Barriere seeks federal funds for new fire hall as current building exceeds 70 years

MP Frank Caputo has asked the federal government to fund a new fire hall for Barriere, a rural community in British Columbia. He presented his petition in the House of Commons on Sunday, October 25, on behalf of Kamloops-Thompson-Nicola.

Caputo said the current fire hall is more than 70 years old and serves many communities across the region. He urged the government to include funding in the upcoming budget on November 5.

“Barriere needs a new fire hall. Their fire hall is over 70 years old, it services many communities in the area and within Kamloops-Thompson-Nicola.”

Alexis Hovenkamp, chief of Barriere Fire Rescue, said she is thankful that the MP raised the issue in Ottawa. She described the response as exciting and said she is eager to see where the message leads.

Hovenkamp estimated that a new hall would cost between $7 million and $10 million. She warned that the District of Barriere’s small tax base would place heavy pressure on local taxpayers if the project were funded locally.

She added that grant opportunities for emergency infrastructure arise very rarely, creating difficulties for rural communities across British Columbia. The existing hall on Barriere Town Road has five truck bays, a small training room, and offices added this year through grants.

The chief said the building no longer meets the department’s operational or training needs as the community grows. She gave examples of the space being unfit for purpose, though the text cuts off before listing them fully.