Ron Cannan

Kelowna Chamber of Commerce mayoral forum

Kelowna Chamber of Commerce, streamed by Castanet · Oct. 7, 2026 · Full video of this forum on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

1. Opening statement

   As your Mayor, I'll focus on safer streets, good jobs, responsible growth, infrastructure and respect for your tax dollars and I'll deliver independent core review promised four years ago but never completed.

2. The current council term ended with a lot of unfinished business. What project would you continue without change, and what's the first thing you would revisit?

   Definitely want to bring people together, business, community, residents, community together for a town hall meeting.

3. The current council term ended with a lot of unfinished business. What project would you continue without change, and what's the first thing you would revisit?

   I want to hear from the people and let them speak and come together and come up with a community solution to deal with our safe streets and homelessness and mental health.

4. Name one budget line you would cut and one you would grow. What property tax increase is defensible for your first year?

   The line I would cut is the communications staff. We've got 14 communications staff members for about 1,200 employees.

5. Name one budget line you would cut and one you would grow. What property tax increase is defensible for your first year?

   Definitely RCMP, we're under resourced. [...] We need more frontline police officers as well and empowering our bylaw officers as well.

6. Name one budget line you would cut and one you would grow. What property tax increase is defensible for your first year?

   I would work towards having our tax increase within the rate of inflation

7. Name one budget line you would cut and one you would grow. What property tax increase is defensible for your first year?

   The first year it's going to be difficult. We're going to implement a core review within the first hundred days.

8. Would you increase the number of police, bylaw or community safety officers, and how would you pay for it?

   we have a 1% levy built into our taxation already, so it'll have additional police officers. But what I also want to do is work with our Downtown Kelowna Association, the red shirt program, and expand that service area.

9. Would you increase the number of police, bylaw or community safety officers, and how would you pay for it?

   Homelessness and mental health issues do not know political or geographic boundaries. We need to come together and come up with a solution that's a regional approach.

10. Question for him alone: How would you reassure people who worry you're attracted to far-right politics?

    I'm a free enterpriser with a social conscience.

11. Question for him alone: How would you reassure people who worry you're attracted to far-right politics?

    So I'm a consensus builder. I believe in relationships, bringing people together, and definitely not, you know, some right-wing fanatic. I believe in free enterprise.

12. What is the biggest housing policy issue in Kelowna, and how would you address it?

    The single biggest issue facing housing is affordability.

13. What is the biggest housing policy issue in Kelowna, and how would you address it?

    One of the things the city can do right now, we've been giving tax breaks for developers for rental units. I think most people agree that our supply of rentals is quite significant right now.

14. What is the biggest housing policy issue in Kelowna, and how would you address it?

    So if anything, the local government, we can help incentivize working with first-time buyers, partnering with our provincial and federal governments

15. Within council's own authority, what one thing would you do differently on homelessness?

    if you have a loved one has dementia or Alzheimer's we don't put them in a tiny home or tent we put them in a care facility because that's the compassionate thing to do.

16. What unfunded or delayed infrastructure project would you prioritize, and what would you defund or delay to pay for it?

    one of the big ones right now that's unknown is 210 million dollar the Clement extension [...] I would defer that and look at focusing on getting transit.

17. Question for him alone: You've been in city politics for 30 years. How can a career politician also represent change?

    I feel that experience of both government and business coming together is an asset that I want to give to the community.

18. Would the city's arts and culture investment go up, go down, or stay the same under your administration?

    I fully support arts and culture.

19. Would the city's arts and culture investment go up, go down, or stay the same under your administration?

    that includes looking at the Performing Arts Centre how we can get that into our capital plan

20. If you could fund one and only one new sport or recreation facility, what would it be, and why?

    the other opportunity is to partner with UBC Okanagan [...] to build the Centre of Excellence.

21. Audience question: Will you commit to meaningful public input and a formal public hearing before council decides on the former Willow Inn site?

    Yes, absolutely open to the public.

22. Tell us about your spiritual outlook and how it affects your policy.

    my faith has been a strong component of who I am. I've been a Christian and it forms my integrity.

23. What is the single biggest obstacle you would remove for a business trying to open, expand or hire in Kelowna?

    One of the biggest obstacles is time. Time is money.

24. What is the single biggest obstacle you would remove for a business trying to open, expand or hire in Kelowna?

    I'd hold staff to a more accountable timeline

25. Closing statement

    So I would be opening a more transparent and accountable and open government.