Okanagan Echo Civic Series: Doris Bregolisse
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.
Doris Bregolisse has called Kelowna home for more than 34 years. She spent 17 years with Global Okanagan as an anchor, reporter and producer, after earlier work in radio and print journalism. Today, she works as a REALTOR® with Macdonald Realty and remains active in the community through organizations including United Way BC Southern Interior and Central Okanagan Crime Stoppers.
Here are Doris Bregolisse's responses.
OE: What made you decide to run for Kelowna City Council in 2026?
DB: My parents were refugees from the Former Yugoslavia. We were taught the importance of a democratic vote and to never take it for granted. In recent years, after retiring from 30 years in journalism and taking up a career in real estate, I see a need to speak up for the development of our community.
Plans to start my campaign earlier this year were curtailed when my husband died suddenly in May. On the eve of the civic nomination deadline, I decided I had to move forward with my plans to run for Council and use my resilience in the face of hardship as an example for others. We must all be resilient in the face of challenging days.
OE: What are the three issues you believe should be priorities for the next council?
DB:
Council must tackle community safety. I will advocate for more policing until we can get our problems under control.
Community safety extends to the streets where bike lane expansion projects have begun to challenge safety for riders and vehicle drivers. We must study bike lane expansion before pushing further plans through.
Water resources have started to run thin. Further plans for thousands of apartments in the city will literally be a drain on a finite resource. We must explore new sources of water, work with all water management providers and expand current reservoirs. Xeriscaping should not only be encouraged but incentivized.
OE: What experience or perspective would you bring to council?
DB: I am a mother to five who range in age from 33 to 11. Our next generation is bright and we need to help give them hope. As a journalist, I am trained to find answers.
A City Councillor doesn’t need to be an expert in all subjects, they just need to know where to source out the right information to be able to make a choice. I have been a REALTOR® for the last five years and better understand housing needs, land use and planning in the Kelowna.
OE: What is one thing you want Kelowna residents to understand about you before they cast their ballots?
DB: I want Kelowna residents to know that I will always vote for Kelowna! I love this city! We are facing challenging times but we must be resilient. We will get through this together.
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.
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