MLA Norm Letnick will not run for Kelowna mayor later this year

It’s been just over seven years since Colin Basran assumed office as Kelowna’s mayor and his next chance to extend his tenure will come in October.

Whether Basran will run for re-election or not is undetermined at this point, but we now know one rumoured candidate who will not be throwing his hat into the ring to become mayor of Kelowna.

Norm Letnick, who has served as the MLA of Kelowna-Lake Country since 2009, announced today that he will not be running for mayor of Kelowna in the fall.

Long-rumoured to be a notable candidate for the gig, Letnick said he has been mulling the decision for quite some time.

“Since November I have met with and heard from several people including past and current local mayors, leaders in our community, and the general public,” he said in a statement today.

“Discussions ranged from city priorities, challenges and opportunities, electoral reform, financial management and the comparison between serving as MLA and as mayor.”

He explained that a consistent theme of those conversations was the community’s need for entry-level housing

Letnick said that he and others have created a non-profit housing development society that will build homes for around 25% under market value.

He promised more on the initiative in the coming weeks, but noted that as president of the group he will be very busy in the coming months and years.

“Therefore, 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, with an additional focus of improving the supply of entry level housing,” Letnick said.

Letnick previously served as a city councillor in Kelowna from 2005-09.