KAMLOOPS – An independent review of the Ajax Mine proposal is expected take place this fall and council has decided both KGHM and the Kamloops Area Preservation Association, a vocal opponent of the proposed mine, should help foot the bill. KGHM Ajax Mining is expected to submit its environmental application to the province by the end...
Kamloops pesticide ban passes, will be implemented January 2016
KAMLOOPS – Next year residents of Kamloops will no longer be able to hire licensed applicators to spray their lawns or ornamental shrubs. A ban on cosmetic pesticide use was passed today, July 14, in city council to a round of applause from those who remained in council chambers for the decision. The proposed ban,...
Project to guarantee clean water for Kamloops residents moving forward
KAMLOOPS – Projects aimed at ensuring clean water for Kamloops and Black Pines residents are moving forward following a funding announcement today, July 6. More than $3 million is being contributed from both federal and provincial governments for an emergency water intake project in Kamloops, and just under $450,000 from federal and provincial governments each...
New affordable housing units in the works for Kamloops
KAMLOOPS - There are 98 new affordable housing units coming to Kamloops as work continues on the city's homelessness action plan. "Let's get building houses," Health Minister Terry Lake, who was on hand with Transportation Minister Todd Stone and Mayor Peter Milobar for the announcement, says. Milobar calls this announcement the perfect way to celebrate...
Emterra strike could ‘overwhelm’ small recycling business
KAMLOOPS – Early on it was thought a strike by employees at the Emterra Environmental recycling plant would not affect curbside collection but since the strike began earlier this week not only was curbside collection stopped, but exactly what to do with your recyclables became a bit unclear. The strike officially started Monday and the city...
Emterra workers walk off the job in Kamloops; recycling pickup stops
KAMLOOPS – After two weeks of failed of negotiations the workers at the Emterra recycling plant are officially on strike. Steelworkers Union boss Marty Gibbons says they are prepared for the long-haul, adding they will strike as long as it takes and one day longer than the employer. “We negotiated every possible angle we could,” Gibbons...
Emterra strike averted, for now
KAMLOOPS – Workers at the Emterra Environmental recycling plant have avoided strike for at least another week. The Steelworkers union, local 1-417, gave strike notice to its employer Friday, June 5, after almost three months of fruitless negotiations. Minutes after notice was served, Emterra agreed to come back to the table. According to union president...
Kamloops pesticide debate put off until July
KAMLOOPS – A motion to prohibit cosmetic pesticides drew a large crowd to council chambers this week, but council was not quite ready to have the discussion many residents seemed more than ready to start. Residents packed council chambers yesterday, Tuesday, June 2, to voice their opinions regarding Coun. Tina Lange’s motion to further prohibit...
Emterra workers ready to strike by week’s end
KAMLOOPS – The people who handle the city's recycling contract could be on strike by Friday, but the city says pickup will continue on a normal schedule. Emterra Environmental employees, the company currently holding the city’s recycling contract, will strike by Friday barring a major breakthrough with management. Marty Gibbons, president of the United Steelworkers...
Ajax asks local business for support
KAMLOOPS – At the request of KGHM, a collection of local business people have signed a letter in support of the proposed Ajax Mine project. The company approached a group of local business people asking to meet regarding the proposed mine. After a series of talks with KGHM, more than 40 individuals signed the letter,...
Anonymous donation makes cenotaph facelift a reality
KAMLOOPS – The clocks on the Battle Street cenotaph could soon be ticking once again, thanks to a $50,000 anonymous donation. This week council approved to accept an anonymous donation meant specifically to repair cenotaph. The project originally sought funding in the fall of 2014. Repairing the cenotaph and completing landscape alterations was expected to...
Kamloops Airport receives $4.4M in federal funding
KAMLOOPS – Fulton Field will receive more than $4 million in federal funding to help upgrade the runways this year. Local Member of Parliament Cathy McLeod joined Mayor Peter Milobar and other delegates at the airport today, May 22, to announce a federal pledge of $4.4 million. These funds are 55 per cent of what...
Residents reacting to ‘urban myth’ regarding Westsyde Pool closure: Councillor
KAMLOOPS – The Westsyde Pool is set to close for repairs for more than a year beginning this summer and while it may be an inconvenience, starting a public petition won’t change the closure. Area resident Amanda Cosgrove started a petition last month. Cosgrove was upset about the pool’s closure and is asking the city,...
$7.4M Tranquille Road project set for public open house
KAMLOOPS – Improvements to the Tranquille Road corridor are set to focus on landscaping, multi-use paths and signage, and could cost $7.4 million. The Tranquille Road Beautification Task Force presented an extremely detailed plan of how to better roughly three kilometers from Desmond Street to Airport Road to council on Tuesday afternoon. Much of the...
There is room for the arts in the Tournament Capital
KAMLOOPS – Mayor Peter Milobar has said over and over a performing arts centre will not diminish the Tournament Capital Brand. While the Tournament Capital is Kamloops’ crafted identity, and a significant amount of investment has gone into creating it, Milobar contends there is room for a vibrant arts scene as well. User groups feel the...
Cavers’ motion to change environmental assessment timelines for Ajax Mine defeated
KAMLOOPS – There is no appetite around the council table to ask the province to change the deadlines surrounding the environmental assessment process for the proposed Ajax Mine. Coun. Donovan Cavers wanted his fellow council members to ask the province to delay the 75-day public comment period after KGHM submitted its environmental application to give...
What to expect if the performing arts centre goes to referendum
KAMLOOPS – The preliminary proposal for a performing arts centre in Kamloops has definitely got people talking and while where to build and what to include have, for the most part, been answered at the most basic level, what hasn’t is whether the public supports the $90-million project and the accompanying price tag. Mayor Peter...
By the numbers: Mayor explains extra performing arts centre costs
KAMLOOPS – The mayor wants Kamloops residents to know the preliminary business case for the proposed performing arts centre is, just that, preliminary. The numbers have not been finalized, nor will they be until the centre moves into the next phase of construction. What the numbers represent now, is feasibility, Peter Milobar says. And in terms...
New CNG buses ready to hit the streets of Kamloops
KAMLOOPS – A total of 25 compressed natural gas buses will be introduced into service in Kamloops by the end of May. Kamloops is just the second B.C. community to get a fleet of CNG-fueled buses, Nanaimo began using the new fleet in 2014. The natural gas buses have significantly quieter engines and simplified emission...
A new Performing Arts Centre comes with a huge cost
KAMLOOPS - When outlining the city's plans for a new performing arts centre, Mayor Peter Milobar asked residents to consider the importance of landmark buildings in their community. You might also want to consider their plan will cost $90 million dollars. Milobar and other city officials unveiled their preliminary business plan for the performing arts...
Air quality initiative gets a few thumbs up from council
KAMLOOPS - A group advocating for clean air won a major victory for their cause this week and will now get help from the city in establishing a committee to specifically look at how to better improve air quality in Kamloops. Headed by Gina Morris, the group wished to continue the work of the already...