Kamloops & District Chamber of Commerce and Castanet Kamloops to Host 2026 Municipal Election Forums
SEPT 11, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kamloops & District Chamber of Commerce and Castanet Kamloops to Host 2026 Municipal Election Forums
Sept 11 - KAMLOOPS, BC — The Kamloops & District Chamber of Commerce and Castanet Kamloops will host the 2026 Municipal Election Forums on Wednesday, September 23, giving candidates for Mayor and Council the opportunity to speak directly to the issues that matter to the Kamloops business community and residents ahead of the October 17 municipal election.
The forums will be livestreamed live as they happen and recorded for on-demand viewing online through Election Day, so residents across the city will be able to watch every session at a time that works for them.
A forum, not a debate
These sessions are structured as a forum rather than a debate: every candidate for a given office responds to the same set of questions, giving the public a clear, side-by-side look at where each candidate stands on the issues. Questions are being gathered from the Chamber, Castanet Kamloops, community partners, event sponsors and residents through Slido.
Format
Candidate participation will take place from the event venue, with each candidate permitted to bring up to two supporters who must register with the Chamber in advance. The forums are not open to the public in person; this format is intended to keep the focus squarely on hearing directly from the candidates. The event venue will not be made public in advance.
The Chamber and its partners are working on options for public viewing parties on the day of the forums, with more details to follow.
Schedule — Wednesday, September 23
- 9:00 – 11:00 am — Councillor Forum
- 12:00 – 2:00 pm — Councillor Forum
- 3:00 – 5:00 pm — Councillor Forum
- 6:00 – 8:00 pm — Mayoral Forum
The final number of councillor sessions and candidate assignments will be confirmed once candidate registration closes, following the September 11 nomination deadline.
The Municipal Election Forums are presented by the Kamloops & District Chamber of Commerce and Castanet Kamloops, in partnership with the East Kamloops BIA and North Kamloops BIA. GK Sound is supporting the event as the audio-visual sponsor, and the Interior Association of Realtors and the Kamloops Chronicle are sponsors of the event.
Quotes
"Local elections shape decisions that affect every business in this city, from housing to infrastructure to how we grow. These forums give candidates a real opportunity to speak to those issues, and give our members and the broader community a clear way to hear from everyone running for Mayor and Council before they vote."
— Acacia Pangilinan, Executive Director, Kamloops & District Chamber of Commerce
"Castanet is glad to partner with the Chamber to bring these forums to as many Kamloops residents as possible. Streaming every session live, and keeping the recordings available right up to Election Day, means there's no excuse not to hear directly from the people asking for your vote."
— Tim Petruk, News Director, Castanet Kamloops
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Media contact
Acacia Pangilinan
Executive Director
Kamloops & District Chamber of Commerce
acacia@kamloopschamber.ca | 778-257-5900