Following is a summary of a selection of items that went before Council on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025. As space is limited, we try to highlight the items of local interest.
The full package can be downloaded from Golden.ca, and council meetings are generally open to the public either in person or online. A recording of each meeting is available on YouTube.
Town of Golden updates mission, vision, and municipal goals
Golden Town Council is being asked to adopt a refreshed set of mission, vision, values, goals and objectives, following three months of workshops held between July and September. The update is meant to reflect the community’s current challenges, growth pressures, and long-term priorities, according to a staff report from CAO Jeremy Denegar.
The work builds on the 2024–2026 Council Strategic Priorities document, but expands it with a more complete organizational framework. Denegar notes that modern municipalities benefit from clearly defined governance tools that guide decision-making, budgeting, and performance measurement.
New Mission and Vision
The proposed mission emphasizes accountable governance, delivery of core services, and stewardship of public assets, while supporting economic, social, cultural and environmental well-being.
The new vision imagines Golden as a resilient, inclusive community built on sustainable infrastructure where residents can “live well, age well, and thrive.”
Updated Values
Council identified five key values to guide its work: accountability, adaptability, collaboration, innovation and transparency. Staff provided additional context for each to clarify how they function within municipal operations.
Five Major Goals
The report outlines broad, long-term goals council intends to pursue:
• A more diverse and future-ready economy.
• Greater climate resilience and infrastructure readiness.
• Increased civic engagement and transparent governance.
• Long-term sustainable financial planning and service delivery.
• Sustainable growth to meet community needs.
Priority Objectives
A detailed worksheet attached to the report lists dozens of operational objectives to be completed between 2025 and 2028.
They range from updating procurement policies and revitalization incentives to major infrastructure upgrades, OCP and zoning bylaw overhauls, FireSmart assessments, crisis communications planning, recreation planning, and reviews of shared-service agreements.
Progress will be reported quarterly.
If adopted, the new framework will be shared with staff and the public. It will also form the foundation for the Town’s department work plans and future financial planning.
Council may adopt the package as presented, amend it, or request further discussion in a closed meeting.
Town reviews future of old Rec Plex tennis courts as new racquet facility nears completion
Golden Council is weighing options for the long-discussed redesign of the former tennis courts at the Mount 7 Rec Plex, now that the new racquet sport facility at Keith King Memorial Park is nearly complete. The update came in a detailed report from Recreation Services Director Jordan Petrovics.
Construction of the new four pickleball and two tennis court facility at KKMP is about 85 percent finished and is expected to open by July 2026. The move away from the Rec Plex site was driven partly by new noise-impact guidelines for pickleball, which recommend at least 65 metres of separation from residential properties.
With the courts relocating, the aging Rec Plex surface is overdue for replacement, and Council now needs to decide what to do with the space. Three design concepts were presented:
• Option 1: Flatland Zone (Recommended)
A mix of asphalt, green space, small berms, bike-friendly features, naturalized plantings, and picnic areas. It repurposes much of the old surface and blends with the adjacent skate and pump park. Estimated cost: $237,000 plus the washroom/gazebo.
• Option 2: Multi-Sport Court
A fresh hard surface lined for volleyball, basketball, and flexible court use, paired with a plaza, shade structure, and green space. Estimated cost: $352,000 plus the washroom/gazebo.
• Option 3: Universal Play Park
A major investment: either a single large inclusive play zone or a multi-zone design featuring parkour, nature play, and structured equipment. Estimated cost: $916,000 to $1.39 million.
A year-round washroom and gazebo structure, part of the original 2021 master plan, is included in all three options and carries a cost of $310,000. The remaining project budget is $247,670, leaving a funding shortfall even for the smallest option. The Town has applied for a $100,000 Climate Adapted Community Space Grant to help close the gap.
Staff recommend posting a bid package for the washroom and Option 1 to refine cost estimates and improve eligibility for outside funding. A follow-up report would then return to Council once grant results and firm pricing are known.
Council will decide whether to proceed, delay further work until full funding is secured, or request additional options.
Kicking Horse Culture seeks a major funding increase, citing inflation and rising program costs
Kicking Horse Culture (KHC) is asking the Town of Golden for a significant jump in annual cultural funding, arguing that a decade of flat contributions has eroded their ability to deliver the same level of arts and cultural services. The request is outlined in KHC’s 2024–25 annual report and budget proposal presented to Council.
KHC currently receives a combined $175,000 in cultural service delivery funding through the Town’s contract: $120,000 in core funding plus three seasonal contributions tied to program delivery. According to the financial summary on page 24, this includes $60,000 in January, $60,000 in August, and $55,000 for Summer Kicks (up from $45,000 last year).
But KHC says those dollars no longer stretch the way they used to. Their presentation notes that local cost-of-living increases, provincial CPI trends, and housing pressures amount to roughly 30 percent inflation across the past decade, while their core funding has remained unchanged during the same period. On page 25, KHC calculates that the Town’s contribution would need to rise from $175,000 to $227,500 just to match past purchasing power.
Instead, KHC is requesting $210,000 per year in cultural service funding, followed by 5 percent annual increases through 2029. A table on page 27 shows the proposed amounts climbing to $255,255 by year five. The organization argues that the increase would stabilize staffing, cover rising programming expenses, and allow them to maintain or expand flagship initiatives like Live Kicks, Summer Kicks, EmberFest, AGOG exhibitions, community workshops, and Civic Centre management.
The annual report highlights a busy year:
• 54 performances, screenings, and workshops
• 10 gallery exhibits
• Over 16,000 gallery visitors
• 3,701 Live Kicks attendees
• 9 free outdoor Summer Kicks concerts
• 400 sold-out EmberFest tickets
• 189 artists supported through fees
• $197,000 in merchandise revenue at the gallery
Expenses, however, continue to outpace revenue. KHC’s 2024–25 statement of operations (page 21) shows $660,596 in revenue against $745,732 in expenses, with payroll and programming making up the largest shares.
In their closing note, KHC says a more sustainable funding model is needed if Golden wants to maintain a professional arts organization and continue growing events, festivals, public art, and community programming. Council will review the request during the upcoming budget process.
Living wage in Golden rises to $27.80 an hour
The 2025 Living Wage report for Golden shows the hourly wage needed to cover basic necessities has risen to $27.80, a 3.1 percent increase over last year. The update, prepared by Living Wage BC in partnership with BC Policy Solutions and Golden Community Economic Development, was shared with the Town this month.
The report highlights a widening gap between Golden’s living wage and the provincial minimum wage, which is now $9.95 lower than what a worker in Golden needs to meet essential costs. Rising housing prices, food costs, and child care continue to be the biggest pressures on local households.
The calculation reflects the income required for a basic standard of living for common household types, including single adults, single parents, and families with children. It excludes any extras like savings, debt repayment, or caring for an elderly family member.
The report notes that nearly one-third of workers in BC earn less than the living wage, with women, racialized workers and those in lower-wage industries feeling the impact most sharply.
Living Wage BC encourages municipalities to consider becoming certified Living Wage Employers, joining communities like Victoria and Burnaby. Several Golden employers are already certified. The briefing frames living wage adoption as a step toward better staff retention, improved morale and greater economic resilience.
Seniors Centre roof replacement set for 2026
The Town of Golden is preparing to replace the aging roof on the Golden Seniors Community Centre, awarding the project to Olympic Roofing Ltd. for $207,330 plus GST, pending council approval.
The recommendation comes from a staff report outlining the need to address a roof that is nearly three decades old and well past its service life.
The existing EPDM membrane roof is approximately 27 years old, despite a typical lifespan of 15 to 20 years. It now leaks intermittently and was first flagged for replacement in both the Town’s 2021 Facility Condition Assessment and a 2022 consultant review.
The bid process drew eight submissions, with Olympic Roofing providing the lowest compliant bid.
Optional add-ons, including upgraded insulation and a 10-year materials and workmanship guarantee, bring the recommended contract total to $207,330.
A project contingency and consultant oversight bring the overall project budget to $255,000, well within the Town’s allocated $400,500 in the Five Year Financial Plan.
Construction is scheduled to begin early in the 2026 season, with an estimated 14-day work period, weather permitting. The project will be funded through the Buildings and Facilities Capital Reserve.
Town pursuing major airport paving grant
The Town of Golden plans to apply for BC Air Access Program funding to repave Taxiway A and Apron 1 at the Golden Municipal Airport, a project estimated at $934,000.
The work would also include installing new aircraft tie-downs.
The grant could cover 75 to 90 percent of eligible costs, similar to the 90 percent funding the Town secured in 2023 for runway repaving.
To cover the remaining share, the Town will request up to $233,500 from the Columbia Shuswap Regional District’s Economic Opportunity Fund.
Design work was completed in 2022, so the project is essentially shovel-ready and would need to be completed in the 2026 fiscal year if the grant is approved. The upgrades would replace pavement that is roughly 40 years old, reduce ongoing crack-sealing needs, and maintain the airport’s long-term viability for regional use, including wildfire response.
Town updates resolution for $7M fire hall grant application
The Town of Golden is updating its resolution for a major grant application to the UBCM Strategic Priorities Fund, which could provide up to $7 million toward badly needed fire hall upgrades.
The revised resolution now formally commits the Town to managing the grant and covering any potential cost overruns, as required by the funder.
The existing fire hall is described as aging, undersized, and non-compliant with modern safety standards, with concerns including mold, asbestos, poor ventilation and bays too small for today’s fire apparatus.
A feasibility and design project valued at $75,000 is underway to support the funding application.
If successful, Phase 1 of the project would add a new, code-compliant apparatus bay and safe gear storage area on the current site, addressing firefighter health risks, improving response times, and meeting post-disaster building requirements.
Town advancing 2026 utility rate hikes
Golden council is moving ahead with updated water and sewer rates for 2026, following earlier direction to increase water rates by 25 percent and sewer rates by 15 percent. The changes are intended to support long-term financial sustainability for both utilities. The revised bylaws have now been updated to reflect those increases and are recommended for second and third readings.
Councillor proposes new transparency rule for external committee pay
A new motion coming to Town council aims to make compensation from external boards and agencies fully transparent to the public.
Councillor Joy Guyot is calling for an Annual External Committee Compensation Report to be added to the Town’s Annual Report, ensuring that any stipends, per diems, or reimbursements council members receive from outside organizations are disclosed in one place.
Council members often serve on bodies such as the Columbia Basin Trust, Okanagan Regional Library Board, Columbia Shuswap Regional District, and the East Kootenay Regional Hospital District, where compensation is paid directly to the appointed councillor rather than through the Town.
Because of that, these amounts don’t always appear in the Town’s financial statements, creating gaps in reporting.
Guyot’s motion proposes a simple annual self-reporting form for councillors, with staff compiling the information into a single public summary.
The report would not require extra staffing or budget.
According to the background notes, similar transparency measures are already standard practice in other municipalities around the province.
