---
title: "North Island debate: three candidates speak on health care, affordability and education"
description: "Sara Lopez, Benjamin Olsson and Richard Lambert answered questions at the Tidemark Theatre in Campbell River on October 16. Anna Kindy did not attend."
canonical_url: "https://voche.me/bc/provincial-2026/news/north-island-debate-recap-october-16-2026"
last_updated: "2026-10-18T06:00:25.242Z"
---

Three of the four North Island candidates answered voters' questions at the Tidemark Theatre in Campbell River on the evening of October 16, one week before voting day. [Sara Lopez](/bc/provincial-2026/candidates/sara-lopez) (BC NDP), [Benjamin Olsson](/bc/provincial-2026/candidates/benjamin-olsson) (BC Green Party) and [Richard Lambert](/bc/provincial-2026/candidates/richard-lambert) (Independent) took part in the debate. Conservative candidate [Anna Kindy](/bc/provincial-2026/candidates/anna-kindy) did not attend, according to the North Island Gazette.

The Campbell River and District Chamber of Commerce, the Campbell River Mirror and the Tidemark Theatre Society co-hosted the event.

## Health care

Lambert said he would expand the current recruitment pipeline, improve retention bonuses and add local medical training seats. He said he wants to stop emergency room closures in communities including Port Hardy, Port McNeill and Alert Bay.

Lopez said the BC NDP is moving forward with a Campbell River long-term care home and an urgent and primary care centre in Fort Hardy. She said her party has recruited more than 800 health care professionals from the United States and plans to triple that number, while training more doctors through a new SFU medical school.

Olsson said his party would establish community health centres across the province, with an emphasis on the North Island. He said the centres would include salaried physicians, which he said many physicians prefer because they can focus on patient care rather than running a business.

## Affordability and housing

Lopez said the BC NDP would cut gasoline prices by up to 30 cents per litre and cap grocery prices on items including bread, eggs, chicken and milk. She also said the party would ban surveillance pricing and open competition for smaller grocery stores.

Olsson said his party commits to building 26,000 housing units this year. He said the BC Greens would implement vacancy control, so landlords could not raise rents when a tenant leaves. He also said his party would restart the ten-dollar-a-day childcare plan, which he described as having stalled.

Lambert said seniors need housing that keeps them close to family and home communities, instead of being moved long distances for care.

## Education

Lambert said the provincial funding model is failing students and called for more classroom support staff, educational assistants and speech pathologists in classrooms. He said small schools in communities like Port McNeill and Port Hardy deserve the same support as those in larger centres.

Lopez said she is raising neurodivergent learners and said more support for neurodivergent students is needed. She said Conservative governments previously closed 250 schools and fought teachers in court over class sizes.

Olsson said his party would eliminate the inclusive education funding gap and review the per-pupil funding formula to build a model based on the actual costs and resource needs of each school district.

## When to vote

Voting day is Saturday, October 24, 2026. Advance voting in North Island is open through October 21. You can find your polling location through Elections BC at elections.bc.ca. Candidate profiles for all four North Island candidates are at [/bc/provincial-2026/races/mla/north-island](/bc/provincial-2026/races/mla/north-island).

## Sitemap

See the full [sitemap](/bc/provincial-2026/sitemap.md) for all pages.