News

Construction, Maintenance, and Replacement of City Assets The City of Merritt is committed to providing reliable services and maintaining the infrastructure that supports our community, such as roads, parks, buildings, and water systems. As part of our asset management planning process, we are seeking your feedback to better understand community priorities and satisfaction with current services. What are Levels of Service ? Levels of Service (LOS) describe the standard at which public services are delivered through City infrastructure. They reflect how well services such as road quality, stormwater management, and facility accessibility perform, and what residents can expect in terms of reliability, safety, and availability. Managing levels of service involves balancing three key factors: Cost: The financial investment required to maintain or improve a service. Performance: How well the service meets community and technical standards. Risk: The potential consequences if a service fails or declines, such as reduced safety or increased accidents. Changes to service levels affect all three. Increasing LOS typically raises costs but improves performance and reduces risk, for example by reducing potholes and improving road safety. Decreasing LOS lowers costs but can reduce performance and increase risk. Conversely, scaling back investment in parks or arenas may save money, but it can reduce accessibility and quality of life. In some cases, it may also lead to higher long-term costs due to increased maintenance or unexpected repairs. Ultimately, managing LOS means understanding these trade-offs and aligning cost, performance, and risk with community priorities and the City’s financial capacity. Share Your Voice Your input will help guide decisions about infrastructure now and in the future. This survey takes about 10 minutes to complete. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and help shape Merritt’s future. Share your experiences by taking this community survey. COMPLETE BY FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2026

Shipping Containers Shipping containers—often called sea cans—are large, standardized steel boxes originally designed for transporting goods by ship, rail, and truck. In many communities, they are now also used for storage, temporary structures, or even building components. To allow these structures on residential land, municipalities often require design treatments or visual screening, and possibly modifications to meet the BC Building Code. Design or Screening To prevent containers from becoming long‑term, unsightly storage, municipalities often require aesthetic improvements, such as painting, landscaping, fencing or other screening. Maintaining neighbourhood character is a key factor in allowing the installation of shipping containers.  Placement parameters, such as locating the structure in the backyard, are intended to reduce visual impact. Municipalities may also require that containers do not obstruct sightlines or emergency access. All shipping containers must also be installed safely. BC Building Code (BCBC) Although sea cans are strong and durable, they were not originally designed as buildings. When used on private or public property, several safety and regulatory issues arise: Structural Safety Containers may be modified (cutting doors, windows, stacking, etc.), which can weaken their structure. BCBC ensures they remain safe for use. Fire Safety Containers can create fire hazards if placed too close to property lines or other buildings. BCBC sets minimum distances and fire‑resistance requirements. Ventilation and Moisture Control Containers can trap moisture and create mold or condensation issues. BCBC ensures proper ventilation and safe use. Electrical and Mechanical Installations If a container is wired for power or used as a workspace, it must meet BC electrical and mechanical codes. Public Safety and Liability Municipalities allow sea cans only when they do not create risks for residents, workers, or neighbouring properties.

The annual cleanup of Merritt’s Pine Ridge Cemetery is scheduled for May 4–8, 2026. City crews will be working on turf maintenance, irrigation, headstone levelling, and cleaning. All wreaths, plastic flowers, and other memorabilia will be removed and left at the shed for pick-up for 30 days. Any items not collected before June 5, 2026, will be discarded. Residents are invited to replace flowers or plastic flowers after this time, but please refrain from placing any materials onsite until cleanup is completed. Please note that City Bylaw #2244.2018 (reference sections 16.3 and 18.1–18.4) states that “no person shall adorn any Grave Space in the Cemetery, except for the placement of Flowers.” Flowers, wreaths, and fake flowers are permitted at the grave site. However, memorabilia is not permitted. This includes: Rocks Glass or metal vases Pinwheels Solar lights Picture frames Metal art For example, glass or rocks placed on headstones present a safety hazard. Broken glass or rocks falling in the path of mower blades can damage maintenance equipment and present a danger to work crews and the public. Any item that does not conform to our Cemetery Bylaw #2244 will continue to be removed throughout the season. For more information on cemetery guidelines, visit merritt.ca/cemetery. Also reference www.merritt.ca/bylaws. For More Information Contact: City of Merritt Phone: (250) 378-4224 Email: info@merritt.ca

Nicola Valley Cruisers 31st Annual Show n’ Shine Sunday, July 26, 2026 | 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM Central Park: 2975 Voght Street Entertainment. Food. Vendors. Swag. Prizes. And, of course, a car and truck show. FREE for the general public to attend and enjoy. No entry fees for vehicles or vendors! Everyone welcome! More information is available on the Facebook events page. Gates open at 8:00 AM for vehicles and vendors. For More Information: Nicola Valley Cruisers Car Club Association Email: nvcruiserscarclub@gmail.com Phone: 1 250-378-9569 Nicola Valley Cruisers Car Club on Facebook

EFFECTIVE DATE: July 15, 2026 Construction Notice – Fir Bank Stabilization Project As construction activities begin, residents will notice an increase in construction vehicles and heavy equipment in the area as crews mobilize on site. For your safety, please stay clear of the active construction zone. Access to the work site is not permitted due to health and safety regulations and safe work practices. This includes avoiding the river adjacent to the construction area while work is underway. To maximize the limited fisheries instream work window, construction will operate with expanded work hours and extended work days until the instream works are complete. We appreciate your patience and cooperation as this important flood mitigation work progresses. For project updates, please visit flood.merritt.ca/project/fir. For More Information Contact: Merritt Flood Mitigation Email: floodmitigation@merritt.ca

Summer 2026 Every Thursday | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Rotary Park: 1990 Maxwell Avenue Spirit Square: 2012 Granite Avenue Celebrate summer nights with Music in the Park on Thursday evenings all summer long at the Rotary Park Bandshell or Spirit Square. Bring your picnic and chairs, as well as your family and friends, and make this event one of the highlights of the summer. CONTACT Recreation Programmer Merritt Civic Centre: 250.315.1050 Email: recreation@merritt.ca Summer 2026 Line-up – Spirit Square July 23 | Ross Fairbairn – Cancelled Aug. 20 | ZONNis – Cancelled Summer 2026 Line-up – Rotary Park Aug. 13 | Merritt Music Students Aug. 27 | Outlaws and Lace Sept. 11 | The Out Seer, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Saturday, September 26, 2026 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM Merritt Regional Airport | Saunder’s Field 4510 Airport Rd British Columbia, Canada

EFFECTIVE DATE: Friday, August 7, 2026 The BC Wildfire Service is moving its temporary wildfire camp from the Nicola Valley Rodeo Grounds to Central Park. This move is being made to prepare for the annual Nicola Valley Pro Rodeo. The camp will be set up at Central Park, as shown on the map. A section of the Central Park Trail will be closed until further notice. You can still access the trail behind Ball Field #1. From there, follow the trail to the Rose Garden and into Rotary Park. To return, use the sidewalk on Voght Street. For more information, contact: City of Merritt Phone: 250.378.4224 Email:  info@merritt.ca

Merritt, BC (08-13-2026) The City of Merritt is hosting a Merritt Wildfire Information Session Open House on Tuesday, August 18th, 2026, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at the Civic Centre (950 Mamette Ave, Merritt, BC V1K 1B8). This is a drop-in event. There will be no formal presentation, so residents can come by anytime during the event to ask questions and speak directly with local wildfire and emergency response teams. Mayor and Council Merritt Fire Rescue Merritt Emergency Management BC Wildfire Service FireSmart Merritt TNRD Emergency Services Merritt Emergency Support Services Everyone is welcome. Stop in to get information and ask questions about wildfire preparedness and response in our community. For more information, please contact: City of Merritt Communications 250-378-4224 x 207 communications@merritt.ca