The following is a brief summary of selected items scheduled for discussion at the Town of Golden’s Regular Council meeting, as we are limited for space. It is not a complete account of the meeting package.
Council meets on Tuesdays, either at 1:15 or 7:00 p.m., The Golden Star goes to print on Tuesday at 2:00 p.m.
Residents who would like to review the agenda in detail can visit the Town of Golden’s website to download the full committee package and supporting documents ahead of the meeting.
• Library presentation highlights ORL’s role as community economic contributor
Okanagan Regional Library CEO Danielle Hubbard recently presented to council on the role libraries play in supporting local communities, describing libraries as both public service hubs and economic contributors.
The presentation highlighted the value of shared regional services, which allow communities to benefit from efficient use of funding and equal access for both rural and urban areas. ORL also pointed to the practical supports offered through local branches, including resume and job search help, free access to computers, internet and printing, online learning tools, technology assistance, and support for online forms and applications.
According to the presentation, ORL averaged 3,939 visits per day in 2025, with 35 programs running each day system-wide and an average of 680 people attending programs daily. Libraries were also described as safe, warm and inclusive spaces that help reduce isolation.
The presentation also noted ORL’s role as an employer, with more than 330 local jobs across the system, as well as its support for children’s literacy. In 2025, the Summer Reading Club saw 7,602 registrations, 650 programs and 29,951 program attendees.
• Golden CED presents annual report, seeks funding increase
Golden Community Economic Development presented its 2025-26 report to council, outlining a broad range of work in housing, workforce development, business attraction, newcomer support and community planning.
Among the year’s highlights, Golden CED delivered the Age-Friendly Community Plan in January 2026 following eight months of community engagement. The organization also continued its annual living wage calculation for the Golden area, and partnered with Tourism Golden on a separate living wage calculation for temporary seasonal workers in the tourism and hospitality sector.
Housing remained a major focus. Golden CED reported ongoing work at Purcell View Apartments, which provides housing for 15 local low- to moderate-income seniors, including the implementation of $460,000 in grants for building upgrades. The downtown community housing project is also moving ahead, with 27 rental units for low- and moderate-income residents and five commercial units for local businesses expected to be commissioned in spring 2027.
The presentation also highlighted the growth of Find it in Golden, which now lists 649 businesses and has seen 53,000 views since Sept. 1, 2024, along with 33,458 new users and 17,227 visits from organic search. Golden CED has also launched a redesigned website and an Invest in Golden landing page aimed at attracting founders, operators and investors.
Golden CED reported leveraging $554,450 in additional funds from other sources during the year. Its current operating budget is $375,000, while its 2026-27 funding request is $399,400, with the proposed budget for the next two contract years adding five per cent each year.
• Province allows temporary foreign worker flexibility for rural employers
The provincial government has opted in to a targeted federal variance that will allow rural employers to retain their existing proportion of low-wage temporary foreign workers beyond the current 10 per cent cap for an additional year.
In a May 14 letter, Jessie Sunner, B.C.’s Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, said the measure is intended to provide short-term stability for rural employers and workers while longer-term solutions are developed.
The letter was sent in response to concerns raised on behalf of rural and remote employers, temporary foreign workers and their families, including the stress caused by the imminent expiry of some employees’ work permits.
Sunner acknowledged the challenges faced by small and medium-sized businesses in rural communities, while also noting the province continues to face elevated youth unemployment. She said the ministry’s priority remains connecting people already living in B.C., particularly young people, with available job opportunities, while continuing investments in skills development and training through programs such as WorkBC, the BC Employer Training Grant and the future skills grant.
The province says it will continue working with the federal government on longer-term solutions aimed at strengthening workforce development and supporting rural communities.
• Golden CT scanner not supported in provincial budget
A request for a CT scanner in Golden will not be supported through B.C. Budget 2026, according to a May 27 letter from Infrastructure Minister Bowinn Ma.
The letter was sent in response to a March 11 request from Dr. Trina Larsen Soles, Dr. Adam Watchorn, Mayor Ron Oszust and CSRD Area A Director Karen Cathcart, who had written to Health Minister Josie Osborne about the need for a CT scanner in Golden.
Ma said the province recognizes the challenges rural physicians face in meeting local health care needs, and acknowledged the benefits of treating patients closer to home. However, she said fiscal pressures have limited the province’s ability to expand its capital plan this year.
“Although a new CT in Golden could not be supported in BC Budget 2026,” Ma wrote, the province remains committed to working with Interior Health on its priorities.
The minister encouraged local representatives and physicians to continue working with Interior Health to ensure the project remains a high priority.
• Council asked to support funding for community forest work
Golden council is being asked to support a request from the Columbia Woodlot Association for $15,000 from the Economic Opportunity Fund to help advance the creation of the Golden and Area Community Forest.
According to a staff report from CAO Jeremy Denegar, the funding would be used to establish the legal entities needed to secure the community forest. CSRD staff have confirmed the application meets the criteria of the regional district’s Economic Opportunity Fund policy.
The report notes that community forests can support local employment, create opportunities for Indigenous communities, reinvest profits into local priorities and encourage long-term forest stewardship, including wildfire risk reduction and value-added wood manufacturing.
Town staff say the project aligns with all five of Golden’s municipal strategic goals, including building a more diverse and future-ready economy, strengthening climate resilience, improving collaboration and supporting sustainable growth. The report also notes that creating a community forest for Golden and Area A could provide an opportunity to partner with Indigenous communities, including First Nations and Métis.
If council supports the request, Town staff will inform CSRD staff, who will then bring the application forward to the regional district board for consideration. The funding would come from the Golden and Area A Economic Opportunity Fund and would have no direct impact on the Town of Golden’s budget.
• Council asked to approve 2025 financial information report
Council is being asked to approve the Town of Golden’s 2025 Statement of Financial Information, an annual report required under B.C.’s Financial Information Act.
The report, prepared by Director of Finance and Administration Carolyn Brown, covers the fiscal year ending Dec. 31, 2025. It includes the Town’s audited financial statements, schedule of debts, remuneration and expenses, severance agreements, and payments to suppliers for goods and services.
According to the report, the Town ended 2025 with an accumulated surplus of $92.3 million, up from $90.8 million in 2024. Net financial assets also increased slightly, from $12.34 million in 2024 to $12.66 million in 2025. The Town reported $16.57 million in revenue and $15.05 million in expenses, resulting in an annual surplus of $1.52 million.
The Town’s long-term debt stood at $4.19 million at year-end, down from $4.8 million the previous year. Tangible capital assets were valued at $79.43 million, with more than $5.25 million spent on capital asset purchases during the year.
The Statement of Financial Information must be made available to the public by June 30 each year and remain available for public viewing for three years. The Town publishes the report on its website to meet that requirement.
