Kamloops-North Thompson MLA Ward Stamer discusses 2025 in B.C. politics

Since his election Stamer, a former forestry worker himself, has also served as the BC Conservative’s Forests Critic.

“We had five mills close in five weeks, last week was the first week in five weeks that we didn’t have a mill close,” Stamer told CFJC News. “We used to have 56,000 people in our industry, we probably have just over half of that now. We have lost half the cut in four years. revenue is down, investment is down, people are losing their jobs, that is important to me.”

Stamer has been vocal calling for government to speed up permitting and cut red tape.

“We have got to be able to make sure the government is aware of not only making those necessary changes to policy and regulation but also listening to what people want,” added Stamer.

The rookie MLA stated that “net zero is for zeroes.”

“We are never going to get to zero, so why would destroy economy trying to get to zero,” said Stamer. “We should be able to make electricity with cogen [short for Cogeneration or Combined Heat and Power]. We have always pushed for that, for whatever reason the NDP has been very reluctant.”

In community, the issue Stamer he’s hearing most about is affordability.

“It’s very expensive right now. People would argue that we are over-taxed, we are losing jobs across the spectrum not only in forestry but in agriculture, mining other areas. and that is what’s foremost on people’s minds right now is being able to put enough food on the table,” said Stamer. “Those are the kinds of things we need to be able to push the government back on.”

“We need more investment, we need to be able to open up these opportunities and we may need a different direction is being able to do that.”

Recently in Kamloops, there has been calls from council to bring more recovery focused housing to the community.

“I’ve seen some of the requirements now with the NDP where they are saying that all the new housing one of the requirements is that they have to be all wet. Our party disagrees with that,” Stamer added. “We have to make some fundamental changes on how we deliver those low-income housing units and not just specify that they all have to be wet.”

“And if the recovery supports aren’t there, that is why we are finding them on the streets because they aren’t getting the recovery in those units, so that is spilling out onto the streets and causing all the other mayhem that is occurring. That is part of the challenge.”

David Eby has come out and said he has no plans to call for an election in 2026, even still Stamer isn’t trusting the premier.

“There is supposed to be this gentlemen’s agreement that during a leadership race you don’t pull the pin,” said Stamer. “But again we had protocols in our legislature where we agreed on things and they did a complete 180. The premier mentioned recently that they are fully funded for an election. Why would he say that?”

“If we have to run a campaign with Interim Leader (Trevor) Halford we will do that. We have faith in Trevor, he is a solid guy and if it ends up that that is the person that we are going to have lead us into election than that is who we will have,” stated Stamer.

Looking ahead to 2026, Stamer said it will begin with efforts to push his private members bill towards adoption, noting his focus will also move quickly towards the budget.

“That is what everyone is really concerned about,” said Stamer. “When you look at what happened this year, the size of the deficit that we have, what the deficit is going to be next year, our revenues are way down, we are going to have to make some really tough decisions.”

“I’m not entirely convinced the NDP are going to make those tough cuts. But we will have to see when we get to those budget numbers in February.”

by Michael Reeve

Kamloops-North Thompson MLA Ward Stamer discusses 2025 in B.C. politics

Our Community