Full Day of Virtual Candidate Panels Scheduled

Kamloops residents will be able to evaluate local election candidates on Wednesday, Sept. 23, during an extensive lineup of virtual sessions. The upcoming event is jointly hosted by Castanet Kamloops and the Kamloops & District Chamber of Commerce.

The programming opens with three separate councillor discussions running from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., noon to 2 p.m., and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Following these, the mayoral candidates will participate in a dedicated forum scheduled from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Standardized Questions and Viewing Access

To ensure direct comparisons between contenders running for the same seat, each participant will respond to a uniform set of inquiries. Organizers are gathering these questions from event sponsors, community partners, the Chamber, Castanet, and local voters.

Although members of the public cannot attend in person, organizers are looking into possibilities for local public viewing parties. The sessions will be broadcast live on Castanet, with digital recordings remaining accessible online until voting day on Oct. 17.

“Local elections shape decisions that affect every business in this city, from housing to infrastructure to how we grow,” said Acacia Pangilinan, executive director of the Chamber. “These forums give candidates a real opportunity to speak to those issues, and give our members and the broader community a clear way to hear from everyone running for mayor and council before they vote.”

In-Person Senior-Focused Event Planned

A separate, free public forum will take place the following day on Thursday, Sept. 24. Hosted by incumbent councillor Nancy Bepple, this in-person event is scheduled from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Mount Paul Community Food Centre, located at 140 Laburnum St.

This second session invites attendees to pose questions directly to candidates regarding matters affecting seniors along with the wider community.

Six-Way Mayoral Race Highlighted in Kamloops

Voters in Kamloops will select from six candidates for mayor in next month’s municipal election following Friday’s 4:00 p.m. application deadline. Incumbent Reid Hamer-Jackson is seeking re-election against current councillor Mike O’Reilly alongside former councillors Nelly Dever and Ray Dhaliwal. Two late additions to the ballot, design contractor Ivory Winston and social worker Kris Middleton, were revealed after the deadline passed. A total of 29 individuals are vying for council seats, including seven incumbents.

Contested Races and Acclamations Across Surrounding Municipalities

Competitions for mayor are set across several neighbouring communities. In Merritt, mayor Mike Goetz faces challenger Gordon Keyser, while all six incumbent councillors and two new contenders are seeking office. Former Cache Creek mayor John Ranta reversed a previous decision to step down and joins Annette Pittman and Wendy Coomber on the ballot. Incumbent Barbara Roden will compete against Eric Poole in Ashcroft, while Williams Lake mayor Surinderpal Rathor faces former mayor Walt Cobb. In 100 Mile House, Maureen Pinkney is challenged by David Jurek, and Lytton mayor Denise O’Connor faces councillor Jennifer Thoss.

In Clearwater, councillor Shelley Sim is challenging incumbent mayor Merlin Blackwell while simultaneously running for a seat on the Kamloops-Thompson School District Board of Education. Several communities will not hold mayoral elections due to acclamations, including Barriere with Rob Kerslake, Logan Lake with Robin Smith, and Clinton with Roland Stanke. Race car driver Jason White is the sole mayoral candidate in Sun Peaks, as incumbent Rob O’Toole is running for a council seat instead.

Regional District and School Board Elections

Voters in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District will cast ballots in just two of ten electoral areas. Area ‘E’ features incumbent Jim Smith against former director Sally Watson, and Area ‘I’ pits incumbent Tricia Thorpe against former director Steven Rice. Meanwhile, 16 candidates, including five incumbents, are competing for five Kamloops seats on the Kamloops-Thompson School District Board of Education. Rural school board races include Shelley Sim against TNRD director Lee Onslow in the Clearwater area, and incumbent Cara McKelvey against Marie McGivern in Logan Lake. Local officials may update candidate lists as packages are finalized ahead of the October 17 election.

Homelessness and Rental Rates Rise Rapidly

Data from the Financial Accountability Office of Ontario (FAO) reveals that known cases of homelessness in Ontario expanded by more than 23 per cent over three years, reaching upwards of 76,000 individuals. Furthermore, chronic homelessness jumped over 37 per cent in two years, representing nearly half of the province’s identified homeless population. A separate federal count showed national homelessness rose 59 per cent compared to 2020-22 figures, while unsheltered homelessness surged 89 per cent.

A primary factor behind these figures is declining housing affordability. The FAO reported that median market rent in Ontario jumped 19.3 per cent between 2022-23 and 2025-26, whereas earnings for low- and middle-income families expanded by only 14.1 per cent. Projections indicate known homelessness in Ontario could increase by almost 16 per cent by 2028-29.

National Economic Pressure and Conservative Proposals

Financial strains extend across Canada, where 63 per cent of workers cite the cost of living as their main financial stressor. Additionally, over a third of mortgage holders renewing their terms report elevated pressure due to increased interest rates. Housing construction is slowing down in major metropolitan centers like Toronto and Vancouver, with national housing starts expected to shrink by up to 38,000 units by 2028.

Attributing these economic challenges to eleven years of Liberal governance, Conservatives state they are advocating for measures to restore affordability. Proposed initiatives include removing the GST on new home purchases up to $1.3 million and implementing an Economic Action Plan designed to stimulate new development, eliminate growth-inhibiting policies, and encourage investment across the nation.