NELLY'S PLATFORM 
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The Loop Line

 

Q1: What is The Loop Line and how does it work?

A: It is a mobile-friendly SMS/text tool designed to connect Kamloops residents directly with the city. You receive real-time alerts, traffic updates, and short community surveys straight to your mobile phone. You do not need to download an app, create a password, or use a cellular data plan to use it.

​

Q2: What kind of alerts will I receive on my phone?

A: You will get instant notifications for critical civic updates. This includes safety notices like water main breaks or neighborhood water safety data, immediate traffic delays (such as bridge lane closures), and wildfire or construction updates. It also sends reminders about major city borrowing initiatives and Alternative Approval Process (AAP) deadlines, so you never miss a vote.

​

Q3: How do the interactive surveys work, and will my vote count?

A: The city will text you simple, multiple-choice questions about local issues, such as park upgrade priorities. You vote instantly by replying with a single letter or number. To ensure transparency, the city will publish the polling results back to the community within 48 hours, directly influencing Council decisions.

​

Q4: Is this system easy to use for people who are not tech-savvy?

A: Yes, it is built with zero technology barriers. If you can send a basic text message or receive a text reminder from your dentist, you can use this tool. It eliminates the need to navigate complex city webpages or dig through confusing menus to find crucial information.

​

Q5: How does this tool improve civic transparency in Kamloops?

A: The Loop Line turns community engagement into a daily reality instead of something that only happens every four years at the ballot box. By providing direct access to municipal data and micro-polling, it holds the Mayor’s office accountable and allows residents to co-author the decisions shaping our neighborhoods.

​

Q6: Is it legally permissible for a BC municipality to use SMS notifications and surveys?

A: Yes. Local governments in British Columbia have broad corporate and service powers under the Community Charter and the Local Government Act. These frameworks allow municipalities to launch digital communication tools like SMS to improve public transparency and community engagement.

​

Q7: How does the system protect my personal phone number and data privacy?

A: The platform is structurally designed to strictly comply with BC’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA). Your mobile number is protected as personal information, data is hosted on secure Canadian servers, and a clear Privacy Notice is provided during signup.

​

Q8: Will I get spammed, or can I choose what texts I receive?

A: You have full control. In compliance with the Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL), the tool operates on an explicit opt-in basis, meaning you only receive message categories you choose (like "Snow Removal Alerts" or "Micro-Surveys"). You can also text "STOP" to unsubscribe instantly.

​

Q9: Can text message surveys replace official city voting or public hearings?

A: No. These micro-surveys are legally classified as "informal engagement" to help Council gauge community sentiment. They cannot replace formal, legislated statutory processes, such as official public hearings or Alternate Approval Processes (AAPs), but they ensure your voice is heard early in the decision-making process.

 

Q10: How much will this SMS tool cost Kamloops taxpayers to build and run?

A: Very little. Instead of building expensive software from scratch, the city can use "GC Notify," a secure and free-to-low-cost platform provided by the government specifically for Canadian public sectors. This keeps the impact on the municipal budget minimal while delivering high-value communication.

 

Q11: Does the city have to program this software from the ground up?

A: No. Beyond the cost-effective government options, there are already secure, vetted municipal tech vendors—like CivicPlus, TxtSquad, and TextMyGov—that specialize in local government communications. These platforms natively handle two-way texting, micro-polling, and spam protection right out of the box for quick setup.

 

Q12: What is the estimated total cost to launch this system in Kamloops?

A: The startup and operating costs range from $0 using government-built platforms up to $7,100+ annually for premium commercial vendors. The final price depends heavily on which provider the city selects and what percentage of our 110,477 residents opt into the system.

 

Q13: How does the free "GC Notify" option scale if thousands of residents sign up?

A: GC Notify gives us 100,000 free text message parts every year. If 10% of Kamloops residents subscribe (about 11,000 people), we would exceed that free limit after nine city-wide text broadcasts. After that, standard telecom volume rates apply, costing roughly $100 per city-wide alert.

​

Q14: Why do premium vendors like CivicPlus or TextMyGov cost more for Kamloops?

A: Commercial software vendors calculate their annual licensing fees using local population tiers. Because Kamloops sits in the 100,000 to 150,000 population bracket, we command higher enterprise pricing. Premium platforms also charge a one-time implementation and staff training fee between $1,000 and $3,500.

​

Q15: Do interactive community surveys cost more to run than one-way text alerts?

A: Yes, because two-way micro-surveys require residents to reply. Every complete survey counts as two separate billing events—one outbound question and one inbound answer. This workflow processes through text message volume limits twice as fast as standard, one-way emergency alerts.

​

Q16: What is the recommended strategy to protect Kamloops taxpayers from financial risk?

A: The city should pilot the program using the free GC Notify framework via the BC Government Common Components to test public engagement. If resident adoption skyrockets and strains the system caps, the city can transition to a dedicated vendor like CivicPlus or TextMyGov during the next formal municipal budget cycle.

​

​

Restoring Trust in Major Projects

​

Q1: Why focus on overhauling how we use the Alternative Approval Process (AAP)?

A: The AAP should never be used as a backdoor to push through major spending without the community’s clear approval. We are overhauling the local process to ensure taxpayers have a genuine voice and full transparency before any tax dollars are committed.

​

Q2: Why not change the rules so people vote "Yes" to approve a project, instead of requiring a "No" vote to oppose it?

A: The AAP structure is set by provincial legislation, meaning the municipal government does not have the authority to change the voting format. Because the process defaults to approval, we will strictly limit its use to essential, critical infrastructure.

 

Q3: How will you overhaul the AAP to protect Kamloops taxpayers?

A: Through four specific actions:

• Strict Infrastructure Limits: We will restrict the AAP to essential, critical infrastructure.

• Extended Review Windows: We will extend the public response window to a guaranteed 75 days.

• Paperless Digital Signatures: We will eliminate outdated barriers. Voters will no longer need a printer or scanner to fill out and submit an official opposition form.

• Direct Mobilization: We will integrate AAP access directly into THE LOOP LINE tool so you can securely view and sign from your phone.

​

Q4: Residents often do not find out about an AAP until late in the process. How will you fix this?

A: We will ensure timely notification by reaching voters directly on their phones. We will use THE LOOP LINE to text registered users the moment an AAP is launched, providing a direct link so everyone has the opportunity to participate.