Mayor and Council

font size:A
A
A

Main content of the website

font size:A
A
A

Mayor and Council

We are here to serve our community of Barriere and we welcome any feed-back, questions or comments that you may have. Please do not hesitate to contact us as we'd be happy to hear from you! (scroll down this page to find contact info)

**As of October 21, 2024, Mayor Ward Stamer resigned his position as Mayor of the District of Barriere after a successful election as MLA of the Kamloops North Thompson. A local by-election was held on March 1, 2025. Rob Kerslake was successful in his campaign for Mayor and Brody Mosdell was elected as Councillor as a result of the by-election.

L-R: Councillors, Louise Lodge, Brody Mosdell, Mayor Rob Kerslake, Councillors Scott Kershaw, Judy Armstrong, Colin McInnis & Donna Kibble

General Inquiries/Comments: inquiry@barriere.ca Phone: 250-672-9751

*photography by Ellen Monteith

MAYOR Rob Kerslake

Cell: 250-851-6165
Email: mayor@barriere.ca

Mayor Kerslake's Inaugural Address (March 24, 2025):
"First, I want to sincerely thank the community for your support and trust in me. it's an honor to serve as your Mayor. I also want to acknowledge the support you've given to our newest face on Council, Councillor Brody Mosdel. Brody brings a fresh perspective and strong representation for the 30-something demographic in our community. I have no doubt he will be a valuable contributor to this Council and to Barriere as a whole.

These days, the world can feel like a crazy place. But we are fortunate to live where we do. Rural British Columbia is special. While we may not be completely insulated from global events, I believe we are better positioned than many to navigate challenges.

Small communities have a unique strength that larger cities often lack - the ability to collaborate, to lean on each other, and to find solutions together. When we work as a team, great things can be accomplished.

A perfect example of this happened just recently. Together with Kupki7 Lampreux (Simpcw First Nation), Councillor Ron, Area 'O' Director Hayward, our dedicated staff, and MLA Stamer, we took swift action when it seemed our region might lose its spare ambulance. Through our combined efforts, we were able to keep this vital service in place. This is what strong, local collaboration looks like.

As Councillor Ron (Simpcw First Nation) often reminds us at the end of our meetings: 'We are stronger together'. And he's absolutely right.

Like many communities across the country, Barriere faces challenges - aging infrastructure, financial pressures, and the ongoing struggle to secure funding. These issues are not unique to us. But what is unique is our willingness to work together - not just within our community, but alongside our neighbours in Simpcw and throughout the North Thompson.

With this strong Council and our excellent staff, we are ready to put in the hard work. Thank you everyone. I look forward to what we will accomplish together."
- Mayor Kerslake