The City of Kamloops has denied a request from Thompson Rivers University as it sought an exemption from the BC Building Code to build temporary student housing on campus.

The university had asked for the exemption as it said these portables were “emergency facilities” which would have housed about 150 students in a university parking lot.

In a letter dated Sept. 22, Kamloops CAO, David Trawin, wrote to TRU Vice President of Administration, Matt Milovick, to say that the request was rejected as the portables did not meet BC Building Code standards. He says there were issues with the fire alarm systems, the heating and ventilation system, as well as utility issues, including sewer access.

“Having carefully analyzed your request with our Building and Engineering Development Division and our legal team, the City has concluded that that the proposed units are not properly categorized as “emergency facilities” in the manner contemplated by the applicable legislation,” he wrote.

“While that term is not expressly defined in the BC Building Code or the Building Bylaw, it seems clear that it is reserved for situations involving sudden or unforeseen events that require emergency action to protect lives or property.”

In an interview with NL News, Trawin said the City could not exempt TRU as they wanted to ensure that fire, health, safety, and accessibility requirements were met.

“We felt that although there is a crisis, an institutional crisis for students at TRU, that we could not consider it, more importantly the courts probably would not consider it, and the province wouldn’t consider it an emergency,” he said. “Once we determined that that clause was not applicable in this case, it came to it that the units would have to follow the BC Building Code.”

“I’m not slighting TRU but the City cannot provide a building permit and allow a unit to go in legally until it gets that information. If they can get a professional to verify that it does meet the building code then we’re definitely prepared to expedite whatever we need to do to have that happen.”

The letter from Trawin came after a closed council meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 21, where councilors unanimously voted to require that Thompson Rivers University apply for a building permit and meet the requirements of the BC Building Code for the proposed student housing portables, a request Trawin says is not unreasonable.

“We felt that emergency dwellings were more for example the Lytton issue where there actually is no housing there at all or if there is a huge natural disaster and we needed to provide facilities to deal with that,” he told NL News.

“It is one of those things were legally we cannot do what TRU is wanting to do. They understand that but they are trying to deal with a situation too and we understand that.”

Trawin says he does not feel the City’s request is unreasonable, adding he is sympathetic towards the issue that Thompson Rivers University is trying to solve. He added that if TRU is able to come up with an alternate solution, like modular structures that meet the BC Building Code, the City would be in a better position to work with TRU.

“If TRU is committed to its current proposed modular solution, the City will continue to work with you to ensure the appropriate BC Building Code provisions are met,” Trawin added.

TRU Disappointed by City’s Decision

In a statement, Thomson Rivers University says it is disappointed that its request to establish emergency temporary student housing at the Kamloops campus has been denied.

“We believe we put forward a solution that provides a full commitment to the health and safety of students and addressed a critical need due to a sudden and unforeseen shortage of affordable housing in the city,” spokesperson Michelle Young said, in an email.

The university has 1,366 beds in residence for students, which are all currently full, though not due to an unusual influx of students as there are 712 fewer students enrolled in this fall semester compared to 2019.

Young says housing is a complex issue and not something that university can resolve on its own.

“The need for affordable student housing developed in August due to sudden and unforeseen factors and we quickly developed a temporary emergency solution on our campus,” she added.

“The situation experienced today is the result of a number of factors that have strained the city’s affordable housing supply including the influx of out-of-town workers to support pipeline and other construction activity, wildfire evacuees, and the loss of spaces to social housing and future developments.”

TRU says it will continue to look for a solution to find affordable housing for students.

You can read Trawin’s letter to Thompson Rivers University here.