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Today in Kelowna

Tuesday, October 27, 2026

8 stories · Updated 1:10 a.m. PT

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

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