Present: Mayor Rathor; Councillors Boehm. Delainey, Lyons, 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 he welcomed former Williams Lake Mayor Walt Cobb, Cariboo RD Area "D" Director Steve Forseth and Williams Lake First Nation Kukpi7 (Chief) Willie Sellars to tonight's Council meeting
Mayor Rathor recognized that the meeting was taking place on the traditional unceded territory of Williams Lake First Nation within Secwepemculecw
Meeting Video - click here
Meeting Agenda - click here
Meeting Agenda adopted
Minutes of the previous Council meeting were received/adopted
Delegations:
1) Ms. Maureen Straza, Accessibility Advisory Committee Chair appeared before Council to present the Accessibility Advisory Committee's 2025 Year-End Report
2) Mr. Walt Cobb appeared before Council to present on a Community Grant Application & Funding for Military Crosswalk to Celebrate 100th Anniversary
3) Ms. Taya Vanderkop-Girard, Wildfire Risk Reduction and FireSmart Coordinator appeared before Council to present an Overview of FireSmart Program and Objectives in the City of Williams Lake
After each presentation -- a Question/Answer period ensued...
Mayor Rathor thanked each delegation for their time/information
Response to Delegations:
Delegation #1 -- the report of the Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) Chair and Legislative Services Assistant Coordinator dated March 11, 2026 regarding a summary of the AAC's goals and successes from 2025 was received for information
Delegation #2 -- the presentation of Walt Cobb, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 139 requesting Council approval for the proposed installation of a painted military-themed crosswalk project at the intersection of 4th Avenue and Borland Street was received/endorsed. Council also agreed to provide a Year Round grant for the project in the amount of $4,600, as per Council Policy 230 and referred the matter to the Central Cariboo Joint Committee to seek CRD Area Directors' Financial Support for the crosswalk project
Delegation #3 -- the presentation from Taya Vanderkop-Girard, Wildfire Risk Reduction and FireSmart Coordinator, regarding an introduction and overview of the Williams Lake FireSmart Program and objectives was received for information
Business:
1) Council received for information the accounts payable computer cheque and EFT listings dated March 26, April 2 and 9, 2026
2) Mayor Rathor required Council to reconsider Council Resolution #118/26 as per Section 131 of the Community Charter, as follows:
That Council direct staff to send a response to the LCRB regarding the cannabis retail licence application at #401-1185 Prosperity Way that states:
(a) The City of Williams Lake has considered the location of the proposed store and the views of the residents; and
(b) The City of Williams Lake recommends the application be issued, as minimal concerns have been identified by the various City departments on the general impact to the community, and the proposal aligns with Council Policy No. 213 and Zoning Bylaw No. 2430;
And further, that Council direct staff to include a record of the community consultation with the response to the LCRB regarding the licence application.
Following verbal input from the applicant and Unity Cannabis (Williams Lake First Nation) --
Council recessed its' Open Meeting at 7:11pm to hold a Closed (In-Camera) Meeting as per Section 90(1i - legal advice) of the Community Charter
At 7:35pm - Council resumed its' Open Meeting
Following further discussion -- Council rejected Council Resolution #118/26 by the following vote:
Affirmative - Councillors S. Boehm and A. Delainey
Opposed - Mayor SPS Rathor; Councillors S. Nelson, M. Moses and J. Lyons
3) Council authorized entering into a License of Occupation Agreement with Fraser Inn Beer & Wine Store Ltd., Inc. No. BC1242853 for an existing freestanding sign located along Donald Ave at 245 Donald Road
4) Council ratified an email poll in relation to the following motion:
That Council identify that it is strongly opposed to the Thompson River University (TRU) Board’s discussion or the recommendation that the Williams Lake TRU campus be shut down,
And further that Council demand that public consultation and the implementation of other programs be implemented ASAP on behalf of the Provincial government and the Board of TRU,
And further that Council be on record that they are 100% opposed that the most important trade school in the province of BC be at risk of closing because of budget short falls.
5) Council gave 1st, 2nd and 3rd Readings to the following Bylaws:
* City of Williams Lake Financial Plan Bylaw No. 2433, 2026
* City of Williams Lake Tax Rate Bylaw No. 2434, 2026
6) Council endorsed the 2026 April 14, 2026 Regular Council Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan (CWRP) as presented and amended (Goal #35 - work collaboratively between City of Williams Lake, local First Nations and Regional District for wildfire risk reduction strategies for the broader Williams Lake area), and direct staff to use the Plan as the guiding framework for ongoing wildfire risk reduction, operational planning, public education, and future grant applications related to wildfire resilience
7) Council approved the Cariboo Large Event Municipal Fire Suppression Mutual Aid Agreement between Quesnel, Williams Lake and 100 Mile House
8) Council awarded the Asphalt Resurfacing 2026 contract to Peters Bros Construction Ltd. for the total construction tender amount of $1,178,252.89, excluding GST, for a total project value of $1,338,252.89 including contingency and quality assurance
9) Council awarded the Waterworks 2026 contract to Peterson Contracting Ltd. for the total construction tender amount of $174,518.19, excluding GST, for a total project value of $214,518.19 including contingency and testing
10) Council endorsed Committee recommendations, as follows:
a) Central Cariboo Joint Committee - April 1st, 2026 mtg:
That pursuant to Central Cariboo Joint Committee Report #04-202, Mayor Rathor and Stacey Miranda from the City of Williams Lake, and Director Neufeld and Darron Campbell from the Cariboo Regional District be appointed to a Working Group for the development of an Indoor Multi-Use Facility in the Central Cariboo
b) Committee of the Whole - March 31st, 2026 mtg:
* That pursuant to Committee of Whole Council Report #09-2026 and the report of the Manager of Engineering dated February 11, 2026, Council receive the latest construction cost estimate for the Water Treatment Plant, endorse the Water Treatment Plant project as a top priority, support the project and move it forward to the design stage, and seek upgrades in grants that will tie in with future programs to cover ongoing project costs
* That pursuant to Committee of Whole Council Report #10-2026, the letter from the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia dated March 23, 2026 regarding the provincial budget 2027 consultation be received and Council request the Province re-insert the $200 northern allowance back into the budget
11) Council received for information the April 1st, 2026 meeting minutes of the Central Cariboo Joint Committee
12) Council received for information:
* the following list of recognitions approved in accordance with Council Policy No. 235
Lighting Request - Purple on September 13, 2026 for "World Sepsis Day"
Proclamation - May 30 to June 5, 2026 for "SpringGoByBike Week"
Proclamation - May 2026 for "Hospice Palliative Care Awareness Month"
Proclamation - May 17 to 23, 2026 for "National Public Works Week"
* "Council Information Package" as of April 14, 2026
And then Council adjourned at 8:21pm
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