B.C. Promises New Oversight for Dysfunctional Municipalities Amid Kamloops Council Feud

The B.C. government is preparing to intervene in municipalities plagued by dysfunction, following escalating feuds in Kamloops that have cost taxpayers more than $1 million in legal bills and paralyzed city governance.

Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs Ravi Kahlon says the province is developing new oversight tools to deal with prolonged conflicts within city councils.

“I’ve come to the conclusion this type of behaviour just cannot continue,” Kahlon told CBC News. “The province is going to step in.”

His remarks follow the latest flareups in Kamloops, where a bitter rift between Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson and the rest of council has led to code of conduct violations, lawsuits, privacy breaches and a revolving door of staff departures. A report sent to Kahlon from Kamloops council described the situation as “untenable” and accused one elected official of causing “harmful and expensive” disruption with no legal recourse to remove them.

Since the 2022 elections, Kamloops and other municipalities — including Harrison Hot Springs, Sechelt and Sayward — have struggled with similar dysfunction, often with lone mayors pitted against entire councils. Yet under current B.C. law, there is no process to recall local politicians, and limited grounds for forced removal.

Kahlon says that may change, with new legislation being drafted to take effect by the October 2026 municipal elections. He did not commit to any immediate measures.

“This undermines democracy and the public’s faith in their local government,” he said.

A City Hall in Crisis

Two recent reports shed light on Kamloops' deepening governance issues. One details over $1 million in legal costs tied to internal disputes. Another, released last week, found Councillor Bill Sarai violated his oath of office by secretly recording a dispute with Mayor Hamer-Jackson, then misleading the public about it.

Sarai faces a possible reprimand, while Hamer-Jackson, who refused to participate in the investigation, has launched separate lawsuits against a councillor and his former lawyers. Deputy Mayor Mike O’Reilly said both Sarai and the mayor have refused basic steps like issuing apologies or undergoing workplace training.

Hamer-Jackson, in an interview, dismissed the complaints as political deflection.

“They didn’t want me as mayor and don’t believe in democracy,” he said. “Staff keep telling me to keep going. The general consensus is they want the councillors gone.”

Broader Reform on the Horizon

Kahlon said Kamloops is not alone in its dysfunction — but it has become the most visible case. While any legislation won’t help in the short term, he’s determined to prevent such chaos in future councils.

“These dollars could’ve gone to infrastructure and community services,” he said. “If I were a citizen of Kamloops, I’d be pissed.”