Between Editions News

September 21, 2026

RDCK Regular Open Board Meetings

The September 24, 2026, Regular Open Board meeting is a hybrid model, so the RDCK provides the ability to attend all RDCK meetings in-person or remote.

Please click on the links below for the details.

September 24, 2026 – Regular Open Board Meeting

https://www.rdck.ca/event/rdck-board-meeting-20/

Press Release

Sept 20, 2026

Ride For Refuge

On Saturday, Oct 3rd the rail trails at Svoboda Road parking lot will come alive with activity for the second annual Ride for Refuge hosted by Nelson Community Services (NCS). 

The RIDE FOR REFUGE is a family- friendly fundraising walk or bike ride in support of the Aimee Beaulieu Transition House (ABTH) which provides 24 hour emergency safe shelter and support for self-identifying women and children leaving domestic violence and abuse. The ABTH has marked its 30th anniversary serving the community last year and this fundraiser will support the programs and services offered there. 

The first local Ride for Refuge last year raised over $23,000 to support this vital service. These funds going towards keeping women and families in our community safe in their time of need. Nelson Community Services is honoured to see this event resonate with the community. 

The Aimee Beaulieu Transition House is the only Transition House in Nelson, offering shelter and support services to women and their children who've experienced abuse.  The staff provide 24/7 crisis line response, emotional support, safety planning for leaving dangerous situations, and guidance on accessing local resources. These services are vital to the women and families that they serve and the community at large. 

ABTH Program Coordinator, Milena Bieri shares “Each year we respond to ~450 requests for support, resources, referrals, and safety plans. Annually the staff at the Aimee Beaulieu Transition House supports 50+ self-identified women and their children accessing these services.”

There are lots of volunteer roles to choose from including set-up and tear-down crews, registration, food prep team, route marshals, and medical support crews. Head to https://rideforrefuge.org/location/nelson to sign up to volunteer, donate, walk, bike or sponsor. 

Ride for Refuge participants can choose to walk 2.5 or 5km or to bike a 10km or 20km route. They will be supported by rest stops along the way and a tasty celebration meal at the finish line. 

Nelson Community Services is hoping the community will come out and make the second annual RIDE FOR REFUGE another success. 

Press Release

September 11, 2026

Declaration of Candidates – Local General Election – October 17, 2026

Nelson, BC: Pursuant to section 97 of the Local Government Act, the following persons have been declared as candidates in the 2026 General Local Election by Tom Dool, Chief Election Officer for the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK).

Office of Director of Electoral Area A
Forrest Demman
Garry Jackman

Office of Director of Electoral Area B
Roger Tierney
Danny Turner

Office of Director of Electoral Area C
Mike Martell
Kelly Vandenberghe

Office of Director of Electoral Area D
Aimee Watson

Office of Director of Electoral Area E
Lukas Armstrong
Erin Fitchett
Landon Veregin

Office of Director of Electoral Area F
Tom Newell

Office of Director of Electoral Area G
Anna Bundschuh
Susan Chew
Nathen Rushforth

Office of Director of Electoral Area H
Jae Hamilton
Will Parker
Kevin Shaw

Office of Director of Electoral Area I
Bart Agate
Eric Friesen
Chris Popoff

Office of Director of Electoral Area J
Henny Hanegraaf
Gordon Zaitsoff

Office of Director of Electoral Area K
Tina Knooihuizen
Teresa Weatherhead

RDCK Rural Area Directors are elected every four years as part of the General Local Election system in British Columbia. This year’s local government elections will occur on October 17, 2026.

For more information on the election go to www.rdck.ca/elections.

Press Release

Sept 20, 2026

Wondering How to Get Information to Inform Your Vote?

Kootenay Coo-op Radio offers programming to help you make your decisions

Kootenay Coo-op Radio is producing on air and online programming to provide the community with information about candidates in the upcoming election, October 17th.

All three mayoral candidates and 14 council candidates, and the RDCK candidate within KCR’s broadcast reach, will be in conversation with Kootenay Morning volunteer programmers, and Local Journalism Initiative reporters Jaime Fredrick and Heather Austin.

Mayoral and Council candidates for New Denver, Silverton, Slocan, Rossland, Warfield, Salmo, Fruitvale, and Montrose will be given a questionnaire, and their responses will be posted on the KCR website.

School trustee candidates will also be covered for both SD8 and SD20. RDCK Area Director candidates will also receive a questionnaire, and their responses can be found on the Kootenay Co-op Radio website.

The interviews will air on Kootenay Co-op Radio’s morning show Kootenay Morning (Monday, Wednesday, Friday live at 8am rebroadcast the same day at 5pm) and will be available for streaming on KCR’s website. Two confirmed forums presenting the community with the opportunity to discover who is running, why they are running, and what their focus will be, are also covered by KCR, including the Climate Hub Forum on Monday, Oct 5 th at 7pm at the United Church and the Canadian Federation of University Women’s Forum on Wednesday, Oct 7 th at the Wildflower School gym

(Central School) at 7pm. Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) rules require that Kootenay Co-op Radio provide the same amount of time and the same questions to each and every candidate. KCR can be found on your radio dial at 93.5 FM in Nelson, 96.5 in Crawford Bay and 107.5 in New Denver, and 101.5 in South Slocan, and live on the web at www.kootenaycoopradio.com.

Image above: Back row - Darren Davidson, Deb Kozak, Avi Silberstein, Stephenie Hendricks, Jaime Fredrick

Front row -  Heather Austin, Anne DeGrace, Kim Bater

Canadian Federation of University Women - Nelson & District Club

Nelson & District Teachers’ Association

Press Release - All Candidates Forum

Sept 21, 2026

The Nelson & District chapter of the Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) is hosting an All Candidates Forum in partnership with the Nelson District Teachers’ Association, on Wednesday Oct 7th at Central (Wildflower) School at 811 Stanley Street. The event will be held in the school gym, doors will open to the public at 6:30pm with the event getting started at 7pm. The event will be moderated by Andrea Wilkey and candidates will start by introducing themselves and their reasons for running, and then they will randomly be asked two prepared questions. There will be no questions from the floor, but candidates may be on hand for the attendees to chat with and ask questions between 6:30 and 7:00. 

The CFUW Nelson & District club and the Nelson District Teachers’ Association has proudly hosted this forum for 50 years, serving as a platform for the community to meet and learn about candidates running in the municipal election. 

https://www.facebook.com/events/1809447380412379

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