Amelia Boultbee will not run for the NDP in Penticton-Summerland
Sitting MLA Amelia Boultbee says she cannot raise the resources needed to give the BC NDP a fair contest in Penticton-Summerland, and is stepping aside before the October 24 election.
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Amelia Boultbee, the sitting MLA for Penticton-Summerland, announced on September 29 that she will not run for the BC NDP in the October 24 provincial election. The Canadian Press reported that Boultbee said she cannot raise the resources needed to give the NDP a competitive run in her riding, and is stepping aside to allow the party to field a stronger candidate.
"I'm stepping aside to make way for a more winnable candidate," Boultbee said in her statement, as reported by CTV News.
How she got here
Boultbee was first elected in October 2024 as a BC Conservative MLA for Penticton-Summerland. She left that party over ideological disagreements, sat as an Independent, and joined the BC NDP in July 2026. CTV News reported that joining the NDP raised the party's caucus to 48 members, increasing Premier David Eby's majority in the legislature to two seats.
The move drew criticism from her constituents. In her statement, Boultbee said she had been threatened, spat at, disowned and abused in ways both public and private. She said she still stands by the decision.
"I'm confident that I did the right thing for the right reasons when I made that decision," she said in the statement.
She also said that being in the NDP caucus helped her community during the Bald Range wildfire in August 2026, when thousands of people in Summerland and surrounding communities were forced to leave their homes. She said the NDP's experienced staff gave her resources she could not have had as an Independent MLA.
What this means for the riding
CTV News reported that Boultbee is the sixth member of the BC legislature not to seek re-election in this election. The BC NDP has not yet named a candidate for Penticton-Summerland.
Nominations for the October 24 election close on October 3 at 1 p.m. Pacific time. After that deadline, Elections BC will publish the full candidate list. Voters in Penticton-Summerland can check who is running in their riding at the BC provincial election candidates page.
Questions this story answers
Is Amelia Boultbee running in the October 24 election?
No. Amelia Boultbee, the sitting MLA for Penticton-Summerland, announced on September 29, 2026 that she will not run in the October 24 provincial election. She said she cannot raise the resources needed to give the BC NDP a fair contest in the riding, and is stepping aside so the party can field a more competitive candidate.
Why is Boultbee not running for re-election?
In a statement reported by The Canadian Press on September 29, Boultbee said she could not marshal the resources needed to give the BC NDP a fair shot in Penticton-Summerland. She said she was stepping aside to make way for a more competitive candidate, while standing by her decision to cross the floor from the BC Conservatives to the NDP.
Which party did Amelia Boultbee represent when she was first elected?
Amelia Boultbee was first elected in October 2024 as a BC Conservative MLA for Penticton-Summerland. She later left that party over ideological disagreements, sat as an Independent, and joined the BC NDP in July 2026. Joining the NDP raised the party's caucus to 48 members, according to CTV News.
How many MLAs are not seeking re-election in this election?
According to CTV News, Amelia Boultbee is the sixth member of the BC legislature not to seek re-election in the 2026 British Columbia provincial election. CTV News published that report on September 29, 2026. The full list of confirmed candidates will be available from Elections BC after nominations close on October 3 at 1 p.m. Pacific time.
What consequences did Boultbee say she faced after crossing the floor?
In her statement, Boultbee said crossing the floor was difficult and carried considerable consequences, personally, professionally and politically. She said she had been threatened, spat at, disowned and abused in ways both public and private. She said she still believes the decision was the right one.
Who will run for the NDP in Penticton-Summerland?
As of September 30, 2026, the BC NDP has not named a candidate for Penticton-Summerland. Nominations for the October 24 election close October 3 at 1 p.m. Pacific time. You can check the current candidate list for the riding at Elections BC's official site once nominations close.
What riding did Boultbee represent?
Amelia Boultbee represented the Penticton-Summerland riding in British Columbia's southern interior. The riding will hold a vote on October 24, 2026 as part of the provincial general election. The nomination deadline for all candidates is October 3 at 1 p.m. Pacific time.
What did Boultbee say about the Bald Range wildfire?
In her statement, Boultbee said that joining the NDP allowed her to access the party's resources during the Bald Range wildfire in August 2026, when thousands of people in Summerland and surrounding communities were forced to leave their homes. She said being part of the NDP caucus gave her access to experienced staff that she could not have reached as an Independent.
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