KSA council spends almost $20,000 on 2-night retreat to Kelowna

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The Kwantlen Student Association spent $19,315.95 on a council retreat to Kelowna, B.C. from Aug. 30 to Sept. 1, according to the trip’s financial breakdown.

At a KSA council meeting on Sept. 6, Richmond Campus Representative Nitin Aggarwal and Students with Disabilities Representative Lesli Sangha said they were not informed about this council retreat, along with Faculty of Science and Horticulture Representative Ranveer Singh. 

According to the KSA’s accounting department, 17 people went on the retreat, and Aggarwal alleged about five were Kwantlen Polytechnic University students but not KSA councillors, and about eight were outsiders, being neither a KPU student nor KSA councillor. 

KPU Student Senator Jasnoor Bassi said during the Sept. 6 meeting that she also saw non-councillors were at the retreat through social media.

Retreat attendees stayed at two hotels, as per the breakdown, spending $2,329.28 at Siesta Suites and $1,632.85 at La Casa Lakeside Resort. There are also “cleaning charges” on the breakdown, costing $2,250. 

In terms of food, $2,107.37 was spent at Taaz Indian Restaurant, which is about $124 per person. Another $996.73 was spent at restaurant Ustaad G 76, $613.19 at Boston Pizza, $193.67 for breakfast at Tim Hortons, and $81.34 at Delta Grand Okanagan. They also spent $538.39 at Walmart and $46.71 at 7-Eleven on snacks. 

Retreat attendees spent $1,658.56 on a boat tour, $1,694.56 to go parasailing, and $59.35 on kayaking, amounting to $3,412.47 on activities. 

In terms of transportation, they spent $4,428, according to the breakdown. There is also a $630 charge for “mileage” and $55.95 for parking at the resort.

“I think it’s too much if council really spent $20,000 for a council retreat. Many councillors are using students’ money for their fun whenever they can,” Aggarwal told The Runner. “They are crossing the limits by doing the Kelowna trip without informing the whole council, and then inviting students and outsiders, which are their friends.”

Aggarwal alleged the retreat was to celebrate previous KSA president Abdullah Randhawa’s birthday on Aug. 31, which used to be displayed on his Facebook profile. The Runner reached out to Randhawa for a comment but did not hear back before publication. 

Aggarwal said he was denied access to see the financial breakdown for the retreat unless the council agreed to give it to him upon a resolution. All KSA council members should have “unfettered access” to all of the KSA’s records, documents, and other materials, according to the association’s bylaws. 

Aggarwal said he has been denied access to other reports, too, including a budget breakdown when council decided to pull $241,000 from their reserves during the Sept. 6 meeting, which The Runner reported on. 

“I am being asked to vote on budget-related amendments, … without any justification for why such changes are necessary. I was denied access to these detailed reports, which would have helped me in making informed decisions,” he said. 

“It feels like a dictatorship because I have no say. I cannot get access to financial information or records from the KSA. I’m not invited to the council retreat or informed about the Kelowna trip, and then I find out other people are informed.”

This is the second retreat the 2024-25 council has planned so far this year, the first one being in Manning Park. Aggarwal says the council has planned other excursions this year including a dinner at Tasty Indian Bistro. Many of these retreats and excursions are approved during non-meeting motions, Aggarwal said, which allows council to make decisions without informing students or the media. 

He also alleged that council has used student money to purchase alcohol during excursions. According to the KSA’s regulations, council members should not be reimbursed for alcoholic beverages, “except in extenuating circumstances which are pre-approved by the Executive Director.”

“I saw some of the council [members] drinking alcohol at dinners that were paid by the KSA. They shouldn’t be doing that because they’re representing the KSA,” Aggarwal said. 

Kelowna also isn’t the first time non-KPU students have been included in all-paid KSA events, Aggarwal alleged, adding that councillors gave tickets to outsiders for trips to Playland and Cultus Lake. 

The Runner reached out to KSA President Yashanpreet Guron and Executive Director Timothii Ragavan for a comment on the Kelowna retreat and council’s actions with other excursions, but did not receive a response before publication. The Runner will provide updates as they become available.