Loyal Wooldridge was nominated as the BC NDP’s candidate in Kelowna Centre for this fall’s election, and he’s ready to get to work on the things that matter most to people.

A successful entrepreneur, social equity advocate, and chair of the Regional District of Central Okanagan, Wooldridge was elected as a Kelowna city councillor in 2018 and 2022. During the 2023 Grouse Complex fires, Loyal’s communication efforts kept thousands of evacuees and families informed during a devastating crisis, while helping secure vital disaster relief funding so communities can rebuild. Loyal is an active community volunteer with the YMCA, BC SPCA, and KGH Foundation, among other organisations.

“Housing, healthcare, and affordability are big challenges people face in communities across BC, and Kelowna Centre is no different,” said Wooldridge. “They need a representative who will fight hard for people here — building more housing that’s affordable, improving healthcare services, and strengthening our resilience to climate-fueled fires and drought. People and families here just can’t afford the cuts conservative politicians want.”

Since forming government in July 2017, the BC NDP have taken action on crucial issues that matter to the people of Kelowna Centre and across the province including:

• Strengthening healthcare by hiring 700 more doctors, licensing internationally-trained health professionals to work in BC, and investing in three new MRI machines at Kelowna General Hospital;
• Tackling housing costs by taking on speculators, updating zoning rules to allow for more townhouses, duplexes and triplexes, and making it easier for cities to build more homes near transit;
• Expanding $10/day childcare, reducing fees for families, and adding hundreds of new childcare spaces for Kelowna families; and
• Building a clean economy and training people for in-demand jobs in energy and tourism.

“As someone who’s called the Central Okanagan home for more than three decades, Loyal has a deep understanding of the things that matter to Kelownans — and how to deliver results,” said Premier David Eby. “He’ll be on your side as a champion for building more housing, improving healthcare and childcare, and supporting local businesses, so everyone can build a good life here.”

Loyal Wooldridge will join David Eby and 91 other exceptional BC NDP candidates in this fall’s provincial election, all committed to real action to help people build a good life here in BC.