Nikki Renee Csek

Kelowna council forum #3 at Revelry

Castanet and Revelry, with ForChange Kelowna · Oct. 1, 2026 · Full video of this forum on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

1. Opening statement

   First, more for less. Families here are already doing more with less. City Hall has to live by that same discipline. The taxpayer is not an endless bank. Every dollar the city takes should deliver a clear public benefit.

2. Opening statement

   Second, safe streets. Residents and businesses should not carry the burden of policy failure. People who need help should get it faster and people who repeatedly harm others must face serious consequences.

3. Opening statement

   The third, wildfire readiness. Kelowna cannot afford to wait for the next fire. That means reducing fuel where the city meets the forest. [...] Investing in detection and suppression and having a real plan for evacuation.

4. Opening statement

   Fourth, homes and infrastructure. We need to cut the costs and delay in housing.

5. There is talk about a different model for policing. What is your position, and why?

   We have the RCMP. We do have to evaluate whether we need a city police force. [...] So I think we have to look at private security. I think we have to look at what our auxiliary does. I think we have to recreate neighborhood watches.

6. What role can the city play in making Kelowna more affordable and livable for families?

   So we have to apply that same discipline at City Hall. We have a $1.1 billion budget. We have to examine every single one of these line items.

7. What role can the city play in making Kelowna more affordable and livable for families?

   So if we look at housing, we have to have diversity in our housing options. I understand where we don't allow modular homes and there's some incredible modular homes in West Kelowna [...] So we have to get more diversity in our options and then we have to map the incomes of our residents because they are not at an 80,000 household medium. It's skewed. We have a lot of wealthy people here.

8. Question from Julia Fraser: If consultation opposes a proposal staff recommend, how would you decide?

   I am going to put my decision based on how much does it cost, does it meet the needs of the citizens? Will we be able to have the impact that it is expected to do? And how will we measure it when we've decided?

9. How would you help make Kelowna livable 365 days a year?

   But we do have to do something to restart our housing industry. We have builders that have not pulled a permit for two and three years. Those are really good paying jobs and they're leaving our city.

10. What one or two issues are top of mind for you?

    we have to put pilot projects in that just take back a block and then another block. [...] We have to have a continuum care to move people through that want it. [...] To have mandatory and voluntary care, we have to look at bylaws