Okanagan Echo Civic Series: Crystal Dougan
Okanagan Echo asked all 11 women running for council the same four questions about why they’re running, the priorities they would bring to City Hall, the experience they offer and what they want residents to know before voting.
Kelowna voters will head to the polls on October 17, 2026, to elect a mayor and eight city councillors. The official field includes 37 candidates for council, including the 11 women featured here. Advance voting begins October 7.
Crystal Dougan is the owner of The Little Hobo Soup & Sandwich Shop in downtown Kelowna, which she has operated for 15 years. Before entering the restaurant business, she worked as a social worker supporting high-risk youth and families across the Okanagan. She also serves on the executive board of the Downtown Kelowna Association, while The Little Hobo supports local food-service initiatives including Meals on Wheels and the KGH Foundation.
Here are Crystal Dougan’s responses.
OE: What made you decide to run for Kelowna City Council in 2026?
CD: For the past 15 years, I’ve owned and operated Little Hobo Soup & Sandwich Shop in Kelowna. Before that, I worked as a social worker with high-risk youth and families throughout Kelowna and the Okanagan.
Over the years, I’ve had thousands of conversations across the counter with people from every walk of life. I hear what people love about Kelowna, but I also hear their concerns about affordability, safety, growth and whether their voices are being heard.
I didn’t wake up one morning wanting to become a politician. This decision grew out of those conversations and a belief that I have something useful to contribute.
I’ve spent much of my working life listening to people, solving problems and serving this community. I’m ready to take that experience — and those voices — to City Hall.
OE: What are the three issues you believe should be priorities for the next council?
CD: My three priorities are community safety and the challenges surrounding homelessness, mental health and addiction; housing affordability; and responsible growth with the infrastructure to support it.
We need to recognize that homelessness, addiction, mental illness and criminal or disorderly behaviour are not the same thing. We can provide appropriate help for people in crisis while also protecting the safety and quality of life of our neighbourhoods.
Housing affordability is affecting young people, families, workers and seniors. Council needs to use the tools within its authority to encourage a range of housing options.
And as Kelowna grows, our infrastructure must keep pace. Density needs infrastructure — roads, transit, sidewalks, utilities, parks and other services that allow neighbourhoods to function well.
OE: What experience or perspective would you bring to council?
CD: I bring several different perspectives shaped by real-life experience.
I’m a mother of three and grandmother of two, and for a period of my life I raised my daughters as a single mother. I understand what it means to balance family responsibilities, work and household costs when there isn’t much room in the budget.
As a former social worker, I worked with high-risk youth and families, including young people experiencing homelessness. That taught me to listen, understand the circumstances behind a problem and look for practical solutions.
For the past 15 years, I’ve also operated a small business in downtown Kelowna. I understand payroll, rising costs, staffing and what it means to make decisions when every dollar matters.
Those experiences have taught me to listen to understand, ask questions, collaborate and then act.
OE: What is one thing you want Kelowna residents to understand about you before they cast their ballots?
CD: I want people to understand that I’m not running because I believe I have all the answers. I believe good decisions begin by listening to the people affected by them. Today, I spoke with a woman who uses a wheelchair. She shared some of the accessibility challenges she faces in Kelowna and her belief that our city should be accessible to everyone. I may not have understood those challenges in the same way before hearing directly from her — and that matters.
For 15 years, people have trusted me with their stories across the counter at Little Hobo. Those conversations have taught me that sometimes the people most affected by a decision understand the problem better than anyone else.
If elected, I won’t listen simply to answer. I’ll listen to understand.
Listen. Care. Act.
Explore the full Civic Series This interview is part of Okanagan Echo’s 2026 Civic Series featuring the women running for Kelowna City Council. Visit the main series page to read the profiles and responses from all 11 candidates.
Okanagan Echo thanks all participating candidates for sharing their time and perspectives with residents.
Comments