CITY ISSUES – ‘Hit pause’ on City spending, rally at City Hall urges
Jesse Ritcey speaks to rally. (Image: Mel Rothenburger)
Pausing “mega projects,” axing AAPs and controlling taxes were the themes of a rally in front of City Hall today (Dec. 9, 2025) attended by around 40 people.
Organized by the Kamloops Voters Society, the rally demanded that City council look at ways to reduce the provisional 10.7 per cent hike estimated for 2026.
They carried placards with slogans like “My wallet called, it says Stop!”, “Pause the Mega Projects, Protect the Basics,” and “No consent, no $$$.”
Jesse Ritcey of the KVS urged, “Let’s hit pause,” saying the several major capital projects slated for construction — including the performing arts centre and sports multiplex — should be spread further apart from each other, and the new RCMP building should be cancelled altogether because it won’t be needed as policing priorities and organizational structures change in coming years.
Kathrine Wunderlich of Kamloops Citizens United claimed council assumes taxpayers have deep pockets and “costs are out of control.” She encouraged residents to “Stand together and say no to this City council.”
Other speakers talked of multiple projects that have gone over budget. Of particular concern was the use of the alternative approval process, or APP, in which projects are approved unless enough residents return ‘No’ forms to the City.
Observing the rally was Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson, who briefly voiced his support of the sentiments expressed by the speakers.
— Mel Rothenburger
ArmchairMayor.ca 
Since people may be afraid or unable for some other reason to join their fellow residents at a civic rally, it’s a good thing we can rely on a small group of 40 to be our voice.
Thank you to each person who showed up, regardless of affiliation. Your protest was appropriate and appreciated.
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Of course Hamer-Jackson voiced his support,
that’s basically his base.
When people learned that a few specific Facebook groups were attending and in were in front of this rally … people stayed away, not wanting to be counted as ‘one of them’. I spoke to a few who said they would have, but they don’t go to Kamloops protest rallies lately because of a concern of being seen ‘in the wrong place at the wrong time’, and thought to be attached to people they don’t agree with.
In the end, there were what 40 people there? Pretty small % of the municipally voting public … even considering the usual atrocious election turn out.
The sad part was and still is, the AAP protest is appropriate, and all Kamloopians should be voicing displeasure about not just its use for the PAC and ice rinks … but then doubly for council to propose to do it again for the RCMP facility, even in the face of such extreme outcry against it … is just outright heretical.
Now, I am sure that many attendees there showed up unattached to any aforementioned groups, people who just feel strongly about the AAP.
Its unfortunate that during these days of the targeting of ‘public events’ in this hyper partisan world … we need to rely on a part, of a small group, to be our voice.
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It’s too bad when people get blacklisted for standing up for what they believe in. Ad hominem is such an easy way to dispense with disturbing truths.
As a long-time environmental advocate, my compatriots and I have often been demeaned in order to be discredited. Even after our concerns have been adopted by government and the general public with many of them now banned (chlorine bleaching of pulp, certain pesticides, leaded products, uranium mining) or addressed (climate change, toxic waste, chemical fertilizers, sewage disposal, species extinction), we continue to be labelled with pejorative terms any time we bring up an emerging issue.
I suspect that local residents who stand up to city hall with valid concerns have been receiving the same treatment. It’s unfair and unjust and in nobody’s best interest.
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