Six of seven candidates attend Nanaimo provincial forum focused on economy and jobs
Candidates from two Nanaimo ridings met at the Nanaimo Golf Club on October 13, 2026 to discuss the economy and jobs. Six of seven invited candidates attended. Sharleen Weatherley of the BC Greens was the only one absent.
Reported. A news outlet found this. voche.me names the outlet and links its report. Read the original report on nanaimonewsnow.com.
Six of seven candidates from two Nanaimo provincial ridings attended a forum at the Nanaimo Golf Club on October 13, 2026. Nanaimo News Now reported that the event covered the Nanaimo-Gabriola Island and Nanaimo-Lantzville ridings and focused on the economy and jobs.
The six candidates present were Mark MacDonald (BC Conservative, Nanaimo-Gabriola Island), Sheila Malcolmson (BC NDP, Nanaimo-Gabriola Island), Anna Mary McKenzie (BC Green Party, Nanaimo-Gabriola Island), Kelsey Pringle (BC Conservative, Nanaimo-Lantzville), George Anderson (BC NDP, Nanaimo-Lantzville) and Pepper Saltman (BC Communist Party, Nanaimo-Lantzville). Sharleen Weatherley, the BC Green Party candidate for Nanaimo-Lantzville, did not attend. Nanaimo News Now did not give a reason for her absence.
What candidates said
Topics included small business support, workforce training, local food production and restoring the forest industry, according to Nanaimo News Now.
On jobs, MacDonald said: "Nanaimo needs big projects, because they promise higher-paying jobs."
On small business, Pringle said: "This idea of taxing ourselves to prosperity is not working for small businesses."
McKenzie said Nanaimo voters should act together on the issues facing the province, according to the Nanaimo News Now report.
Context
The October 13 forum was held 11 days before voting day on October 24, 2026. Two ridings were represented: Nanaimo-Gabriola Island has three candidates on the ballot (MacDonald, Malcolmson and McKenzie) and Nanaimo-Lantzville has four (Anderson, Pringle, Saltman and Weatherley). The four parties at the table were the BC Conservative Party, the BC NDP, the BC Green Party and the BC Communist Party.
The forum gives Nanaimo voters a direct record of what each candidate said on economic issues. Advance voting opened across the province on October 16, three days after this event.
Advance voting and voting day
Advance voting for the BC provincial election runs October 16 to 21, 2026. Voting day is October 24. Voters in the Nanaimo ridings can confirm their voting location at elections.bc.ca.
Questions this story answers
Which candidates attended the Nanaimo provincial forum on October 13, 2026?
Nanaimo News Now reported that six of seven invited candidates attended the October 13, 2026 forum at the Nanaimo Golf Club. Those present were: Mark MacDonald (BC Conservative, Nanaimo-Gabriola Island), Sheila Malcolmson (BC NDP, Nanaimo-Gabriola Island), Anna Mary McKenzie (BC Green Party, Nanaimo-Gabriola Island), Kelsey Pringle (BC Conservative, Nanaimo-Lantzville), George Anderson (BC NDP, Nanaimo-Lantzville), and Pepper Saltman (BC Communist Party, Nanaimo-Lantzville).
Who did not attend the Nanaimo candidates forum?
Nanaimo News Now reported that Sharleen Weatherley, the BC Green Party candidate for Nanaimo-Lantzville, did not attend the October 13, 2026 forum. The report did not give a reason for her absence. All other invited candidates attended the event at the Nanaimo Golf Club.
What topics were discussed at the Nanaimo provincial forum?
Nanaimo News Now reported that the October 13, 2026 forum at the Nanaimo Golf Club focused on the economy and jobs. Topics included small business support, workforce training, local food production, and restoring the forest industry. Six candidates from two ridings, Nanaimo-Gabriola Island and Nanaimo-Lantzville, took part in the discussion.
What did Mark MacDonald say at the Nanaimo forum?
Nanaimo News Now reported that BC Conservative candidate Mark MacDonald said: 'Nanaimo needs big projects, because they promise higher-paying jobs.' MacDonald is running in the Nanaimo-Gabriola Island riding. He made the remark during the October 13, 2026 forum at the Nanaimo Golf Club, which focused on the economy and employment.
What did Kelsey Pringle say at the Nanaimo forum?
Nanaimo News Now reported that BC Conservative candidate Kelsey Pringle said: 'This idea of taxing ourselves to prosperity is not working for small businesses.' Pringle is running in the Nanaimo-Lantzville riding. He made the remark at the October 13, 2026 forum at the Nanaimo Golf Club, where candidates discussed the local economy, small business, and jobs.
Which ridings were represented at the Nanaimo forum?
Nanaimo News Now reported that the October 13, 2026 forum covered two provincial ridings: Nanaimo-Gabriola Island and Nanaimo-Lantzville. Candidates from both ridings attended, with six of seven invited candidates present at the Nanaimo Golf Club. The lone absent candidate, Sharleen Weatherley, is the BC Green Party candidate for Nanaimo-Lantzville.
When was the Nanaimo provincial candidates forum and where was it held?
Nanaimo News Now reported that the forum took place on October 13, 2026 at the Nanaimo Golf Club. It covered both the Nanaimo-Gabriola Island and the Nanaimo-Lantzville ridings. Six of the seven invited candidates attended. The report was published on October 14, 2026.
How can Nanaimo voters find their candidates and voting location?
Voters in Nanaimo can find candidate pages for Nanaimo-Gabriola Island and Nanaimo-Lantzville on this site at /bc/provincial-2026/news. Advance voting for the BC provincial election runs October 16 to 21, 2026. Voters can confirm their voting location at elections.bc.ca/2026-provincial-election/where-to-vote/. Voting day is October 24, 2026.
Sources
The pages this story draws on. Open one to check a claim yourself.
- Nanaimo News Now – Nanaimo candidates forum reportnanaimonewsnow.com
- Elections BC – Where to voteelections.bc.ca
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