SARAI TO SEEK THIRD TERM ON KAMLOOPS CITY COUNCIL
Bill Sarai has announced he will be seeking a third term as a City of Kamloops councilor
in the next municipal election scheduled for Saturday, October 17, 2026.
Sarai has called Kamloops home for 31 years and is deeply devoted to the city and its approximately
120,000 residents.
Sarai has been married to his Kamloops-born wife Toni for 36 years. He is a father to three
children Jessica, Ashley and Nick, and grandfather to Maizen, Amrita and Malik.
Bill worked for Canada Post for over three decades before retiring in 2019.
A volunteer with numerous community groups and sports organizations since his arrival
in the River City, Sarai’s involvement has included PAC executives, the Kamloops Sikh Cultural
Society, and Kamloops Social Planning Council. From 1998 to 2000 he was an active
member in the Fraternal Order of Eagles and is presently a member of the Moose Lodge
1552 and ANAVETS 290.
Sarai’s commitments in the Kamloops sports mosaic has included acting as coach of his
daughter’s soccer teams from 1996-2005 and his son’s soccer team from 2005-2010 and
serving on the Norbrock soccer club executive from 1996-2000.
In May, 2003 Bill traveled to Halifax with representatives of the Tk’emlúpsemc te Secwépemc
bid committee hoping to bring the National Indigenous Games to Kamloops. Unfortunately,
the selection committee chose Calgary instead.
In 2024 Bill attended the National Indigenous Hockey Championships in Grand Prairie.
While they were there members of the delegation were presented with a sacred hockey
stick by the hosts. Kamloops hosted the tournament in 2025.
“I was pleased to represent the city at these important cutural events,” says Sarai. “I would
like to continue to foster strong relations with the Chief and Council of the Tk’emlúpsemc
te Secwépemc.”
Bill’s decision to announce his run for another four-year term on city council comes on the
heels of his acclamation to the position of President of SILGA at the organization’s annual
conference in Revelstoke from April 29th to May 2nd, 2026. Sarai has been one of the city’s
representatives on the SILGA board for the past seven years.
SILGA is the acronym for the Southern Interior Local Government Association. It is an organization
representing 37 local governments—cities, towns, villages, and regional districts—
in South Central British Columbia. It advocates for regional issues to the provincial
government, acts as a “mini UBCM,” and provides networking and educational opportunities
through various functions.
Sarai is quick to point out that his new role at SILGA secures him a seat at the UBCM and
affords him closer ties to the decision-makers in Victoria. “We need to continue to lobby
both the provincial and federal governments for a greater share of their discretionary dollars,”
says Sarai.
In addition to his position with SILGA, Sarai currently serves as chair of the TNRD (Thompson-
Nicola Regional District) Solid Waste Committee, as President of the Kamloops Airport
Authority Society, as chair of the Governance & Service Excellence Panel, and as a member
of the Safety and Security Select Committee. Bill also a voice on the Build Kamloops Committee.
Sarai says he has enjoyed the various tasks that he has undertaken since joining council. “I
would like to continue to take an active role in shaping our community and making Kamloops
a better place for all its residents.
“We have made significant progress. But we’re not finished yet. Not on public safety. Not
on housing. Not on infrastructure, and not on standing up to senior governments.
“People in Kamloops want a city that feels safe. They want affordable housing that actually
gets built. They want their tax dollars spent wisely and prudently. They want a council that
focuses on getting things done. That is what I have worked toward over the past two terms.”