Boundary-Similkameen MLA since 2024, running again for the Conservative Party of BC, which she left and rejoined in September 2026.
Donegal Wilson won Boundary-Similkameen for the Conservatives in 2024 by 1,438 votes. She left the party caucus on September 2, 2026, joined a new party, and returned to the Conservatives on September 22. In the legislature in 2026 she spoke most about drinking water, floods, forestry, rural health care and the budget.
A researched record of Donegal Wilson’s 24 commitments, 11 recorded votes and 18 public statements, with 5 news items. Most come from what she said in the legislature in 2026 and on her MLA website.
On dates without a confirmed appearance the public schedule is unknown; the candidate may still have activities that day. This static page changes only when its research is updated.
01 / Introduction
About Donegal Wilson
Donegal Wilson is the Conservative Party of BC candidate in Boundary-Similkameen on Elections BC’s list for the general election of October 24, 2026. The only other name under the district on the copy read on 2026-10-01 is Roly Russell of the BC NDP.
She won the district in 2024 with 11,935 votes, 48.39% of the valid vote, ahead of the sitting BC NDP member Roly Russell with 10,497, according to the Elections BC statement of votes. A caucus release of November 20, 2024 named her opposition critic for water, land, resource stewardship and wildlife.
On September 2, 2026 she left the Conservative caucus to sit as an Independent. Her statement said she had lost confidence in the leadership of Kerry-Lynne Findlay. On September 14 she said she would join the new party formed by Peter Milobar, and AM 1150 reports she was among the former Conservatives named on September 18 as joining CentreBC. After Findlay resigned and the election was called, she rejoined the Conservatives under interim leader Lorne Doerkson on September 22, Castanet reports.
Her party page says she was raised on a cattle ranch in the Otter Valley near Tulameen, lives in Keremeos, and spent more than a decade as executive director of the BC Snowmobile Federation. These are her party’s statements.
In the legislature in 2026 she spoke about drinking water costs in small communities, flood protection in the Similkameen Valley, emergency rooms in Keremeos and Princeton, long-term care, forestry, the budget and freedom of information.
Published positions and selected commitments, separated by election cycle. Status labels describe the evidence reviewed, not a numerical score or a complete audit of the platform. Council approval is different from delivery.
24 commitments shown · Checked Oct 1
2026 · ClimateCampaign pledge
Fund drinking water repairs before water meters
In a statement in the legislature on April 20, 2026, Wilson said provincial grants should pay to fix unsafe drinking water before they pay for water meters. She named Olalla, Skaha Estates, Heritage Hills, Hedley and Kaleden.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
She names the kind of program she wants: grants that follow a priority order. She gives no dollar amount and no date.
What still needs checking
Does a provincial grant program change its order of funding for systems under a water advisory?
In the debate on a motion about private utility rates on May 25, 2026, Wilson said she wished the House were debating a bill that set limits on what makes water and wastewater bills affordable. She pointed to Sage Mesa, where she said residents face water costs near $1,000 a month.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
She names a bill as the tool. She gives no limit, no cost to the Province and no date.
What still needs checking
Does a bill or regulation set an affordability limit for water and wastewater rates?
Restore funding for the BC Water and Waste Association
In the Water, Land and Resource Stewardship estimates debate on May 5, 2026, Wilson asked the minister to restore the association’s provincial funding, which she said was cut from $95,000 to $30,000. The minister answered that the ministry would do everything it can to bring it back to $95,000.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
She names a budget line and the amount. She gives no date. The transcript shows the minister’s answer; voche.me has not seen a record that the money was paid.
What still needs checking
Did the ministry pay the association $95,000 in the 2026 to 2027 fiscal year?
In a statement in the legislature on March 30, 2026, Wilson asked for one flood strategy for the whole Similkameen Valley, with all levels of government and First Nations. She said dikes with no owner, in Tulameen and Keremeos, can only be repaired once an emergency is declared.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
She names no program, cost or date for the strategy. Her post of April 1, 2026 asks for clear timelines for the work, without giving one.
What still needs checking
Does the Province name an owner for the orphaned dikes or fund a watershed plan for the Similkameen?
In a caucus release of August 10, 2026 about water limits on Okanagan farms, Wilson said the Province should capture more water in winter and support water storage.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
She names no project, cost or date.
What still needs checking
Does the party name storage projects or a budget for them?
Make the Kettle Valley Rail Trail a provincial park
In a statement in the legislature on February 24, 2026, Wilson said one way to protect the Kettle Valley Rail Trail is to make it the province’s first park in the shape of a long line, with a plan for the whole route. In her budget speech she said the Province approved $20 million to close the section between Princeton and Brookmere.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
She calls it one possibility. She gives no cost and no date.
What still needs checking
Does the Province protect the trail as a park or keep the Princeton section open?
In the Agriculture estimates debate on April 14, 2026, Wilson asked the minister to follow Yukon’s law and make testing of domestic sheep for a disease that kills wild sheep mandatory. She also asked about payment to farmers who must cull infected sheep.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
She names a law as the tool. She gives no cost and no date.
In a post of August 20, 2026, Wilson said the Province should remove the barriers it controls, such as permits on Crown land, BC Timber Sales and red tape, so mills get timber and workers keep their jobs. In her budget speech she said $5 million to move workers out of forestry will not save a mill town.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
She names areas the Province controls. She names no measure, number or date.
What still needs checking
Which permit or BC Timber Sales change does she propose?
Short-term money for businesses hit by the Bald Range fire
In a post of August 18, 2026, Wilson said the Province should put a plan for short-term financial support in place now for businesses, farms and ranches hurt by the Bald Range wildfire.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
She asks for a provincial support program. She gives no amount.
What still needs checking
Does the Province open a support program for businesses and farms hurt by the fire?
In her budget speech on February 23, 2026, Wilson objected to a deficit of more than $13.3 billion and to debt that she said rises by more than $26 billion in one year. She asked for fiscal discipline.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
She gives no deficit target, no spending cut and no date.
Bring back the Merit Commissioner and widen its work
In the debate on Motion M203 on March 30, 2026, Wilson supported an independent officer of the legislature to check that public service hiring is based on merit. She said the office should be restored and its work widened to every job paid by taxpayers.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
She names an office of the legislature. She gives no cost of her own and no date. She says the government saved less than $2 million by closing it, which describes the cut.
In the Bill 9 debate on April 21, 2026, Wilson said the bill gives public bodies new ways to refuse requests and may add fees, and that she would prefer the bill be withdrawn.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
She states a position against the bill. She proposes no change with a number or date.
Reliable emergency rooms in Keremeos and Princeton
In her budget speech and in question period on February 26, 2026, Wilson said the Keremeos emergency room is open 24 hours a week and that Princeton’s was closed one Saturday night. She asked when the government would keep emergency care open.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
She names no measure, cost or date.
What still needs checking
Do overnight emergency hours change in Keremeos or Princeton?
Support for treaties, with changes to the K’ómoks treaty
In the Bill 20 debate on April 23 and May 20, 2026, Wilson said she supports treaties as the path to reconciliation, but objected to how the K’ómoks treaty was written and supported sending it to a committee of the legislature.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
She states a position and asks for a committee review. She gives no date.
Opposes sharing decisions over Crown land under DRIPA
In a caucus release of July 17, 2026, Wilson objected to agreements that share decisions over Crown land with First Nations under DRIPA, the provincial law on the rights of Indigenous peoples. In question period on April 28, 2026 she asked that talks with the First Nations Leadership Council be open to the public.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
She states a position. She proposes no measure with a number or date.
What still needs checking
Does the Province sign new shared decision agreements on Crown land?
In a statement in the legislature on May 25, 2026, Wilson said applications for land tenures, foreshore leases and water licences wait for years because staff lack clear rules, and asked the government to give its staff clear direction.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
She names no rule, number of days or date.
What still needs checking
Does the ministry publish clear standards or timelines for these permits?
The party’s platform page lists a plan titled Get BC Building, described as a plan to end the housing shortage and make life more affordable. The page says the platform is coming soon and does not name Wilson.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
Party text. The page gives no measure, number, cost or date.
The party’s platform page lists a plan titled Putting Patients First, on access to care and wait times. The page says the platform is coming soon and does not name Wilson.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
Party text. The page gives no measure, number, cost or date.
The party’s platform page lists a plan titled Safe and Secure, described as a plan to restore public safety and confidence in the justice system. The page says the platform is coming soon and does not name Wilson.
Evidence & next checks
Evidence reviewed
Party text. The page gives no measure, number, cost or date.
Voted against second reading of the K’ómoks Treaty Act (Bill 20)
The vote index records Wilson voting Yea on an amendment moved by Van Popta, then Nay at second reading. She also voted Nay at third reading on May 28, 2026.
Scope, limits and sources
The vote index records each member’s name on a standing vote. The transcript of this vote was not opened.
Read original statements and reporting, or open the publisher’s video. A summary of a speech is labelled separately from a full recording.
Speech
Budget debate speech
Wilson spoke against the 2026 budget: the deficit and debt, emergency rooms in Keremeos and Princeton, long-term care, forestry jobs, flood protection in Tulameen and water systems in her district. The same day she tabled a petition from 754 South Okanagan residents on drinking water.
Wilson said she hoped the bill would bring more timber to mills, and passed on industry concerns about more rules and delay. She finished the speech on April 16.
As opposition critic, Wilson questioned the minister for two days on the ministry’s budget, its targets for protected land, water systems and funding for the BC Water and Waste Association.
Records are labelled by type, including official findings, civil proceedings and political disputes where applicable. Each entry identifies the response found in the sources and the latest status verified for this page.
No reviewed entries have been added to this section yet. This is a research gap, not a finding about the candidate.
News coverage / Original publishers
Read the reporting
A dated reading list from independent publishers. The headings below are voche.me summaries; follow each link for the original article, context and any corrections.
Reporting
Grand Forks Gazette · Mark Page, Black Press
Wilson leaves the Conservative caucus
Reports that Wilson left the Conservative Party, the eighth MLA to leave in less than a month, and quotes her interview and statement. It says the caucus answered with the same statement it gave for other departures.
Reports that Wilson was among the former Conservatives who joined CentreBC on September 18, 2026, and that Milobar and some of those members were returning to the Conservatives as the election was called.
Sources checked October 1, 2026. Official records establish decisions; campaign material establishes stated positions; reporting adds investigation and context. None alone establishes every claim.
Her party membership changed three times in September 2026. The record shows what each source says: she left the Conservative caucus on September 2, joined the new party formed by Peter Milobar on September 14, was named among those joining CentreBC on September 18, and rejoined the Conservatives on September 22. On 2026-10-01 the legislature’s member data still listed her as Independent for the 43rd Parliament, and its separate member-level party field named the BC Green Party; voche.me treats that field as an error in the data and does not use it. The data lists no roles for her. Her shadow minister and critic titles come from caucus releases, and her post as deputy chair of the Finance and Government Services committee comes from her own pages; voche.me has not checked them with the legislature’s committee records. The party candidate page labels her “Interim Conservative Party Leader”. News reports name Lorne Doerkson as interim leader, so voche.me does not repeat that label. Her biography (ranch upbringing, years as executive director of the BC Snowmobile Federation, a small engine business) comes from her own and her party’s pages, and voche.me has not checked it with outside records. Her Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn pages showed a sign-in page to a direct read, so no post is used; her September 22 post is used only as Castanet quoted it. Caucus releases were read through a tool because the caucus site refuses direct reads; for the August 10, 2026 release only her one statement is used. The 2026 speech index points to 32 transcripts. voche.me read her passages in all 32 and cites 26; the others hold introductions, statements on sports and volunteers, a motion on liquor in theatres, Bill 16, and the first day of her estimates questions. Votes are taken from the 2026 vote index; the transcripts of those votes were not opened. Her 2025 speeches and votes were not read. No all-candidates meeting in Boundary-Similkameen for 2026 was found on this date. Campaign finances and endorsements were not reviewed. The questionnaire has not been sent.
Research status
What voche.me has checked
Evidence reviewed on 2026-10-01: the Elections BC candidate list and 2024 statement of votes, the legislature’s member data, its 2026 speech and vote indexes, her passages in the 32 transcripts from 2026 that the index points to, the party candidate and platform pages, caucus releases, her MLA website, and news reports from September 2026.
Her commitments on this page come mostly from what she said in the legislature and on her MLA website in 2026. The party platform page lists plan titles only. Sections with no entry record that voche.me found nothing on this date.
Opposition critic for Water, Land, Resource Stewardship and Wildlife Management
Named in the caucus release of November 20, 2024. Caucus releases from July and August 2026 call her Shadow Minister for Water, Land, Fisheries, and Wildlife Management. It is a caucus role in opposition.
Proposed questions for a future interview. They have not been sent to the candidate, and no answers have been supplied.
No questions and answers have been supplied.
Have your own question?
Ask Donegal Wilson directly. We send it to the campaign, and publish the reply here if we get one.
05 / About this page
Questions about this page
Facts voche.me can state about Donegal Wilson's page itself, answered directly rather than left blank.
Is this an official page for Donegal Wilson?
No. This page is researched by voche.me from public sources, listed below, and is separate from Donegal Wilson's own campaign.
What party is Donegal Wilson running with?
Donegal Wilson is running for MLA with Conservative Party of BC.
Does Donegal Wilson currently hold public office?
Yes. Donegal Wilson currently serves as MLA for Boundary-Similkameen.
How many sources does this Donegal Wilson profile cite?
This profile lists 4 sourced references, each with the date voche.me checked it, in the Sources section below.
Why do some questions on Donegal Wilson's page show no answer?
The "Questions & answers" section on this page lists questions voche.me would put to Donegal Wilson in a future interview. They have not been sent yet, so the page says plainly that no answer has been supplied instead of leaving the section blank.
When is the election Donegal Wilson is running in?
The 2026 British Columbia election, including the MLA race, is decided on October 24, 2026.
06 / Candidate contributions
Space for campaign updates
No campaign updates yet
Announcements, event details and messages can be added here, with their source and publication date. No campaign submission has been added.
