kelowna.explained

The Morning Brief · Free

Kelowna’s news, made clear. Every morning. Free.

One short email: what happened in Kelowna, what it means for you, and where to read the full story. Easy to read over coffee.

Came from Instagram? Read today’s full stories

Today in Kelowna

Tuesday, October 27, 2026

9 stories · Updated 7:40 a.m. PT

Our Instagram post: Bundle up for Halloween. A glowing jack-o'-lantern on a frosty stone step beside a knitted scarf, with dry hills and a lake behind.
As posted on Instagram

Weather · Sat, Oct. 31

Bundle up for Halloween.

Halloween (Saturday, Oct. 31) looks mostly dry in the Okanagan, but cold. Environment Canada expects a mix of sun and cloud with a high around 7–8°C, and about 0 to 5°C during trick-or-treat hours. Mountain passes could see snow and wind today and Wednesday.

The forecast

  • Saturday: a mix of sun and cloud. High around 7–8°C.
  • Trick-or-treat hours (about 7 to 8 p.m.): roughly 0 to 5°C. Near freezing overnight.

Before you go

  • Plan a warm layer under the costume.
  • Sunset is just after 5:30 p.m. Reflective gear or glow sticks help drivers see kids.

Driving this week?

  • Snow and wind are possible on mountain passes Tuesday and Wednesday.
  • Hwy 97C had slippery sections Tuesday morning. Check DriveBC before you go.
Read the full story Forecast · Environment CanadaCoverage · CastanetRoads · DriveBC

Original reporting: Environment Canada (via Castanet)

Our Instagram post: City Hall closed Monday. A modern white civic building with a gold padlock accent at dusk.
As posted on Instagram

City Hall · Oct. 26–27

City Hall closed Monday.

A brief power outage caused an unforeseen mechanical problem at Kelowna City Hall on Monday, Oct. 26. The building was emptied as a precaution and closed for the day while repairs were underway.

What happened

  • An unforeseen mechanical issue after a short power outage.
  • The building was emptied as a precaution. Firefighters were on scene.

What you can still do

  • Many city services stay online, including payments and service requests.
  • Staff will contact people who had Monday appointments.

What’s next

  • Expected to reopen Tuesday, Oct. 27 — once the fire department clears it.
Read the full story Details · CastanetCoverage · Kelowna Capital News

Original reporting: City of Kelowna (via media)

Our Instagram post: The gang team is staying. Four white shield silhouettes on a gold ring against a dark navy backdrop.
As posted on Instagram

Public Safety · Oct. 26

The gang team is staying.

Kelowna RCMP made its four-person Gang Enforcement Team a permanent unit after a four-month pilot. The move was announced Oct. 26; the unit became permanent on Sept. 15.

The pilot

  • Four months of work. Hundreds of enforcement actions.
  • Seized: over 12 kg of suspected drugs and 215 weapons (10 firearms).

Now permanent

  • Became permanent Sept. 15. Announced Oct. 26.
  • Since then: about 1.8 kg of suspected drugs, 71 weapons, 2 firearms.

What they do

  • Target organized crime, drugs and firearms with partner units.
Read the full story Release · Kelowna RCMPCoverage · CastanetCoverage · Kelowna Capital News

Original reporting: Kelowna RCMP

Our Instagram post: Fire at YLW? It’s a drill. A white training plane with small flames and smoke on a runway at dusk, two fire trucks nearby.
As posted on Instagram

YLW Airport · Tue, Oct. 27

Fire at YLW? It’s a drill.

On Tuesday, Oct. 27, from noon to 4 p.m., Kelowna International Airport is running a full-scale practice for a plane emergency on the south end of its secure airfield.

What you’ll see

  • Smoke and flames from a training plane.
  • Fire trucks and other emergency vehicles with lights and sirens.
  • Volunteers acting as hurt passengers.

Do you need to do anything?

  • No. It’s not a real emergency, so please don’t call 911 about it.
  • Flights keep running as normal, and signs in the terminal will explain the drill.

Why

  • Transport Canada requires regular full-scale emergency drills at certified airports. Kelowna Fire, RCMP, BC Emergency Health Services, Interior Health and others take part.
Read the full story Details · CastanetWho’s involved · Kelowna Capital News

Original reporting: Kelowna International Airport

Also today

Our Instagram post: Only 132 votes apart. A white 3D model of the valley and lake with a gold marker on Kelowna Centre.
As posted on Instagram

BC Election · Kelowna Centre

Only 132 votes apart.

Kelowna Centre is picking 1 person to speak for us in BC’s government. Right now, it’s almost a tie.

The count so far

  • Kristina Loewen, Conservative: 10,791
  • Loyal Wooldridge, NDP: 10,659

How tiny is 132?

  • About 22,300 votes counted. If just 67 people switched their vote, it would flip.

What’s next

  • Mail-in ballots get counted Nov. 6–10. Then we’ll know.
  • Could it flip? Yes. In 2024, Loewen’s 148-vote lead shrank to just 40 in the final count.
Read the full story Live results · Elections BC

Original reporting: Kelowna Capital News

Our Instagram post: Snow’s on the passes. A dark highway curving over a white, snowy mountain pass at dusk.
As posted on Instagram

Roads & Weather

Snow’s on the passes.

Winter hit the mountain highways today. Here’s what it means tonight.

The roads

  • Okanagan Connector: open, with slippery sections (DriveBC, 3 p.m. Sunday).
  • Coquihalla: open. Slushy and slippery between north of Merritt and Kamloops (DriveBC, 3:55 p.m.).
  • Tonight up top: 30% chance of flurries, snow level about 1,200 metres. In town: a chance of showers, low of plus 2.

Big White

  • Not open yet. Opening day: Thursday, Nov. 26.
  • It picked up fresh snow today.

What to do

  • Winter tires are required on BC’s mountain highways until April 30.
  • Check DriveBC before you go.
Read the full story Roads · DriveBCForecast · Environment CanadaOpening day · Big White

Original reporting: Castanet

Our Instagram post: Fewer than half of us voted. A tall glass only half filled with paper ballots, one gold ballot on top.
As posted on Instagram

BC Election · Voter turnout

Fewer than half of us voted.

Early numbers show only about 48% of BC’s registered voters cast a ballot.

The numbers

  • BC this year: about 48% (early count, Elections BC).
  • Past: 53.9% in 2020 and 58.4% in 2024.

Why it matters here

  • Kelowna Centre is just 132 votes apart. Every uncounted ballot counts.

What’s next

  • Mail-in and absentee ballots get counted Nov. 6–10, so turnout will rise.
Read the full story Turnout · Elections BCRecord low · Castanet

Original reporting: CBC News

Traffic

Crash slowed Highway 97 at Ellison Lake

A crash on Highway 97 near Ellison Lake in Lake Country slowed traffic to a crawl at about 3:40 p.m. Saturday, with a backup reaching Old Vernon Road. RCMP, with a police dog and a drone, searched the hillside above the crash. DriveBC showed no incident there by Sunday afternoon.

Read the full story

Original reporting: Kelowna Capital News

Public Safety

Small hillside fire put out fast in Mount Royal greenspace

A witness spotted a fire on the slope south of Knox Mountain late Saturday morning and called 911. Firefighters put it out quickly and police arrested a woman. The brush there is still dry after years of drought.

Read the full story

Original reporting: Castanet

The Morning Brief · Free

Liked that? Get it every morning.

The same plain-words recap, in your inbox every morning.

Get the free Morning Brief