Trevor McAleese 2026

1. Do you think our main street/downtown is healthy and successful? If not, what would you do to change that?

Public safety, open drug use, and visible homelessness dominate whenever downtown comes up with residents. The ability for the Downtown Kelowna Association (DKA) On-Call team to provide extended hours/overnight response could go a long way. Their work is invaluable in ensuring a safer downtown for everyone. When Meet Me On Bernard is going, we see how lively downtown could be with a permanent walking street connecting the waterfront to Bernard’s amazing restaurants, bars, cafes, and shops. Beyond property crime by chronic offenders, these small businesses are threatened by sky high commercial rent. Uncapped rent increases threaten to snuff out the small businesses that make downtown what it is, and we can’t afford to lose them.

2. What’s more important for our city right now: building new homes and commercial space or rehabbing/expanding/better utilizing our existing homes and storefronts?

This is tough, as I don't think it needs to be an either-or. When it comes to making the most efficient use of what limited land we have available in our urban centres, mixed-use developments with ground floor commercial space featuring vital everyday services & amenities (childcare, medical services, groceries, etc.) is an approach to densification I’d like to see more of. The North End revitalization plan straddles the line a bit, and while I would have preferred that Tolko remained a major employer, the reinvention of the mill site is an exciting example of what rehabbing an industrial area can look like: homes, greenspace, and public access to waterfront previously occupied by private industry.

3. How do you feel about the transportation options currently available in our city? Can all of our residents affordably get where they need to go? If not, what will you do to improve transportation in our city?

Kelowna remains a heavily car-dependent community with a transit system that isn’t where it should be, especially with so many developments along transit corridors being granted parking exemptions anticipating that our buses will pick up the slack. Transit users have had no choice but to accept the fare increases that came into effect with council approval last fall, but handyDART users were hit hardest. Major transit service improvements hinge on the proposed expanded bus yard to accommodate a growing fleet, but if there were one smaller change that would punch well above its weight? A RapidBus route running direct to the airport. This would provide an affordable and convenient option for residents and travellers alike.

4. Some people in our community say that we have traffic problems. What do you think? How would you mitigate those concerns or change the situation?

Concerns around traffic congestion are among the top 3 issues being raised at the door in my canvassing, We can at least ensure a more efficient flow of traffic along major arteries like Harvey/Highway 97 with as little friction as possible. Continued implementation of adaptive signal timing at intersections, additional advanced lefts, pedestrian overpasses to replace pedestrian controlled crosswalks, on-ramps that prevent back-ups (ex. Benvoulin onto Springfield)… all of this can add up. But the number one thing we should pursue for lasting, long-term relief of traffic congestion? Improving Kelowna Regional Transit to a point where it is an attractive, reliable option for getting people where they need to be safely and quickly.

5. If you could change one thing in our zoning code, what would it be and why?

There are many compelling changes I would like to see made to our Zoning Bylaw! The introduction of high compliance Inclusionary Zoning that sets practical minimums for deeply affordable, fully accessible, and family suitable units in larger private developments is one avenue I see opportunity in to add housing stock that genuinely aligns with the needs of everyday people. But that’s an addition to the Zoning Bylaw rather than a change, so to properly answer: Our Density Bonusing would be well-served to promote on-site childcare spaces. Childcare being available as close-to-home as possible makes life so much simpler for families, and in an apartment complex like our Density Bonuses seek to encourage, it’s a natural fit.

6. How do you plan to involve residents in the decision making process in our town?

In my view, Kelowna is past due for adopting a ward system in electing councillors. Many residents feel that their neighbourhood concerns are going unheard, and a ward system would ensure a better, clearer 2-way channel of communication between everyday people and council. Residents would know where to raise concerns around impacts of proposed developments, neighbourhood safety, etc. For a more direct line into long-term planning, especially with the 2050 Official Community Plan on the horizon, I see value in restoring the citizen-led Advisory Planning Commission, especially to inform future land use. A reformed APC would ideally include residents from all Kelowna neighbourhoods for the best chance of balanced, forward-thinking input that informs planning.

7. If someone came to you with a proposal to build a new piece of public infrastructure in our city (road, bridge, etc.), how would you evaluate whether or not that project was worth implementing?

There are basic questions I’d ask up front for any proposal of a public infrastructure project: A) Will this project provide a community benefit currently going unserved or underserved? B) How reasonable is the anticipated timeline for project completion, what are the estimated build costs, and will local industry be employed? C) Have the impacts of construction on the surrounding structures and ecology been formally assessed? We’ve seen recently with construction of the UBCO downtown Kelowna tower how grievous the consequences can be when major excavation proceeds in a developed area. When due diligence in risk assessment and monitoring is flubbed, it’s not just buildings that become damaged or destroyed, but human lives.

8. If elected, what three steps would you take to put our city on a firmer financial footing?

Lobbying of higher levels of government are required for points 1 & 2, but I want to see: 1) Municipal authority for property tax reform restored to pursue a land value tax that replaces property taxes and pushes back on land speculation. 2) Stronger commitments in cost sharing from the provincial/federal governments to better share the load with the City of Kelowna in funding public services like libraries, transit. 3) Our growing emergency services budget addressed. It may be more fiscally responsible to prioritize resourcing of non-RCMP responders such as CRCL and DKA & URBA On-Call to delegate as many non-criminal, non-emergency calls as possible away from the RCMP to contain ballooning emergency services costs.

9. If you received a $1 million grant to use for the city any way you wanted, what would you do with it and why?

A lack of public, accessible washrooms open year round represents a major gap in basic amenities on offer throughout Kelowna, especially in urban areas where public urination/defecation is common. With the self-cleaning washroom at Queensway as an example, a $1 million grant equals ~4 more of these installed in high foot traffic areas. $1 million could fund numerous transit shelters throughout the city, radically improving the experience & accessibility of Kelowna Regional Transit. The full grant applied here would be equivalent to 10 years worth of BC’s Transit Minor Betterments program funding. Finally, putting that $1 million towards the planned Rutland Recreation Park upgrades would allow the project to return closer to the original proposal.

10. What neighbourhood do you live in? Why? Where are your favourite places to spend time in our town?

I rent half a duplex in South Pandosy, which in my view is Kelowna’s gold standard for an eminently walkable and livable neighbourhood. I have family living within walking distance whom I like to be available for, and I’m grateful to be able to live this close. I swing by Lakeview Market on the daily to resupply on kitchen staples; they do the absolute best job of ANY grocery store of stocking locally-grown produce. I really love our music scene here in Kelowna, and DunnEnzies downtown is my go-to place to catch a local punk or metal show. When it comes to a favourite place to chill, Kasugai Gardens is a true sanctuary and escape.