Thompson-Nicola Regional District – Kamloops, BC

Regional Administration Headquarters

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) main administration office is located in the heart of downtown Kamloops, occupying the upper floors of the Civic Building at 465 Victoria Street. This facility serves as the central governance and administrative hub for a vast region covering approximately 45,000 square kilometres of British Columbia’s interior. Unlike a standard City Hall, the TNRD provides local government services to 10 Electoral Areas (rural populations) and coordinates regional services for its 11 Member Municipalities, which include Kamloops, Merritt, and Sun Peaks. The office is a critical resource for residents living outside municipal boundaries who rely on the regional district for planning, utilities, and emergency services.

Development and Environmental Services

One of the primary functions of this office is to manage land use and development within the unincorporated electoral areas. Residents visiting the Development Services department on the 4th floor can access a wide range of essential services:

• Building Permits and Inspections: Homeowners and contractors can submit applications for new construction, renovations, and complex buildings. The department provides guidance on BC Building Code compliance and zoning bylaws.
• Planning and Zoning: Staff are available to assist with rezoning applications, subdivision proposals, and variance requests. They also maintain detailed mapping systems for the region.
• Solid Waste Management: The Environmental Services department manages the region’s network of Eco-Depots and transfer stations. Residents can purchase or top-up their Eco-Cards-the cashless payment system used for tipping fees at waste facilities-directly at the front counter.
• Invasive Plant Management: The office coordinates regional efforts to control noxious weeds and provides education and resources to property owners.

Utilities and Finance

For residents connected to one of the TNRD’s 11 community water systems or 2 sewer systems (such as those in Black Pines, Blue River, or Pritchard), this office acts as the utility billing centre. The Finance Department handles:

• Utility Payments: Acceptance of payments for quarterly water and sewer bills. While the TNRD encourages online banking, the front counter accepts cash, debit, and cheques.
• Accounts Payable/Receivable: Processing of vendor invoices and other financial transactions.
• Property Taxes: While the TNRD does not collect property taxes directly (this is done by the Surveyor of Taxes for rural areas and municipalities for urban areas), staff can provide information regarding the specific regional services funded by tax requisitions.

Governance and Community

The Civic Building is the seat of the TNRD Board of Directors, which consists of Electoral Area Directors and Municipal Directors. The Boardroom, located on the 4th floor, hosts regular public meetings where decisions on bylaws, budgets, and regional policies are made. The building also houses the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), which activates during major crises such as wildfires or floods to coordinate response efforts across the region. On the ground floor of the same building, the Kamloops Library (a branch of the Thompson-Nicola Regional Library system) provides extensive literacy and community programs, though administrative inquiries for the library system are handled on the 3rd floor.

Accessibility and Visiting

The TNRD office is designed to be fully accessible, with elevator access to all floors and wheelchair-accessible washrooms. Visitors should note that the office operates on standard business hours, Monday through Friday, and is closed on all statutory holidays. Security protocols are in place for the safety of staff and visitors. Public parking is available on the surrounding streets (paid metering) and in nearby downtown parkades, though visitors with mobility challenges have noted that on-street accessible spaces can be in high demand.