image Credit: Brian Gillespie via Sun Peaks Independent News

By Victor Kaisar

Sun Peaks By-Election

Brian Gillespie elected new Sun Peaks councillor; Rob O’Toole acclaimed as new mayor

Apr 6, 2025 | 8:13 AM

SUN PEAKS, B.C. — Voters in Sun Peaks have elected Brian Gillespie to municipal council by a narrow seven vote margin.

Gillespie, the long-time manager of Bottom’s Bar and Grill, earned 120 votes to Dave Burnham’s 113.

According to preliminary results released after Saturday’s (April 5) by-election, Katherine Campbell and Alice Muirhead got 49 and 37 votes respectively.

Former councillor Rob O’Toole, who was elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022, was acclaimed as Sun Peaks’ newest mayor. Provincial regulations required O’Toole to step down from council in order to launch his bid for mayor.

O’Toole, the owner of Vertical Cafe, becomes the second-ever mayor of Sun Peaks. He will take over from Al Raine – who died last December after a battle with ALS

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Assuming there are no challenges and the results are made official as scheduled at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 9, both Gillespie and O’Toole are expected to be sworn into office at the next council meeting on April 15.

Gillespie and O’Toole will join councillors Kelly Dye, Len Hrycan, and Julie Kimmel on Sun Peaks council, with the next municipal election in B.C. scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026.