Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola

Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola stretches across a broad swath of south-central British Columbia, from the western shore of Okanagan Lake through the Similkameen Valley to the ranching town of Merritt in the Nicola Valley. The riding was created during the 2012 federal redistribution, drawing roughly 66% of its territory from the former Okanagan–Coquihalla riding, 25% from Kelowna–Lake Country, and 10% from British Columbia Southern Interior. With a population of approximately 122,340, the riding's major centres include the western portions of Kelowna (British Columbia's largest city outside Metro Vancouver), West Kelowna, Peachland, Summerland, Princeton, and Merritt. The landscape ranges from semi-arid benchlands covered in vineyards and orchards along the Okanagan to the rugged, mountainous terrain of the Similkameen and the grasslands of the Nicola Valley.

The riding's demographic profile is predominantly European-origin, with a significant Indigenous population from the Syilx (Okanagan) Nation and the Nlaka'pamux Nation. Merritt, with its large Indigenous population, and the surrounding reserves add a dimension to the riding that is distinct from the resort and retirement communities along the lake. The median age skews older than the provincial average, reflecting the Okanagan's popularity as a retirement destination.

Candidates

Dan Albas (Conservative) Born in 1976, Albas moved to Penticton at the age of three and attended Penticton Secondary School and Okanagan University College. After recovering from an accident that left him with severe burns, he built a career as a martial arts instructor and opened his own studio, earning the Penticton and Wine Country Chamber of Commerce's young entrepreneur of the year award in 2005. He chaired the regional United Way campaign in 2007 and 2010 and joined the Penticton Housing Coalition. Elected to Penticton City Council in 2008 with the most votes of any candidate, Albas won his federal seat in 2011 and was re-elected in 2015, 2019, and 2021.

Joan Phillip (NDP) Phillip has extensive experience in Indigenous governance through her work with the Penticton Indian Band and the Okanagan Nation Alliance, where she serves as a Lands Manager. Alongside her husband, Grand Chief Stewart Phillip of the Syilx Nation, she has been a prominent advocate for Indigenous rights and environmental protection in the Okanagan. She ran in the riding in both 2019 and 2021, improving her standing from third place to second place.

Sarah Eves (Liberal) An elementary school teacher in Logan Lake specializing in inclusive education, Eves lives in Merritt with her husband Paul and has three children. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in history from Simon Fraser University, a Bachelor of Education from the University of Northern British Columbia, and a certificate in inclusive education from Queen's University. She has served as her school's representative for both LGBTQ2S+ and diversity leadership.

Kathryn Mcdonald (PPC) Mcdonald represented the People's Party of Canada, campaigning on the party's platform of fiscal conservatism and opposition to pandemic-era restrictions.

About the Riding

The wine and tourism industries define the economic character of the riding's Okanagan corridor. The Central Okanagan is where British Columbia's commercial wine industry began, and the region is now home to more than 40 licensed grape wineries alongside craft breweries, cideries, and distilleries. Hainle Vineyards in Peachland is credited with producing North America's first commercially made ice wine in 1978. The Similkameen Valley, sometimes called the "organic capital of Canada," is known for small-scale farms and producers dedicated to sustainable viticulture. Wine tourism alone draws over one million visitors annually to the broader Okanagan, generating hundreds of millions of dollars in associated revenue.

Fruit orchards—primarily apples, cherries, peaches, and apricots—have been cultivated in the Okanagan for more than a century, and tree fruit remains a significant agricultural sector despite increasing competition from imported produce and the conversion of orchard land to vineyards and residential development. Ranching is the dominant land use in the Nicola Valley around Merritt, where the Douglas Lake Ranch—one of the largest working cattle ranches in North America—has operated since the 1880s.

The riding is acutely vulnerable to natural disasters. The November 2021 atmospheric river event caused catastrophic flooding and mudslides across the region, severing the Coquihalla Highway between Hope and Merritt and forcing the complete evacuation of Merritt's population of roughly 7,000 after the Coldwater River overwhelmed the city's infrastructure. Wildfires have also been a recurring threat; the 2021 fire season saw the destruction of the village of Lytton—just outside the riding's boundaries—after it recorded Canada's all-time temperature record of 49.6°C. Water scarcity, drought conditions, and the long-term health of Okanagan Lake are persistent concerns for residents, farmers, and municipal planners across the riding.