Notes from Council, February 3, 2025:

  • Council adopted the Fire Training Grounds third-party use fees bylaw. This bylaw sets out the fees for use by outside organizations that wish to use the District of Kitimat’s fire training grounds on Forest Avenue. An update in 2022 to the property added many new features that made it a valuable resource to emergency responders. (For more about the training grounds, watch this 2022 video on our YouTube channel.)
  • The Water Treatment System Temporary Borrowing Bylaw was adopted, which allows the District of Kitimat to borrow up to a maximum of $13.5 million towards the water treatment system upgrade from the Municipal Finance Authority. A combination of this loan, District of Kitimat budget allocation, and Resource Benefits Alliance funding is supporting this project that will modernize Kitimat's water treatment system.
  • Council endorsed a plan for staff to apply to Northern Development Initiative Trust for grant funding that will support the replacement of an important piece of the Sam Lindsay Aquatic Centre’s air system. The “duct sox” system helps control humidity in the building and improve air quality, and the District was recently informed the system was in need of a replacement.
  • Staff presented to Council the results of the community belay wall community survey. The survey sought information about residents’ interest and opinion about a potential belay wall after the District had received community feedback about the idea. With the results in hand, Council will refer an engineering feasibility study for consideration in next year’s 2026 municipal budget discussions, once staff have developed a draft training and certification program that could be implemented with a future belay wall.
  • Council received a report regarding an upcoming North Central Local Government Association (NCLGA) meeting. The NCLGA is an association of municipalities representing a wide area of B.C., Alberta, and the Yukon border. Council will consider submitting motions to NCLGA at a future meeting.
  • Council has opted to not consider an application from the Liquor and Cannabis Licensing Branch regarding an application for a cannabis retail store planned for 528 Mountainview Square, Suite 1 in Kitimat.
  • Council has decided to not opt-in to the provincial government’s short-term rental requirements. The provincial government has made changes to the Short-Term Rental Accommodations Act which changed short-term rental options in some municipalities. Kitimat was not a required municipality for inclusion in these changes but towns can volunteer to opt-in. Legislation makes the option to opt-in come up annually, and Council will again review their options in early 2026.
  • An updated Personal Expense and Travel Policy was approved which updates the District’s policy as it relates to work-related travel for both Council and District staff. Rates set within the policy follow the guidance by the Canadian Revenue Agency. The updated policy will be posted on our website at www.kitimat.ca/bylaws.
  • An updated Procurement Policy and Procedure was discussed by Council. This policy provides updates to the District’s purchasing policy including changes that allow for more efficiency in adjusting project budgets (without exceeding department budgets), and adjusting purchasing approval limits, as well as other housekeeping changes. Council will reconsider this procurement policy when staff report back with more information as requested.
  • Council requested staff write a letter to the Industrial Inquiry Commission in support of the issues raised by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers in a letter provided to Council at this meeting.
  • The Kitimat Heritage Group presented to Council on the topic of the CN Railway station in the Service Centre. In April 2024, this station was designated as a Heritage Railway Station by the Canadian government (link). In response to the presentation to Council, staff have been instructed to provide a report at a future meeting with a set of possible actions towards a potential restoration project.

Agendas and minutes of Council meetings are available on our website here.

Video recordings of Council meetings are shared here: Council Video on Demand

 

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