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Manpower shortage created challenges for detachment
Kimberley City Council Report
By Nowell Berg
On October 14, City of Kimberley council held its regular bi-monthly meeting.
Councillors Sue Cairns, Woody Maguire, Jason McBain and Sandra Roberts were present. Coun. Diana Fox served as acting Mayor.
Coun. Kevin Dunnebacke along with Mayor Don McCormick were absent.
An archive of the meeting can be viewed on the City of Kimberley YouTube channel. Watch it here.
RCMP Quarterly Report
Cst. Clint Corbeil presented to council the second quarter RCMP report (July – September 2025).
He noted the Kimberley RCMP Detachment “responded to 551 calls for service.” This was an 11% increase over the previous quarter (Q1).
RCMP officers continue to “make contacts” with schools, especially Selkirk Secondary. Cst. Corbeil said, “Our relationship with the schools here in Kimberley is very strong.”
Officers have also been visiting pre-schools and attending Marysville School. Several officers are involved with coaching volleyball, soccer, rugby and hockey.
“Our manpower was down about 40%” over the summer, which means the detachment’s “traffic stats are lower than we like to have them,” said Corbeil.
One significant change in RCMP statistics from Q1 to Q2 was the drop in the number of road checks conducted by officers. It went from 300 in Q1 to zero in Q2.
“Usually when we do road checks, we like to have multiple members, and sometimes this summer it wasn’t possible due to our staffing numbers.” Corbeil reported that the detachment is down four members. One officer “off-duty sick” long-term, another on long term light duties, and two on paternity leave.
He mentioned the Meachen Creek Falls incident from early September. He said that because the persons involved were Mexican nationals, the detachment was engaged with the Mexican consulate. “It was a very in-depth file, and trying to deal with everything was a very large, time-consuming file.”
He noted that on September 25, the detachment “responded to a large structure fire at the Skookumchuck Pulp Mill.” A warehouse holding machinery and equipment “burnt down.” He was told the loss amounted to between $4 and $5 million.
The Kimberley RCMP Charity Golf tournament was “re-ignited” at Purcell Golf course. The event raised “approximately $15,000 for Summit Community Services.”
Cst. Corbeil also reported that “Block Watch is up and running. The group will be looking for more participation from the community and will be hosting an information session in the near future.”
Coun. McBain asked Corbeil about e-bikes at Selkirk school and what type of conversations with students about rules of the road might be happening.
Cst. Corbeil noted that Cst. Doug Wilson has taken on that file in conjunction with the Fire Department. By the spring (2026) a presentation will be made to students about “the do’s and don’ts, what wattage can be allowed, and what is considered a motor vehicle.”
The RCMP considers an electric bike that does not have pedals to be “no different than a motor vehicle,” which makes them subject to the same “rules of the road.” Detachment officers are doing as much “education” as possible, but “sooner or later education will end and enforcement begin,” said Corbeil.
Firestop Education Session
The city has scheduled a building contractor education session around the “benefits of the correct way to install required BC Building Code firestopping in buildings.”
Troy Pollack, Manager Planning and Sustainability, told councilor that with several new multi-unit housing projects underway, “There seems to be some misunderstandings on firestopping requirements and best practices.”
This four-hour session, with lunch included, will be October 23 at the Kimberley Conference Centre.
If you are interested in participating, please contact the city to register.
Kimberley city council assembles twice monthly starting at 7 p.m.
The next regular council meeting: October 27.
e-KNOW file photos
e-KNOW
