Leadership-hopeful for the BC Liberals Andrew Wilkinson was in Penticton on Friday.

Wilkinson spoke to an intimate crowd of about a dozen people at the Penticton Art Gallery about his platform.

One of his biggest priorities is maintaining a balanced budget and keeping taxes low for residents — and not trying to "outspend the NDP" as he called it.

"The thing that's starting to settle in in this leadership run is some of the competitors, other than me, are talking about big spending plans. And I'm talking about being fiscally responsible,"  he said.

"Sticking to the values of the party. Encouraging enterprise, maintaining balanced budgets and doing the responsible thing, which is not spending money we don't have."

Wilkinson acknowledged affordability is an issue specific to Penticton, and that it’s province-wide issue for reasons specific to the location.

"If you're in the Okanagan, there's a combination of a significant rise in the cost of housing... Plus making sure people have the incomes they need to get ahead. So we as a party have to focus on making sure that people have enough money in their pockets get ahead in life, not have too much of it taken away in taxes." 

When asked on how he plans to help South Okanagan residents in particular, Wilkinson said he wants to help provide medical care that is “much more efficient.”

The election for the next BC Liberal leader, which features a field of seven candidates, will take place on February 3rd.