A recap of the all-candidates by-election forum

To replace the vacated seat left by the soon-to-be acclaimed mayor Rob O’Toole, four candidates are vying for a spot on the Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality (SPMRM) council.

Giving the community a chance to ask and receive information from the four candidates, Dave Burnham, Katherine Campbell, Brian Gillespie and Alice Muirhead, SPIN hosted an all-candidate forum on March 24.

Prior to this event, SPIN subscribers were given the opportunity to contribute their thoughts on what the most pressing concerns for the municipality are. SPIN used these responses to craft four questions directed toward all candidates before the floor opened to the public.

Below are all the questions asked, with time stamps of when in the live YouTube recording of the forum they were asked and answered.

Using the information learned from this public forum, those eligible to vote can cast their ballot on March 26 for advanced voting or April 5 for general voting, for more on how to vote visit SPIN’s guide.

Questions from SPIN

Questions were asked to councillors in rotating order, to give them equal chance to speak first. The responses are recorded as they were given. The entirety of each response isn’t provided, but full answers can be accessed through the links provided.

1. Many residents and business owners struggle to find or provide affordable housing in Sun Peaks. The Sun Peaks Housing Authority has been in existence for over six years, and Sun Peaks is also set to benefit from the Housing Accelerator Fund to help create housing. What is your current understanding of these programs, and how would you use them, or other efforts to help increase the supply of housing in Sun Peaks? 21:09

“I think that will be an interesting challenge to dive into with the other counselors, to understand their thinking around it, and whether we choose to turn that money away or choose to return it,” Muirhead said about the Housing Accelerator Fund. “If we can’t meet the conditions of it, I would hate to spend it before we know that we’re going to have it.”

With a high value placed on collaboration and partnerships, including with Sun Peaks Resort LLP (SPR), she also touched on the Community Lodge Program and the benefit of expansion there.

“The project we have and we will go forward with is really positive,” Gillespie said about the BC Builds project. “But it’s definitely not the catch-all answer to our housing, long term, short term, or anything like that.”

As a business owner, he said many businesses including his own rent out accommodation to staff to get ahead of housing shortages.

“These are solutions that forward thinking has brought us to.” 

“I think that the more we can add a variety of different housing into our inventory the more benefits,” Campbell said, citing SPR increasing housing with the new staff housing building.

“There are nine parcels of land that have been identified for employee housing and so it’s exciting to have this first one getting developed.”

“The accelerator fund and this particular project are big steps forward,” Burnham said. “But they are not going to solve this problem. It’s a bigger problem than that, and we need to balance that across the other housing problems we have in the resort.”

With a deeper look into the entire housing environment and stock in Sun Peaks, he sees a more comprehensive picture that will move Sun Peaks closer to a solution.

2. Our current short-term rental (STR) policy using temporary use permits (TUP) in residentially zoned areas has been in place for many years, with some residents arguing that the current arrangement is applied inconsistently or negatively, affecting property values and even future tourism development. What do you think of our current municipal short-term rental policies and how would you revisit these? 30:02

“I’m heartened that our current municipal council and staff have decided that they’re hiring a consultant to take our community through basically a forensic analysis and to be able to contribute to ensure that we get this right,” Campbell said, adding that STRs are integral to our community.

“This issue is about the residentially zoned properties in the resort that are generally single family homes,” Burnham said about people purchasing residentially zoned properties with the right to not have STRs in their neighbourhood. “Right now it is up to the owner to decide the community’s needs.”

“The TUP is an interesting and positive strategy in my mind to dealing with that particular zoning issue,” he said.

Clear data obtained with the help of the third party consultant SPMRM will be hiring for anSTR review in the  spring is a positive step toward answering questions on this issue, Gillespie said, including “Are we using the ones that we have zoned for? Are we clustering the Temporary Use Permits in neighbourhoods, the 25 per cent allotment on neighborhoods, are they all being used effectively?”

“I would love us to finalize an updated Official Community Plan, so that it is clear to people what is a residential area? What is an area that allows short-term nightly rentals? What is an area where you have to apply for a temporary use permit?” Muirhead said. 

Stating that the variety STRs provide visitors is important, she added more communication on what buyers can expect would be helpful.

3. Since the transfer of Sun Peaks Utilities from SPR to the municipality, there have been several phases of required infrastructure upgrades to both our water and wastewater systems. Most recently, in February council approved a 10 per cent increase to water and wastewater charges, following a 5.5 per cent municipal tax increase for municipal operations and capital assets. According to the director of finance, “The cost of supplying water is significantly higher than the cost of the water being consumed,” she said, explaining this is due to the maintaining and upgrading the infrastructure needed to ensure reliable and sustainable water. How do you plan to tackle this ongoing issue? 38:42

Education of “why we’re here” and around the current wastewater facility and necessary upgrades is what Gillespie identified as a key piece.

I don’t personally have an answer to you in regards to how we’re going to get out of it, outside of raising the appropriate funds via taxes,” he added. “It is not the prettiest picture to paint, but it is realistic.”

“I think a partnership with Sun Peaks Resort is critically important because they use a lot of water, and their guests produce a lot of waste water,” Muirhead said. “ I think partnerships with the provincial and federal government are also important.”

A current OCP to help with lobbying higher levels of government is also critical, she added.

Burnham reiterated that it is not just taxpayers and property owners who are utilizing this infrastructure, but guests and visitors as well.

“I think there are creative ways to find some new revenue sources to augment the grants we can continue to go after,” he said. “To help, at least the guests pay a little bit to help maintaining and improving that infrastructure.”

Campbell agreed with Muirhead’s note about partnerships with the resort and higher levels of government, and on Burnham’s point, added that passing costs off to guests who utilize the water is something to consider also.

“It’s exciting to know that we’re going to have this water pipeline,” she said as well, adding that they can hope to leverage more grants as they did for this project.

4. A current federal policy has limited or removed the ability for foreign buyers to purchase property in Sun Peaks, which has had a significant impact on real estate, development and the general economy of Sun Peaks. Many people want to see this ban amended to exclude Sun Peaks, similar to other resort communities in British Columbia. What are your plans for advocating for Sun Peaks regarding this current federal policy? 45:25

Burnham placed this issue as a top lobbying priority.

“I think everything else is almost on hold until we get this thing removed,” he said. “Development can’t happen. Revenues can’t happen.”

The position Muirhead took was contrary, wanting to prioritize other lobbying efforts such as water and wastewater and securing a permanent school.

“I think we should invest in the community that we have and become more attractive to B.C. residents,” she said, explaining that she enjoys having neighbours, people who spend time in their Sun Peaks homes, something less common with foreign buyers.

“I do think that the foreign buyers’ ban has greatly affected the resort in terms of real estate sales and development,” Campbell said. “I do think it is top of the agenda.”

In support of continuing lobbying efforts and meeting with members of the Legislative Assembly to move forward, she said focusing on the local market is important as well.

“I love the idea of the Lower Mainland helping our economy and buying houses and Sun Peaks was showcased incredibly well during the pandemic, we had a record amount of rubber tire traffic that came through from all over the province and Alberta. And unfortunately, even with that exposure, our housing market is pretty stagnant,” Gillespie said, highlighting the importance of foreign buyers.

Getting the community involved in lobbying would be valuable as well, he said.

Questions from the public

These have been summarized and rephrased to reflect the main point of each question and response. Most questions were directed to one or two councillors at a time for response.

On the topic of the Official Community Plan, do you feel that document meets long term planning and risk management needs? If not, what areas would you enhance and what processes would you go through to fulfill these? 53:04 

Useful in guiding the municipality, Burnham said the OCP should be updated regularly. 

“I haven’t found any gaps in my reviews of it,” he said “ I think right now is the time to identify them, so if you’ve got some, let’s chat, and see what we can do.”

How would you balance the needs of the community living here and the visitor economy/tourism? 55:26

With amenities desirable for living and visiting, Campbell said she doesn’t think the two are that separate.

With Tourism Sun Peaks hosting events, along with ArtZone Sun Peaks and building the skatepark, she said these are exciting if you live here or are visiting. 

“I think the more vibrant we make the community for us, it’s an attractive place for visitors to come as well.”

When we focus our energy on the heart of the community, Gillespie said, including community spaces, a community driven school and other community based projects, it retains like minded people in our community.

People passionate about being in the community will make it a better place, he added, willing to invest in clubs and businesses.

“That will directly affect tourism,” he said. “In a positive way.”

What does potential programming look like for the youth in Sun Peaks? 59:40

Along with the outdoor landscape Sun Peaks offers kids, Gillespie said the municipality has made progress on moving projects along, such as getting the health centre in place, progressing with the skatepark and planning for a school.

“We’re not all the way there,” he said. “But I think we need to be proud of where we’ve come, and I think we need to keep our foot on the gas.”

“It’s been a wonderful place for the kids to grow up,” Burnham said about his grandkids in the community.

Aside from lobbying for the Foreign Buyers’ Ban to be lifted in Sun Peaks, he said the number two item to push for is a community school, including infrastructure and facilities around it, to contribute to programming for the kids.

Do you think offering a development of more affordable places would be a better driver than fewer, more expensive houses? 1:03:41

Though for the build of affordable housing, Gillespie said he doesn’t think it is the fix-all.

“I think there’s a lot of things we need to do to realize what the other aspects of inventory are in Sun Peaks.”

With the last master plan published five years ago, how are we going to get ahead of the curve and meet expectations of owners and investors before the next is published? How are we going to pay for water, sewer and hydro? 1:06:38

“It’s all about partnerships,” Muirhead said.

The pieces brought up including water, wastewater and power are foundational pieces, and she said the municipality needs to look at the master plan with SPR as well as employing local developers to contribute to projects for those pieces.

“Growth for just growth sake is a dangerous thing,” Gillespie said. “And we do need to be calculated how we move forward.”

Matching the OCP with the master plan is an important step, he said, but builds can’t progress until water treatment infrastructure improves.

According to him, budgeting for that includes looking outside of the box at different revenue streams. This includes grants, and he stressed the importance of holding on to the current municipal grant writer.

Having a director of infrastructure with the municipality is exciting, Campbell stated, though there is no director of planning.

“I do think that position at the municipality is a key one,” she said. “If we can plan for that.”

“Without the removal of the foreign buyers ban, it will be difficult to sell properties that we currently have, that will enable the resort to be able to do any more investment,” Burnham said. “That investment is required in order to meet the goals on the master plan.”

With the OCP and master plan as guides, he said they need to ensure infrastructure is ready for those plans, by looking at alternate revenue streams.

“I’m a big proponent of putting in place some kind of resort fee for nightly occupants,” he said. “We’re not going to be able to facilitate all of that on our taxpayer base.”

How do we stay safe in the summer with wildfires? Note that another road out of town would help safety measures. 1:14:25

The OCP and master plan both talk about developing the back road to Chase, Campbell said.

“I don’t know what the time frame on that is,” she added. “But I think that it is another item that needs to be planned for.”

Expanding on the topic of a road to Chase, Muirhead said she understands it requires collaboration with neighbouring First Nations.

Working with First Nations organizations and government has been part of her professional career, and she said it’s vital to respect their needs and what they’d like to see done with the road. 

In agreement with the importance of the road to Chase, Gillespie said the foundation forward should be a financial agreement with the neighbouring First Nations for the long term.

With the municipality hiring a FireSmart coordinator, he said that’s very positive to see in the short term.

The road to Chase is one amongst many top-drawer priorities, Burnham said, but they need to find the money.

“It’s a prioritization exercise, so we can line things up and start getting them done.”

What would you be lobbying for with the province, which big ticket items? Examples include the road to Chase and community school. 1:20:13

An item Burnham discussed as an example for his response was the community school, which they need the school district for.

“We want something more than a school,” he said, as the site would be host to other facilities for the kids. “That’s where the local community comes in.”

“What can we do? It’s really the lobbying effort.”

The community, which Cambell defined as small but mighty, has already done work to develop a school and health centre.

“I think we are good lobbyers and we just need to continue the work,” she said.

“We need to be realistic about how we can use our community budget,” Gillespie said, adding that the community school is a big priority.

The more money raised as a community for the school would give Sun Peaks a voice in its build, he said. Funding as a community as well as pushing as a council is how he sees results solidifying.

“We have to be a good partner,” she stressed, in working with other organizations and levels of government needed to achieve these big ticket items. “We have to be engaged, we have to be educated.”

Based on her work in health care administration with many levels of jurisdiction, she said success happens when people work together.

A word from soon-to-be mayor O’Toole

The all-candidate forum wrapped up with a word from O’Toole, who started by stating the community would be in good hands with any of the four candidates for his vacated seat on council.

After thanking his family for helping him as he’s gotten to this place, he told the audience that he was nervous and excited to step into his new role.

Though not able to be active in meetings during this limbo period, he said he has been meeting with community groups and working behind the scenes, while attending meetings and keeping up with agendas.

Paying respect to his predecessor, Al Raine, O’Toole said many completed and ongoing projects are part of mayor Raine’s big vision for Sun Peaks.

Raine had been championing tourists paying for municipal services being used by them as well and building lasting relationships with the neighbouring First Nations.

“It’s not simply just a handshake,” he said about how they’re continuing on with this relationship building. “… We’re talking about groundbreaking stuff, where they actually see growth in Sun Peaks as a positive because they’re a part of that success.”

Touching on other municipal focuses, he brought up the youth of Sun Peaks and what there is for them in the community. Something he had researched is the Youth Action Network in Rossland, programming run by the youth for the youth. 

A good relationship with MLA for Kamloops-North Thompson Ward Stamer is an asset he said he does have in the push for a brick and mortar school, as Stamer has been helping them advocate for it already.

Council and staff will be focusing on long term strategy planning during sessions once the new council is set.

Using money rerouted for travel that isn’t on the calender, SPMRM will be taking part in training sessions with Indigenous Corporate Training Inc., as an opportunity for us to work with and learn from local nations.

“There’d be no community to live in if it wasn’t for tourism, he said as well, moving on to the importance of short term rentals.” It’s a piece of the puzzle, it just needs to be done in a way where it respects those full time community members that live here.”

Ending his speech, he reiterated his excitement to get back into the swing of things.