Randy Millis

1. The City should shorten and simplify the process for approving new homes.

I support removing unnecessary delays and duplication, but not at the expense of building-code safety, neighbourhood impacts, infrastructure capacity, accessibility or environmental considerations. I would first identify which parts of the approval process are actually causing unnecessary delays, then streamline those while keeping necessary safeguards.

2. The City should reduce development cost charges on new housing.

Conditional / Depends

Candidate’s explanation: I would first assess whether the current temporary DCC reduction is actually helping needed housing move forward. Further reductions should be weighed against the need to fund growth-related roads, water, sewer, drainage and parks, so those costs are not simply shifted elsewhere or left unfunded.

3. Restrictions on short-term rentals should be loosened.

Conditional / Depends

Candidate’s explanation: I would want to know whether loosening short-term rental restrictions would materially reduce the supply of housing residents rely on. Some existing short-term rentals may not be realistic long-term options for lower- or middle-income households, so the impact should be measured rather than assumed. Going forward, I want Kelowna to encourage a broader range of housing types and price points, including simple, attainable homes—not just higher-end units.

4. The City should pursue expanded public transit service.

I support expanding public transit after careful consideration of cost, demand, accessibility and how it connects with other transportation options. Transit should be part of planning complete neighbourhoods where people can reach the services and daily needs they rely on without having to depend on a car for every trip.

5. Infrastructure and service capacity should be ready before major additional growth is approved.

I support coordinating growth with infrastructure and service capacity. Major growth should not outpace roads, transit, water, sewer, drainage, parks or emergency services, but I would assess existing capacity, planned upgrades, costs and timing rather than require every improvement to be completed before growth can proceed.

6. The City should advocate for expanded involuntary addiction-treatment capacity.

I believe voluntary treatment should come first. Before expanding involuntary care, I want to know whether the voluntary system has enough detox, treatment, continuing care, harm-reduction and housing capacity, because in my view treatment cannot be assessed in isolation from what happens afterward. If someone is stabilized and then returned to homelessness, an unstable shelter environment or another high-risk situation, we have not put all the pieces in place for recovery. I asked Interior Health for current treatment capacity, wait-time and transition information during this campaign. Those figures were not provided in its response; I was directed to public resources and the FOI process for non-public records, with further engagement offered after the election. I would support stronger City advocacy to the Province and Interior Health for transparent data and adequate voluntary capacity first. Involuntary care may have a role where appropriate clinical and legal criteria are met, but I do not support rushing expansion without safeguards, housing and continuity of care in place.

7. The City should invest in wildfire prevention and preparedness.

Conditional / Depends

Candidate’s explanation: I support investing in wildfire prevention and preparedness, but priorities should be reviewed as conditions change. Council should assess what we are already doing, what is working, where the gaps are, what risks are changing, and then redirect resources where they will have the greatest practical effect. Preparedness should be an ongoing process of measuring results and adjusting, not a one-time yes-or-no decision.

8. The City should carry out additional spending audits or operational reviews.

Yes / Support

9. The City should make individual councillors’ voting records easier to find and search.

Yes. Subject to legal, privacy and confidentiality requirements, I support making individual councillors’ voting records easier for residents to find and search. If I vote for or against something in public session, I should be prepared to explain and defend that decision.

10. Would you have supported the October 27, 2025 electoral-reform study and conditional referendum-preparation motion? This bundled decision did not implement wards.

Undecided

Editorial note: This response to a hypothetical question does not establish a historical vote.

11. Would you have supported the March 16, 2026 second and third land-use and rezoning readings for part of Kelowna Springs? These were not final adoption.

No / Oppose

Editorial note: This response to a hypothetical question does not establish a historical vote.

12. Would you have supported the April 20, 2026 financial-plan and tax-funding motion, with its stated average net property impact of 4.40%? Individual bills vary.

Undecided

Editorial note: This response to a hypothetical question does not establish a historical vote.

13. The City should help expand co-operative housing and community land trusts.

Conditional / Depends

Candidate’s explanation: In principle, I support expanding co-operative housing and community land trusts. Before committing City resources, I would want to review the specific proposal, costs, financing, land requirements, partners and expected public benefit to make sure it is workable and provides genuinely attainable housing.

14. The City should strengthen protections for tenants displaced by redevelopment or renovations.

Conditional / Depends

Candidate’s explanation: I support strengthening tenant protections where the evidence shows current protections are inadequate. Kelowna already has tenant-protection requirements, so I would first assess how well they are working, where tenants are still being displaced without adequate support, and what additional measures the City can legally and practically provide.

15. The City should allow more small shops and cafés within residential neighbourhoods.

Yes / Support

16. The City should advocate for a second bridge crossing of Okanagan Lake.

Conditional / Depends

Candidate’s explanation: A second crossing would require coordination and negotiation between the City and Province, and I would want evidence showing the actual transportation and emergency-safety need before supporting it. Traffic disruption alone is different from a demonstrated risk to life safety or inadequate evacuation capacity. Any proposal would also need a full assessment of costs, alternatives, environmental impacts, affected communities and lands before Council should advocate for a specific crossing.

17. The City should invest in filling gaps in its sidewalk and cycling networks.

Yes / Support

18. The City should expand foot patrols in commercial areas experiencing crime and disorder.

Conditional / Depends

Candidate’s explanation: Foot patrols cost money, so I would want evidence that expanding them would actually improve safety rather than simply increase visible presence. From my own experience downtown, I have sometimes seen security personnel doing little beyond remaining in the area, but that is only one perspective. I would want to hear from businesses, residents, people using downtown public spaces, outreach workers, police, bylaw and others with different experiences, then look at crime and service data before deciding where additional resources would have the greatest effect.

19. The City should support expanded non-police response teams for suitable mental-health and substance-use calls.

Conditional / Depends

Candidate’s explanation: I support expanding non-police response for suitable non-violent mental-health and substance-use calls, but I want the current model evaluated for effectiveness, hours of coverage and cost before expanding it. We should also examine models used elsewhere and what evidence shows has actually worked. For violent or higher-risk situations, police may still be necessary, potentially working alongside mental-health professionals; the response should match the actual risk and need.

20. The City should increase access to public washrooms.

I support increasing access to public washrooms that are accessible, available 24 hours where practical, and maintained frequently enough to remain safe and usable. This should be basic public infrastructure for everyone—families with children and changing needs, seniors, people with disabilities, visitors, workers and people experiencing homelessness—not treated only as a homelessness issue. If public urination and defecation are recurring concerns, adequate washroom access should be part of the response.

21. The City should prioritize protecting agricultural land when making land-use decisions.

Conditional / Depends

Candidate’s explanation: Agricultural land is important and should be protected, but land-use decisions should consider the actual agricultural capability of a site as well as housing and other community needs. I would consider alternative or temporary uses on lower-value agricultural land where they are legally permitted and can be done without unnecessarily damaging future agricultural potential, after reviewing environmental, servicing and community impacts.

22. The City should strengthen protection for existing trees.

I support stronger protection for healthy existing trees where they do not present a safety hazard. Protection should also account for infrastructure conflicts and other site-specific risks rather than treating every tree as something that must be preserved regardless of circumstances.

23. The City should limit annual property-tax increases to inflation.

Conditional / Depends

Candidate’s explanation: I would not support a rigid inflation-only cap without understanding what it would mean for services, infrastructure and other priorities. Each budget should be assessed on its actual needs, with spending scrutinized, priorities triaged and taxpayers shown clearly what would have to be reduced, deferred or changed to achieve a lower increase.

24. Mayor and council pay increases should take effect only after the next election.

Conditional / Depends

Candidate’s explanation: Council compensation should be fair enough that serving is financially realistic for people from different backgrounds, while recognizing that public service should be the primary motivation. I would want compensation reviewed transparently against comparable municipalities and the responsibilities of the job rather than automatically supporting increases; changes should also be structured so councillors are not simply setting their own pay for personal benefit.

25. Would you support a ward system for Kelowna, where residents elect councillors to represent defined geographic areas?

I support moving toward a ward or neighbourhood-constituency system. Kelowna is large and diverse enough that councillors representing defined areas could develop a deeper understanding of each neighbourhood’s particular needs and challenges, while still working together as Council on decisions affecting the whole city. The boundaries and structure would need to be developed carefully and fairly.