When Dean Fortin was last on campus in Kamloops, Nelson Riis was still teaching and it was called Cariboo College.

Riis is long gone, the campus has become Thompson Rivers University and Fortin is now the mayor of Victoria.

But he’s still true to his roots.

“Clearly who you are is formed by your family, your hometown, your friends,” he said Friday afternoon, a few hours before heading to TRU to receive his Distinguished Alumni Award for public and community service.

Fortin grew up on the North Shore, where he graduated from NorKam secondary. At Cariboo College, he experienced what he called his “first two years of discovery” before moving elsewhere to study geography, then law, then education.

Kamloops is important to him, and he returns in the heat of summer with his family when he can. (The fact that his mother, Shirley, is still here is an influence, too, as mothers always are.)

Fortin has a long list of community involvement, especially in Victoria where he was elected as councillor for two terms before being voted in as mayor in 2008. That list includes working with youth and coaching basketball.

As a civic politician, he has sat on several committees and councils. And he is trying to make change for the better in his community. All that involvement led to his alumni award.

On Friday night, he was joined by other award-winning alumni: Lorianna Bennett (Community Service), Nick deCicco (Professional Achievement), Twyla Russell (BSW Grace Chronister award), Shannon Brooks (Student Leadership) and Interior Health (Community Leadership).

Fortin’s face lit up as he talked about the homelessness initiatives he has worked on in Victoria.

Property owners could submit 25 per cent of their renovation costs for secondary suites, up to a maximum of $5,000, to the city. They had to meet code and pass inspections, but the move provided more affordable housing and also raised property values, he said.

Victoria also leveraged $2 million into $80-million worth of housing, it has introduced late-night buses and is moving toward more community-based policing, he said.

Today, Fortin is having coffee with Kamloops Mayor Peter Milobar. He figured economic development and other high-profile civic issues will be discussed.

But he also has a question he might bring up, depending on the turns their conversation takes.

“Why are chickens so popular here?” Fortin asked, referring to the topic that has been raised at Kamloops council frequently in the last few years.

Victoria has allowed chickens for years and there is only the odd neighbour complaint, he said, a little mystified by the feathers the subject has ruffled here.

“We’re the chicken capital of Canada.”