With Kelowna’s municipal election approaching on October 17, we asked City Council candidates one direct question about the future of the Abbott Street Heritage Conservation Area. Ten candidates have responded so far. Here’s what they said.
One Question. Ten Responses.
As part of our ongoing efforts to protect the Abbott Street Heritage Conservation Area (HCA), Kelowna HCAP reached out to candidates running for Kelowna City Council.
We asked each candidate the same question:
“Are you for or against the City of Kelowna removing the TOA guidelines from the Heritage Conservation Area Guidelines and rezoning this area back to its original RU1?”
Our question addresses the overlap between the Kelowna General Hospital Transit-Oriented Area (TOA) and the Abbott Street Heritage Conservation Area.
We believe the historic character of this neighbourhood deserves meaningful protection, and we wanted residents to know where prospective Council members stand.
We appreciate every candidate who took the time to respond, whether they offered a firm commitment, requested further information or suggested an alternative approach.
Why Are We Asking?
The Abbott Street Heritage Conservation Area was established to protect an important part of Kelowna’s architectural, cultural and neighbourhood history.
Today, portions of the HCA fall within the Kelowna General Hospital Transit-Oriented Area, where the provincial planning framework requires the City to permit substantially greater density, including buildings of at least six storeys.
The City’s position is that the TOA designation and existing heritage protections must operate together. The Province has confirmed that heritage guidelines remain applicable, but questions persist about how effectively those protections can preserve the neighbourhood’s historic scale and character under the current density framework.
For residents, the concerns are tangible: potential land assemblies, taller buildings, loss of mature trees, additional parking pressures and the possibility of substantial changes to established streetscapes.
Our position is not that Kelowna should stop growing. It is that growth should respect the distinctive heritage value of neighbourhoods specifically designated for conservation.
With a municipal election underway, we believe the public deserves to know how candidates would approach this issue.
Candidates Who Explicitly Support Removing the TOA and Restoring RU1
In addition to the ten candidates who provided written responses, these candidates have both verbally expressed wholehearted support for our efforts to protect the Abbott Street Heritage Conservation Area.
Ron Cannon
Susan Ames
Six candidates gave clear responses supporting both elements of our question.
Greg Dahms
Greg expressed direct support for removing the TOA from Kelowna’s Heritage Conservation Area and returning the affected properties to RU1 zoning.
He emphasized the importance of protecting what remains of Kelowna’s built heritage and sees the proposed rezoning as a means of accomplishing that goal.
Todd Daniels
Todd explicitly supported removing the TOA where it overlaps the Heritage Conservation Area and restoring RU1 zoning.
He acknowledged Kelowna’s need for additional housing while emphasizing that heritage neighbourhoods should not necessarily be treated in the same way as other areas of the city.
He believes growth should respect both established neighbourhood character and the people who live there.
Julia Fraser
Julia expressed unequivocal support for removing the TOA guidelines from the Heritage Conservation Area and rezoning the affected properties back to RU1.
She emphasized the role heritage neighbourhoods play in Kelowna’s history, identity and character, and the importance of balancing housing growth with thoughtful conservation.
Julia also stressed that residents directly affected by zoning and planning decisions deserve to be heard.
Davis Kyle
Davis confirmed his support for removing the TOA from the heritage area and proposed expanding it elsewhere to compensate.
He also acknowledged having previously considered different positions, explaining that conversations with residents and supporters had informed his current stance.
Davis emphasized his belief that elected representatives should listen to the communities they serve and stated that his position for this election and the next four years is to support removing the TOA from the heritage area.
Todd Sanderson
Todd expressed clear support for removing the TOA guidelines from the Heritage Conservation Area and restoring RU1 zoning.
He went a step further by identifying a specific timeline, stating that he would champion the issue within the first 90 days of Council’s mandate.
Laura Thurnheer
Laura confirmed her support for removing the TOA guidelines from the Heritage Conservation Area and returning the affected properties to RU1.
She indicated that she had spoken with several homeowners and researched the issue, and that she shares residents’ concerns.
If elected, Laura said she would ask City staff and Council to reconsider the matter.
Support for Excluding the Heritage Area From Higher-Density TOA Zoning
Trevor McAleese
Trevor expressed support for the reasoning behind excluding the affected heritage properties from the higher-density zoning associated with the TOA.
He described the request as reasonable and emphasized the importance of incorporating local knowledge into planning decisions, particularly when provincial policies establish broad requirements that may overlook neighbourhood-specific considerations.
Trevor also stated that municipalities are not powerless in these situations.
Importantly, he suggested that excluding this relatively small area would not meaningfully interfere with Kelowna’s broader housing goals, particularly the provision of deeply affordable rentals and attainable homes.
While Trevor expressed support for the proposed exclusion, he did not explicitly commit to returning the properties to RU1 zoning.
Candidates Who Support Heritage Protection but Want Further Review
Two candidates acknowledged the importance of preserving the Heritage Conservation Area but indicated they would need additional information before committing to the proposed zoning changes.
Nikki Csek
Nikki expressed support for protecting Kelowna’s heritage neighbourhoods and recognized residents’ concerns about the overlap between the HCA and TOA.
She indicated that she would first want to understand the legal and planning implications of returning the affected properties to RU1, including the City’s authority under provincial legislation.
Nikki also raised an important consideration: heritage designation should provide meaningful protection rather than exist in name only.
She stated that if the current framework cannot adequately protect the area’s character and heritage value, Council should seriously examine what needs to change.
Randy Millis
Randy expressed support for preserving Kelowna’s heritage neighbourhoods and for stronger advocacy to the Province where provincial requirements may undermine established heritage protections.
He indicated that he would be willing to consider temporarily suspending affected development approvals during a review, if legally permissible and supported by appropriate legal advice.
However, he was not prepared to commit to the proposed rezoning without further examination of the affected properties, municipal authority, heritage implications, housing impacts and available alternatives.
Candidate Open to Exploring Compromises
Silverado Brooks Socrates
Silverado acknowledged the passion residents have for protecting heritage homes and recognized competing pressures involving housing, parking and the needs associated with Kelowna General Hospital.
He indicated that he did not yet have enough information to take a definitive position on the proposed changes.
He suggested that compromises might be possible to help maintain stability in the neighbourhood while accommodating some of the demands associated with growth and the hospital.
What Can We Take Away From These Responses?
Supporting heritage conservation in principle is not necessarily the same as committing to a particular zoning change. Equally, seeking further information does not necessarily mean opposing the proposal.
It is also important to distinguish campaign statements from actions that a future Council could legally or practically implement.
Our purpose in asking this question was to obtain clear statements of position and provide residents with information they can use when considering their choices in the municipal election.
Why This Matters to All of Kelowna
The Abbott Street Heritage Conservation Area is not simply a collection of private homes.
Its historic architecture, mature tree canopy, established streetscapes and proximity to the waterfront contribute to the character and identity of Kelowna.
The neighbourhood is experienced and enjoyed by residents, visitors, pedestrians, cyclists and people travelling to and from Kelowna General Hospital.
What happens here affects more than the people who live within its boundaries.
We recognize that Kelowna needs additional housing, including housing that is genuinely affordable. We believe that meeting those needs should include careful consideration of where greater density is most appropriate and how historic neighbourhoods can be conserved.
The choices made today will influence the character of our city for generations.
Thank You to the Candidates
We sincerely thank all ten candidates who took the time to respond to our question.
We recognize the demands of an election campaign and appreciate their willingness to engage with a specific neighbourhood concern.
We also appreciate that some candidates have provided clear commitments while others have explained why they need further information before making a decision.
We encourage all residents to read these responses, ask questions and learn more about the planning decisions affecting Kelowna’s heritage neighbourhoods.
Learn More and Get Involved
The Abbott Street Heritage Conservation Area is an important part of Kelowna’s shared history, and its future deserves careful consideration.
Learn more about the HCA, the Transit-Oriented Area overlap and the correspondence between residents, the City and the Province:
Sign our petition: https://www.change.org/p/remove-the-transit-oriented-area-toa-from-the-abbott-street-heritage-conservation-area
Research, official correspondence and source documents: https://kelownahcap.com/resources/
Learn about the issues and write to Council: https://kelownahcap.com/write-to-council-about-preserving-the-abbott-street-heritage-conservation-area/
Municipal Election — General Voting Day: Saturday, October 17, 2026
For official voting information, visit: https://www.kelowna.ca/city-hall/city-government/elections
For voting dates, times, and locations: https://www.kelowna.ca/city-hall/city-government/elections/voting-locations-map
Editor’s note: This article summarizes written responses received directly from ten candidates for Kelowna City Council. Summaries have been condensed for clarity and are not verbatim quotations. The categories describe each candidate’s expressed position on the specific question asked, rather than their overall approach to housing or heritage policy. They do not represent an endorsement or ranking of candidates. Positions reflect correspondence received before publication and may be updated if candidates provide further clarification.
Kelowna HCAP is a community heritage advocacy initiative and is not affiliated with any municipal election campaign.
