A former city councillor and federal candidate is looking to return to municipal politics in this year’s civic election.
Helena Konanz was elected to city council in 2011 and again in 2018 where she got the second and third highest number of votes, respectively.
One of the major priorities Konanz will be focusing on through her campaign is the high crime rates in Penticton.
She cites the fact that Penticton had the highest crime in the Thompson Okanagan last year, according to Statistics Canada.
Other priorities in her campaign include increasing affordable housing by advocating for repurpose built rentals and supporting the RMCP.
Konanz has been a business owner for over 25 years. She is a business consultant and owns and operates Konanz Chiropractic Inc. on Westminster Ave West.
The local candidate is also a director of the Penticton Chamber of Commerce and is a community youth exchange officer with the Sunrise Rotary Club.
In 2018, she stepped away from municipal politics and decided to try her hand at the federal government.
In 2019 and 2021, she ran as the Conservative member of parliament for the South Okanagan – West Kootenay. She was defeated by NDP candidate Richard Cannings.
