Did you know the 2026 municipal election is coming up on October 17th? If you’ve listened to the news, checked your Facebook page, or driven around town recently, you have likely come across interviews, posts, and signs saying “elect X” or “re-elect Y”. So far, we have a mixture of incumbent and new mayoral and council candidates, some familiar names and some just recently foraying into local politics. 

Local government can have a larger impact on individuals than slower-moving provincial or national politics, so the composition of our City Council matters a lot. As our municipal election approaches, if you want to have a role in shaping the future of our community, casting an informed vote is essential! 

To that end, Transition Kamloops has put together a survey for candidates, with questions relating to some of the key current issues, like we did for the 2025 federal election and the 2022 municipal election. Based on the survey responses received, as well as on candidate campaign information, and the voting records of incumbents, our team will evaluate the candidates and provide a red, yellow, or green score. The rubric and scoring are intended to help discern what these candidates would do if elected, and whether they would be equitable, accountable to constituents, and how they would prioritize sustainability. 

As a grassroots group with a focus on livability, sustainability, and resilience in the face of climate change, our questions relate to Transition Kamloops’ mandate: 

• Climate Change Mitigation
• Active Transportation
• Transit/ Carshare
• Environmental Stewardship/Protection
• Biodiversity
• Food Security
• Housing and Sustainable Development
• Land Use
• Governance
• Reconciliation
• Emergency Preparedness / Extreme Weather Events
• Livability and Community Health

Chances are if you’re receiving this newsletter, you care about these issues too! 

Of course, there are many other important issues that the community might be concerned about, which will likely be well-covered in public forums, debates, interviews, and commitments. We encourage you  to attend forums and gather as much information as you can from multiple sources. 

Our survey will be sent to candidates on September 12th, and our report card article will be available in early October ahead of the first Advance Voting opportunity on October 7th. Keep an eye out for our article and news release — we hope this will be a helpful way for you to inform yourselves about the issues that matter for building a healthier, more resilient, and more connected Kamloops. 

See the City’s Lets Talk webpage here for information relating to the election: https://letstalk.kamloops.ca/vote