Present: Mayor Rathor; Councillors Boehm, Delainey, Flaspohler, Lyons (via Zoom), Moses and Nelson
Meeting called to order at 6:00pm
Mayor Rathor recognized that the meeting was taking place on the traditional unceded territory of Williams Lake First Nation within Secwepemculecw and Mayor Rathor expressed his personal condolences and that of Williams Lake City Council in regards to the shooting incident in Tumbler Ridge, BC (click here)
Meeting Agenda approved - click here
Meeting Video - click here
Minutes of the previous City Council meeting was adopted
Delegation:
Venta Rutkauskas and Cheryl Chapman from the Orange Shirt Society appeared before Council to discuss the April 2026 Graduation Event at BC Place in Vancouver
Following their presentation -- a Question/Answer period ensued
Mayor Rathor thanked the delegation for their time/information
Response to Delegations:
Council received the presentation from the Orange Shirty Society, directed Staff to distribute information on the April 2026 Orange Shirt Day Graduation Event at BC Place to all BC Local Governments' and that the Mayor or alternate be approved to attend the April 2026 graduation event at BC Place
Business:
1) Council received for information the accounts payable computer cheque and EFT/Electronic Funds Transfer listings dated January 29 and February 5, 2026
2) Council authorized entering into a License of Occupation Agreement with the Toronto-Dominion Bank for an existing overhead awning sign located along Borland Street at 101 Second Avenue North
3) Following public input -- Council approved Development Permit No. 04-2025 for G.L. Smith Planning & Designs Inc., on behalf of The TDL (Tim Horton's) Group Corp., to permit exterior renovations and site improvements to the existing Tim Horton’s located at 1059 Highway 97 South
4) Council received a report from the Chief Financial Officer regarding an early debt repayment option from the Municipal Finance Authority and directed Staff to proceed
5) Council received for information a report of the Senior Bylaw Officer regarding an update on the status of the City's pre-approved temporary overnight shelter locations following nine months of implementation
CONTRARY TO THE MOTION: Councillor S. Nelson
6) Council received for information a report from the Director of Protective Services/Fire Chief regarding an overview of the downtown street concerns raised by Consus Management Ltd., summarizing the actions taken to date by staff, and outlining ongoing work related to downtown safety, sanitization and multi-agency coordination
And at the request of Councillor Nelson --
That Council direct that there be immediately a higher RCMP presence in the downtown Williams Lake area, re-iterate to the Provincial Government that prolific offenders be required to wear GPS devices while out on bail and that a dialogue be pursued between the RCMP, Interior Health, Williams Lake and District Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Williams Lake BIA/Business Improvement Area and the City of Williams Lake to establish short term solutions in regards to the rash of break-ins in the downtown core of Williams Lake
CONTRARY TO THE MOTION: Councillor M. Moses
7) Council agreed to advocate to the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM), the Premier, the Minister of Forests, and local MLA(s) regarding the significant impacts of the recent changes to the FireSmart Community Funding and Supports program, requesting the restoration of stable, multi-year wildfire risk reduction funding, the reinstatement of fuel management eligibility, and continued predictable support for FireSmart positions and Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan (CWRP) implementation
8) Council authorized RFP/Request for Proposals, as follows:
a) purchase of four half ton four door quad cab 4x4 pick-up truck vehicles to Dueck Chevrolet Buick Cadillac GMC Ltd. for the purchase price of $300,821.37, including all applicable taxes, and authorize staff to use the remaining budgeted funds to purchase a dump box insert at an estimated cost of $10,000.00
b) purchase of one 2026 four-cylinder SUV/ MPV/ Crossover vehicle to Dueck Chevrolet Buick Cadillac GMC Ltd. for the purchase price of $42,144.29
9) Council authorized a Remedial Action Resolution for property at 55 6th Avenue South (behind Hamilton Hotel) - click here
10) Council endorsed recommendations from a previous meeting of Central Cariboo Joint Committee, as follows:
* That City of Williams Lake and CRD staff bring forward to the next Central Cariboo Joint Committee meeting, a proposal for the makeup of a Working Group for the development of an Indoor Multi-Use Facility
* approval be granted to place the described artwork created by Montana Russell in her presentation, on a wall in the West Fraser Aquatic Centre lobby
* That City of Williams Lake/Cariboo Regional District staff report back to the February Central Cariboo Joint Committee meeting regarding the Joint Use Facilities Agreement.
11) Council endorsed recommendations from a previous Committee of Whole Council meeting, as follows:
* That pursuant to Committee of Whole Council Report #03-2026, the presentation from Darren VanEs and Greg Jeannotte, R.I.S.E. Society, be received and a letter of support be provided to the RISE Society; and further, that the City request local First Nations, the Cariboo Regional District (via the Central Cariboo Joint Committee) and the Interior Health Authority to also provide letters of support to the Society
*That Committee of Whole Council Report #04-2026 and the report of the Chief Financial Officer dated January 14, 2026 be received and Council maintain its direction to not consider late permissive tax applications
CONTRARY TO THE MOTION: Mayor SPS Rathor and Councillors M. Moses and S. Nelson
* That pursuant to Committee Report #05-2026 and the report of the Deputy Corporate Officer dated January 15, 2026, Council approve new City of Williams Lake Recognition Program Policy No. 235, and repeal Council Policies No. 32 and 215; and further, that Policy No. 235 be brought back to Committee of Whole Council for review in February 2027, following its first year of implementation.
12) Council received the January 28, 2026 Central Cariboo Joint Committee meeting minutes
13) Council received for information a letter from the Cariboo Regional District dated February 2, 2026 advising of the nomination period for appointment of the Cariboo Regional District representative to the NCLGA/North Central Local Government Association's Board for the 2026-27 term
14) Council agreed to provide a letter of thank you to the Minister of Health to encourage continued support of their Farmers' Market Nutrition Coupon Program in our community
15) Council proclaimed the following:
* March 26, 2026 be proclaimed as "Purple Day" in the City of Williams Lake
* the lights of Williams Lake City Hall be changed to red on March 24, 2026 for "World Tuberculosis Day"
16) Council received its' "Council Information Package" as of February 10, 2026
Members of Council reported on their recent activities
Motion to Close the Meeting:
At 7:40pm -- Council resolved to proceed into a Closed (In-Camera) Council Meeting, following adjournment of the Open Council Meeting - as per Sections 92 + 90(1a - appointment) of the Community Charter
And then Council adjourned at 7:41pm
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