Kamloops: City with small-town feel shares big election issues

Kamloops is Conservative country. It’s a university town known for its sports tourism, forestry, mining, and agriculture. Here's what voters care about in the upcoming federal election.

Kamloops, B.C. — As part of CTV News’ coverage of the 37-day federal election, journalists will be telling stories from communities across the country to showcase issues that matter to Canadians in this election. Our next dispatch is from British Columbia Bureau Chief Andrew Johnson in Kamloops, B.C.

It’s mid-afternoon at Chop N Block in Kamloops, and customers are hungry to keep their dollars in the community.

“Everybody’s asking for Canadian-made products, and it’s a really easy answer around here,” Brody White told CTV News.

White owns and operates the butcher shop and deli with his wife. In these times of trade turmoil with the U.S. and with a push to support local businesses, they are leaning into their offerings of fresh local beef and pork.

“I hope we can set an example and support our community ranchers, farmers and manufacturers… support their products and highlight their products.”

Outside the shop, most people CTV News heard from ahead of the federal election share the same beef.

“Bloody New York real estate developers playing games,” is how Ian McGugan describes U.S. President Trump’s on-again, off-again tariffs. “You know what it’s like trying to find a second source for something you normally get from the States? It’s a mess.”

Beyond that one issue, in a city that’s been newly split into two ridings, everyone isn’t on the same page. One woman told CTV News she’d like to see change on April 28. She’s hoping for a Conservative government that will “make drugs illegal again and do harder consequences for criminals.” Another voter is supporting the Liberals, saying leader Mark Carney and the party are “about building us up.”

Kamloops is Conservative country. For more than 20 years, it has sent Conservative candidates to Ottawa. It’s a university town known for its sports tourism, forestry, mining, and agriculture. That includes an emerging wine industry, led by nearby Monte Creek winery.

“People thought we were crazy when we purchased the property and started planting grape vines 10 years ago,” said the winery’s hospitality manager, Karen Adair. Monte Creek grows grapes in the Thompson Valley, which is 100 kilometres north of the heart of B.C. wine country.

“We’re at about 51 degrees latitude, almost the farthest north area grapes can be grown in any area in the world.”

Putting a cork in provincial trade barriers tops the winery’s election wish list.

“Right now, we can legally only sell wine direct to consumers in Alberta, Manitoba, and I think Nova Scotia,” adds Adair. “It would be a huge boost, it would open up so many markets.”

In the Monte Creek tasting room, which overlooks the South Thompson River, election talk turns to some of the country’s biggest challenges.

“The family doctor shortage is really difficult for a lot of people,” said Sandy Yeomans over a glass of wine with Dixie Duncan, who is concerned over the cost of housing. “The price it takes young people to get into a single dwelling, or even condos,” said Duncan.

There is a belief among people CTV News spoke to that voters in Kamloops feel very engaged with the upcoming election.

In the community of just over 100,000 people, Acacia Pangilinan of the Kamloops & District Chamber of Commerce sums up the small-town feel.

“We have all the amenities that a city would have, but it has such a close-knit community feeling. People know their neighbours, they know their local businesses and really support one another.”