Kelowna-Lake Country MLA Norm Letnick

Image Credit: FACEBOOK/Norm Letnick

Norm Letnick has decided to stay on as the Kelowna-Lake Country MLA and not run for the mayor’s job in Kelowna.

In October, Letnick told iNFOnews.ca that he was considering a run for mayor but would canvas his constituents to see what they wanted him to do and decide in the summer.

READ MORE: Kelowna MLA Letnick denies reports of plans to switch seats with mayor

“I’ve decided that the best way to serve our community is to complete the four-year provincial mandate the voters in the Kelowna-Lake Country riding honoured me with in 2020,” Letnick said in a news release he issued today, Jan. 13.

In the release he talks about the need for entry level housing in the city.

“In an effort to help lower the barrier to homeownership, a group of us have created a non-profit housing development society that will build homes for approximately 25% under market value,” Letnick said in the release.

“I will have more to say on that initiative in the weeks to come when our first 20-unit townhouse project goes to city council for consideration. As president I am and will be very busy leading this important initiative for our community and residents.”

Letnick said that some of the people he met with to discuss his political future included “past and current local mayors, leaders in our community, and the general public.”

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Discussions covered many topics but the affordable housing issue was one that kept surfacing.

“I would like to thank everyone who shared their time and thoughts with me,” he said. “Your contributions helped me to arrive at a decision earlier than I had anticipated. While some encouraged me to run for mayor, others, especially those living in Lake Country, asked that I remain as their MLA.”

Kelowna’s current mayor, Colin Basran, has not yet declared whether he will run for re-election or not.

Municipal election day in B.C. is Oct. 15.

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