MAYOR TOM DYAS LAUNCHES RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN FOR MAYOR OF KELOWNA
KELOWNA, BC — Mayor Tom Dyas today announced he will seek re-election on October 17, asking residents for the opportunity to build on the progress Kelowna has made over the past four years.
“Four years ago, the people of Kelowna hired me to do a job,” said Dyas. “We got back to basics and invested in public safety, housing, roads, recreation and the services our growing city needs. We’ve made real progress, and now it’s time to keep building.”
Dyas came to City Hall after nearly 40 years of building a family-run business, including the last 30 years right here in Kelowna.
Under Dyas’s leadership, Council strengthened its financial approach, accelerated infrastructure investment, and secured significant partnerships and grant funding. The 2026 budget included nearly $90 million for transportation projects as the City moved forward major investments to reduce congestion and improve road safety, including the KLO Bridge replacement, Glenmore Road widening, and design work on the Clement Avenue Crosstown Connector.
When Dyas took office, he established the Mayor’s Task Force on Crime Reduction, bringing community leaders together to identify local solutions. Over the last four years, Council has added 33 RCMP officers, 17 Bylaw Enforcement Officers and 18 firefighters, expanded frontline safety programs, and created a new social development team. New Statistics Canada data shows Kelowna’s Crime Severity Index declined again in 2025, marking the third consecutive year of decline.
Dyas said the results are encouraging, but residents are right to expect more on public safety.
“I know not everyone feels that progress yet, and I understand the frustration,” said Dyas. “We have come a long way from four years ago when Kelowna had the highest crime rate of any metropolitan area in the country, but we are not done. The work ahead is about making sure residents and businesses feel safer in their daily lives.”
When decisions were made at higher levels of government that affected Kelowna, Dyas went to Ottawa and Victoria, advocated for bail reform, pushed successfully for the reversal of decriminalization and secured a made-in-Kelowna exemption for short-term rentals.
“Over the past four years, Kelowna has seen significant progress. We have invested in frontline public safety, infrastructure, housing, parks, and recreation. We have attracted major events and focused on delivering the essential services people need,” said Dyas. “Now is not the time to start over or stop investing in our community. It is time to build on our momentum and finish the work. Together, let’s keep building a safer, stronger and more prosperous Kelowna — for all of us to enjoy."