Town of Golden Newsletter: July 2026

Your vote, your Golden

The next municipal election for Golden will be held on Saturday, October 17, 2026.

Residents of Golden will vote to elect one mayor and six councillors to Town Council, and three school trustees for School District No. 6.

To stay up-to-date on the election, follow the Town on social media @TownofGolden or visit golden.ca/2026election.

Interested in running for Mayor or Council? 

Nomination packages will be available starting Tuesday, August 4 for pickup at Town Hall Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or online at golden.ca/2026election.
 

 

Council Briefs

Find out what's new at Town Hall with Council Briefs.

Find out when the next Council meeting its:

Upcoming Council Meetings

Here is a recap of this month's Council meetings. Meeting agendas and minutes are available at www.golden.civicweb.net and meeting recordings are available on the Town's YouTube channel.

Planning and Development
Council approved a letter of concurrence to Golden Co-op Radio for the installation of a radio broadcast antenna to support community radio programming in Golden and surrounding areas.

Council authorized a Development Variance Permit for a proposed single detached dwelling at 909 10th Street South.

Council direct staff to undertake public consultation on t applications submitted by the Rockwater Grill and Bar for an expansion, occupant load increase, and licensing the rooftop patio subject to confirmation that the changes meet the requirements of the BC Fire Code. View the staff report here.

Official Community Plan (OCP)
A public hearing was held on July 21 to provide residents the opportunity to make their views known on the new OCP bylaw. One letter of support was received from Wildsight Golden. Council will consider further readings of Bylaw No. 1516 2026, Town of Golden Official Community Plan at the next Regular Open Council Meeting on August 18, 2026.

Bylaws
Council adopted Bylaw No. 1515, 2026, Town of Golden Bylaw Revision and Consolidation Authority as part of a corporate -wide bylaw review project aimed at establishing a formal and consistent approach to the management of bylaws.

Council gave first and second reading to Bylaw No. 1517, 2026 Town of Golden Development Cost Charges. The bylaw is intended to ensure development-related costs are balanced fairly between new and existing taxpayers and utility rate payers. The bylaw will now undergo legal review and be circulated to the Ministry of Finance for preliminary review.

View the staff report here.

Economic Opportunity Fund (EOF) requests
Council supported a request from Golden Food Bank Society to allocate $36,000 from the EOF for their 2026 Program Budget.

Council supported a request from Golden Community Economic Development (CED) Society to allocate $399,400 from the EOF for their CED Services Project.

Council deferred a request from Local Food Matters Society to allocate $100,000 from the EOF for their 2027 Core Operations to the August 18, 2026, Regular Open Council meeting pending additional information from the society.

View the staff report here.

Council also directed staff to include accountability requirements in future EOF contribution agreements, including:

  • Affirmation of alignment with the Town’s OCP;
  • Sub-partner identification and accountability, so that responsibility for public funds is clearly assigned; and
  • Project-based accounting and staffing allocation, demonstrating that public funds are applied to their intended purpose.

Council Directives
Council voted to support the Elect Respect campaign, a national initiative designed to stop harassment, abuse, and toxic discourse in politics. It asks candidates and politicians to commit to safe, inclusive and respectful public debates. Learn more about the campaign here.

Council approved an amendment of $10,075 to the 2026-2030 Financial Plan for new Council orientation training, funded from the Financial Stabilization Reserve and to be completed in 2026.

Council voted to award a construction contract for landscaping improvements and the reconfiguration and expansion of skatepark features at the former tennis court site to Set in Stone Landscaping for $286,000.
 

Project Updates and News

Time Change Survey

The survey will be open until 11:59 p.m. on August 3.

The survey is being done in partnership between the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK), Town of Golden, and Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) Electoral Area A to gather input on time observance in the southeast corner of BC.

To learn more and take the survey, visit the dedicated project page: engage.rdek.bc.ca/timechange

While this page is being hosted by the RDEK, this survey covers the entire southeast corner of BC in the Mountain Time Zone.

This is a non-binding survey. The results will help inform future decisions, but will not determine any outcome on their own. Any future decision would also need to consider other factors, including legislative and implementation considerations. 

Survey participants are being asked to consider three options:

  • Remain on Mountain Standard Time year-round, which aligns with the rest of BC, sits one hour behind Alberta, and provide more daylight in the morning and less in the evening;
  • Remain on Mountain Daylight Saving Time year-round, which places the region one hour ahead of the rest of BC, align with Alberta, and provide more daylight in the evening and less in the morning; or
  • Continue the current practice of changing clocks twice each year.

To learn more and take the survey:

engage.rdek.bc.ca/timechange

Trail & Pathway Etiquette

For cyclists, e-bikes & e-scooters:

  • Slow down and yield to pedestrians.
  • Always pass on the left and give plenty of space.
  • Use your voice, bell, or horn to alert others: “Passing on your left!”
  • Ride in the same direction as traffic. Follow road rules
  • Don’t ride on sidewalks or in crosswalks.

E-scooter riders must follow provincial rules:

  • Riders must be 16 years or older. Must wear a helmet.
  • Ride where bicycles ride and obey traffic signs.
  • Don’t ride on sidewalks or in crosswalks.
  • Learn more: gov.bc.ca/electric-kick-scooter-rules

For Pedestrians:

  • Keep right and leave room.
  • Avoid blocking the path when walking in groups.
  • Stay alert for cyclists, e-bikes, and e-scooters.
  • If walking on a road without sidewalks, face traffic.

For dog owners:

  • Keep your dog leashed unless you're in Golden's designated off-leash areas. View map: golden.ca/dogs
  • Maintain control and reliable recalls when off-leash.If your dog doesn’t have recall, it shouldn’t be off-leash.
  • Respect other trail users. Friendly dogs aren't always welcome by every person or pet.
  • Scoop the poop! Help keep the town clean by using Golden's pet waste bag stations and disposing of waste properly.

Water Restrictions and Conservation

Hot weather means higher water use. Help conserve Golden’s water supply and pumping capacity by following the Town’s year-round watering restrictions.

Keeping water use in check during peak demand helps ensure there's enough water for everyone while maintaining a healthy and sustainable water system.

When can you water?

  • Odd-numbered addresses: Water on odd-numbered days
  • Even-numbered addresses: Water on even-numbered days

Water only during these times on your designated day:

  • In the morning: 4 – 10 a.m.
  • In the evening: 7 – 10 p.m.

Automatic irrigation systems:

  • Automatic irrigation systems should be programmed to run between 12 a.m. (midnight) and 6 a.m. on your assigned watering day.

Hand watering:

  • Hand watering with a hose equipped with a spring-loaded shut-off nozzle or with a hand-held container is permitted at any time.

Every drop counts! Especially during the summer months.

Thank you for doing your part to conserve water in Golden.

Learn more and find water conservation tips at golden.ca/waterconservation