Barriere mayor elected Kamloops-North Thompson MLA

The BC Conservatives have won in Kamloops-North Thompson, sending a small town mayor to the legislature.

Barriere Mayor Ward Stamer beat out his NDP and Green Party contenders in a riding.

Constituents were previously represented by Peter Milobar, who switched to run for the BC Conservatives in the newly-formed Kamloops-Centre.

Stamer comes from a lengthy background in forestry, but spent time representing Barriere on its improvement district board before it was incorporated in 2007. He would twice win a seat as councillor then as mayor in both the 2018 and 2022 elections.

It's his second attempt at a higher office following a failed bid for the federal Conservative Party nomination for the Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo riding in 2021, which he lost to the current MP Frank Caputo.

His placement in the legislature will lead to his resignation as Barriere's mayor and a subsequent byelection to replace him.

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