update on the thompson rivers university/city ... - …

321286\321287_TEM_TRU MOU v4_REP.docx May 7, 2020

May 12, 2020

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT TO COUNCIL

ON

UPDATE ON THE THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY/CITY OF KAMLOOPS MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

PURPOSE To provide Council with an update on the joint partnerships and initiatives that the City and Thompson Rivers University (TRU) have been collaborating on since the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on August 23, 2018. COUNCIL STRATEGIC PLAN This report supports Council’s strategic priorities and areas of focus regarding: • Governance and Accountability

- External Relationships: We understand the importance of maintaining and improving key relationships.

• Livability - Healthy Community: We foster an environment that supports and promotes

healthy living through recreation, community, and social connection. - Places and Spaces: We plan community amenities that create great places and

spaces for community living. • Vibrant Economy

- Business Health: We cultivate a positive business environment and maintain a framework that facilitates jobs, economic sustainability, and growth.

- Economic Strength: We support initiatives that increase our competitive advantage, cultivate growth, and support our residents.

- Partnerships: We continue to nurture partnerships with key agencies and organizations.

• Environmental Leadership - Sustainability: We implement strategies that reduce our impact on the

environment. SUMMARY Mayor Ken Christian and former TRU President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Alan Shaver formally signed the MOU on August 23, 2018 (Attachment “A”). The intent of the MOU was to formalize and build on existing relationships and work together toward future goals and activities where collaboration on shared goals may benefit the City, TRU, and the broader Kamloops community. This report outlines the collaboration efforts that have been initiated since the signing of the agreement.

UPDATE ON THE THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY/ May 12, 2020 CITY OF KAMLOOPS MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING


RECOMMENDATION: For Council information only.

SUPPORTING COUNCIL AND CORPORATE DIRECTION Council supported entering into a MOU with TRU on May 8, 2018. An area of focus in the Corporate Action Plan includes strengthening relationships with external organizations to share information and collaborate on projects and services and to specifically engage with TRU to continue implementing the terms of the MOU. DISCUSSION Administration would like to share with Council the following list of projects, initiatives, and research that have been shared since the MOU was signed. The items listed below have been categorized in accordance with the areas of collaboration identified in the MOU. Educational Programming in Support of the People of Kamloops • A joint application to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research for a planning grant to

implement the Healthy Urban Policy was submitted in October 2019. • The Tournament Capital Centre (TCC), including Hillside Stadium and the Canada

Games Aquatic Centre (CGAC), is home to the TRU basketball, volleyball, soccer, and swimming varsity teams.

• TRU hosts numerous high school basketball and volleyball tournaments at the TCC,

which provides Kamloops’ youth the opportunity to play on TRU Athletics’ home courts and improve their skills. The City supports TRU’s proposal to install a “TRU Athletics Alumni Wall of Fame”, which will be located outside of the TCC’s TRU Athletics Administration office. The wall will allow TRU to pay tribute to the history and successes of past TRU athletes.

• The Tournament Capital Centre (TCC) is a preferred venue for TRU’s convocation each

spring and fall. Six convocation ceremonies are held over three days every June, and one convocation ceremony is held every October.

• The City supports TRU’s efforts to secure the right to host national championships in

TRU’s varsity sports. Recently, the City provided a letter of support for TRU’s bid to host the U Sports National Soccer Championship in 2021 or 2022.

• TRU uses the CGAC to enhance education and athletic programs. For example, the

TRU Adventure Tourism program provides canoe, kayak, and water safety instruction at the CGAC. Additionally, the CGAC hosts the TRU Wolfpack Swimming and Invitational Swim Meet every May/June. These events are a collaboration between the City, TRU, and the Kamloops Classics Swim Club.

• The City’s Exercise Specialist works in collaboration with TRU as a field guide and

preceptor for undergraduate nursing students in their third and fourth years and is a



guest lecturer for the TRU School of Nursing’s first- and second-year programs. The focus is to allow nursing students to experience the role of a nurse in the promotion of community health. The students have the opportunity to view an expanded chronic care model first hand and gain valuable experience in promoting positive lifestyle behaviors in a community setting. Additionally, the students provide high-quality project support to the Exercise Specialist.

• Instructors in TRU’s School of Nursing provide education sessions to the City’s fitness

instructors with the goal of equipping our instructors with increased knowledge related to safer exercise for older adults. The City’s fitness instructors gain a better understanding of common concerns with older adults and feel more prepared to modify exercise where needed.

• The City’s exercise physiology team is exploring opportunities to collaborate with

Dr. Mark Rakobowchuk, an Associate Professor in physiology and exercise at TRU and a vascular physiology researcher. There is potential for Dr. Rakobowchuk to work with the City’s exercise physiology team and provide unique training opportunities on the implications of exercise for people with chronic conditions. These training opportunities will help with staff retention and overall job satisfaction.

• The City works with TRU’s School of Nursing to provide suitable opportunities for its

students to practise taking blood pressure values and to provide public education regarding safe blood pressure values. These opportunities may be in public areas, such as the TCC foyer or in specific exercise programs.

• The City continues to host a research and training facility at the Kamloops Centre for

Water Quality, through a partnership with TRU, the City and Suez (formerly Zenon). The parties work together to research water treatment technology, and provide training (to TRU students and City operators) on water and wastewater treatment.

Innovation and Planning Leading to Environmental, Social, Cultural, and Economic Sustainable Development • The Bylaw Services Division is working with TRU’s Police and Justice Studies program

to implement an enhanced bylaw training curriculum into its current program. Students in this program will learn elements of bylaw service operations and practical duties under a municipal structure.

• Between September 1 and November 30, 2019, the Social Development Coordinator

worked with TRU’s School of Nursing on the Community Child Care Planning Program. Two fourth-year nursing students assisted the team with data entry, community engagement, and research totalling over 80 hours as part of their “leadership” placement.

• TRU is working with graduate students and undergraduate researchers to map people’s

experiences with the opioid crisis by having them draw it on paper. TRU wanted to include the perspective of first responders, so the City arranged for Kamloops Fire Rescue fire fighters to participate in the research session with Interior Health supportive counselling on site. Unfortunately, this session was canceled.



• The City will conduct and report on the 2020 Point-in-Time Homelessness Count, Housing Needs Report, and the new Kamloops Social Plan (2020). While these are not specifically in partnership with TRU, the university will be involved as community stakeholders. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the Point-in-Time Homelessness Count has been postponed until further notice.

• In fall 2018 and 2019, staff from the City’s Community Planning Section and Social and

Community Development Section provided TRU’s Department of Journalism Communication and New Media class with a presentation on the City's Official Community Plan (KAMPLAN), Agriculture Area Plan, and the Food and Urban Agriculture Plan. The presentation provided essential background information to help TRU students with “Foodloops”, their food mapping project. The project has mapped local food production, food distribution, food literacy, food festivals and events, and food assistance on Kamloops’ North and South Shores via an interactive online map, which can be viewed at Foodloops.TRUbox.ca. In addition to this presentation, City staff have provided follow-up support to assist the TRU class and professor. Other partners involved included the Kamloops Food Policy Council, the Kamloops Food Bank (foodSHARE), and Interior Community Services.

• Since 2016, City and TRU staff have been discussing the potential for a low-carbon,

district energy system (DES) on the TRU campus. The City has provided letters of support to TRU for its related grant applications, and TRU and City staff have attended industry presentations on low-carbon DES heat source options. More recently, discussions have been focused on how the forthcoming infrastructure upgrades to the CGAC can be designed for potential integration with a TRU DES system so that the pool and TCC would have the option to use a low-carbon heat loop.

• In 2019, TRU in conjunction with the City, applied for a Canadian Institutes of Health

Research for a Joint Grant Application for Healthy Cities Research Initiative for research and engagement with world leaders on active transportation and public realm improvements that could be applied to our local context. The grant application was not successful.

Site Services and Infrastructure in Support of the Activities of TRU and the City • Traffic and Transportation Analysis for current conditions in 2018 and considering

development in 2023 and 2028 respectively taking into account all know developments in the area.

• The City continues to pursue a Certificate of Compliance from the Ministry of

Environment for the former McGill Landfill, which underlies a portion of the TRU property. This will benefit both the City and TRU with respect to future development.

• The City and TRU are jointly reviewing utility servicing.



Land Use, Infrastructure, and Urban and Campus Planning • The City is currently working with BC Transit and TRU on potentially relocating the

existing transit exchange. • The City and TRU are jointly reviewing and planning for the future Summit Drive

pedestrian overpass. Emergency and Risk Management • The Mayor’s office is working closely with TRU’s Office of Research and the Interior

Universities Research Coalition on the Tri-City Tri-University Research Partnership. The Mayor’s office is continuing to lobby for a $5 million, permanently endowed research chair in predictive services, emergency management, and fire science to be funded by the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills and Training in partnership with other ministries, including the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development. The initiative is part of a provincial effort to establish Kamloops as a national centre of excellence for emergency management, fire science, and technological innovation.

Communications and Engagement Activities • The City and TRU are in conversation with the Kamloops Innovation Council (KIC) on

possible options for the KIC and energy management. Concurrence: J. Fretz, P.Eng., Civic Operations Director

K. Humphrey, CPA, CA, Corporate Services Director

M. Kwiatkowski, P.Eng., Development, Engineering, and Sustainability Director

B. J. McCorkell, Community and Protective Services Director

Author: J. Lewis, Executive Assistant to Mayor and

Council Reviewed by: T. Robertson, External Relations Manager

D. A. Trawin, MURP, BA Chief Administrative Officer

Approved for Council

JL/kjm Attachment

Canac^a's Tournament Capital

|P9 THOMPSONRIVERSUNIVERSITY

Memorandum of Understanding

This Memorandum of Understanding (the "MOU") entered in dupiicate as of this-of r . 2018 (the "Effective Date").

•^^.day

BETWEEN:

AND:

CITY OF KAMLOOPS

7 Victoria Street West

Kamloops BC V2C 1A2

(hereinafter called the "City")

THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY

805 TRU WayKamloops BC V2C 0C8

(hereinafter caiied "TRU")

OF THE FIRST PART

OF THE SECOND PART

RECITALS

WHEREAS the City is a municipaiity established pursuant to the Local Government Act,R.S.B.C. 2015 c.l, as amended; and

WHEREAS TRU is a public university estabiished under the Thompson Rivers University Act(2005) with campuses in Kamloops and Williams Lake and is a comprehensive learner-centeredand research-mandated institution that offers exceiient undergraduate, graduate, and tradesprograms with a commitment to meeting the education, training, and research needs of theregion and the open iearning needs of BC (per its iegisiated mandate); and

WHEREAS the City and TRU (coliectively, the "Parties") have a history of collaboration and seethe potentiai for future joint activities that support their respective goais and strengthen areasof common interest, including, but not iimited to, research and Innovation, communityengagement, environmentai and economic sustainabiiity, and emergency management; and

WHEREAS the Parties acknowiedge that by working together, they make Kamloops a betterplace to live, iearn, work, and prosper; and

WHEREAS the Parties wish to outiine formally in a Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU"),their desire to build on their existing reiationships and work together in the future on activitieswhere collaboration on their shared goais may benefit the City, TRU, and the broader Kamloopscommunity;

KID# 301394Attachment "A"

Memorandum of Understanding - City of Kamloops and Thompson Rivers University Page 2

NOW THEREFORE the Parties agree as follows:

1. Nature of the Memorandum of Understanding

The MOU serves as a guide to the Parties In their efforts to Identify and pursueopportunities for collaboration. It Is Intended as a good faith and focused documentationof areas of potential mutual Interest to be explored by both Parties. Therefore, It Is aphilosophical agreement that describes our principles and commitment to co-operateand does not take the place of other existing legal agreements between the Parties.Future Initiatives Identified by the Parties pursuant to this MOU are developed andImplemented as necessary through separate agreements, contracts, or othermechanisms.

2. Shared Commitment

The Parties agree that the success of the MOU Is dependent on a shared commitment tosupport the advancement of one another's shared corporate and community goals andobjectives.

Further, the Parties agree that ongoing and active support of the Mayor of the City andthe President of TRU Is essential to the success of the joint effort.

3. Possible Areas of Collaboration

a) educational programing In support of the people of Kamloops

b) community-focused research In support of the people of Kamloops based uponTRU and the City's strategic priorities

c) Innovation and planning leading to environmental, social, cultural, and economicsustainable development

d) site services and Infrastructure In support of the activities of TRU and the City

e) land use. Infrastructure, and urban and campus planning

f) emergency and risk management

g) communications and engagement activities

4. Communications

In the spirit of collaboration, the Parties agree to work together on public or otherannouncements related to the MOU and Initiatives that result from the MOU. The partieswill advise one another of planned public speaking events regarding joint Initiatives andreport annually to their respective Board and Council on the status of the MOU andassociated activities.

Memorandum of Understanding - City of Kamloops and Thompson Rivers University Page 3

5. Committees

a) Joint Steering Committee ("the JSC")

The JSC wiii be composed of the foilowing:

• TRU President and Vice-President Administration & Finance, City Mayor,and City Chief Administrative Officer

The JSC wili be responsible for approving recommendations that come forwardfrom the Implementation Committee.

b) Implementation Committee ("the IC")

The IC will be composed of the following:

• TRU Vice-President Administration & Finance, TRU Provost & Vice-President Academic, City Leadership Team, and City External RelationsManager

The IC wiii meet as needed, but at least semi-annually to review initiatives tofurther the advancement of the shared goals of the City, TRU, and the broaderKamloops community and bring forward those initiatives to the JSC.

6. Term

The MOU wili remain in effect unless terminated by either of the Parties by providingsix (6) months' notice in writing to the other Party. The MOU will be reviewed everyfive (5) years from the Effective Date.

Termination of the MOU does not cancel any other agreement signed between theParties related to specific initiatives. Cancellation of other joint agreements are subjectto the terms of such contracts or agreements.

IN WITNESS WHEF^OF the authorized representatives of the Parties have executed this MOU,this _23day of 2018.

THE CITY OF KAMLOOPS by its authorized

Ken Christian

Mayor

THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY by itsauthorized signatories:

Alan Shaver

President and Vice-Chanceiior

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