We'd be more than happy to hear from you — call the campaign hotline: 1-778-910-7905
I'm running for Kelowna City Council in the 2026 election. This city needs change — real change. Safer streets, stronger leadership, and decisions rooted in common sense. I'm awake to the problems, and I'm stepping up to bring practical, business-minded thinking back into City Hall.
685 people weighed in on this website and made it clear: run. So I am.
The reason my website is called Vote For Me "Or Don't" is simple: not everyone is going to agree with what I'm saying, and I'm fine with that. If you think crime in Kelowna is better than it was four years ago, or you believe our streets are safer now, then don't vote for me. If you think the current City Council has been doing a good job keeping our streets safe, then don't vote for me. This campaign is for people who are awake to the problems — people who see them clearly and want common sense, accountability, and a tougher stance on crime. If that's you, keep reading. If it's not, this site isn't for you.
These are the issues I care about. Steal them if you want.
Enforce the law, period. Shut down open drug use, crack down on repeat offenders, and give them a clear choice: mandatory treatment or jail. No more tolerance, no more excuses—restore order and take back the streets.
Put real business owners in charge. Require council members to have actual experience running a business with employees and financial responsibility. Stop letting people who've never signed a paycheck make decisions that impact the entire local economy.
Start building real projects that matter. Turn spaces like the old mill into a major public market and waterfront hub for locals—business, food, and community all in one place. Less talk, more action—build things people actually use and are proud of.
Replace them. Enforce the law, end soft-on-crime policies, and put business-minded leaders in control who will actually take responsibility and act. If current councillors won't fix it, vote them out and bring in people who will.
Cut the fees. Lower DCC charges so builders can build and businesses can open without getting buried in costs. Make it cheaper to develop, and prices come down across the board.
Track them and shut it down. Put the top repeat offenders under constant surveillance, enforce zero tolerance, and hit them with charges the second they step out of line. No more catch-and-release—either they stop, leave, or end up in jail or forced treatment.
Cut the red tape and stop targeting small operators. Strip back the bylaws that kill businesses and make it easier to open, run, and grow in Kelowna. The city should be helping entrepreneurs succeed—not shutting them down.
Loosen the rules and cut the nonsense. Let property owners operate legally without getting buried in permits, delays, and fees. Treat Airbnb like a legitimate business and make it easy to run—not impossible.
No more shutdowns. Keep businesses open, scrap blanket restrictions, and stop fines that destroy livelihoods. If another plandemic happens, the priority is simple—protect small business, not shut it down.
Fix the system. Implement AI-driven traffic lights and real-time adaptive signals that actually respond to traffic conditions. Stop relying on outdated timing and start moving traffic efficiently.
Most candidates hide their weak spots and hope no one finds them. I'd rather put it on the table myself. Business wins, business failures, bad partnerships, legal fights, public controversy, lessons learned — all of it. If I run, I run as a real person, not a polished cardboard cutout.
This is just the beginning. Follow along as the conversation grows.
This podcast follows JC Rathwell's 2026 campaign and the ideas behind his city reform platform, including what he believes it takes to qualify for public office. It focuses on why he says real business experience, employees, payroll, and financial accountability should be the standard for anyone serving on city council. The goal is to open up the conversation about common-sense leadership, better compensation structures, and making Kelowna work more like a well-run business.
I'm not just running for office — I'm fighting for what Kelowna and the Okanagan can become. Right now, I'm leading the Old Mill Waterfront Revitalization Committee to save a historic machine shop shed that's on the verge of being lost forever. This isn't just about preserving a building. It's about turning it into The Granville Public Market of Kelowna — a live-work creative marketplace that could become the heart of the Okanagan, not just Kelowna.
Watch JC Rathwell's HGTV 2015 Caribbean Life Roatan Episode
I've talked to literally hundreds of small business owners and citizens of Kelowna. Now you tell me — which of these 10 topics should be the top priority? Click a title to read more. Click the number button to cast your vote — Google sign-in required to vote (one vote per person).
217 total community responses recorded.
The facts behind BRACE for Change. Over two council terms, homelessness and street-level disorder have clearly worsened. Here's what the numbers say.
Total Homeless Count — 2016 vs 2024
Mischief Files by Year
RCMP link many mischief and social-disorder calls to homelessness, addiction, and mental-health challenges downtown.
Violent Offences by Year
| Year | Violent offences | Change vs 2019 (count) | Change vs 2019 (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2,518 | — | — |
| 2020 | 3,011 | +493 | +19.6% |
| 2021 | 3,371 | +853 | +33.9% |
| 2022 | 3,345 | +827 | +32.8% |
| 2023 | 3,476 | +958 | +38.1% |
Paid for by the Let's Go With BRACE Coalition
Tell me what you think. What issue matters most. Where I should run. Or why I shouldn't.
No filter. No auto-reply. Just a real inbox.
I'm not pretending I've decided. I haven't. That's the point. I want public input before I pick a lane.
Mayor has one role. Council has another. Maybe the answer is neither. I want people's input to let me know where I can do the most impact.
0 TOTAL VOTES RECORDED