From top left: BC NDP candidate Tina Lee, BC Conservative Party candidate Amelia Boultbee, Independent candidate Tracy St. Claire, Green Party candidate Bradley Bartsch, and Independent Roger Harrington.

(SHANNON AINSLIE / iNFOnews.ca)

Voters in the Penticton-Summerland riding will be choosing a new MLA for the first time in a decade.

MLA Dan Ashton has held the position with both the BC Liberal Party and the BC United Party since 2013 and is not seeking re-election, leaving the door open for six candidates to compete for the seat.

As well, BC United dropped out of the election campaign in an effort to unite the right under the BC Conservative Party banner.

The new riding of Penticton-Summerland is almost identical to the previous electoral district covering Penticton, Naramata and Summerland, but it no longer includes Peachland which is now part of the new West Kelowna-Peachland riding.

A few things have changes since the last provincial election in 2020. The BC Liberals changed names to BC United before dissolving, the BC Conservative party was revamped and is wielding a lot of power, and numerous riding names and boundaries in the province have shifted.

The new Penticton-Summerland riding encompasses roughly 55,000 residents and 1,600 square kilometres in Penticton, Naramata and Summerland, but it no longer includes Peachland which is now part of West Kelowna-Peachland.

The riding has been Liberal since 1996, but BC Conservative candidate Amelia Boultbee could change that. The last time the Penticton area riding — then called South Okanagan — was Conservative was in 1941 and then somewhat in 1945 when a centre-right coalition was formed by the Liberal and Conservative parties.

A voter projection from 388 Canada on Oct. 15 showed Boultbee with 52% support and the New Democrats with 38%.

Demographics:

The Penticton-Summerland electoral district has roughly 55,000 residents and covers 1,600 square kilometres

Penticton’s population grew by 9.3 percent between 2016 and 2021 and it is now estimated to be roughly 39,000. The population of Summerland grew by 4.2 percent between those dates and is estimated at 11,000.

The riding has a significant population over the age of 65, with Penticton at 30% and Summerland at 33%, according to Statistics Canada. The BC average is around 20% over the age of 65.

The political allegiance of the older generation is important as 65 to 74-year-olds vote more than any other age group. In the last provincial election, 79% of those between 65 and 74 voted, while only 39% of 25 to 34-year-olds did.

Today's issues:

The City of Penticton recently surveyed residents to ask what the most important issues facing the community were

The top issues in order of importance were crime and social issues, housing, affordability, and climate and sustainability.

Do voters show up?

In 2020, turnout in the Penticton riding was 52% about two percentage points higher than the provincial average.

Who to vote for in Penticton-Summerland:

Amelia Boultbee – BC Conservative Party 

Born and raised in Penticton, Amelia Boultbee is a city counsellor and has a background in politics and law.

She worked as a lawyer in Vancouver in various areas of law and later transitioned to veterans affairs where she advocated for health-care benefits for seniors.

As a city councillor Boultbee advocated for responsible housing development, support for small businesses and attracting diverse industries to Penticton. Her focus was on affordable housing, tax reform and health-care improvements.

Tina Lee - BC NDP 

Tina Lee has been working in an outreach role for South Okanagan-West Kootenay MP Richard Cannings, she volunteers at several community organizations in Penticton and is raising her two children there.

A member of the Okanagan College’s Board of Governors, Lee pushed for action on housing which resulted in 101 units of affordable housing for the Penticton campus, announced earlier this year.

Her focus is on housing, climate change, health care and the cost of living.

Bradley Bartsch - BC Green Party 

With a background in political science and business, West Coast born Bradley Bartsch has worked with prominent for-profit and non-profit organizations like Ronald McDonald House and World Vision and led fundraising campaigns for critical health and social projects.

Bartsch moved to Penticton with his wife in 2021 and has a passion for sustainable economic and environmental development.

His focus is on creating strong and resilient communities.

Tracy St. Claire - Independent 

Tracy St. Claire lives in Penticton with her husband and daughters and is the executive director of the South Okanagan Similkameen Division of Family Practice.

Claire was chosen as a candidate by the BC United Party earlier this year and became an Independent after the party was recently dissolved.

Her goal is to continue the service Dan Ashton provided for years, with a commitment to improving health-care access and services.

Ashton endorsed St. Claire’s candidacy in a BC United media release issued in February saying she “will work diligently for the citizens for this wonderful area.”

Roger Harrington- Independent

Independent candidate Roger Harrington is a retired dentist in Summerland who operated a dental clinic in Penticton for over four decades. 

A grandfather of four, Harrington’s top five values are integrity, courage, freedom, passion and fun.

His focus is on ending carbon tax, eliminating school indoctrination and social disorder, and resurrecting health care.

Anna Paddon -Independent 

Independent candidate Anna Paddon has previously run as an Independent in the former Nanaimo-North Cowichan riding.

According to her Facebook account, she brings a liberal voice for individual rights, liberty, democracy, equality and a voice for the environment.

For more information about the BC election and to register to vote go here.

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