Council Highlights – October 6, 2025
Council Highlights offer a summary of key decisions made by Council that help shape Castlegar’s future. They’re designed to keep you informed about important initiatives, policy updates, and the progress of City priorities. This is part of our commitment to transparency and helping residents stay connected to the work of Council.
DELEGATIONS
Association of West Kootenay Rock Climbers
Yann Troutet and Daniel Raber provided Council with an introduction to the Association, a registered non-profit organization with ten volunteer directors and approximately 150 members. They outlined ongoing maintenance and improvement projects at the Kinnaird Bluffs climbing area, described their goal of maintaining the site for recreational use, and noted an interest in purchasing the property to preserve it as a community climbing area. The group also expressed a desire for the site to be designated for recreational purposes by any future property owner.
📺 Watch the presentation at the 00:00:55 mark
British Columbia Timber Sales (BCTS)
George Edney and representatives from BCTS presented an overview of their regional operations. Highlights included the organization’s mandate to support sustainable forest management, generate economic opportunities through timber sales, and ensure alignment with provincial priorities and community values; their responsibility to manage and auction approximately 20 percent of the forest harvesting in the area; a review of the Southern Interior’s sales performance; and the implementation of strategic recommendations to support sustainable forestry management.
📺 Watch the presentation at the 00:24:42 mark
Castlegar-Embetsu Educational Exchange Committee
Nick Ahlefeld and Yuri Kutschera attended on behalf of the Committee to share highlights from the 2025 student delegation’s visit to Embetsu and other parts of Japan. Students spoke about their experiences and presented a gift from the Town of Embetsu to the City of Castlegar. Embetsu students are scheduled to visit Castlegar in August 2026.
📺 Watch the presentation at the 00:03:00 mark
DISCUSSION & DECISIONS
2026 Permissive Tax Exemption Bylaw No. 1442 (Report No. 25-73)
Council gave first, second, and third readings to the 2026 Permissive Tax Exemption Bylaw No. 1442, which authorizes property-tax exemptions for eligible not-for-profit, philanthropic, and charitable organizations in accordance with the Community Charter. The Bylaw will be brought forward for adoption at a Special Meeting of Council on October 28, 2025 at 4:30pm.
📺 Watch the presentation at the 01:11:47 mark
📄 Read the Staff Report
Request for Quotation 2024-23 – Supply and Delivery of Calcium Chloride (Report No. 25-69)
Staff presented a report recommending that the City award Request for Quotation 2024-23 to NSC Minerals Ltd. for a proposed four-year term valued at $98,525 (2024/25), $102,475 (2025/26), $106,575 (2026/27), and $110,825 (2027/28) plus applicable taxes. Calcium chloride is used as an anti-icing agent in the City’s winter road maintenance program. The recommendation will be brought forward for Council consideration at the October 20, 2025 Regular Meeting.
📺 Watch the presentation at the 02:00:18: mark
📄 Read the Staff Report
COMMUNITY
Grandview Park and Playground Proposal
Council received correspondence from the Grandview Heights Strata Council and the Grandview Park and Playground Organizing Committee, including a petition and letters of community support requesting consideration of a neighbourhood park and playground. Following the discussion, Council directed staff to work with the Organizing Committee to explore potential opportunities for parkland in the Grandview area and report back at a future meeting.
📺 Watch the discussion at the 00:25:54 mark
Neighbourhood Safety and Traffic Requests
In response to correspondence from residents, Council directed staff to install “no overnight parking” signage at the end of Woodland Drive and at Millennium Park near the Dog Park. Council also requested that the RCMP increase patrols on 5th Avenue South and that staff place the electronic speed reader in the area to monitor traffic speed.
Council further directed staff to prepare a report on a pilot project to test lower speed limits on 5th Avenue South and consider whether a city-wide residential speed reduction should be evaluated in the future.
📺 Watch the discussion at the 00:29:48 mark
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