kelownaelections.ca

Susan Ames

Candidate for Councillor

Background

Susan Ames holds a PhD in Resource Management and Environmental Studies with a focus on climate change, an MSc in Soil Science, and a BSc in Biology. Her MSc research addressed reclamation of acid mine wastes; her PhD research examined the impact of forest, agricultural, and urban land uses on climate change.

Ames worked for more than 30 years as an environmental consultant, including agricultural consulting (soil surveys, agricultural assessments, gravel-pit reclamation) and international mining consulting. She co-developed International Mine Closure and Reclamation standards and co-founded the ALR Protection and Enhancement Committee.

Born in Saskatchewan, Ames spent her early years in Nova Scotia before settling in Kelowna. She is retired from consulting and currently serves as president of the Friends and Residents of the Abbott Street Heritage Conservation Area (also known as the Abbott Street Heritage Conservation Area Society). She was previously president of the Kelowna South Central Association of Neighbourhoods (KSAN).

Ames ran unsuccessfully for Kelowna City Council in 2022, spending more than $10,000 on her campaign. Her 2022 Elections BC FRPC filing showed income of $8,925, expenditures of $14,897.32, and a surplus of $107.88.

2026 Campaign

Ames is running under the brand "Ames for Change," with a platform organized around seven priorities: (1) protect greenspace, trees, and agricultural land; (2) better public transportation and less congestion; (3) safety and thriving small businesses; (4) affordability and responsible spending; (5) manage growth and balance housing types; (6) establish municipal golf courses; (7) plan to use existing industrial land.

Her signature positions include stopping setback reductions, strengthening the tree-protection bylaw, free transit for seniors and youth, dedicated police foot patrols and proactive bylaw enforcement, tying property-tax increases to inflation, applying development cost charges on a square-footage basis, and terminating the 10-year market-rental tax-break program.

Ames has stated: "We need to slow down our growth. Our growth should be managed to preserve our quality of life."

In an undated ForChange Kelowna candidate questionnaire, Ames reiterated her platform and added several specifics not previously listed: restoring transit fares to pre-September-2025 levels and the 90-minute transfer window, and bringing transit-driver contract administration "closer to home" — she stated the contracts are currently managed outside the country. She cited a "$229 million" annual surplus from the City's December 2025 annual report as a source of funding for these measures, a figure that is her own statement and has not been independently verified. She also proposed "Applied Environmental Economics" — assigning economic value to natural assets such as wetlands and the urban tree canopy within the City budget.

At the third Castanet election forum (Revelry Kelowna, October 1, 2026), Ames clarified her growth stance in response to a question, saying she is "not against density" but favours "gentle density" and infill that fits the neighbourhood, while opposing expansion into the permanent growth boundary, which she described as agricultural, steep, forested and environmentally sensitive land. On policing, she said the city needs "more boots on the ground" with proactive bylaw and RCMP presence, and that downtown and Rutland businesses no longer call police because they want officers to respond rather than be told the complaint has been taken. She grouped homelessness into three categories — those who cannot afford housing, those struggling with addiction, and those with mental illness who she said should receive institutional care — and said she would support mandatory drug treatment. She also called for more year-round industry rather than a tourism-heavy economy, suggesting the region's fruit industry could support new industrial uses.

Campaign site: https://susanames.ca/

Notable Items

Accusations Against City Planning Staff

Ames has publicly accused Kelowna's planning department of breaking the zoning bylaw and the 2040 Official Community Plan. In a January 2026 letter published by Castanet, she stated: "I think the City of Kelowna's planning department thinks it doesn't have to follow the rules and city council is OK with that... I don't think they can be trusted." She cited the $50,000 summary-conviction penalty in Zoning Bylaw 12375 and alleged staff approved a "stacked townhouse" outside the RU1 zone. These are Ames's own accusations against staff; they have not been independently substantiated.

"Pretend University" Characterization (2022)

During her 2022 council campaign, Ames characterized the proposed 46-storey UBC Okanagan downtown vertical campus as a "pretend university." This is Ames's own characterization of the project.

Questionnaire responses

Did not respond to the Kelowna Elections questionnaire (deadline October 2, 2026).

Registered campaign links

From the official candidate registration record; presence here is not an endorsement.

Financial agent: David Erikson

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