Kelowna's #1 Source for News, Events & Local Happenings
The mayoral race heats up, a million-dollar gift brings a medical clinic closer, and a Kelowna band earns a big win. Plus, what a bridge closure costs beyond a late arrival.
At the October 7 debate, Ron Cannan favoured delaying the Clement extension and cutting communications staffing. Tom Dyas backed the road project and defended City salaries. Andrew Uitvlugt focused on homelessness and street safety.
Castanet sits down with incumbent Kelowna mayor Tom Dyas as he runs for re-election.
Mayoral candidates Tom Dyas and Ron Cannan have outlined their respective strategies to tackle Kelowna's public safety, homelessness, and addiction challenges. While Dyas prioritizes hiring 75 additional public safety personnel and advocating for mandatory care options, Cannan focuses on rapidly opening new detox beds and partnering with community groups to build an integrated campus of care.
Summerland's Health Care Auxiliary has donated $1 million toward a new medical clinic on Victoria Road North. The money will help equip and renovate the space, with the goal of attracting doctors and connecting more residents with primary care.
A Research Co. survey found 56% of B.C. respondents are avoiding American products, while 32% are avoiding U.S. restaurant franchises. Another 27% have not changed their habits. For local businesses, where we spend still matters.
The downtown YMCA is offering Choose to Move for adults 55 and older who are not current members. The free program combines coaching, group support and a personal activity plan. Contact the YMCA about space in the fall program.
Kelowna has ended its partnership with Tennis Clubs of Canada for the planned five-court indoor facility at Mission Recreation Park. The City says construction obligations were not met and will seek a new partner through a competitive process.
Kelowna's Freeze the Fall won Metal & Hard Music Artist of the Year at the Western Canadian Music Awards. The band returns to Red Bird Brewing on October 17. A hometown show with a little extra volume behind it.
iNFOnews estimates the September 22 bridge closure cost at least $218,000 in lost productivity. It is a rough calculation, rather than an official total, but it shows the price of relying on one crossing for nearly 60,000 vehicles a day.
Final voting day for the provincial election is Saturday, October 24, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Advance voting runs October 16–21, also from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Kelowna Centre: Kristina Loewen, Conservative; Loyal Wooldridge, BC NDP.
Kelowna-Mission: Gavin Dew, Conservative.
Kelowna–Lake Country–Coldstream: Pavneet Singh, Conservative; Alexandra Wright, OneBC.
Nominations close October 3, so more names may be added. Elections BC will mail registered voters a Where to Vote card before advance voting begins. During advance voting, you can vote at any advance location. On October 24, voters have an assigned voting place.
Canada’s daily national average is currently 179.8/L. Kelowna drivers can compare that with local pump prices to see whether we are paying more, or hopefully, less.
*Bonus*
Are you enjoying the 3 minute Daily Grapes?
Normals: High +14°C, low +3°C. | Sunrise 7:08 a.m. Sunset 6:22 p.m.
A cool Thanksgiving weekend is ahead. Friday brings showers, with sunshine expected by Sunday and Monday.
Keep a jacket handy for the long weekend. Nights dip close to freezing as skies clear.
Friday, October 9: Showers, high +14°C, low +7°C.
Saturday, October 10: 30% chance of showers, high +11°C, low +2°C.
Sunday, October 11: Sunny, high +13°C, low +1°C.
Thanksgiving Monday, October 12: Sunny, high +13°C, low +3°C.
Kelowna recorded 29.1 mm of September rain, below the usual 32.4 mm. Most of the Thompson-Okanagan also fell short. Environment Canada expects a warmer-than-normal October through December, while the Okanagan remains at drought level 4.
📘 City Payrolls... →
📘 2026 FINANCIAL PLAN Preliminary Budget:
PDF File →
📘 Read the New B.C. Budget 2026 →
📘 Kelowna’s 2026 Citizen Survey →
Council's October 5 meeting covered the next decade of infrastructure, the Year of Sport and recent City awards. Voters now get their turn to set the direction.
Council adopted the 2027–2036 capital plan, forecasting about $2.9 billion in infrastructure investment. Members also reviewed the Year of Sport and recognized awards for climate action, firefighter cancer prevention, community impact and hosting the BC Summer Games.
The capital plan guides future annual budgets. The sport report estimates $95 million in economic impact across five major events in the 2026 program.
Kelowna heads to the polls on October 17, 2026. Early voting available…see below. Forty-six prospective candidates have put their names forward for mayor, city council and the School District No. 23 Board of Education.
Kelowna voters will elect one mayor, eight councillors and four school trustees to serve for the next four years.
Want to know more about the people asking for your vote? The City has a candidate page with links to candidate websites and social media accounts.
Meet the Kelowna election candidates →
Advance voting will be held on October 7, 10, 14, 15 and 16. General Voting Day is Saturday, October 17, 2026.
Most voting locations are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. You can vote at any City voting location, so you do not have to wait until Election Day or stick to one neighbourhood polling station.
If you will be away, mail ballot voting is also available. Completed mail ballots must reach the City by 8 p.m. on October 17 to be counted.
Municipal elections do not always get the attention of provincial or federal elections, but City Hall makes decisions that hit close to home: roads, taxes, policing, development, parks, transit and how Kelowna grows. It is worth spending a few minutes learning who is running.
Then show up and vote.
Eby, Doerkson and Lowan debate October 14, 6:15–8 p.m. Watch Global Okanagan before the October 24 provincial vote.
With 37 candidates chasing eight council seats, some campaigns are using humour and stunts to get noticed. The lighter approach may draw new voters in. It also gives residents a reason to look beyond the jokes and read the platforms.
Kelowna's next advance voting day is October 10, followed by October 14, 15 and 16. General voting is October 17. Residents will choose a mayor, eight councillors and four school trustees. Check the City's page for locations and requirements.
The Rockets hit double digits, the Lions win without a touchdown, and the Raptors are coming to Vancouver. All game times below are Pacific.
Nine different Rockets scored as Kelowna overwhelmed Swift Current at Prospera Place. Fourteen of the team's 18 skaters collected a point in its biggest offensive night of the season.
Most recent: Kelowna 10, Swift Current 2, Wednesday, October 7.
Next game: Brandon at Kelowna, Saturday, October 10 at 6:05 p.m., Pink in the Rink Night.
Vancouver fell 3–2 to Vegas on Sunday, with Paul Cotter and Jonathan Lekkerimäki scoring. The Canucks begin their eastern trip in Carolina on October 8 before weekend stops in New Jersey and New York.
Latest completed game as of Thursday morning: Vegas 3, Vancouver 2, Sunday, October 4.
Thursday: Vancouver at Carolina, October 8 at 4 p.m.
Next weekend game: Vancouver at New Jersey, Saturday, October 10 at 12:30 p.m.
Toronto lost its preseason opener 129–105 to Miami in Quebec City. RJ Barrett and Scottie Barnes provided early bright spots. Next comes a Vancouver visit to face the Clippers at Rogers Arena.
Most recent: Miami 129, Toronto 105, Saturday, October 3, preseason.
Next game: Toronto vs. LA Clippers in Vancouver, Saturday, October 10 at 3:30 p.m., preseason.
Vancouver has named 28 players for training camp, which opens November 18 at the PNE Agrodome. Single-game tickets go on sale October 9 at 10 a.m. The regular season begins at home against Seattle in December.
Season status: Offseason; no game this week.
Next scheduled preseason scrimmage: Minnesota, Monday, November 23 at 2 p.m., Henderson, Nevada.
Season opener: Seattle at Vancouver, Saturday, December 5 at 1 p.m.
Mathías Laborda scored in the 73rd minute, but Vancouver's comeback ended in a 3–1 loss to Chicago. The Whitecaps remain atop the Western Conference and continue their road trip against LAFC.
Most recent: Chicago 3, Vancouver 1, Tuesday, October 6.
Next game: Vancouver at LAFC, Saturday, October 10 at 7:30 p.m.
Sean Whyte kicked eight field goals, and B.C.'s defence stopped Toronto at the goal line to seal a 24–17 win. The Lions improved to 9–6 without scoring a touchdown. That is taking the scenic route to victory.
Most recent: B.C. 24, Toronto 17, Saturday, October 3.
Next game: Ottawa at B.C., Friday, October 9 at 7 p.m., BC Place.
Thanksgiving brings a meal and a sense of belonging for shelter residents. We also look back at a game-show visit and a curious piece of Okanagan history.
Saturday, October 10, 2026
Kelowna's Gospel Mission will serve Thanksgiving lunch to residents of its Leon and Bay Avenue shelters. Staff, volunteers and local donors are helping continue a 45-year tradition built around food, dignity and connection.
Recent event recap, published October 3, 2026
The touring show brought Plinko, Cliffhangers and the Big Wheel to Kelowna Community Theatre. Host Todd Newton led the evening as audience members took their chances on prices and prizes. iNFOnews captured the game-show excitement on video.
Local history video
Eddy Haymour dreamed of turning the island near Peachland into a tourist attraction with mini-golf, pyramids and a giant camel. His dispute with the province became one of the Okanagan's strangest stories. Here is this week's history video.
Iconic singer-songwriter Bruce Cockburn is bringing his spring tour to the Central Okanagan for a special evening at the Kelowna Community Theatre on Monday, April 12, 2027. Celebrating his upcoming cover album The Blood of Others, the Canadian Music Hall of Famer will perform a selection of timeless classics and newly recorded covers that shaped his legendary career.
Ongoing event listings
The Box Office is a handy local hub for Kelowna shows, concerts, comedy, dance, theatre, sports, and festivals. Worth checking before saying, “There’s nothing going on.”
The RCA calendar is packed with theatre, live music, and gallery shows throughout the week.
From tastings to winemaker dinners, Okanagan wine events continue year-round.
Local bands, touring acts, and pub shows are heating up this month.
A good book for a couple of dollars? That is a Thanksgiving-week bargain worth clearing a shelf for.
October 14–17, 2026
Kelowna Friends of the Library returns with thousands of gently used books, plus puzzles and games. Browse fiction, nonfiction, young adult titles and large-print books. Tables are replenished throughout the sale.
Where: Immaculate Conception Parish Hall, 839 Sutherland Avenue, Kelowna.
Wednesday, October 14: 2–8 p.m.
Thursday, October 15: 9:30 a.m.–8 p.m.
Friday, October 16: 9:30 a.m.–8 p.m.
Saturday, October 17: 9:30 a.m.–2 p.m.
Most adult and young adult books are around $2. A separate children's room has books mostly priced at $1. Cash and cards are accepted. Proceeds support programs and improvements across Okanagan Regional Library branches.
Parking: Enter from Sutherland Avenue through the west alley beside the church, near Richter Street. Exit through the east alley near Ethel Street.
Four recent openings and announcements add waffles, burritos and a future lake-view patio to Kelowna's dining scene.
Waffle Co. has announced an early-October soft launch at 120–1633 Ellis Street. Its first Okanagan location will serve handcrafted waffles, desserts and specialty drinks. Check for opening updates before making a special trip.
Chipotle's first B.C. Interior restaurant has opened at 150–1950 Harvey Avenue. The new Kelowna location serves the chain's burritos and bowls and brings about 30 jobs to the city.
Boston Pizza has been announced for Mission Village at the Ponds. Plans include family dining and an outdoor patio overlooking Okanagan Lake. The announcement gives Upper Mission residents another dining option to watch for, with no opening date stated.
TacoTime celebrated its Mission Park Shopping Centre opening on September 16. The new quick-service spot adds another option for the lower Mission and South Pandosy, within walking distance of Okanagan College.
Kelowna-built Happy Hour Compass gathers current specials from Kelowna, West Kelowna and Lake Country restaurants in one searchable place.
Tastings, winery dinners and summer vineyard events continue across the valley. One calendar saves a lot of hunting.
If you’re stuck in the “where should we eat?” loop, this helps. Tourism Kelowna has rounded up 75 local restaurants across the city.
From lakefront patios and wine bar gems to global flavours and casual comfort spots, it’s a solid master list for a great dining out experience.
September brought a small lift in condo prices, but sales across the wider Interior remained slower than a year ago.
With benchmark condo prices soaring past $400,000, a new wave of innovative micro-suites and smart studio developments is quietly creating an accessible entry floor across Kelowna's transit corridors. Read the full Kelowna Grapevine report to explore sub-$300k properties, investor yields, and key market trends.
Central Okanagan condo and apartment benchmark prices posted their first year-over-year increase in 10 months. Detached-home benchmarks also rose locally, while townhouse benchmarks fell. Across the wider Interior region, September sales totalled 1,141, down 8% from a year earlier.
New residential listings across the association's region fell 13.4% year over year, and active inventory declined. The association describes balanced conditions with early signs of a rebound. For Kelowna buyers and sellers, the picture varies by property type, with pricing still key.
We have moved dozens of times, and Logan and his helpers at Dolly Boyz gave us the best experience we have ever had. They did not dilly-dally. They practically ran back for the next load, and two men did more work than many three-person crews.
The final price matched the estimate. No surprise charges. Just hard work from a local owner who is serious about building a great service business.
Dolly Boyz Moving Co.: 250-869-5295
Website and quote request →
James Roffel’s videos offer quick local updates on listings, sales, price cuts and what buyers are doing right now.
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This is your local newsletter, Kelowna. Email paul@kelownagrapevine.ca
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