Council Matters: Rossland City Council Meeting, April 7, 2026
By Sara Golling
An all- new, improved zoning bylaw (if you have thoughts on any of it, now is the time to discuss them and express them to the City); more work on the Financial Plan; the cost of recreation facilities and services; cupcakes for Canada Day; the City is seeking a new Manager of Recreation & Events …
PRESENT:
Mayor Andy Morel and Councillors Stewart Spooner, Jeff Weaver, Craig Humpherys, Maya Provençal, Lisa Kwiatkowski and Eliza Boyce (remote).
Staff: CAO Bryan Teasdale, Deputy Corporate Officer Cynthia Añonuevo, CFO Craig McDonald, Manager of Public Works and Infrastructure Scott Lamont, City Planner Stacey Lightbourne, Manager of Recreation & Events Kristi Calder, and Executive Assistant Rachel Newton.
PUBLIC INPUT PERIOD:
No one spoke.
DELEGATION: Rossland Heritage Pool Society
The Society’s Secretary, Joanne Drystek, reported on the progress and official status of the Society, and the society’s work with the Heritage Commission and the Museum, and Rossland Rotary. The society is working toward charitable status. Vice-chair Kayle Robson reported on the Society’s further fund-raising and awareness-raising activities, and their contributions to improve the pool, such as a change tent for pool staff, and a water cooler.
Kwiatkowski suggested that , before they obtain charitable status, they could direct funding to the City which is able to issue tax receipts; she also suggested looking into the BC Amateur Sports Fund.
BYLAWS:
Zoning Bylaw # 2864:
This is the first complete re-draft of the zoning Bylaw since 2011.
A motion to give the bylaw first reading CARRIED unanimously; after second reading, there will be a public hearing where residents can provide input (date to be announced), and people can provide written input at any time. To see the summary of changes, click this link. It leads to an explanatory page on the City website. The entire draft bylaw is included in the materials for this meeting – available to the public.
Spooner commented that the “high-level stuff is more detailed” in what it allows people to do on their property; such as the rules limiting accessory structures to three per property, and restricting storage of materials, and he feels that he (for one) would be “way out of compliance.” He thinks council should discuss how far the City should go in dictating what people can and cannot do on their property. He mentioned that his clothesline pole is defined as a “structure.”
Lightbourne pointed out that the provisions Spooner is referring to are in the current bylaw; they have not changed.
Weaver asked Lightbourne what “expanded permissions for secondary suites” means; Lightbourne explained under the current BC Building Code a secondary suite can be built in more types of dwellings, and the new zoning bylaw reflects that.
Kwiatkowski asked about the 500-unit requirement for staff housing; Lightbourne explained that the 500-unit requirement is cumulative for the zone.
Boyce recognized the work done by staff, and emphasized the importance of communicating the draft changes to the public. She was also concerned about changes that might “iron out” the differences that contribute to Rossland’s character.
Provençal spoke about ways of helping to communicate changes to the public, so as to “get more eyes” on the changes and elicit input that may help to make the bylaw more user-friendly.
Next steps: Council hopes for more input from more citizens. Second reading offers an opportunity for discussing and incorporating amendments. Lightbourne reported that some builders are holding off on beginning new projects until the new zoning bylaw is adopted.
Council Remuneration Bylaw # 2865:
Each Council sets the remuneration for the next Council; this bylaw has already been discussed and gone through first, second and third readings. It provides that, starting on November 1, 2026 – after the next civic election – the annual remuneration for the Mayor will be $37,575, and other Council members will be paid $20,850 annually; and that on January 1 of each year that base pay will be adjusted, based on the BC Consumer Price Index. A motion to adopt the bylaw CARRIED unanimously.
Sewer Parcel Tax Bylaw # 2857:
To help the City pay for ongoing sewerage services, this bylaw will increase the Sewer Parcel Tax rate by 10% (or $7.16) per serviceable parcel, from $71.59 in 2025 to $78.75 in 2026. A motion to give the bylaw first reading CARRIED unanimously.
Water Parcel Tax Bylaw:
As with the previous bylaw, this will increase the Water Parcel Tax by 10% (or $18.96) per serviceable parcel, from $189.56 in 2025 to $208.52 in 2026. The City anticipates some capital projects necessary for continuing to provide us all with clean, potable water. A motion to give the bylaw first reading CARRIED unanimously.
2026-2030 Financial Plan Bylaw No. 2861:
A motion to give the bylaw first reading CARRIED unanimously. The materials for this meeting included the following list of public meetings that have anticipated and discussed the needs expressed in this plan:
August 11, 2025 Regular Council Meeting — Discussion on Approach for 2026-2030 Financial Plan
October 6, 2025 Regular Council Meeting — 2026-2030 Financial Plan Preview (Operations Budget)
October 20, 2025 Regular Council Meeting — 2026-2030 Financial Plan Preview (Capital Budget)
October 27, 2025 Community Information Session — Table Talks!!! Our Rossland Our Budget
February 17, 2026 Special Committee-of-the-Whole Meeting — Draft 2026-2030 Financial Plan Bylaw Preview (Operations Budget)
March 9, 2026 Special Committee-of-the-Whole Meeting — Draft 2026-2030 Financial Plan Bylaw Preview (Capital Budget)
The City estimates that a homeowner with a home assessed at $625,000, will see a total increase – including property taxes, parcel taxes, charges for water and sewer, and the RDKB requisition – of $553.79 for the year; or, $46.15 per month or $1.52 per day. However, this figure does not include any increases in charges for schools, police or the hospital, as those are not known yet.
Next steps: Public Consultation on Monday, April 20, 2026 at City Hall, and expected final adoption of the 2026-2030 Financial Plan Bylaw at the Regular Council Meeting on Monday, May 4, 2026.
REQUEST FOR COUNCIL DECISION:
School District 20 Jubilee Field and Rossland Summit School Gymnasium Mutual Use Agreement 2026-2029
After some discussion, a motion to approve the updated Agreement CARRIED unanimously, but the School Board still has to vote in favour of it at their next meeting before the Agreement can become effective.
FOR INFORMATION ONLY:
2025 Recreation Cost Recovery Report
This 13-page report details the costs of Rossland’s recreation facilities and programs, and the amounts recovered through rentals and program fees. The material accompanying the report notes,
“Worthy of consideration, this analysis does not capture the social, environmental or economic impacts of each program/ facility, nor the contributions of volunteers (time and money) that, if the programs were to be offered by solely by the City, would represent additional out of pocket costs/ allocations of staff time to offer same level of service.”
The arena and the pool have the highest costs of operation; in 2025, the arena’s cost of operation – that is, operating expense (including the $29,287 cost of administration by the City) minus revenues from rental and program fees – was $254,000. The pool cost the City $111,582, including an administration charge of $37,875.
Council and staff discussed the issue of in-house versus contracted janitorial services for City facilities.
Weaver asked Lamont when the City will need to replace brine lines at the arena. Lamont responded that the arena is running fine right now, but something could fail at any time. He expects to learn more over the next season. Weaver also asked if, during the upcoming civic election, it would be possible to “piggyback” a referendum question about spending on the arena. Morel pointed out the federal government is announcing millions of dollars for infrastructure. Teasdale stated that such a referendum is non-binding, and is only as good as the information available to the voters, so if a question is to be included, staff need to know about it soon to begin preparing information.
REQUESTS ARISING FFOM CORRESPONDENCE:
- Team GIVE’R requests a letter of support for their application for a grant from the BC Community Gaming Program. Weaver recused himself, and a motion to send a letter of support CARRIED unanimously.
- The Canadian Federation of Independent Business asks the City to oppose the provincial government’s decision in Budget 2026 to expand the Provincial Sales Tax (PST) to a wide range of professional services. The letter of request states that the change “will directly impact municipal budgets, increase local project costs, and harm local businesses in your community.” The suggestion was that if the tax increase goes through, municipalities should be exempt. Morel noted that there will be consultations about this coming up. Provençal proposed a motion that the City not respond at this time. It was not seconded. Boyce proposed a motion that the City send a letter supporting the additional taxation as long as municipalities are exempt from paying it on professional services. That motion CARRIED.
- The Wild Turkey Inn requests an exemption from the City’s Good Neighbour Bylaw’s noise provisions, to allow amplified music to play until 11:15 PM for a private party on July 1. The previous year’s party gave rise to several complaints to the City from neighbours, and measures to address them are promised. Council members asked some questions, and Kwiatkowski suggested that there should be a hard stop at 11:00, but the motion to agree to the request as submitted CARRIED.
- Rossland Museum and Discovery Centre requests permission to hold its annual Canada Day event on the property, and for the Mayor (or proxy) to assist, and for the loan and transport of traffic barricades, and for a supply of cupcakes (this is allowed for in the City’s budget, to a maximum cost of $600). A motion to approve the request CARRIED unanimously.
MEMBER RFEPORTS (highlights only):
Provençal had attended the library board meeting, and reported that the provincial funding that was formerly added to its base funding has expired and seems unlikely to be renewed. She commented that the library already does so much with so little.
Morel reported that the RDKB budget was approved on March 25; the Association of Kootenay Boundary Local Governments (AKBLG) conference will he held in Trail on April 17 to 19. Resort Municipalities are working on how to leverage more funding from the province. He also attended the CBT board meeting in Trail, and reported that CBT is working toward taking over management of its dams.
Morel is meeting with Housing Minister in Trail tomorrow and asked if there are any things he should take to that meeting.
THE MEETING ADJOURNED at 7:30 pm; then Provençal clarified that this is Kristi Calder’s last Council meeting before she leaves the City for a new position with the Regional District of Central Kootenay, and thanked Calder for her excellent work; the room applauded. (The City has issued an invitation for applicants for Calder’s position. Could you be the City’s new Manager of Recreation & Events?)
And your reporter made her way home, contemplating what makes Rossland particularly attractive and interesting and livable, including all the differences in the looks of homes within neighbourhoods – the great variety in sizes and styles and colours, the non-homogenized nature of our town.
