Penticton City Council · 2026


Riley Thompson for Council

Not left. Not right. Penticton.
Building what's next.

Get Involved The Issues Why Independent?
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Raised in Penticton, BC
Apprentice Electrician
Running for full term · Fall 2026
Fighting for Penticton Families
Independent · No Slate · No Party

Don't pick a team. Pick a plan.

This October, organized Conservative and progressive slates will ask you to pick a team — and a number of us are running independent. I'm running to do more than hold a seat. I want to build what's next for Penticton: more homes, a stronger and more diverse economy, a downtown that's alive year-round, and a city that plans for the future instead of reacting to it. I built this platform at Penticton doorsteps, not from a party playbook — fiscal discipline and environmental action, economic growth and community investment. Big goals, with a real plan behind every one.

Why Independent? →
About Riley

A Penticton kid,
all grown up
and ready to serve.

"Instead of sitting on the sidelines, I decided to throw my name in the hat and start trying to make some change."
Learn More About Riley
South Okanagan · British Columbia
The place I call home.
Skaha Lake
Skaha Lake
Naramata Bench
Naramata Bench
Wine Country
Wine Country
Munson Mountain
Munson Mountain
Platform & Priorities

What I'll fight for

Real challenges need practical solutions — and real ambition. Here's where I'll focus my energy on council: eight issues, each with a concrete plan to move Penticton forward. Big goals, and a serious plan behind every one.

01

Housing & Affordability

Penticton needs more housing — and faster. I'll push to expand the city's fast-track building permit program to small multi-unit and missing-middle housing, publish permit performance data monthly so progress is visible, and use my construction industry experience to cut red tape without cutting corners.

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02

Homelessness & Addiction

Housing and treatment are two halves of one system — treatment without housing ends back on the street, and housing without treatment just moves the problem indoors. I'll push for both, funded together: detox and recovery beds in the South Okanagan, including beds for women, connected to transitional and supportive housing, plus expanded Car 40 crisis response.

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03

Economic Diversification

Penticton's industrial sector generates up to $1 billion in annual economic impact — but it's losing land, facing doubled taxes, and getting squeezed by rising power costs. I'll champion existing industry with a formal industrial land strategy and a revived Economic Investment Zone — and pursue one ambitious long-term goal: making Penticton a centre for UAV (drone) development and testing. I won't promise the hub. I'll promise the homework.

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04

Downtown Vibrancy

A living downtown, buzzing year-round. I want a dedicated events fund with true four-season programming, a harder push to land conventions in the shoulder season, a formal entertainment district to back up The Blocks with predictable rules, and an Economic Investment Zone covering Main Street and The Blocks to get businesses investing in patios, facades, and venues.

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05

Thoughtful Infrastructure

Penticton's South Main bike lane taught the city a hard lesson: even a grant-funded project can damage public trust if the design process doesn't listen to the people who live there. I support active transportation — but believe the how matters as much as the what.

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06

Taxes & Fiscal Responsibility

Penticton's property taxes have climbed four years straight — 9.5% in 2023, 5.31% in 2024, 7.88% in 2025, 6.26% in 2026. That's nearly a third higher in four years. I have a plan: use the $2.3 million the casino puts into city coffers, grow revenue from solar on city buildings, and chase every available grant before asking taxpayers for a cent.

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07

Environment & Sustainability

Forty per cent of what goes into our landfill is food waste. Penticton gets over 2,000 hours of sunshine a year and owns its own electric grid. I have concrete plans for a green bin program and solar on every city roof — and both save money.

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08

Aging in Penticton

Nearly a third of Penticton is 65 or older — the city asked seniors what they needed back in 2021, wrote it all down in an Age-Friendly Action Plan, and then let it gather dust. I'll dust it off: accessibility audits, public washrooms, better transit connections, and real advocacy for long-term care beds.

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Full Platform
"People ask me if I'm a conservative or a progressive. I'm an electrician. I solve problems. When I show up to a job site, I don't ask the wiring what its politics are — I figure out what's wrong and I fix it. That's how I'll approach council."
— Riley Thompson
Community Support

What Penticton is saying.

Hear from the people who know me and believe in this vision for the city.

Endorsements are still coming in. Check back soon to see who's backing this campaign — or be the first to add your voice.

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Ready to help build Penticton's future?

Whether you want to volunteer, put up a sign, or just have a conversation — I want to hear from you.

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