Oveds Eco Profile 2015r2s

Okanagan Valley
ECONOMIC PROFILE
2015
Disclaimer Notice
Information contained within this publication has been compiled by Redthirteen Communications and the Okanagan Valley
Economic Development Society from sources deemed reliable, and while every effort has been made to ensure the
accuracy of the information provided, it is not guaranteed. Readers should be aware that any information stated herein
might change at any time and without notice. This publication is intended as an information source and does not imply
endorsement of any service, association or organization herein.
This Okanagan Valley Economic Profile has been compiled using the most up to date statistics and information available.
BC Stats and Statistics Canada are key sources of information used in its compilation, including detailed Regional
Statistical Profiles based on Census 2011 and earlier information.
This publication is not inclusive of all data available at the offices of OVEDS. If you have any questions or comments
about the information in this document please contact our office at (250) 469-6280, toll free (877) 332-2673, or by e-mail
at info@investkelowna.com. Website: InvestKelowna.com
Copyright  2015
By the Okanagan Valley Economic Development Society. All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole,
in part, or in any form. Art on front cover by Johann Wessels.
Contact Us
Kelowna Penticton
Website: InvestKelowna.ca Website: Penticton.ca
Phone: 250-469-6280 Toll Free: (877) 332-2673 Phone: 250-490-2400
Business Development: Corie Griffiths Economic Development: Colleen Pennington
Vernon Okanagan Falls

Website: InvestVernon.ca Website: OKFalls.ca
Phone: 250-550-3249 Phone: 778-515-5520
Economic Development & Tourism: Kevin Poole Economic Development: John Powell
West Kelowna Osoyoos

Website: DistrictOfWestKelowna.ca Website: DestinationOsoyoos.com
Phone: 778-797-2215 Phone: 250-495-5070 ext 203
Business Development: John Perrott Destination Osoyoos: Gail Scott
Westbank First Nation Lake Country

Website: WFN.ca Website: Okanaganway.ca
Phone: 250-769-4999 Phone: 250-766-5650 ext 227
Economic Development & Communications: Mandi Carroll Community Development: Jamie McEwan
About the Okanagan Valley Economic
Development Society
The Okanagan Valley Economic Development Society (OVEDS) is
the Okanagan Valley’s association of economic development
practitioners dedicated to providing activities, profile and a forum
for its members and their collective economic development goals.
Registered as a not-for-profit society since 2005 OVEDS’ facilitates
activities aimed at regional investment attraction goals.
For a list of OVEDS members and contact information, Please visit
www.investokanagan.com
About this document:
The Okanagan Valley Economic Profile is available online through

the OVEDS website at InvestOkanagan.com
The Economic Profile was compiled in 2013 and updated in 2014

using the most up to date information and statistics available.
The document is considered a ‘living’ document and updated
regularly. For questions, please contact any of the communities
located within the www.investokanagan.com website. In addition
BC Stats and Statistics Canada are major sources of information
for the document. However, because these statistics are updated
throughout the year, the reader may want to compare the
statistics herein with the actual federal and provincial sources:
Statistics Canada: www.statcan.gc.ca

BC Stats: www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca
Throughout the profile, we have also included links to other

websites for additional information.
OVEDS © 2015 Okanagan Valley Economic Development Society – Okanagan Valley Economic Profile Page:1
Contents
Introduction to the Okanagan Valley .......................................... 3 BC Job growth forecast by Sector ......................................... 75
Regional District of the Central Okanagan ............................... 3 Workforce Development Programs ....................................... 76
Regional District of the North Okanagan ................................. 4 Education............................................................................... 78
Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen............................. 4 Educational attainment ........................................................ 78

Communities in the Okanagan ................................................... 6 Schools and School Districts ................................................. 79
City of Kelowna ..................................................................... 6 Universities ......................................................................... 85
City of Vernon ....................................................................... 6 Colleges .............................................................................. 86
City of Penticton .................................................................... 7 Private Institutions .............................................................. 87
West Kelowna District Municipality .......................................... 7 Income - Personal, Household and Family ................................ 90
Westbank First Nation............................................................ 8 Average Income and Median Income .................................... 91

District of Lake Country ......................................................... 9 Income Composition ............................................................ 94
Okanagan Falls ...................................................................... 9 Economic Dependency ......................................................... 95
District of Peachland ............................................................ 10 Dwellings, Household Characteristics, Shelter Costs ............... 96
Okanagan Valley Quick Facts................................................ 11 Housing & Housing Characteristics .......................................... 97
Reference Maps and 2011 Census Geography ....................... 11 Dwelling Counts .................................................................. 97
Population .............................................................................. 12 New Home Starts ................................................................ 97
Definitions .......................................................................... 12 Buyer Profile and Behaviour ................................................. 98
Population Distribution ......................................................... 12 Median Prices ...................................................................... 99
Population Distribution by Community .................................. 12 Average Prices .................................................................. 100
Regional Migration Growth Components - Historical ............... 15 Absorption rates ................................................................ 102
Regional Growth Components - Projected ............................. 16 Resale Market ................................................................... 102
Components of Population increase ...................................... 17 Average Rents................................................................... 103
Forecast Population Growth ................................................. 18 Household Characteristics .................................................. 105
Population Demographics ..................................................... 19 Government & Taxation ........................................................ 105
Economy, Business & Key Sectors ........................................... 25 Local Government ............................................................. 106
Economic Sectors ................................................................ 25 Taxation ........................................................................... 107
Trading Area ....................................................................... 26 Marginal Tax Rates for personal income.............................. 107
Business Licences ................................................................ 27 Effective Tax Rates for personal income.............................. 108
Mobile Business Licenses ..................................................... 28 Infrastructure ....................................................................... 113
Commercial & Industrial Real estate ..................................... 29 Health .............................................................................. 113
Tourism .............................................................................. 33 Transportation .................................................................. 114
Agriculture .......................................................................... 39 Freight.............................................................................. 114
Manufacturing ..................................................................... 47 Air .................................................................................... 115
Technology ......................................................................... 54 Road ................................................................................ 119
Retail Trade ........................................................................ 58 Utilities ............................................................................. 123
Infrastructure ......................................................................... 61 Life in the Okanagan Valley ................................................... 124
Health Care ......................................................................... 61 Location and Climate ......................................................... 124
Projections for Sector Growth .................................................. 64 Recreation ........................................................................ 126
Labour Force .......................................................................... 65 Cultural & Social Amenities ................................................ 139
Labour Force Data ............................................................... 66
Introduction to the Okanagan Valley Winemaking is a rapidly growing activity in the Okanagan. British
Columbians have long taken inordinate pride in their wines. Ever
The Okanagan Valley is truly one of the most desirable places to
since the province authorized estate and smaller farm gate
live, work and play in British Columbia. It appeals to residents,
wineries, many excellent wineries have popped up, with over two
visitors and potential investors on several fronts, including an
hundred wineries operating in the Okanagan Valley from Vernon
emerging technology sector, sustainable communities and year-
to Osoyoos.
round recreational opportunities. L oved by its residents and
millions of visitors alike, the Okanagan offers unequalled
landscapes, an outstanding climate, access to and connectivity
with Canada and several international destinations directly from
Kelowna International Airport (YLW) at its centre, with regional
flight connections from Penticton Airport (YYF) in the south.
The Okanagan Valley traverses three regional districts in British

Columbia, with several distinct communities. This Economic
Profile covers the communities of Vernon, Lake Country, Kelowna,
West Kelowna, Westbank First Nation, Peachland,
Penticton/Naramata and Okanagan Falls.
Situated in the south-central interior of British Columbia, the

Okanagan Valley is accessible to a regional market of nine million
consumers within a range of 600kms (equivalent to a single day’s
journey by road) and more than 56 million consumers within
2500km by road or less than 3 hours by air. It is an attractive
destination for national and international tourists and investors,
and one of the most scenic regions in Canada. The Okanagan
Valley offers varied landscapes, rich agricultural land, forested
hillsides and mountain peaks.
The Okanagan has a diverse economy with prime industry sectors

including agriculture, tourism, retail trade, manufacturing, forestry
and construction. Key growth industries for the Valley include
information and high technology, film, viticulture and wine
production as well as aviation and health care. With much in the
way of available business resources, the Valley is an ideal
destination for business start-ups, expansion and relocation.
Inuksuk © George Dimitrov Photography
The Okanagan has become a prime destination for residential and

small business relocations due to the exceptionally moderate Regional District of the Central Okanagan
climate, strong transportation, trained labour force and availability The Regional District of the Central Okanagan (RDCO) is located
of diverse recreational opportunities. The Okanagan has also along the shores of Okanagan Lake in the southern interior of
become a very attractive destination, as a great place to work, British Columbia. The region consists of more than 2,904 square
live and do business, and for retirees who bring a wealth of kilometres of diverse landscapes and topography, including nearly
knowledge and skills. 295 hectares of clean, sandy beaches. The area is abundant with
rich agricultural land, forested hillsides and mountain peaks. The
The Okanagan Valley includes several vibrant and diverse area is an attractive tourist destination as well as a popular
communities with over 30 cities, towns and villages. The four location for a wide range of businesses and sporting events.
major urban areas of the Valley are Vernon (North), Kelowna and
West Kelowna (Central) and Penticton (South). The Central Okanagan,
with a 2011 population of
It would take years to explore all the communities and places of 179,8392, represents
1
interest in the Okanagan Valley , with more than sixty provincial nearly 50% of the
parks, several dozen recreation sites, orchards, vineyards and Okanagan Valley’s total
wineries, mountain cliffs and beaches, not to mention several population, of which 80%
dozen magnificently scenic golf courses. live in the adjacent
communities of Kelowna (65%) and West Kelowna (15%). In September 2011, the Regional District adopted a Regional
Population growth in the Kelowna CMA between 2006 and 2011 Growth Strategy. Th e strategy was developed over a four year
was 9.6% reflecting an average of 1.9% per annum over the five- period that involved significant community engagement. T he
year period 3, one of the fastest growing CMA’s in Canada. document focuses on the following nine growth issues:
The Regional District of Central Okanagan comprises the City of 1) Compact, Complete Communities
Kelowna, District of West Kelowna, District of Peachland, District 2) Agriculture & Food Systems
of Lake Country, Central Okanagan J (census subdivision), Central 3) Environment & Natural Lands
Okanagan East Electoral Area (formerly Joe Rich – Ellison). The 4) Water Stewardship
self-governed Westbank First Nation is also geographically located 5) Housing
within the Central Okanagan Regional District. All have unique 6) Economic Development
characteristics but are closely interrelated. 7) Transportation & Infrastructure
8) Governance & Service Delivery
The Regional District of Central Okanagan has a well-diversified 9) Energy & Emissions
economy, with health care, education construction, agriculture
and tourism being the main industries. The warm climate makes
this area one of the more important agricultural centres in the
province and is one of many attractions for tourists. I mproved
transportation links to the Lower Mainland have enhanced the
Central Okanagan as a place to locate secondary and tertiary
manufacturing.
The region has experienced significant growth in residential

construction over the past several years. Key economic Drivers in
the region 4 include the University of British Columbia, Okanagan
Campus with an annual economic impact of $1 billion and YLW
Kelowna International Airport with an annual economic output of
$ 610 million. Kelowna General Hospital and Okanagan College More information: www.rdno.ca
are also major contributors to e mployment and economic impact
in the region. Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen
The Okanagan Similkameen Regional District 7 in the southern
The Central Okanagan and the Okanagan Valley continue to
interior of BC is bounded geographically by Manning Park to the
undergo significant urban development. The Central Okanagan
west, the Central Okanagan to the north and the US border to the
has more than 568 hectares of development-ready, industrially
south. The area is an attractive tourist destination and a well
zoned land 5 available to meet the growing demands of a
established, popular location for sports including ultra distance
population expected to reach 250,000 by 2032.
cycling, triathlon and water sport. Penticton is the most densely
populated community in the Okanagan-Similkameen, with around
More information: www.investkelowna.com
33,098 residents.
Regional District of the North Okanagan With an area of over 10,400 km2, the regional district accounts for
The Regional District of the North Okanagan encompasses an 1.1% of the land area of British Columbia, including one of 14
area of 7512 km2 situated to the north and east of the northern British Columbia resort municipalities, the majority of the
tip of Okanagan Lake and Kalamalka Lake. Population centres provincial wineries and vineyards as well as Canada’s only desert
include the cities of Vernon, Armstrong and Enderby, the district climate.
municipality of Coldstream the Township of Spallumcheen, and
the Village of Lumby, plus unincorporated areas B, C, D E and F. Home to almost 25% of the Okanagan Valley population, the
region's 80,742 residents experienced modest population growth
The regional district’s 2011 population was 81,237 6 of which 60% of 1.6% over the 5 year period between 2006 and 2011.
collectively reside in the communities of Vernon and Coldstream.
Population growth in the five-year period 2006 to 2011 was a The Okanagan Similkameen includes the City of Penticton (with
modest 1% per annum with more rapid growth occurring in 40% of the total population), Summerland, Princeton, Keremeos,
Vernon and Coldstream. The region has an extremely diverse Okanagan Falls, Oliver, Osoyoos and electoral areas including the
economy led by agriculture, forestry and tourism. The City of Naramata bench. Geographically located in the region are the
Vernon is the retail hub of the region and supports the retail, Osoyoos Indian Band and Penticton Indian Bands. The Okanagan
professional services and health needs of the region.
First Nations people have over 32,000 acres within this premier
agriculture and tourism region.
The Okanagan Similkameen has a well-diversified economy with

local nuances. All communities are home to the finest agricultural
businesses including iconic wineries and orchards. Sports tourism,
is strong throughout the region. P enticton, Summerland and
Okanagan Falls boast robust world class custom manufacturing
and construction sectors.
Health care and all levels of government are main employers. The
area features leading scientific research centres including the
Pacific Agri-Food Research Facility as well as the Dominion Radio
Astrophysical Observatory.
The desert climate, alluvial soil and warmer weather compared to

other parts of the Okanagan and province mean ideal conditions
for agriculture and tourism. The area boasts the most sunshine of
any place in Canada making it a destination for beach goers and
snowbirds alike.
The area benefits from Okanagan College. The Penticton campus

features the Jim Pattison Centre of Excellence in Sustainable
Building Technologies and Renewable Energy Conservation which
is one of the world’s most sustainable buildings.
Transportation is available through three airports in the Okanagan

Valley. A 24-hour border crossing with the USA, congestion-free
roads and highways provide an attractive infrastructure for
manufacturing. T he region is experiencing strong growth in its
business community and with the commencement of two major
© George Dimitrov Photography
provincial projects valued at more than $500 million in
construction, further growth is imminent.
The South Okanagan has hundreds of acres of industrially zoned

lands including large parcels available for development.
More information:
www.penticton.ca/success
www.okfalls.ca
www.sochamber.ca
www.osoyoos.ca
www.summerland.ca
Communities in the Okanagan City of Vernon
With a 2011 population of 38,150 and located 440 km east of
City of Kelowna Vancouver, 556 km west of Calgary and 180 km north of the
United States border by road, the City of Vernon is part of the
With a 2011 population 8 of 117,312 Kelowna is the largest
North Okanagan Regional District and the second largest
community in the Okanagan Valley, located 400km east of
community in the Okanagan Valley.
Vancouver and 130km north of the United States border, by road.
Bordering Okanagan Lake, Kelowna is well known for its warm
summers and temperate winters.
Vernon offers a climate for healthy growth, entrepreneurship and

© George Dimitrov Photography livability. The City has a diverse economic base, with employment
generated from the traditional resource sectors of forestry and
Kelowna continues to be one of the fastest growing cities in BC agriculture, as well as from the tourism, professional services,
with high technology, niche manufacturing, health care, tourism manufacturing and service sectors 10.
and post-secondary education sectors in particular attracting new
business and residents to the area. T he city’s vibrant retail and The City of Vernon is the regional hub of retailing and services in
commercial base accesses a trading area of at least 550,000 the North Okanagan and serves a regional population of more
consumers within a two-hour drive or less, making it the largest than 100,000. Vernon is headquarters to a number of made-in-
centre for urban development, business, commercial, retail, and Vernon success stories including Kal Tire (Canada's largest
health care services between the Lower Mainland and Calgary. independent tire dealer) Tolko Industries (one of the largest
lumber producers in North America), along with Okanagan Spring
Kelowna has become the main marketing and distribution centre 9 Brewery and DCT Chambers Trucking. Kal Tire opened their new
of the Okanagan Valley, with a flourishing tree fruit industry and a 80,000-square-foot corporate head office in 2012, while Tolko’s
growing light industrial sector that competes on a world scale. 55,000 square-foot corporate head office was completed in 2008.
Best known for forestry and the manufacture of boats, plastics, From 2010 to 2012, the City of Vernon has added over 300,000
fibreglass, body armour and oil field equipment, Kelowna also has square feet of new commercial space.
a growing high technology sector that includes aerospace
development and service. Kelowna's international airport is one Vernon’s location between Swan, Kalamalka and Okanagan Lakes
of the top ten airports in Canada, serving 1.6 million passengers makes it an ideal destination for those who appreciate the balance
annually. of small town charm with all the amenities of a larger urban
centre.
More information: www.kelowna.ca
Low living costs, new housing developments and proximity to an
international airport easily make Vernon an enviable place to work
and play.
Vernon is a city as rich in history as it is in unmatched beauty and

abundance of recreational and cultural activities. Downtown
Vernon offers a host of choices in shopping, restaurants, nightlife,
beautiful parks and heritage buildings.
Vernon is proud to be home of world class resorts such as the The South Okanagan Events Centre, opened in 2008, enhances
Swarovski Crystal Infused Sparkling Hill Hotel and W ellness the city's convention market and is a popular stop on concert
Resort and Predator Ridge Golf Resort. T hese along with other tours and for other special events. The Penticton Aquatic Centre
spectacular golf courses, hiking trails, beaches, parks, camping, was also completed recently, and now offers a 25-m, 10-lane
water sports are why so many have chosen the Vernon lifestyle. indoor pool suited for recreational swimming, training and
of every kind. And for the skiers, Silver Star Mountain Resort is competitive events.
only 25 minutes from downtown Vernon.
More information: www.penticton.ca
Vernon is located at the junction of Highway 97 and Highway 6 in
the Okanagan Valley, 46 km north of Kelowna and 117 km
southeast of Kamloops. West Kelowna District Municipality
The District of West Kelowna is the fourth largest municipality in
More information: www.vernon.ca
the Okanagan with a 2011 population of 30,892. The District
came into being in December 2007 following a community wide
vote for the creation of its own municipal government. The
City of Penticton
District of West Kelowna remains unique within the Central
With a population of 31,720 in 2011, the City of Penticton is Okanagan as it encompasses within its municipal boundaries, two
nestled between Okanagan and Skaha Lakes and approximately Westbank First Nation reserves (Tsinskeptum #9 and #10) home
400 km east of Vancouver and 66 km north of the United States to nearly 8,000 residents plus a variety of nationally recognized
border by road. Part of the Okanagan Similkameen regional retailers.
district, it is the third largest community in the Okanagan Valley.
The District of West Kelowna has seen strong residential growth
of 13.9% between 2006 and 2011. This has resulted in the
development of new and infill of existing neighbourhoods. Much
of the growth has been focused in single family housing,
positioned to young professionals with new families. Recent
population growth averaging 2.6% per annum has resulted in the
need to build a new elementary school and community amenities
in the Rose Valley Neighbourhood.
The District of West Kelowna continues to invest in infrastructure

upgrades within the community including more than 1,500 sewer
connections in 2012, major upgrade to the waste water treatment
plant, and sidewalks and roadways. Additionally, numerous parks
have been built and upgraded with expansions, new playgrounds,
and/or sports fields. Gellately Bay has seen a number of vast
Penticton is well known for being surrounded by several of British improvements including a new boat launch, redeveloped wharf
Columbia’s best wine estates, with access to 88 wineries within an with zip line and dive platform, beach improvements, and walking
hour’s drive. trail upgrades.
A vibrant and friendly city, Penticton has held onto its small town The District of West Kelowna is home to a number of major
charm. Residents and visitors can enjoy the beautiful lakes and employment sectors including one of British Columbia’s only non-
beaches, take in adventurous pursuits like the Skaha Bluffs union lumber mills, a growing aviation sector including three
Provincial Park, its vast network of trails and a winter playground helicopter bases and major Bell Service Centre, numerous
at Apex Mountain, east of the city. wineries and agri-tourism facilities, and numerous speciality
manufacturing facilities that provide a range of products all over
A popular destination for sports and other events throughout the the globe. Construction and development continue to b e major
year, Penticton hosts the Okanagan Wine Festival, the Okanagan employment sectors within the community to accommodate
Children's Festival, Fest-of-Ale BC, the Penticton Peach Festival annual population growth rates.
"Peachfest", the Pentastic Hot Jazz Festival, the Peach City Beach
Cruise and the "Elvis Festival". The city was also home to the The District of West Kelowna is home to a concentration of some
Ironman Canada race for 30 years (1983-2012), and Challenge- of the best lifestyle activities within the Okanagan. In the winter,
Penticton Triathlon has taken up the ultra distance triathlon residents have access to alpine and Nordic skiing a mere 20-
opening from 2013. minute drive away from downtown West Kelowna. Throughout
the spring, summer and fall, residents hike and bike on a vast
local trail system, golf at one of two local courses, spend hot days Large commercial developments on band land include big-box
at a variety of beaches, or visit one of many local wineries to find shopping centres, Two Eagles Golf Course and major on-reserve
their perfect wine for an evening BBQ. housing developments and shopping centres alongside
Highway 97. A further $30m was invested in new development
during fiscal 2013-2014, including 99 new housing units and more
than 34,000 sqf of new commercial development, plus an
investment of $5.4m in capital improvements including housing,
sidewalks, roads, infrastructure upgrades and new equipment.
WFN Membership values the role business plays in the long-term

success and independence of its community. Amongst First
Nations, WFN has the largest commercial development on its
lands and generates $458m annual GDP 12 WFN will continue to
build capacity, support social development, economic
development, training and employment opportunities especially
amongst its Members, in line with its 2013-2016 Strategic Plan.
WFN established the WFN Land Registry Regulations, a public

Quails Gate Winery and Restaurant registry held in Ottawa and legislated under its Self-Government
Act. Modern and comprehensive Land Rules provide for priority
More information: www.districtofwestkelowna.ca title registration and an expedited registration process. T he
deeds and lands registry system is known to have attracted the
Westbank First Nation participation of title insurance companies on several transactions.
Westbank First Nation (WFN) is comprised of five reserves The WFN Economic Development Commission is also the first of
totalling 5,306 acres. Tsinstikeptum Reserves 9 and 10 border its kind to have been established in Canada. Its Vision is to be a
Okanagan Lake adjacent to the District of West Kelowna. Mission healthy and business oriented community that is economically self
Creek Reserve is in the Kelowna Mission area and Medicine Creek sufficient, with key goals including Business Attraction, Retention
IR#12 (1,637 Acres) and Medicine Hill IR#11 (1,274 Acres) are a and Facilitation.
few kilometres south east of Kelowna. WFN has a band
membership of 791 with around 60% of band members residing The WFN EDC maintains positive relationships with around 400
on reserve lands, and half under the age of 30. In addition, businesses on reserve through effective communication, data
between 9,000 and 10,000 11 non band members reside on its collection, networking and program development, as it strives to
lands increase new business potential and ensure an inclusive and
thriving business community.
WFN provides a stable economic climate to a ttract business and
investment. The foundation of its economic growth and stability is More information: www.wfn.ca
a Self-Government Agreement with Canada, instituted in 2005,
under the WFN Self-Government Act. This agreement with the
Government of Canada provides WFN the ability to govern outside
of the Indian Act. WFN has the rights, powers, responsibilities
and privileges of an owner, including the authority to grant
interests and licenses in relation to its land, which has significantly
improved the fiscal and legal certainty to investors on WFN Lands.
Around 20% of WFN lands are developed and fully serviced with
cable, water, sewer and other utilities. The remaining reserve
lands are very desirable for future economic growth as the area
responds to increasing demands for development.
The community has undertaken rapid growth recently including

extensive commercial and residential developments on WFN land
that has changed the landscape in the last decade. Canadian
federal grant money enabled WFN to bring in water from
Okanagan Lake, facilitating the Band to open its reserves to major
development.
District of Lake Country Okanagan Falls
The District of Lake Country is one of British Columbia’s best- Okanagan Falls is an historic unincorporated community located
connected communities, nestled between Kelowna and Vernon, on the south end of Skaha Lake, to the south of Penticton and
Lake Country is intersected by Highway 97 and less than 10 km north of Oliver. The name derives from the small set of waterfalls
north of Kelowna International Airport. Economic growth areas that used to lie on the Okanagan River at the outlet of the lake.
include tourism, agriculture, technology, business and the arts. These falls were reduced to a series of rapids in the 1950’s as a
With a modest population Lake Country also experienced one of result of the construction of a dam, located just below the bridge
the highest growth rates in the province, increasing 21.9% in the along Highway 97 - a vital component of the flood and irrigation
five years between 2006 a nd 2011 to reach 11,708 and an controls of the region
average of 4.0% per annum.
As the largest community within Area D of the Okanagan-
Lake Country is comprised of four separate communities: Oyama, Similkameen Regional District (2011 population 5,717) Okanagan
Carr’s Landing, Okanagan Centre, and Winfield. The communities Falls is home to some international renowned and growing
are closely interrelated but unique in their own right. Like other engineering and manufacturing businesses such as Unit Electrical
areas in the Central Okanagan, the area’s population growth has Engineering and Structurlam. In addition, the Dominion Radio
resulted in significantly increased residential and commercial Astrophysical Observatory, a world class facility for science and
activity, and continues to grow and evolve. technology research related to r adio astronomy is located to the
south-west of the town. Tickleberry's is arguably Okanagan Falls’
Winfield, almost the centre of the District of Lake Country, is also most famous business and tourist attraction. This well-known
within easy reach of two major educational centres: UBCO, local ice-cream producer, offers 72 different flavours of ice-cream,
University of British Columbia Okanagan campus (10 km) and chocolate-covered dried fruits, Ticklebeans and a selected range
Okanagan College (23 km). of local crafts.
The Central Okanagan has more than 568 hectares of With some of the largest expanses of affordable, undeveloped
development-ready, industrially zoned land 13 available to meet and available commercial and industrial land in the Okanagan,
the growing demands of a population expected to reach 250,000 Okanagan Falls is emerging as an attractive and viable location for
by 2032. The District of Lake Country, in alignment with regional successful businesses that wish to locate in the Okanagan. An
objectives, has serviced and set aside more than ten hectares of additional 62 hectare expanse of industrial land has recently been
commercially zoned land for the development of the community’s added to the inventory.
commercial and cultural core, a traditional mixed-use commercial
and residential neighbourhood. Okanagan Falls is continuing to invest in its infrastructure and
waterfront. In particular, a state-of-the art waste water treatment
plant was completed in 2013 to accommodate significant
projected economic and residential growth in the area.
The community’s waterfront, children’s spray park and facilities

together with its parks and trail networks have been substantially
upgraded. These upgrades also include the purchase of land
adjoining Okanagan Falls Provincial Park to expand local camping
opportunities and the acquisition in 2013 of Christie Memorial
Provincial Park with its large sandy beach from the province.
In addition, just to the north of Okanagan Falls, Skaha Bluffs

Provincial Park is widely regarded as one of the top rock climbing
locations in British Columbia.
The District of Lake Country is committed to helping business

build, work, and invest in the area, and takes pride in having
business tax rates that are lower than the provincial average.
More information: www.lakecountry.bc.ca

Dam at Okanagan Falls Vaseux Lake & Skaha Bluff
District of Peachland
Peachland is the southern-most community in the Central
Okanagan Regional District, located 22 km south of Kelowna on
the west side of Okanagan Lake.
Over the past few years, Peachland has undergone a major

development program, including improvements to tr ansportation,
municipal services and additional residential, commercial and
retail facilities.
Nestled on the west side of Okanagan Lake, across the lake from
the north end of Okanagan Mountain Regional Park, Peachland
hosts a large number of summer visitors who come to enjoy the
peaceful beaches, warmth and charm of its population of 5,200.
More information: www.peachland.ca
Okanagan Valley Quick Facts Housing: Average single detached home prices range between
$380,000 and $520,000 and the average strata property costs
The Okanagan Valley offers a skilled workforce, dynamic industry between $240,000 and $280,000, depending on the community in
sectors, world-class educational facilities, strong transportation which the property is located.
infrastructure and an unmatched quality of life. A diverse range
of business and recreational prospects means the Okanagan Income: Average 2012 household income in the Okanagan is
Valley is unique as a great place to work, live and do business. estimated at $73,530 per annum.
Location: The Okanagan Valley is located in the central southern Economy: Major economic sectors are agriculture/viticulture,
interior of British Columbia, with the Trans-Canada highway tourism, retail trade, manufacturing, forestry and construction.
passing through the centre of the Okanagan Valley, direct road Emerging industries include film, aviation, health care and
access is available to Vancouver and Seattle on the Pacific west technology industries.
coast (around 400 and 500 km respectively), and to Calgary and
Edmonton to the east (around 600 and 900 km respectively). Business: Okanagan Valley is home to more than 17,500
businesses of which 95% employ less than 20 employees.
Proximity to market: The Okanagan Valley has access to a
local market of 550,000 within a 2-hour drive, expanding to Labour Force: The total labour force for the Valley is estimated
around nine million people within 600 kms and 56 million within a at 157,000 people representing a participation rate of 61.9%.
three-hour flight.
Services: Local government and business support offices include
Population: The 2011 population of 341,818 is projected to a full service passport office, several Service BC locations, Ministry
reach around 455,000 by 2036. The median age of an Okanagan of Jobs, Tourism & Skills Training (Regional Offices), several
resident is 46.8 years and the fertility rate trends towards 1500 Chambers of Commerce, Downtown Associations and tourism
births per thousand women. Population is concentrated around offices.
four urban areas, Vernon, Kelowna, West Kelowna and Penticton.
Economic development: The Valley has a number of economic
development offices representing respective regions that
collaborate to ensure a regional approach to economic
development in the Okanagan
Reference Maps and 2011

Census Geography
Reference maps show the location of
geographic areas for which census data
are tabulated and disseminated. The
maps display the boundaries, names,
and codes of standard geographic
areas, as well as major cultural and
physical features such as roads,
railways, coastlines, rivers and lakes.
Census data and population estimates

presented in this report reflect 2011
census boundaries.
The map to the left outlines the three

regional districts within which the
Okanagan Valley is situated.
Communities described in this
Economic Profile are, from north to
south, Vernon, District of Lake Country,
Kelowna, West Kelowna, Westbank
First Nation reserves, Peachland,
Penticton and Okanagan Falls.
Population
Definitions
Migration – Used both in the Census and in BC Stats population consecutive July 1st populations and Census Year (July 1 to June
estimation and projection activities. In the Census, a person's 30) period births of the year stated.
address was asked one year and 5-years ago. A migrant was
anyone with a change of address except for those whose move Median age – Refers to the age at which half the population is
was within the same Census Subdivision. Migration or net older and half is younger.
migration is a component of population change.
Median household income - The median income of a specified
Intra-provincial migration - Refers to migration within a group is that amount which divides their income size distribution,
province (i.e. a person moving within a province). ranked by size of income, into two halves. That is, the incomes of
the first half of the group are below the median, while those of
Interprovincial migration – Refers to migration between the second half are above the median
provinces. (i.e. a person moving from one province to a different
province). CMA (Census Metropolitan Area) & CA (Census Agglomeration) -
areas comprising one or more neighbouring municipalities situated
Net population growth - Population growth is determined by around a core. A CMA must have a total population of at least
four factors, births (B), deaths (D), immigrants (I), and emigrants 100,000 of which 50,000 or more live in the core. A CA must have
(E). P≡B-D+I-E a core population of at least 10,000.
Fertility rates – Total Fertility Rates (TFRs) represent the Census divisions are intermediate geographic areas between the
average number of births 1,000 women could have if their lifetime province/territory level and the municipality (census subdivision).
fertility was the same as the Age Specific Fertility Rates (the An example is an RD Regional District. Subdivisions CY (City) and
average number of births to 1,000 women of the specific age DM (District Municipality) are also specific census subdivisions
group). Figures are calculated using the average of two used to define a municipality.
Important note: Intercensual population estimates prepared by BC Stats will differ from census counts and projections published by Statistics
Canada. For example, BC Stats’ population estimates 2006-2012 are prepared using adjusted Census 2006 values extrapolated into the future,
based on several symptomatic indicators. Future BC Stats estimates will be based on adjusted Census 2011 values, once the raw census data
has been adjusted by Stats Canada to account for ‘net census undercount’ and released.
Population Distribution 14
The population of the ‘Okanagan Valley’ – as defined within this Economic Profile – is 341,818 persons, Population growth in
based on Census 2011 population data for the three regions. Population characteristics vary significantly the Central Okanagan
between the different areas within the Valley, in terms of economic profile and activities, age profile and has historically
projected population trends. Population growth in the Okanagan Valley has historically outpaced growth in outpaced growth in the
the province overall. T his trend continued in the period between Census counts, where it outpaced the province overall
provincial average over the 5-year period 2006 to 2011.
Values marked ‘A’ below are an estimate of the population spread, where specific data for the community and year is not available. Values
marked ‘B’ represent unincorporated areas in the Central Okanagan, excluding populations of West Kelowna and Westbank First Nations.
Population Distribution by Community

The total land area for Okanagan Valley communities represented in this Profile, is approximately 20,722 square kilometres, distributed
amongst communities included in the tabulation below. Population density ranges from a high of 781 persons/km2 in the City of Penticton to a
low of 6 persons/km2 in the Okanagan Falls area, and an average of 16 persons/km2 overall. This Economic Profile presents certain
information in tables and charts for three Regional Districts (North Okanagan, Central Okanagan and Okanagan Similkameen) individually and
in combination. The reason for this, is that certain information is unavailable at local or municipal level, whereas one of the three RD’s
includes each of the specific communities listed for the Okanagan Valley as in the tables below.
15
2011 Population Distribution by Community - Stats Canada
Population Distribution and 2011 Land area including People

Density by Area Population waterways 16 (km2) /km2
Population density ranges from a
British Columbia 4,400,057 922,509.29 5 high of 781 persons/km2 in the
City of Penticton to a low of
North Okanagan 81,237 7,502.60 11 6 persons/km2 in Okanagan Falls
Central Okanagan 179,839 2,904.86 62 and an average of 16 persons
/km2 overall.
Okanagan Similkameen 80,742 10,414.26 8
‘Okanagan Valley’ 341,818 20,821.82 16 The population growth rate in the
Stats for selected communities in the Okanagan Valley Okanagan Valley has also
City of Kelowna 117,312 211.8 554 increased gradually over the last
City of Vernon 38,150 95.8 398 15 years, driven mainly by in-
City of Penticton 32,877 42.1 781 migration to its central and
District of West Kelowna 30,892 123.5 250 northern urban communities.
District of Lake Country 11,708 122.2 96
Westbank First Nation* 7,068 10.4 681
District of Peachland 5,200 15.8 330
Okanagan Falls 17 5,717 919.2 6
15 year Pop. Growth Trend Okanagan Valley - Census

18, 19
15 year Population Trend by Region and Community - Stats Canada
* represents an estimate 1996 2001 2006 2011
British Columbia 3,724,500 3,907,738 4,113,487 4,400,057

341,818
North Okanagan 71,607 73,227 77,301 81,237
+7.1%
Central Okanagan 136,541 147,739 162,276 179,839
+7.2% 319,052
Okanagan Similkameen 75,933 76,635 79,475 80,742
‘Okanagan Valley’ 284,081 297,601 319,042 341,818

Stats for selected communities in the Okanagan Valley +4.8% 297,601
City of Kelowna 89,442 96,288 107,035 117,312
City of Vernon 32,165 33,494 35,979 38,150 284,081
City of Penticton 30,987 30,985 31,909 32,877
District of West Kelowna 20 21,230 23,520 27,214 30,892
District of Lake Country 9,007 9,267 9,606 11,708
Westbank First Nation 21 5,329 5,878 6,207 7,068
1996 2001 2006 2011
District of Peachland 4,524 4,654 4,883 5,200
Okanagan Falls 5,315 5,703 5,913 5,717
22
25 year Population Trend by Region – Stats Canada
The combined communities of the
Population Change
northern, central and southern
1986 2011 Increase 25 yr /ann
Okanagan regions have
British Columbia 3,003,621 4,400,057 1,396,436 46% 1.5%
experienced long term growth
North Okanagan 56,885 81,237 24,352 43% 1.4% averaging 2.0% per annum,
Central Okanagan 92,826 179,839 87,013 94% 2.7% compared with the British
Okanagan Similkameen 60,936 80,742 19,806 33% 1.1%
Columbia average of 1.5% per
‘Okanagan Valley’ 210,647 341,818 131,171 62% 2.0% annum over the same period.
Regional Migration Growth Components - Historical Central Okanagan
High migrant inflows to the Central Okanagan have resulted in the
BC Stats - Net changes year-to-year 23 population doubling in 25 years 24 (1986-2011) from 92,826 to
Year Internat’l Provincial migration Total 187,234. While the rate of net migration has tapered from the
migration Inter- Intra- migration high levels experienced in the last decade, it still brings a
Central Okanagan significant number of new residents to the region every year.
1996-97 335 719 1,818 2,872
1997-98 258 (179) 2,240 2,319 Net migration - Central Okanagan
4,500
1998-99 72 (271) 2,177 1,978 International
4,000
1999-00 128 (291) 1,668 1,505 3,500
Inter-provincial
2000-01 134 (182) 1,593 1,545 3,000

Intra-provincial
2001-02 119 (28) 2,063 2,154 2,500

Total Net
2002-03 (136) 829 2,245 2,938 2,000
2003-04 322 1,280 1,487 3,089 1,500
2004-05 400 1,210 1,249 2,859 1,000
2005-06 422 1,547 1,810 3,779 500
2006-07 408 2,201 1,184 3,793 0
2007-08 654 2,202 1,093 3,949
1996-97
1997-98
1998-99
1999-00
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
(500)
2008-09 717 1,214 1,040 2,971 (1,000)
2009-10 548 1,234 1,049 2,831
2010-11 312 804 1,049 2,165 North Okanagan
North Okanagan The North Okanagan population grew 46% also primarily due to
1996-97 83 92 656 831 in-migration 1996-2011 from 56,885 to 83,052. Net in-migration
1997-98 70 (241) 662 491 has slowed from the peak in 2004-2005.
1998-99 (38) (246) 610 326
Net migration - North Okanagan
1999-00 21 (371) 716 366 2,000
International
2000-01 78 (278) 702 502
Inter-provincial
2001-02 (9) (324) 896 563 1,500
Intra-provincial
2002-03 58 71 803 932
Total Net
2003-04 28 287 802 1,117
1,000
2004-05 53 434 976 1,463
2005-06 121 311 216 648
500
2006-07 128 515 135 778
2007-08 134 673 119 926
2008-09 165 136 116 417 0
1996-97
1997-98
1998-99
1999-00
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
2009-10 140 206 (248) 98
2010-11 79 7 (248) (162) (500)
Okanagan-Similkameen
Okanagan Similkameen
1996-97 224 142 560 926
167 (296) 723 594 The Okanagan Similkameen population grew modestly from
1997-98
59 (327) 803 535 60,936 to 82,644 (36%) in 25 years due to i n-migration, and as
1998-99
175 (233) 643 585 with other Okanagan regions, experienced net interprovincial out-
1999-00
97 (226) 816 687 migrations in the latter 1990’s.
2000-01
2001-02 101 98 783 982 Net migration - Okanagan Similkameen
107 135 721 963 1,400
2002-03 International
2003-04 162 499 634 1,295 1,200
Inter-provincial
2004-05 137 475 251 863 1,000
Intra-provincial
2005-06 114 182 311 607 800
Total Net
2006-07 193 549 179 921 600
2007-08 196 355 330 881 400
2008-09 140 135 (98) 177 200
2009-10 114 281 (131) 264
0
2010-11 62 101 (131) 32
1996-97
1997-98
1998-99
1999-00
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
(200)
Net migration patterns are similar for all three of the Okanagan
(400)
Valley regions, with strong interprovincial out-migration in the late
(600)
1990’s followed by a long period of interprovincial in-migration
that peaked in the mid to late 2000’s.
Intra-provincial migration has historically been the largest
segment of migration to the Okanagan, however inter-
Regional Growth Components - Projected
provincial and international in-migration have become an Future population growth for the three regions encompassing the
increasingly significant migration component over the past Okanagan Valley is expected to come entirely from in-migration.
6-8 years.
Projected fertility rates in the range 1450-1550 per thousand
females, are well below those required to replace the population
through natural growth, as can be seen from the table below.
Intra-provincial migration has historically been the largest
Projected population growth is also significantly higher for the
component of migration to t he Okanagan Valley. Since 2002-
core economic areas centred around Kelowna and the Central
2003, however, inter-provincial migration has taken the lead as
Okanagan Regional District, however even this region will depend
the most significant contributor to population growth in the
on in-migration to replace the natural contraction in population
Okanagan Valley.
and associated loss of people and skills.
The area has also experienced a smaller but steady flow of

international in-migration over the same period, all of the above Three Okanagan regions combined
25
having contributed to net positive population growth, Growth Component Projection 2011 to 2036
notwithstanding low fertility rates and several years of negative
Population
natural increase. Natural Net in-
Year Population Growth
Increase Migration
Rate
BC Stats - Net changes year-to-year 2011 (510) 2,200 352,931 0.5%
Year Internat’l Provincial migration Total in- 2012 (540) 4,813 357,204 1.2%
migration Inter- Intra- migration
2013 (638) 4,903 361,469 1.2%
Okanagan regions combined 2014 (655) 4,351 365,165 1.0%
1996-97 642 953 3,034 4,629 2015 (660) 4,770 369,275 1.1%
1997-98 495 (716) 3,625 3,404 2016 (663) 4,922 373,534 1.2%
1998-99 93 (844) 3,590 2,839 2017 (695) 5,113 377,952 1.2%
1999-00 324 (895) 3,027 2,456 2018 (719) 5,295 382,528 1.2%
2000-01 309 (686) 3,111 2,734 2019 (739) 5,351 387,140 1.2%
2001-02 211 (254) 3,742 3,699 2020 (767) 5,425 391,798 1.2%
2002-03 29 1,035 3,769 4,833 2021 (807) 5,457 396,448 1.2%
2003-04 512 2,066 2,923 5,501 2022 (857) 5,372 400,963 1.1%
2004-05 590 2,119 2,476 5,185 2023 (912) 5,393 405,444 1.1%
2005-06 657 2,040 2,337 5,034 2024 (988) 5,430 409,886 1.1%
2006-07 729 3,265 1,498 5,492 2025 (1,076) 5,451 414,261 1.1%
2007-08 984 3,230 1,542 5,756 2026 (1,174) 5,460 418,547 1.0%
2008-09 1,022 1,485 1,058 3,565 2027 (1,306) 5,482 422,723 1.0%
2009-10 802 1,721 670 3,193 2028 (1,445) 5,497 426,775 1.0%
2010-11 453 912 670 2,035 2029 (1,589) 5,471 430,657 0.9%
2030 (1,730) 5,495 434,422 0.9%
2031 (1,874) 5,475 438,023 0.8%
2032 (1,976) 5,471 441,518 0.8%
2033 (2,075) 5,507 444,950 0.8%
2034 (2,167) 5,494 448,277 0.7%
2035 (2,249) 5,525 451,553 0.7%
2036 (2,313) 5,535 454,775 0.7%
The Central Okanagan region has had one of the highest

population growth rates in the province through the mid-1980’s
and 1990’s, averaging 4% per annum, slowing to an average of
2% per annum in the last decade. The North Okanagan /
Okanagan-Similkameen regions followed a similar pattern over
that period, with average population growth levels of 2% / 1.7%
per annum through the mid-1980’s and 1990’s, reducing to 1% /
0.6% respectively, for the most recent decade.
Components of Population increase Regional differences
The Central Okanagan has a relatively low fertility level, with
Net migration into the Okanagan Valley has been positive for relatively high in-migration of around 2% per annum. The fertility
decades, except for a brief period 2009-2010 when it stalled rate is expected to stabilize at 1400 while the net migrant flow is
during the height of the economic recession. During this short expected to average 3,000 per annum.
period the Central Okanagan continued to see net in-migration
Central Okanagan - net population change
while the North Okanagan and Okanagan Similkameen regions 10,000 1,800
Net Migration
experienced small net outflows. Net Pop Change
8,000 Natural Increase 1,700
Fertility Rate
Fertlity rate per thousand females

A portion of the population in the front wave of the ‘baby boomer’
6,000 1,600
Net Population Growth

cohort (b.1948-1964) has already entered retirement. Population
changes in the Okanagan Valley will continue to be influenced by 4,000 1,500
this age cohort for decades to c ome, both by way of intra- and
interprovincial in-migration to an area renowned for its warmer 2,000 1,400
climate and quality of life, as well as the effect it will have on

natural population growth over the next 2-3 decades. 0 1,300
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
2026
2028
2030
2032
2034
2036
Three Okanagan regions - net population change (2,000) 1,200
10,000 1,900
Net Migration
Net Pop Change (4,000) 1,100
Fertility Rate
North Okanagan and Okanagan Similkameen regions have higher
6,000 1,700 fertility levels and moderate in-migration. The fertility rate is
projected to stabilize over time and net migrant flow is expected

4,000 1,600
to stabilize at around 1,000 per annum.
North Okanagan - net population change
2,000 1,500 10,000 1,900
Net Migration
Net Pop Change
0 1,400 8,000 Natural Increase 1,800
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
2026
2028
2030
2032
2034
2036
Fertility Rate

(2,000) 1,300 6,000 1,700
(4,000) 1,200 4,000 1,600
2,000 1,500
The combined area represented by the North Okanagan, Central

Okanagan and Okanagan-Similkameen regions attracted an 0 1,400
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
2026
2028
2030
2032
2034
2036
average of 6,500 new residents per annum during the 1990’s and
an average of 5,000 per annum during the 2000’s. Projected net (2,000) 1,300
inflows for the 10-year periods 2011-2020 and 2021-2030 are

4,700 and 5,400 per annum respectively. This represents average (4,000) 1,200
in-migration growth of 1.3% per annum for the next 20 years,

which will be offset by negative natural population changes over
the same period, of -0.2% to -0.3% per annum respectively. Okanagan Similkameen - net population change
10,000 1,900
Net Migration
Net Pop Change
Fertility Rate
The combined regions attracted an average of 6,500
new residents per annum during the 1990’s and an 6,000 1,700
average of 5,000 per annum during the 2000’s.

4,000 1,600
Projected net inflows for the next two 20-year period
is around 5,000 per annum.
2,000 1,500
0 1,400
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
2026
2028
2030
2032
2034
2036
(2,000) 1,300
(4,000) 1,200
Forecast Population Growth
The net population growth projection from 2011 to 2036 indicates that all growth in the region will result from positive net migration, which is
expected to offset declining natural increase and provide a net surplus of in-migrants. Net natural increase is projected to remain negative
over the next three decades, while fertility rates are expected to decline and stabilize around 1400-1600 across the three regions.
In the charts below, the category ‘children’ includes

persons 19 years and younger, and seniors include
persons 65 years and older.
The British Columbia population has been steadily getting older for more than
four decades, essentially from the end of the ‘baby boom’. Seniors will soon
outnumber children in absolute number and percentage of population. A rising
median age is an effect of continuously declining fertility rates and gains in life
expectancy that have characterized the last four decades.
This trend is starkly evident in the Okanagan Valley, and even more so in
communities in the southern Okanagan and Okanagan Similkameen region. In
the latter case, the ‘senior dependency ratio’ now significantly exceeds the ‘child
dependency ratio’, and the percentage dominance by seniors will continue for
at least for another 20 years into the early 2030’s as the ‘baby boom’ age
cohort moves into retirement and end of life.
Population projections are not available for certain communities in the

Okanagan Valley, however the charts on the right indicate age and dependency
forecasts for each of the three main Okanagan regions and the combined effect
for the sum of the three regions.
Population Demographics
Age Distribution
The population of the Okanagan Valley is gradually aging, as with the rest of British Columbia and Canada. The 2011
median age of the Okanagan Valley population was 46.8 years, compared with the British Columbia median age of 41.9 The 2011 median age of the Okanagan Valley
and Canadian median age of 40.6 The proportion of ‘seniors’ aged 65 years and over has also increased steadily. The population was 46.8 years, compared with the
median age of the Okanagan population has been higher than the BC provincial median age for over 20 years, due in part British Columbia median age of 41.9 and
to the area’s large retirement base. Canadian median age of 40.6
The main factors behind aging of the population are below-replacement-level fertility rates and an increasing life The main factors behind aging of the population
expectancy. This is a trend encountered broadly throughout British Columbia, Canada and the developed world. are below-replacement-level fertility rates and
an increasing life expectancy.
The diversity of the economy and the pleasant climate make the Okanagan one of the more popular locations to move
to in the province. This will likely continue to be the case for some time and this region can expect to continue to receive large net inflows of migrants throughout the projection
period. As the population ages and fertility rates drop, natural increase is expected to become increasingly negative. Despite the reduction in natural increase, this region can expect
to add 26 more than 113,000 to its population by 2036. The population will continue to age and, by the end of the projection, will likely have around 7 dependents for every 10 people
of working age, and most of these dependents will be seniors.
---------- Statistics for selected communities in the Okanagan Valley ----------
Westbank First Nation

District municipality
Ok-Similkameen D
CS=Census Subdivision
Okanagan Falls
Kelowna - City
CA= Census Agglomeration West Kelowna
IR9 and IR10

Lake Country
Vernon - City
CD= Census Division
Peachland
Penticton
IR= Indian Reserve
Okanagan British
Valley Columbia Canada
CS CS CS CS IR CS CS CS Province Country
Population in 2011 38,150 11,708 117,312 30,892 7,068 5,200 32,877 5,717 341,818 4,400,057 33,476,688
Population in 2006 35,979 9,606 107,035 27,214 6,207 4,883 31,909 5,913 319,042 4,113,487 31,612,897
2006-2011 pop.change % 6.0% 21.9% 9.6% 13.5% 13.9% 6.5% 3.0% -3.3% 7.1% 7.0% 5.9%
Total private dwellings 18,244 5,217 54,760 13,034 3,677 2,652 16,457 2,845 163,212 1,945,365 14,569,633
Private dwellings occupied by usual 16,430 4,533 49,668 11,803 3,278 2,311 15,234 2,436 144,739 1,764,637 13,320,614
Population density (per km2) 398 96 554 250 681 330 781 6 16 5 4
Land area (km2) 96 122 212 124 10 16 42 919 20,822 922,509 8,965,121
Average persons /dwelling 2.2 2.5 2.3 2.6 2.2 2.2 2.1 2.3 2.3 2.5 2.5
Median age 46.5 43.1 43.0 43.5 50.5 53.8 49.4 53.2 46.8 41.9 40.6
The population age group characteristics for various communities in the Okanagan Valley are shown on the following table. The median age, and the proportion of seniors in the
population, is significantly higher for communities in the southern half of the Valley.
Nation IR9 and IR10

Ok-Similkameen D
CS=Census Subdivision
West Kelowna -
Penticton - City
Okanagan Falls
Westbank First
Kelowna - City
CA= Census Agglomeration
Lake Country
Vernon - City
CD= Census Division
Peachland
IR= Indian Reserve
Okanagan British
Total population by age groups 38,155 11,710 117,310 30,895 7,065 5,200 32,877 5,715 341,818 4,400,055 33,476,685
0 to 4 years 1,830 625 5,340 1,560 300 175 1,335 195 14,970 219,665 1,877,095
5 to 9 years 1,755 600 5,450 1,730 255 195 1,240 225 15,610 218,915 1,809,895
10 to 14 years 1,785 690 6,070 1,905 300 205 1,515 265 17,705 238,780 1,920,355
15 to 19 years 2,245 775 7,090 2,130 385 245 1,805 300 20,535 275,165 2,178,135
20 to 24 years 2,185 675 8,585 1,600 315 190 1,335 180 19,280 279,825 2,187,450
25 to 29 years 2,085 635 8,090 1,490 385 190 1,700 165 18,195 288,780 2,169,590
30 to 34 years 2,115 670 6,730 1,690 360 205 1,730 220 17,295 275,985 2,162,905
35 to 39 years 2,090 685 6,705 1,825 330 230 1,650 230 17,885 280,870 2,173,930
40 to 44 years 2,215 780 7,510 2,155 385 270 1,615 280 20,510 313,765 2,324,875
45 to 49 years 2,690 1,020 8,895 2,460 460 370 1,815 455 25,720 350,600 2,675,130
50 to 54 years 2,980 1,090 9,015 2,505 575 470 2,350 535 28,145 354,610 2,658,965
55 to 59 years 2,755 1,015 8,055 2,255 540 485 2,790 615 26,540 323,335 2,340,635
60 to 64 years 2,625 800 7,365 2,090 700 570 2,510 610 25,655 291,040 2,052,670
65 to 69 years 2,210 570 5,635 1,670 575 470 2,340 505 20,440 210,900 1,521,715
70 to 74 years 1,895 410 4,975 1,400 465 410 1,900 400 17,400 160,715 1,153,065
75 to 79 years 1,695 300 4,365 1,080 380 260 1,730 260 14,310 127,480 922,700
80 to 84 years 1,470 175 3,690 790 230 175 1,780 175 11,260 96,945 702,070
85 years and over 1,530 185 3,750 570 140 100 1,510 105 10,370 92,675 645,515
Median age of the population 46.5 43.1 43.0 43.5 50.5 53.8 49.4 53.2 46.8 41.9 40.6
% of population aged 15+ 85.9 83.6 85.6 83.2 87.9 88.9 87.6 88.1 85.9 84.6 83.2
Population aged 15 and over 32,785 9,790 100,450 25,700 6,225 4,625 28,785 5,035 293,450 3,722,695 27,869,340
Age <15 5,370 1,915 16,860 5,195 855 575 4,090 685 48,285 677,360 5,607,345
Age 15-64 23,985 8,145 78,040 20,200 4,435 3,225 20,305 3,590 219,760 3,033,975 22,924,285
Age 65+ 8,800 1,640 22,415 5,510 1,790 1,415 8,495 1,445 73,780 688,715 4,945,065
Total 38,155 11,700 117,315 30,905 7,080 5,215 32,890 5,720 341,825 4,400,050 33,476,695
% aged <15 14.1% 16.4% 14.4% 16.8% 12.1% 11.0% 12.4% 12.0% 14.1% 15.4% 16.7%
% aged 15-64 62.9% 69.6% 66.5% 65.4% 62.6% 61.8% 61.7% 62.8% 64.3% 69.0% 68.5%
% aged 65+ 23.1% 14.0% 19.1% 17.8% 25.3% 27.1% 25.8% 25.3% 21.6% 15.7% 14.8%
Changing Demographics Households with children / Households without children
The following charts show how the population demographic for The number of households without children is noticeably higher in
British Columbia is changing over time, with a steadily increasing southern Okanagan communities than in the Central and Northern
median age, a trend that has continued for 40 years, and a steady Okanagan. This correlates with characteristically higher median
decrease in the sex ratio (defined: Male as percentage of Female) ages and the higher proportion of seniors in the same
in the population. communities. There are relatively fewer households with children
(24%) on average in the Okanagan Valley than in British
Median age by community
Columbia (30%) or Canada (31%), and correspondingly fewer
persons per HH on average (2.3) than either BC or Canada (2.5).
53.8 53.2
50.5
49.4
46.5
46.8
43.1 43.0 43.5
41.9
40.6
Median age per community
Okanagan Valley
British Columbia
Canada
Penticton
Vernon
Kelowna
Kelowna
Lake Country
Okanagan
Peachland
WFN
West
Falls
Population mean ages are shown for various communities in the

Okanagan Valley. Noticeably, both the median age and the
proportion of seniors in the population is higher in communities
towards the southern half of the Valley.
Change in median age and sex ratio over time (BC)

50.0 103.0
45.0 102.0
Sex ratio Male: Female %
40.0 101.0
Mean age in years
35.0 100.0
30.0 99.0
25.0 98.0
Median age
20.0 97.0
Sex ratio
15.0 96.0
10.0 Projected 95.0
5.0 94.0
- 93.0
1971
1976
1981
1986
1991
1996
2001
2006
2011
2016
2021
2026
2031
2036
However, looking specifically at private Okanagan households with

children in the home, significantly more Okanagan households
Household Characteristics have younger children across every age cohort than either British
The following table shows household characteristics as of Census Columbia or Canada, and fewer
2011, conducted in May of that year, with comparative data for households with adult-aged
British Columbia and Canada. children living at home, than the
average for BC and Canada.
Okanagan British
Children in families Canada
Valley Columbia
Under six years of age 22% 21% 22%
6 to 14 years 35% 33% 33%
15 to 17 years 14% 13% 12%
18 to 24 years 20% 21% 21%
25 years and over 9% 12% 11%

Ok-Similkameen D
Penticton - City
Okanagan Falls
Kelowna - City
West Kelowna
IR9 and IR10

Lake Country
Vernon - City
Peachland
Okanagan British
Number of persons in private households 36,490 11,530 114,570 30,550 6,995 5,150 31,720 5,645 333,975 4,324,505 32,856,975
% of the population aged 15 85.9 83.6 85.6 83.2 87.9 88.9 87.6 88.1 85.9 84.6 83.2
Marital Status
Married or common-law partner 17,990 6,360 56,655 17,025 3,640 3,180 15,560 3,570 176,235 2,154,575 16,084,490
Not married or with common-law partner 14,785 3,430 43,795 8,680 2,575 1,445 13,235 1,460 117,300 1,568,120 11,784,855
Single (never married) 7,700 2,145 26,110 5,295 1,295 720 6,615 780 65,720 1,014,270 7,816,045
Separated 1,175 300 3,035 655 255 125 960 100 8,825 102,040 698,240
Divorced 2,910 550 7,850 1,420 615 295 2,880 280 21,975 246,515 1,686,035
Widowed 3,010 435 6,800 1,305 415 305 2,785 310 20,795 205,300 1,584,530
Total number of private households 16,430 4,533 49,668 11,803 3,278 2,311 15,234 2,436 144,740 1,764,635 13,320,615
Couples without children in household 32% 37% 32% 39% 38% 48% 32% 50% 36% 30% 28%
Couples with children in household 21% 32% 24% 32% 16% 19% 18% 22% 24% 30% 31%
Single parents with children in household 12% 9% 10% 10% 13% 8% 11% 6% 10% 11% 11%
Other household types 35% 22% 34% 19% 33% 24% 40% 22% 30% 30% 30%
Children in families - private HH 9,115 3,250 29,035 8,835 1,530 1,020 7,135 1,220 83,580 1,230,340 9,971,320
Under six years of age 24% 23% 22% 21% 22% 21% 22% 19% 21% 21% 22%
6 to 14 years 34% 36% 36% 37% 32% 34% 34% 36% 36% 33% 33%
15 to 17 years 14% 14% 14% 14% 13% 14% 14% 13% 14% 13% 12%
18 to 24 years 19% 20% 20% 20% 20% 20% 19% 21% 20% 21% 21%
25 years and over 9% 8% 8% 8% 12% 10% 10% 11% 9% 12% 11%
Total number of private households 16,430 4,533 49,668 11,803 3,278 2,311 15,234 2,436 144,739 1,764,640 13,320,615
1 person 32% 20% 29% 18% 29% 23% 36% 21% 28% 28% 28%
2 persons 39% 40% 38% 42% 46% 51% 38% 52% 41% 35% 34%
3 persons 14% 17% 14% 16% 13% 12% 12% 11% 13% 15% 16%
4 persons 11% 15% 12% 16% 8% 9% 9% 11% 11% 13% 14%
5 persons 4% 5% 4% 6% 3% 3% 3% 3% 4% 5% 5%
6 or more persons 2% 3% 2% 3% 1% 2% 1% 2% 2% 3% 3%
Ave number of persons in private HH 2.2 2.5 2.3 2.6 2.2 2.2 2.1 2.3 2.3 2.5 2.5
The table below shows FP Markets' estimates for household income and expenditure estimates 27 for the largest metropolitan communities in
the Okanagan Valley, and the comparison with estimates for British Columbia and Canada. The three metropolitan areas indicated in the table
below: Kelowna CMA, Vernon CA and Penticton CA, account for approximately 85% of the population, households and families in the
Okanagan Valley.
Whereas average household income in the Okanagan is lower than provincial average, the average Okanagan household also has around 6%
fewer persons on average, than the province. Household expenditure is lower across each expenses category, while food, shelter and clothing
expenses are lower as a proportion of income in the Okanagan, these are slightly offset by a proportionately higher share of income applied
to health, personal care, and transportation.
The table on the next page shows individual incomes for Tax Year 2009 by community 28. Median individual incomes are similar to or slightly
higher than the British Columbia provincial and Canadian medians. Given that the Okanagan has a larger proportion of seniors and retirees
than similar sized communities elsewhere in the province, average household income might be expected to be lower within the overall total
population, while this is not necessarily the case within the working population.
Forecast 2012
Selected Metro Areas
FPMarkets Canadian Demographics
Pentiction
Kelowna
2012 update Vernon Okanagan

Valley British
Columbia Canada
CMA CA CA Census11 Province Country
Private Households 77,970 25,568 20,080 144,740 1,892,944 13,987,134
Population in households 182,411 58,948 43,456 333,975 4,585,553 34,361,064
Ave. number per household 2.3 2.3 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5
Families in private households 55,088 17,765 13,074 100,785 1,308,646 9,811,860
Couple families 47,117 15,091 11,077 78,135 1,111,207 8,250,058
Lone parent families 7,971 2,674 1,997 10,905 197,439 1,561,802
Ave. persons per family 2.7 2.8 2.6 2.7 2.9 2.9
Ave. number of children at home 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.9 1.0 1.1
Income Estimates
Ave. household Income 77,418 70,636 64,106 73,534 80,929 85,792
Ave. family income 88,092 82,636 76,223 84,860 91,840 97,959
Ave. per Capita Income 32,579 30,013 29,050 31,380 32,945 34,352
Ave. employment income Male 46,277 45,700 41,453 45,090 51,150 54,550
Ave. employment income Male (Full time) 63,389 61,854 59,060 62,100 69,099 72,301
Ave. employment income Female 29,795 26,168 26,032 28,360 32,135 34,509
Ave. employment income Female (Full time) 45,009 40,917 39,464 43,310 49,165 50,629
Disposable Income per household 60,161 55,205 50,588 57,359 62,450 65,213
Discretionary income per household 21,778 19,891 17,450 20,579 22,736 23,429
Ave. Household Expenditures Estimates
Food 7,176 6,616 6,275 6,888 7,705 8,315
Shelter 14,701 13,249 12,432 13,959 15,399 15,693
Clothing 2,862 2,558 2,400 2,707 3,147 3,358
Transportation 10,223 9,681 9,093 9,931 10,121 10,808
Health and personal care 3,269 3,079 3,012 3,183 3,293 3,553
Recreation, reading and education 5,844 5,660 5,045 5,671 5,959 6,038
Taxes and securities 19,070 17,453 15,579 18,060 20,189 21,395
Other 11,012 10,518 9,922 10,716 11,001 11,365
Total 74,157 68,814 63,758 71,115 76,813 80,524
The following table provides income characteristics for residents of selected communities within the Okanagan Valley, in accordance with the Census 2006 geographical boundaries.
Consolidated data from the 2009 tax filing year shows that although overall median individual income from employment is slightly lower than provincial average, median total income
is generally highest in the metropolitan centres. Note: 2009 tax filing statistics for the District of West Kelowna are included with Kelowna, in accordance with Census 2006
boundaries.
Individual Income - BC Stats Lake CORDB Peach- Okanagan Okanagan British

Tax Filing 2009 VernonA Country Kelowna Area-J land Penticton FallsC Valley Columbia
Number of Taxfilers 47,260 8,460 106,780 16,220 4,340 29,760 4,480 267,330 3,316,240
Male 22,430 4,180 50,760 7,690 2,080 13,920 2,210 127,630 1,591,080
Female 24,820 4,270 55,940 8,530 2,250 15,840 2,270 139,560 1,718,980
% Male 47.5 49.4 47.5 47.4 47.9 46.8 49.3 47.7 48.0
% Female 52.5 50.5 52.4 52.6 51.8 53.2 50.7 52.2 51.8
% under 25 12.4 14.7 14.5 11.6 8.5 11.8 8.3 12.8 13.5
% 25 to 44 17.2 19.5 16.1 16.6 19.4 16.5 20.5 17.1 17.3
% 45 to 64 13.3 9.1 12.2 13.8 14.5 16.2 13.2 13.3 10.0
%65+ 24.7 17.4 22.2 26.4 29.0 29.0 27.7 24.9 18.4
Employment Income
Median Employment Income 25,744 28,779 28,080 26,864 22,323 24,009 25,549 25,952 29,025
Male 32,280 35,875 33,113 33,295 26,393 27,730 30,321 31,069 35,303
Female 21,513 23,785 24,103 21,788 18,144 21,311 22,567 22,141 24,095
Total Income
Median Total Income 29,273 30,664 30,507 30,207 31,023 26,547 29,017 28,509 29,404
Male 37,213 38,199 36,813 38,101 38,016 31,699 35,403 34,961 36,453
Female 23,901 24,681 25,757 24,154 25,276 23,075 23,813 23,917 24,023
Average Total Income 38,620 40,710 41,820 38,970 40,150 36,020 38,290 38,690 41,350
Male 46,550 48,760 50,320 48,560 47,230 42,490 45,180 46,350 50,220
Female 31,420 32,720 34,100 30,290 33,730 30,330 31,510 31,670 33,100
Distribution
% Total Income < 15k 25.3 25.1 24.2 24.3 23.5 25.6 24.3 25.4 29.6
% Total Income 15k - 25k 20.7 18.6 18.8 19.4 19.4 23.1 20.5 20.6 16.7
% Total Income 25k - 35k 14.0 13.4 14.2 14.5 13.8 14.4 14.5 14.2 12.2
% Total Income 35k - 50k 16.5 16.4 17.0 17.2 17.1 16.7 17.4 16.5 15.4
% Total Income 50k - 100k 19.2 21.3 20.2 20.5 21.4 16.6 18.3 18.8 20.6
% Total Income 100k + 4.4 5.3 5.6 4.0 4.8 3.5 4.9 4.5 5.5
Provincial Index - Total Income 1.00 1.04 1.04 1.03 1.06 0.90 0.99 0.97 1.00
Provincial Index - Male 1.02 1.05 1.01 1.05 1.04 0.87 0.97 0.96 1.00
Provincial Index - Female 0.99 1.03 1.07 1.01 1.05 0.96 0.99 1.00 1.00
Economy, Business & Key Sectors
Economic Sectors
The Okanagan Valley has a diverse economy 29 with agriculture, tourism, retail trade, manufacturing, forestry and construction as primary
industry sectors in the region. Key growth industries include information and high technology, film, as well as aviation and health care. The
Valley is continuing to diversify and build on its natural economic strengths.
The Regional District of the Central Okanagan (Peachland, West Kelowna, Kelowna & Lake Country), the hub of the Okanagan Valley, has a
well-diversified economy with health care, education, construction, high technology, manufacturing, agriculture and tourism being key
economic drivers along with the Kelowna General Hospital and Kelowna International Airport. The warm climate (boasting 2,000 hours of
sunlight annually) makes this area one of the more important agricultural centres in the province and is one of many attractions for tourists
and residents alike.
The main economic activities of the Northern Okanagan region are forestry, agriculture and tourism. Due to its liveability, Vernon has an
extremely diverse economy base. There are many wood processing facilities in the area along with the corporate offices of one of North
America's largest forestry companies; Tolko Industries in Vernon. Vernon has seen growth in its professional services and technology sectors
along with new tourism developments such as Sparkling Hill Resort. Agricultural activities are dominated by cattle and other animal ranching
such as dairy while other agricultural activities include tree fruit, haymaking and vegetable farming.
The diversified Okanagan-Similkameen economies 30 of Penticton, Summerland, Okanagan Falls, Oliver and Osoyoos benefit from their
proximity to Penticton Regional Airport, Canada’s only desert, and a skilled labour force. While health care is the largest employer due to the
location of Penticton Regional Hospital, local hospitals and numerous retirement facilities, the economy boasts robust custom manufacturing,
large construction firms as well as numerous winery, agriculture and tourism-based businesses. The construction and manufacturing sectors
are the most important and growing private sector segments. The area is an important fruit and viticulture centre with hundreds of wineries
offering world class facilities and products. Consistent four season weather provides a home for international sporting events, training
facilities and outdoor adventure options that draw large numbers of tourists, athletes and their families to the area.
Trading Area
The trading area of a community can be described as the geographic area from which
that community draws its customers, and communities with which it trades.
From that perspective, the Okanagan Valley is well located along a major east-west
Canadian corridor -- the Trans-Canada Highway -- roughly midway between the greater
Vancouver metropolitan area of British Columbia and Calgary, Alberta.
The Valley is easily accessed by road or air from a number of important population
centres in the United States, including Seattle, Spokane (WA) and Portland (OR).
Assessment of the Okanagan Valley’s true trading area and reach would require elaborate quantitative modelling of known trade and
population characteristics within potential and known markets. An approximate approach is to use geographical proximity to market, as a way
to view the potential for trade with nearby and more distant communities.
The Okanagan Valley is within reach of a regional

market that exceeds nine million consumers
within a range of 600kms, equivalent to a one-
day journey by road, and more than 56 million
consumers within 2500km by road or less than 3
hours by air.
Major consumer centres are to the south and

west of the Okanagan Valley.
In addition, Kelowna International Airport

provides access to dozens of regional and
international destinations and Penticton Regional
Airport provides connections to Vancouver and
Calgary.
For example, daily non-stop and same plane

flights are available from Kelowna International
Airport to Vancouver, Victoria, Prince George,
Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, Fort McMurray,
Winnipeg, Regina, Saskatoon and Toronto.
Direct flights are also available to Seattle, WA and
San Francisco. In addition, seasonal service is
available to Las Vegas, Phoenix, Los Cabos,
Puerto Vallarta and Cancun. Penticton Regional
Airport offers daily flights to Vancouver and
Calgary.
The fact that the Okanagan Valley continues to

experience increasing annual air passenger
volumes, and that new destinations and direct
flights are being added every year, indicates the
growing importance of the Okanagan Valley as a
destination of choice and important trading hub.
Business Licences
While detailed information on business licences issued by Okanagan Valley communities is not available from every community, larger
communities tend to keep detailed records, and business licence activity and trends can be determined from available data.
In general, Okanagan Valley communities collectively issue around 17,500 business licenses annually. Of these, about 15% are new licences
and between 10 and 30% of the total are ‘Mobile Licences’. The renewal rate from the previous year is between 85 and 90% depending on
the community. The Mobile Business License (Intercommunity business licence) program will also have led to a reduction in the overall
number of business licenses issued from 2010 onwards, since one mobile licence covers several jurisdictions in the programme, irrespective
where issued. The trend is towards an increasing number of mobile licences issued every year.
Business Licenses 31 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014ytd
City of Vernon
Total Licenses 1,886 2,034 2,358 2,655 3,117 3,176 3,279 3,244 3,240 3,086
New --- --- --- --- --- 469 502 606 453 259
Renewed --- --- --- --- --- 2,707 2,777 2,638 2,787 2,827
Intercommunity (incl. in 199 240 285 349 430 406 433 406 416 432
District of Lake Country
Total Licenses 621 665 712 644 623 671 633 634 620 635
New 124 134 137 117 96 106 77 78 71 15
Renewed 497 531 575 527 527 565 556 536 549 620
Intercommunity (incl. in --- --- --- 88 104 149 137 141 141 139
City of Kelowna
Total Licenses 9092 9,162 10,241 9,324 9,063 9,199 9,101 9,144 9,197 8,947
New 1,582 1,470 1,604 1,454 1,416 1,441 1,253 1,297 1,367 1,207
Renewed 7,510 7,692 8,637 7,870 7,647 7,758 7,848 7,847 7,830 7,740
District of West Kelowna
Total Licenses West Kelowna incorporated 1,243 1,330 1,405 1,472 1,523 1,671 1,754
New in 2007. Bus. licences incl. n/a 256 318 302 235 391 240
Renewed with RDCO stats until 2007 n/a 1,074 1,087 1,170 1,288 1,280 1,514
District of Peachland
Total Licenses 301 305 319 275 217 214 234 251 216 241
New 45 27 46 49 30 31 35 25 21 30
Renewed 256 278 248 201 187 183 199 226 195 211
Unincorporated areas -
Total Licenses 1,491 1,574 1,651 412 360 197 206 218 197 200
New 461 281 311 75 33 57 44 28 27 25
Renewed 1,030 1,293 1,340 337 327 140 162 190 170 160
Intercommunity (incl. in --- --- --- --- --- 49 65 58 65 60
City of Penticton
Total Licenses 2,481 2,548 2,995 2,820 2,550 * 2,550 2,721 2,364 2,869 2,712
New --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 306 290
Renewed --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 2,563 2,422
Intercommunity (incl. in --- --- --- 115 150 --- --- --- 247 236
Okanagan Valley ~ total of
Total Licenses 15,872 16,288 18,276 17,373 16,683 17,412 17,646 17,378 18,010 17,575
New ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ --- ---
Renewed ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ --- ---
Intercommunity (incl. in ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ --- ---
2014 data is Year-to-Date up to Oct 31, 2014. | * Penticton changed its IT system in 2010 – B/L issue for 2010 assumed same as 2009.
Okanagan Similkameen Area D / Okanagan Falls does not require businesses to have licences.
Values marked “---“ means data is not available from that community
Values marked -*- means data cannot be meaningfully summated due to missing data
Mobile Business Licenses
The colloquial name for an Inter-Community Business Licence is a Mobile Business Licence.
A Mobile Business is a business that performs a service in more than one participating municipality without an associated storefront, and
which provides the service by moving from client to client. I f the business falls within the definition of a Mobile Business, applicants may
apply for a Mobile Business Licence (intercommunity business licence) that encompasses all the participating municipalities. With a mobile
business license, the applicant does not need to purchase individual business licenses for each of the communities in which it does business.
This does not exempt an applicant from the requirement of having a Business Licence in the jurisdiction in which it resides.
The following communities have formed an agreement 32 to allow contractors and other service providers the opportunity to conduct business
in all of these participating jurisdictions under one Inter-Community (Mobile) Business Licence:
Central Okanagan Regional District District of West Kelowna Town of Keremeos

City of Kelowna District of Coldstream Town of Oliver
City of Vernon District of Lake Country Town of Osooyos
City of Penticton District of Peachland Town of Princeton
City of Armstrong District of Sicamous Township of Spallumcheen
City of Enderby District of Summerland Village of Lumby
City of Salmon Arm
Commercial & Industrial Real estate
Institutional Projections
Recent trends in institutional development indicate an average
City of Kelowna annual floor space development of approximately 26,500m2
(286,000 sqft) per year. Institutional development tends to be
Kelowna’s Official Community Plan 2030 33 highlights the need to primarily government-funded infrastructure such as airports,
plan for increased densification, rejuvenation and modernization hospitals, care facilities, schools, college and university
of the downtown core and the promotion of active transportation. expansions. Institutional building is driven by community needs
based on population growth, aging and regional distribution but
Based on BC Stats population growth projections over the 20-year the availability and timing of government funding is the primary
planning horizon of the OCP, the City will need to enhance or determinant of institutional growth. As such, growth in this sector
develop new infrastructure to accommodate 45,000 new is not so much market driven but government budget driven and
residents, together with 20,000 additional housing units and the such growth is less predictable.
associated commercial and industrial activity to support a 2030
population of around 162,000.
The City of Kelowna website hosts an interactive Capital projects

map indicating location, value and timing for various capital
projects budgeted for each year. Several projects are underway,
to improve infrastructure and the commercial appeal of several
areas, including the revitalization of Bernard Avenue,
improvements in southern Pandosy and Rutland urban centres.
Commercial Projections
OCP projections assume an increase in demand for around
280,000 m2 (around 3 million sqft) and an additional 56 Ha
(138 acres) during the 20-year planning period. However, much
of the projected new commercial development would occur within
existing designated commercial areas as more intensive re-
development of existing sites and therefore new commercial land
would not be required in the above amount. These figures would
represent a theoretical land need, including redevelopment land.
Industrial Projections
Recent trends in industrial development indicate an average
annual floor space development of around 25,650 m2
(276,000 sqft) per year. A buildings coverage ratio of 55-60%
would create an annual average demand for 3.2–4.0 Ha (8-
10acres) of new industrial land. Over twenty years that would
mean a need for an additional 64–80 Ha (160-200 acres) of new
industrial land. The inventory of vacant industrial land
(designated but not necessarily zoned) is approximately 210 Ha
(520 acres), which provides enough land at current market
uptake trends to last approximately 50 years.
City of Vernon District of Lake Country
The City of Vernon experienced tremendous residential growth Lake Country is primed and ready for business development; the
from 2003 through 2008. A lthough residential development has District of Lake Country OCP has identified 204 ha of land for
slowed, the community has seen strong commercial and potential commercial or industrial development.
institutional development occur over the past five years. The top
10 projects by Building Permit Value from 2007-13 were:
Development name $million sqft

Vernon Jubilee Hospital Expansion 80.50 181,500
Sparkling Hill Resort 24.25 115,500
Tolko Industries - Head Office 15.27 55,000
Kal tire - Head Office 12.00 81,000
Wal Mart Expansion 12.00 37,000
Vernon regional Library 10.60 30,000
BC Transit Facility 8.70 21,000
Creekside Lodge 7.50 108 units
Target - Retrofit 6.20 102,000
A detailed list of major projects from 2005 to current can be

found on the City of Vernon's Economic Development website
Much of the vacant commercial land is located in the District’s
(www.investvernon.ca)
newly constructed Main Street. This land is expected to develop
with mixed use commercial and residential development fronting
the Main Street.
This is an excellent opportunity for developers looking for

opportunity with Highway 97 visibility but pedestrian-oriented
access. Recent traffic counts put Highway traffic along Town
Centre as high as 26,000 cars per day.
Lake Country’s Town Centre has 8 ½ ha of fully serviced, zoned

commercial land available for purchase. The lands are zoned for
up to 6 stories of mixed use commercial development. Approvals
can be issued quickly for the right project to allow development
to be brought to market quickly.
The District also has commercial opportunities along Woodsdale

Road, overlooking scenic Wood Lake, and in the Glenmore
Industrial area, where almost 40 ha of serviceable land have been
designated for future industrial use
West Kelowna
The District of West Kelowna continues to see strong interest in

commercial and industrial real estate for both retail and light
industrial developments 34. Commercial and industrial
developments are largely clustered around two areas within the
District: Downtown (Westbank Centre) for retail and office
development and the Industrial Park (Land around Stevens Road)
for heavy and light industrial properties and development lands.
Downtown West Kelowna consists of a mix of retail, office, and Westbank First Nation
residential buildings. There is approximately 500,000 square feet
of retail spaces with land values ranging from $25 to $45 per WFN provides a stable economic climate to attract business and
square foot and comprise mainly of single story retail buildings investment. The foundation of its economic growth and stability is
and two shopping centres. It is expected that over the coming 20 a Self-Government Agreement with Canada, instituted in 2005,
years, there will be a need for at least 400,000 square feet of under the WFN Self-Government Act. This agreement with the
additional retail within the District of West Kelowna. With the Government of Canada provides WFN the ability to govern
proposed development of Municipal Hall and subsequent outside of the Indian Act. WFN has the rights, powers,
relocation of nearly 100 workers, demands for retail and office responsibilities and privileges of an owner, including the authority
spaces are expected to increase to serve Municipal Hall staff as to grant interests and licenses in relation to its land, which has
well as contractors and suppliers to the District. significantly im proved the fiscal and legal certainty to investors
on WFN Lands.
The Industrial Park boarded by Highway 97, Stevens Road and
Westlake Road, and consists of 132 parcels or 374 acres of Large commercial developments on band land include big-box
serviced property 35. Recent transportation improvements to shopping centres, Two Eagles Golf Course and major on-reserve
Westlake road have included tractor trailer sized traffic circles and housing developments and shopping centres alongside
enhanced turning lanes onto Highway 97. With a wide variety of Highway 97.
active zones, allowable uses range from manufacturing to timber
processing to gravel extraction. It should be noted that there is A further $30m was invested in new development during fiscal
approximately 50 acres of undeveloped property currently 2013-2014, including 99 new housing units and more than
available with current usages ranging from storage yards to bare- 34,000 sqf of new commercial development, plus an investment
land ready for development. of $5.4m in capital improvements including housing, sidewalks,
roads, infrastructure upgrades and new equipment.
Major commercial and industrial projects underway and/or in the Development Permit and Servicing Agreements were issued and
planning process include: construction compliance provided for the following developments:
Projects Location Description Projects Location Description

Municipal Hall Downtown P3 Project: New municipal Fenders Auto Carrington Commercial building
Complex hall, residential buildings, Rd North
and multi-story office Westside Centre 1st Commercial building
building. Properties Avenue
Prairie West Mount 10 acre site currently under Sonoma Pines Residential development
Complex Boucherie redevelopment including Phase 10 and 11 comprising 76 additional lots
Centre planned new building Elkridge Phase 7 Residential development
construction (retail comprising 5 additional lots
and/office) and renovated West Harbour Residential development
building home to Fabricland Phase 2B and 2C comprising 66 additional lots
Grizzly Winery Westside New commercial winery
Wine Trail including production, sales, WFN’s participation in the Rapid Transit program led to the
and restaurant with capacity construction of two new Rapid Transit stations on IR#10 in early
for tour buses. 2014 and two new Rapid Transit stations on IR#9 in July 2014.
Lakeview Village Lakeview Total site redevelopment Other transit improvements will follow.
Mall Heights with retail, office, and
estimated 40 unit apartment The WFN Economic Development Commission maintains positive
building. Tenants will relationships with around 400 businesses on reserve, through
include financial services, effective communication, data collection, networking and program
grocery, and medical. development, as it strives to increase new business potential and
ensure an inclusive and thriving business community.
More information: www.wfn.ca
36
Penticton
Top 10 projects by Building Permit Value from 2009-2014:
The South Okanagan experienced significant residential growth
from 2003 through 2008. Although residential development briefly Penticton Regional $325 m Tripling the size of existing
slowed, development and sales has been robust in recent years. Hospital hospital
South Okanagan $200 m New provincial facility
New residential subdivisions such as Sendero Canyon and the Correctional Facility
Skaha Hills developments in Penticton and Big Horn Estates in Regency $18 m 159,000 sq.ft
Retirement Resort
Okanagan Falls are selling quickly; demonstrating a renewed Walmart Superstore $7 m 29,598 sq.ft
confidence in the South Okanagan economy. expansion
Great Canadian $6.5 m 111,000 sq ft with
The South Okanagan has experienced strong commercial and Super Store pharmacy, on site medical,
institutional development in the last few years. Two major grocery and apparel
Okanagan Falls $3.0 m New facility with state of the
provincial projects alone have construction value in excess of Waste Water art treatment capabilities
$500 Million and are creating thousands of new construction and Treatment Plant
ongoing operational jobs. The $325 million Penticton Regional Save on Foods $2.5 m Renovation to existing
Hospital Expansion will triple the size of the existing hospital and renovation footprint
will create 2000 jobs in the construction stage alone. Landmark 7 Cinema $2.3 m 24,000 sq.ft
Poplar Grove $2.0 m 5,620 sq.ft
The City of Penticton has invested in the revitalization of its Winery
Fortis BC Building $1.8 m 5,636 sq.ft
waterfronts and downtown areas. W ith new lakeside paths,
amenities, play structures, bike trails and parks, the 2 waterfronts
are attracting residents and visitors in increasing numbers.
Similarly, Okanagan Falls has invested heavily in its waterfront
parks, trails and amenities and is working on plans to radically
revitalize its town centre.
An aggressive beach and street vending policy combined with the

province’s most successful downtown farmers market is bringing
enhanced vitality and economic opportunity to the downtown
business centre.
The City of Penticton, working with Colliers has completed an

economic forecast for growth in the downtown core. The Colliers
Report forecast over 91,000 sqf of commercial growth in the
downtown core plus demand for more than 60 units per year of
residential development. Colliers’ recommendations have been South Okanagan Correctional Facility, north of Oliver. Plenary
implemented including support for more arts and cultural uses, an Justice was awarded the contract in 2013 and the project is
incentive for grocery development and parking management scheduled for completion in the fall of 2016. The high security
strategies. facility will be approximately 29,000 sq meters and include 378
cells and 11 living units. The facility will be constructed on First
In 2014 alone, the City and businesses on Martin Street invested Nations land owned by the Osoyoos Indian band.
over $1.3 million in downtown revitalization, creating flexible
streetscapes that enable merchants to flexibly use the streets and The Penticton Indian Band continues to develop the lands
sidewalks. T he City of Penticton boasts some of the lowest adjacent to Penticton. The first phase of the Skaha Hills
vacancy rates in downtown cores in the province. residential site has sold out. T he tender for the construction of
the Green Avenue Bridge to provide access to the Channel lands
Recently, substantive commercial projects have been initiated in property across the Okanagan Channel adjacent to the airport has
the downtown core including two new breweries Bad Tattoo been let in fall 2014 with construction anticipated in the spring of
Brewing and an expanded Cannery Brewing, a new movie 2015. The Channel Crossing has anchor tenants and is expecting
theatre, a revitalized Penmar Performing Arts Centre, a to cover 5 hectares with its initial phase.
gymnastics club and the lauded Burger 55 to name a few.
Tourism 37
Overview
The Okanagan is famous for its orchards, vineyards, skiing and

golf and for its landscapes that range from deserts in the south,
to valleys, lakes and mountains.
The history and culture of the Thompson Okanagan Region (2011

population: 520,800) is strongly tied to the land. The Okanagan
(Syilx) led a semi-nomadic life moving between hunting and
fishing grounds in the summers and settling into pit houses for
the winter. Europeans came at first to trade for furs and then to
establish cattle ranches, farms and mining operations.
The region gets more sunshine than almost any other part of BC
(over 2,000 hours of sunlight per year). It offers prime conditions
for wide array of outdoor activities and events. The Valley is well
recognised for its cycling and hiking trails, including the Kettle
Valley Railway – part of the Trans Canada Trail. With high-calibre
internationally recognised ski resorts and golf courses, the region
attracts visitors year round and plays host to major ski, © George Dimitrov Photography
snowboard and golf events. Plentiful sunshine encourages plant Wine festivals occur winter, spring, summer and fall, and most
life in the rivers and lakes, and over-sized fish. It's common to vineyards and orchards welcome visitors for tours, tastings and
catch trout weighing 10kg/22lb in Okanagan Lake. Following the shopping.
recovery of its salmon spawning grounds, sport and commercial
fishing on the lakes of the Okanagan is likely to grow.
The region’s art and culture is reflective in a wide range of

museums, heritage sites, artisan studios and cultural districts that
give the Valley a strong sense of place for visitors and residents
alike.
Biking the KVR © Jen/www.rollwithjen.com
In addition to a strong wine industry, the region is gaining

growing recognition for its craft breweries and distilleries.
Combining this strong beverage industry with the Valley’s
burgeoning culinary sector and emerging emphasis on local foods
is giving the area further national and international distinction.
The raw ingredients for a good meal are readily available for
everyone to enjoy, with the Valley’s numerous fruit stands, farm
The weather is so reliably good in the Thompson Okanagan that gate stalls and farmers markets available throughout the growing
many theatrical and musical performances are staged out of season.
doors. For specific detail on the region’s outdoor activities and resort
areas - see section entitled “Life in the Okanagan Valley”
Developing the tourism industry TOTA’s strategic focus covers the following elements:
Tourism is a primary economic driver throughout the Region. The vision for growth – 2022
while there are no precise figures for the Okanagan Valley as a The Thompson Okanagan will be a highly successful year-round
whole, the industry generated over $1.7 billion for the economy destination, with a strong and attractive image that is clearly
within the wider Thompson Okanagan 38, and growth in room differentiated from its competitors. The region will be well
revenue in that geographic area has outpaced the provincial known for the authenticity and quality of its tourism offers, and
average over the past ten years. the cultural and environmental richness and diversity of the areas
within it. The industry will be recognized for its commitment to
Thompson Okanagan Tourism work together to strengthen tourism for the benefit of all.
Association
The Objectives are:
At this regional level, the Thompson Okanagan Tourism 1. Maximize the value of tourism to the regional economy.
Association (TOTA) is the destination management and marketing 2. Substantially increase the length of the visitor season.
organization (DMO) that has a mandate to s upport the ongoing 3. Maximize the spread of benefits of tourism around the region.
growth and development of the tourism industry.
This strategy is focused on achieving a target of 3% real growth
This regional DMO is an industry-led organization that represents in revenue per year throughout the region and in each Regional
all business and community tourism interests throughout the District and sub-region.
Thompson Okanagan and acts as a representative of Destination
BC - the province’s industry-led Crown corporation that works The regional strategy identified five core experienced-based
collaboratively with tourism stakeholders across the province to themes that will underlie strategic priorities for the region:
coordinate marketing at the international, provincial, regional and
local levels. • Identifying the iconic
• Enriching local flavours
At the community level there are a number of DMOs including • Revealing the story
Tourism Vernon, Tourism Kelowna, Tourism Penticton, • Expanding personal horizons
Destination Osoyoos and a range of smaller community • Building authenticity
organizations that have responsibility for marketing tourism.
The key primary geographic markets for the Okanagan Valley
In November 2012 TOTA launched a new 10-year regional include BC and Alberta. Secondary markets include Manitoba,
tourism strategy: Embracing Our Potential. The planning process Ontario, western Unites States, the UK, Germany and Australia.
was based on extensive consultation over an eighteen month Emerging markets that having a growing interest in the Valley
period. T he final outcome is a strategy that has been endorsed include Florida the eastern US, Mexico, Brazil, India and China.
by every community in the region, OVEDS, Destination BC, the
Canadian Tourism Commission and a range of other For further detail on the Thompson Okanagan regional tourism
organizations. strategy, see: http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/regional-
strategy/ for an online version of the strategy document.
TOTA - Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association’s mission is to
support the ongoing growth and sustainability of its tourism
industry by establishing Thompson Okanagan Tourism as a
champion of excellence and innovation in destination marketing,
management and industry development.
Its target markets include British Columbia, Alberta, Washington,

Ontario and long-haul international in UK, Germany, Australia and
Netherlands. Secondary markets include California, Florida,
North-Eastern USA, Asia Pacific and emerging South & Central
America.
Its key sectors are touring (with particular focus on wine,

culinary, health & wellness, Aboriginal culture & regional history)
and golf, ski, outdoor adventure and festivals & events.
Kettle Valley Railway © George Dimitrov Photography
Cross-Border Partnership - 'Discover Route 97' integration of tourism with the region’s well-established
TOTA and the North Central Washington Economic Development agriculture industry, specifically culinary tourism, cultural tourism
District teamed up in a joint project 39 to present a combination of and aboriginal tourism.
new and existing tourism resources on the new Discover Route
97 website – route97.net - launched on August 08, 2014 Key infrastructure is in place including strong air links and
ongoing addition of new routes. Strong highway connections,
The website gives visitors to North Central Washington state and local transportation options, diverse accommodation and strategic
British Columbia's Thompson Okanagan region a rich new source marketing create the framework for more growth.
of information and online links to learn about and explore travel
destinations up and down the scenic Highway 97 corridor. The region is well poised to satisfy the consumer trend for travel
experiences. Important opportunities relate to the integration of
Economic Impact of Tourism in the Okanagan tourism with the region’s well established agricultural industry,
Tourism is one of the major drivers of the Okanagan economy, specifically culinary tourism, sports tourism, cultural tourism and
responsible for a diversity of jobs, a robust tax base, aboriginal tourism.
infrastructure upgrades and development, and private sector
business investment. In Kelowna, the hub of the Okanagan, the
industry is a major employer, accounting for approximately 7,100
direct tourism jobs and 11,300 indirect jobs, $218 million in
wages and $279 million in annual spending.
What began as a seasonal tourism destination built around a

moderate climate, outstanding beaches and ski resorts has
evolved to offer exceptional experiences in all seasons. Both golf
and wine have become significant drivers of overnight visitation in
the Okanagan. Three dozen golf courses offer a diversity of golf
experience not found elsewhere in Canada and more than 160
licensed wineries, many the recipients of international awards,
offer tours and tastings. Meetings, conventions, festivals, sporting
events, agri-tourism and an expanding culinary scene also play a
vital role in tourism and are expected to c ontinue to grow with © George Dimitrov Photography
ongoing improvements to air access and infrastructure. There are a number of dimensions to the economic impact of
tourism in the Central Okanagan. These include:
Over 45 hotels, motels and resorts, and over 100 bed and
breakfasts serve the region, as well as nearby campsites,
supplying a large number of jobs and tax revenue for the local
economy. World-renowned wineries, golf courses, ski resorts,
galleries, museums and other attractions in the region also
generate a significant number of employment opportunities.
Tourism-related organizations and businesses throughout the

Okanagan have worked to broaden awareness of the value and
depth of the area’s tourism offerings.
The future looks very positive for tourism in the Okanagan.

Essential infrastructure is in place including strong air and
highway links, diverse accommodation and strategic marketing,
and the region is well positioned to satisfy the strong consumer Skaha Bluff Climbing
trend for travel experience. Important opportunities relate to the
Economic Impact of Tourism in Kelowna 40 Visitor spending in the above table reflects the overall visitor
Tourism is a significant industry sector for the City of Kelowna, spending in the area related to tourism - we recognize that it
B.C. and the Central Okanagan Regional District. It is estimated varies quite a bit by industry and business type. We know that
to generate nearly 5,000 person years of direct employment in the hardest hit in this area have been retail, attractions, and food
2011, approximately 7,100 jobs. Kelowna has over 4,400 rooms & beverage, while the accommodation sector has fared very well.
available in its hotels and many other types of accommodations,
various tourism attractions, including numerous premiere golf Overall, performance of the industry has been strong when
courses, gorgeous beaches and abundant food, beverage and viewed over this 5-year window despite the recession and on-
retail offerings, that attract visitors to the greater Kelowna area. going economic instability. Once consumer confidence rises and
we find economic stability in our travel markets, we can expect to
Every five years, Tourism Kelowna commissions a comprehensive see this figure increase accordingly.
tourism economic impact study that provides a detailed analysis
of the role tourism plays in the Kelowna Census Metropolitan Area In 2010, Statistics Canada estimates that Kelowna handled in
(Central Okanagan). The study looks at tourism's many direct excess of 1.5 million person-visits by non-local residents.
impacts, like jobs and taxes generated by tourism that return into
the community. One of the values of this study is that it frames According to the 2011 Visitor Survey Spending Profile conducted
tourism within the context of the greater community and other by Kettle Valley Research, the average travelling party size is 3.6
industries. Below is a top-level synopsis of the study's findings, people, and the average nights spent in Kelowna is 5.5 nights per
released in January 2012: stay. Based on the survey’s results, each visitor spent an average
Change from 2006 to 2011 of $530 in the area over their entire trip. These non-local visitors
1.5 million visitors annually +26.9% are estimated to spend $183 million in non-accommodation and
$ 279,000,000 in visitor spending (3.1%) non-entertainment spending in Kelowna per annum, including
7,072 direct jobs +5.8% taxes. The economic impacts and tax impacts of tourism activity
$ 176,000,000 in wages +39.7% in Kelowna is comprised of three main components, as follows:
$ 335,000,000 in GDP +50.2%
$ 653,000,000 in Economic Output +68.7% Accommodations Employment Impacts: A wide range of
$ 100,000,000 in Tax Revenues +12.4% accommodation options are available in Kelowna to suit all needs.
Over 4,400 rooms are offered for non-local visitors by the greater
Kelowna area’s accommodation providers.
Other Tourism Industries Employment Impacts: Kelowna is home

to a wide range of different attractions that include prestigious
golf courses, globally renowned wineries, and a variety of other
entertainment. These impacts reflect employment in other
tourism industries, such as attractions, air transportation and
other supporting businesses and organizations of the tourism
sector, in the region.
Visitor Spending Impacts: Beyond the accommodations and other

tourism industry employment impacts, spending by non-local
visitors in Kelowna, B.C. also contributes a significant amount of
economic impact to the tourism sector in the area, amounting to
$183 million in non-accommodation an non-entertainment
spending, including taxes.
The total direct impacts of the greater Kelowna area’s

accommodation providers, other tourism industries and visitor
spending amount to nearly 5,000 direct person years of
employment, approximately 7,100 jobs, earning close to
$180 million in wages, generating nearly $340 million in GDP and
approximately $650 million in economic output. Including
multiplier impacts, tourism in Kelowna generates over 7,300
person years of employment (approximately 11,300 jobs), close
Sails © George Dimitrov Photography
to $220 million in wages, $420 million in GDP and approximately
$840 million in economic output.
Tourism in Penticton and the Southern Okanagan 41 The top four outdoor adventure activities are hiking, biking, water
Known for its sandy beaches and warm fresh water lakes and skiing and mountain biking and among those who visited
orchards, the Okanagan Similkameen region has experienced an Penticton at least twice in five years, activities expanded to
increase in sports and winery tourism, effectively extending the include backpacking and bird or wildlife viewing.
tourist season and range of visitor activities beyond the summer
months. Golf is available over 230 days per year on 10 local golf courses.
The South Okanagan also abounds in aboriginal cultural
Penticton offers over 1700 rooms ranging from chain hotels, amenities.
lakeside hotels to l uxury B&B's to RV accommodation.
Neighbouring communities including Penticton Indian Band and Culture seekers can enjoy the range of art galleries, agri tourism
Naramata offer additional accommodation choices. Barefoot and heritage sites like the Grist Mill in Keremeos. With the 5000
Beach Resort opened with its unique yurt and tent site seat South Okanagan Events centre offering more than 122
accommodation and lakefront amenities in 2013, offering lakeside events per year including world famous entertainers like Rihanna
options at both ends of Penticton. and Eric Church.
A 2010 study commissioned by the City of Penticton revealed that

16% of visitors come to enjoy the beaches and sunbathing, and
with over 140 licensed wineries in the South Okanagan within an
hour's drive, wine tourists are common throughout the year. The
same study revealed that wine tourism has more than doubled
since 2006. Wine touring, the most popular activity, attracts more
tourists than beaches and sunbathing. W ineries, through
sophisticated marketing, offer unique events, food and wine
pairings and wine tasting onsite and in the farmers market. Wine
education courses became available in fall 2014 at the new state
of the art Wine Sensory Lab at Okanagan College. T he area is
also home to a growing sector of craft breweries and distilleries.
Sports enthusiasts, from elite athletes to families, enjoy iconic Nk’Mip Yurts
athletic events like ultra distance triathlon, Granfondo cycling,
golf, mountain- and trail biking, rock climbing and water sports.
Barefoot Beach Resort
The area is home to one of British Columbia’s largest community

and farmers markets occupying more than five city blocks on
Saturday mornings. It is also host to iconic festivals and events
most weekends including Dragon Boat Racing, Elvis Festival, Fest
of Ale, Jazz, Children’s Festival, Peach City Beach cruise for car
lovers and the long running free PeachFest.
View across Vaseux Lake to Skaha Bluffs Visitors to the South Okanagan benefit from its proximity to the
24 hour border crossing with its quick lines. Alternatively, choose
The 2010 study revealed the top six most popular activities as from the expanding flights at Penticton Airport with direct service
40% vacationing on lake, beaches in Penticton daily to both Calgary and Vancouver or the larger international
28% visiting Penticton’s orchards or fruit stands services through Kelowna Airport. Both major carriers operate
27% visiting wineries from the Penticton Airport with same day connections through
27% visiting parks and natural areas Vancouver to the world or from Calgary to all major destinations
22% attending a wine festival in Canada.
22% walking or hiking trip
Seasonality
The tourism accommodation sector in the Okanagan exhibits significant seasonality, with almost three quarters of annual room revenue
earned in Quarters 2 and 3, wherein July and August are key revenue months. Tourism room revenue statistics published by BC Stats indicate
strong growth in the region and its key communities between 2010 and 2012, as shown in the table below 42.
While room revenues for the Thompson Okanagan region grew 6.2% over the two year period, the Okanagan Valley recorded an even higher
growth of 6.6%. Along the same time scale Vernon recorded an impressive growth of 27.1% and Osoyoos slightly under 10%. While room
revenues for both Kelowna and Penticton declined slightly from 2010 to 2011, both communities recovered strongly in the following year.
Room Revenues in Selected Areas, by Tourism Region | Municipal and Regional District Tax (MRDT)
Revenues in ‘000 2010 2011 2012 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
--- Revenues $'000 --- --- Revenue distribution average % ---
Thompson Okanagan 177,789 182,809 188,744 15% 25% 45% 15%
Key communities
Vernon 16,289 17,692 20,706 14% 25% 43% 17%
Kelowna 67,561 66,472 68,969 13% 27% 45% 15%
Penticton 21,840 21,451 22,544 8% 24% 58% 10%
Osoyoos 13,651 14,403 14,965 6% 19% 69% 7%
Okanagan 119,342 120,018 127,184 11% 25% 50% 13%

Notes:
Room revenue estimates from January 2010 are based on MRDT data (Municipal & Regional District Tax). Boundaries used by BC Stats
to define communities have been adjusted to conform more closely to those used to define areas where the MRDT is charged. As a
result, community-level information is not directly comparable with estimates previously published in BC Stats Tourism Sector Monitor
(i.e. pre-2010).
Key communities in the Okanagan demonstrate seasonal fluctuation in room revenues, with tourist revenues significantly favouring the
warmer season. On average, the Okanagan Valley earns 39% of its annual room revenues in the two month period July through August. The
peak effect is more significant for communities like Penticton and Osoyoos in the south, which earn 47% and 57% respectively, of total
annual room revenues in the two peak summer months. Seasonality is visible in the charts below.
2010-2012 Okanagan Valley - Monthly Room Revenue Seasonality Okanagan Quarterly Room Revenue - Seasonality
35%
70% 69%
Vernon
30%
Okanagan Kelowna
60% Penticton 58%
Kelowna
Osoyoos Osoyoos
25%
Penticton Okanagan 50%
50%
Vernon 45%
43%
20%
40%
15%
30%
27%
25% 25%
24%
10%
20% 19%
17%
14% 15%
13% 13%
5% 11%
10%
10% 8%
6% 7%
0%
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 0%
Room Revenues July Aug Jul+Aug Several communities and resorts have explored ways to achieve
Thompson Okanagan 16% 18% 34% greater facility utilization during off-peak periods. Silve r Star
Okanagan 18% 21% 39% resort 43 for example, has introduced the ‘Comet Express’, using
Vernon 16% 16% 32% its chair lift infrastructure to carry hikers, bikers and their bikes up
Kelowna 17% 18% 35% the mountain, providing access to 17 hiking and biking trails and
Penticton 20% 27% 47% 1600 vertical feet of riding. Big White Resort includes an
Osoyoos 27% 30% 57% 80 hectare Mountain Bike park 44 in its future development plans.
Agriculture Today, the valley contains the largest concentration of population
in the BC interior (about 7% of the provincial total). The three
The Okanagan Valley, roughly 200 km long and 20 km wide 45, lies largest centres are Kelowna, Penticton and Vernon. Enderby and
between the Columbia and Cascade mountain ranges in south- Armstrong lie in the dairy and vegetable-growing region of the
central British Columbia. northern valley. Okanagan Falls lies in the dry fruit-growing area
south of Penticton.
Its landscape of low hills and oblong lakes was formed by glacial
activity tens of thousands of years ago. The final retreat of the Water
ice between 11,000 and 9,000 years ago, left large deposits of Long-term availability of water is an essential component for
gravel, silt and sand on the bottom and sides of the valley. These sustainable agriculture and communities, and first class water
sediments, eroded by water and wind, resulted in large alluvial management is an integral component of a successful future for
fans and deltas such as those on which the cities of Vernon, the Okanagan Valley.
Kelowna and Penticton partly stand, providing rich agricultural
soils. With a surface area 47 of 351 km2
Okanagan Lake receives annual
The Okanagan Basin 46 is almost 200 km long, covering an area of net inflows 48 averaging around
8,000 square kilometres. The largest of its post-glacial lakes is 500,000 Megalitres. Exceptional
Okanagan Lake, and lying in a string to the east are Swan Lake, years have also produced inflows
Kalamalka Lake and Woods Lake. To the south are Skaha, Vaseux as low as 80,000 ML (1929) and
and Osoyoos Lakes. The whole system drains south through the as high as 1,330,000 ML (1997).
Okanagan River, entering the Columbia River as a tributary, and
flows through the United States, past the City of Portland into the To put this in context, an inflow
Pacific Ocean. of 500,000 megalitres would add
about 1.4 metres (56 inches) in
height of surface water to the
entire lake over a typical season.
Average annual evaporation

from the five mainstem lakes is
972 mm. For Kalamalka and Okanagan Lakes, the volume lost to
evaporation is approximately 90% and 50%, respectively, of the
net inflow to these lakes.
Water is one of the most precious and important natural assets in

the Okanagan Basin. Even though the Basin is endowed with
several large lakes, the supply of clean, reliable water is
inherently limited by the semi-arid to arid climate, which brings
minimal precipitation and high evaporation and evapo-
transpiration rates. According to Statistics Canada the Okanagan
Basin has the lowest, per capita availability of fresh water in
Canada. Water shortages have already occurred in some areas of
View from Blue Mountain winery to the south across Vaseux Lake the Basin, and are expected to occur more widely and frequently
to McIntyre Bluff. in the future.
The valley lies in the rain shadow of the Coast and Cascade Reservoir capacity
mountains, creating a hot, sunny, dry climate. Most of the valley There are 36 large storage reservoirs in the basin on the plateaus
receives about 2,000 hours of sunlight per year and 250-400 mm east and west of the main Okanagan valley. Together, these
of precipitation. The drier southern area of the valley receives reservoirs can store 133,000 ML of water, about 20% of the
around 300 mm of precipitation per annum. annual total volume of water that flows into the main valley lakes.
The Okanagan Valley was first inhabited by the Okanagan of the Creeks
Interior Salish, who gave the valley its name, translated roughly Mission Creek is the largest creek in the Okanagan, producing
as "place of water." There are large Indian Reserves on the 28% of the total flow in the basin. Trout and Vernon Creeks are
northwest arm of Okanagan Lake, southwest of the lake and the second and third largest contributors, each producing about
north of Osoyoos, and others near Enderby and Kelowna. 7% of the total. About 17,000 million litres is also imported each
year from adjacent watersheds.
49, 50
Agricultural Diversity large, luxurious facilities, of which around half are members of
voluntary trade association, the BC Wine Institute 51. Numerous
Agricultural land' is the land base upon which agricultural award-winning wines have been produced in the region from
activities are typically undertaken to produce agricultural chardonnays to ice wines, and several wineries have won
products. Although agricultural land is primarily required for the international recognition, awards and been rated as the top
production of food for human and animal consumption, activities wineries in Canada. The area is known for the quality of its table
include the growing of plants for fibre and fuels (including wood), wines, red and white, ice wines and distilled products.
and for other organically derived products (pharmaceuticals, etc).
British Columbia’s leading wine industry trade association, the BC
Not all agricultural land is capable or suitable for producing all Wine Institute is based out of Kelowna and markets BC wines
agricultural products, regardless of the level of management through the BC Vintner’s Quality Alliance (VQA) program.
applied. The main limiting factors in British Columbia are climate
and topography. Climate determines the heat energy and The Central Okanagan also supports a significant number of
moisture inputs required for agricultural production. Topographic businesses engaged in nursery and greenhouse production. There
limitations mostly restrict the ability to use cultivation equipment. are a small number of poultry producers and production is
Soils with all their variability are also a key limiting factor. generally for personal use and/or farm gate sale. Dairy and beef
Depending upon their properties and characteristics they may be farming have become less prevalent with the land giving way to
appropriate for sustaining the production of certain agricultural more intensive agriculture and other uses including value-added
products, but not others. products such as artisan cheese production.
Whether or not a given parcel of land is put into agricultural Agriculturalists in the Okanagan: the average Okanagan farmer
production may have little to do with agricultural capability or was 56 years of age, according to the 2011 Census of Agriculture,
suitability of the land base. External factors such as business and many are looking to retire in the next five years. Land prices
costs associated with implementing and sustaining a given are prohibitive in many instances for local new entrants to the
agricultural system, the closeness of the farm to transportation industry. Opportunities do exist however for entrants from other
links, as well as the vagaries of the marketplace to which one locations around the globe with similar land prices.
sells and earns a profit, also influence agricultural production. In
general, good agricultural land facilitates the management The Sterile Insect Release (SIR) Program 52 is an area-wide and
activities for a wider range of products, while poorer agricultural environmentally friendly approach to managing the codling moth,
land does not. one of the BC tree fruit industry's most damaging and costly
pests. The SIR Program operates in the fruit growing areas of
From its earliest history, the Okanagan Valley agriculture has the Okanagan, Similkameen and Shuswap Valleys, where the tree
been an integral part of the region. The sector has and continues fruit industry plays an important role in the lives of residents and
to undergo significant change including the need to adopt new commercial growers
ways of using the land to satisfy modern consumer tastes and
interests, and regulatory issues around land use. Along with such Since it began in the early 1990's the SIR program has
challenges, however, are new opportunities. significantly reduced the number of codling moths, damage and
pesticides used. The program protects apple and pear orchards
Central Okanagan by raising millions of moths at a facility in Osoyoos 53. At
maximum production it reared 15 million codling moths per week,
The climate of the Okanagan Valley supports many high quality while the success of the program has reduced the need to around
orchards and vineyards including a large portion of the apples 5 million per week. The volume of pesticides used per acre
grown in the province, increasing quantities of grapes, and a against codling moths has also dropped about 90% since 1991
significant amount of cherries, prunes, plums, peaches, apricots and there has been more than a 90% reduction in the level of
and vegetables. BC Tree Fruits Ltd., responsible for the marketing codling moths in the valley. Once it was necessary to spray three
of most fresh tree fruit in the BC Interior has its head office in or more times a season, but today, despite the odd hot spot, one
Kelowna, as does Sun-Rype Products, a major Canadian juice spraying every four years is average. Most of the SIR Program
manufacturer. The BC Interior tree fruit industry represents over full-time staff are based at its facility in Osoyoos, and the
800 growers generating over $130 million in wholesale revenue, program has a small administrative staff based in Kelowna.
$900 million in economic activity and over 1,500 person years of
employment at the grower, packer and processor level. Sustainable agriculture will depend on increased development of
value-added products and services to match consumer interests,
The vast majority of BC’s vineyards are located in the Okanagan with high quality agriculture products in the Okanagan, and
and Similkameen Valleys with the quality of BC wines enjoying expanding the link between agriculture and tourism.
international profile. There are more than 160 licensed wineries in
the Okanagan Valley, ranging from small family-run vineyards to
North Okanagan Okanagan Similkameen
Feature – Rogers Foods has been proudly milling quality flour and The South Okanagan is home to more than 2,200 farmers. With
cereal products from Canadian grain for over 60 years in British over 84,000 hectares of farms, it is home to 42% of the farmed
Columbia. The Rogers mill in the Spallumcheen Valley near land in the Okanagan Valley. Commercial fruit growing started in
Vernon started in 1951 as a small stone mill in a granary and the early 1900’s and today the South Okanagan is considered the
through many expansions, upgrades and technology additions, is fruit basket of Canada. Over sixty percent of the fruit tree
now a modern, flexible milling unit with a mill capable of 215 farmers in the Okanagan are located in the South where the
tonnes per day and a flaking plant and mixing plant. It processes warmer temperatures and climate are more conducive to fruit
and distributes quality flour, cereal and mixes to the North crops.
American and Pacific Rim markets and employs 80 workers
locally. In 2011, the regional district of Okanagan Similkameen led the
production of peaches, apricots, plums, grapes, cherries, apples,
Agriculture - Agriculture is an important sector of the economy in tomatoes, organic fruits, vegetables or greenhouse product and in
the Vernon area. There are approximately 360 farms with a total total number of organic farms.
farm area of 23,733 hectares, generating an estimated
$17 million in gross farm receipts annually. The larger North Agricultural land dedicated to fruit, berry and nut production in
Okanagan Regional District consists of approximately 1,230 farms the South Okanagan represents 58% of land under cultivation for
with a total area of 76,625 hectares and an estimated annual these crops in the Okanagan Valley, over 40% of which is for
farm receipts of $111 million. grape cultivation. Vintners in the region continue to innovate
with the introduction of major grape varietals, clones and
Agriculture in the Vernon area is diverse, being led by activity in specialty grapes to e xploit the terroir. The hotter, drier growing
cattle ranching, animal production and fruit farming. H owever, conditions of the semi arid region to the south, create ideal
greenhouse, nursery and floriculture production, vegetable and conditions for a wider variety of grapes.
melon farming, poultry and egg production, sheep and goat
farming are also well represented and are fast growing activities The Okanagan Similkameen is home to 40% of the vegetable and
locally. melon farms in the Okanagan Valley. Saturday morning markets
in Penticton attract over 5000 people per hour 54 during the
Food Processing – The Vernon area has a diverse food summer months, to sample and purchase the bounty of fruits and
processing sector that has grown up in partnership with the vegetables. Some notable industry leaders 55 in the South
region’s agriculture base. In 2010, there was an estimated 14 Okanagan:
food processing firms in the area with employees, highlighting a
range of very different food processing activities and industrial Oliver
scales. These companies supply local markets through farm gate Covert Valley Farms Winery, farm gate sales, retail
sales and target export markets around the world. W ell-known Orchard Hill Estate Cidery & Fruit Market
local food processors include: Osoyoos
Jind Fruit Company Growers & packers
Okanagan Tree Fruit Cooperative
Rogers Foods – flour and cereal products
Orchard Rite Wind Machines, Shakers
Okanagan Spring Brewery – brewery
Peach Hill Farm & Fruit Market Fresh produce supplier
Planet Bee Honey Farm – honeymoon mead; and
SIR Sterile Insect Research Research facility
Helmut’s Sausage Kitchen – sausages
The Herb Garden Fruit Market Fruit Market
Web Metal Fabricators Fabricators
Agriculture and Food Processing Opportunity – Innovation
Penticton
continues to create new opportunities in the agriculture and food
Artus Bottling Mobile bottling, wine industry
processing sector with a more recent example leading to the
Maple Leaf Spirits Distillery
establishment of vineyards in the Vernon area with new varieties
Superior Peat Peat and mulch supplier
of grapes. I n addition, growth in Metro Vancouver is creating
Waycon Innovation Cherry packing
increased demand on agriculture land in the Lower Mainland
Summerland
making it desirable to relocate some farming and food processing
Okanagan Label and Print Wine labels
activities to the other areas where agricultural and industrial land
Summerland Varieties Corp 56 Fruits variety rights mgmt
is more affordable and readily available.
Summerland Sweets Confectionery
More information: www.investvernon.ca The South Okanagan hosts more than 140 licensed wineries 57
from small family run vineyards to large luxurious facilities.
Several wineries in the Okanagan have won international
recognition, awards and have been rated as the top wineries in Wineries and non-grape producers
Canada. The area is known for the quality of its table wines, red
and white, ice wines and distilled products. A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a
business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine
The Okanagan Valley was named by USA Today 58 as the world’s company 60. Besides wine-making equipment, larger wineries may
second best wine region to visit amongst a list of the top 10 also feature warehouses, bottling lines, laboratories, and large
worldwide wine destinations. expanses of tanks, known as tank farms.
The roots of the agriculture industry run deep in the Okanagan. With around 82 percent of the total vineyard acreage in the
In 1974, Okanagan Similkameen was the first regional district 59 province, the Okanagan Valley is BC’s premier grape growing
in British Columbia to have its Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) region 61. An ever-changing panorama, the valley stretches
plan formally designated. ALR land accounts for 8.0% of the across distinct sub-regions, each with different soil and climate
Okanagan Similkameen's overall land base in 2014, representing conditions suited to a growing range of varietals.
nearly 48% of total ALR in the Okanagan Valley. The first
irrigation canal was completed in 1923 to transform the desert From world-class operations to family-run boutique vineyards,
region of Oliver into lush orchards and farms. Okanagan wineries are rich with character and consistently
ranked among the world's best at international competitions.
South Okanagan is still home of the tree fruit industry, renowned Calona Vineyards, based in Kelowna, was the first Okanagan
for the variety and quality of its produce and fruits. Valley winery to establish in the Okanagan Valley, in 1931
Producers in the Okanagan Similkameen enjoy slightly warmer The Similkameen Valley hosts a pristine stretch of vineyards, set
and drier weather than areas to its north, allowing a longer amongst the dramatic backdrop of rugged mountains. Recognized
growing season. Much of the fruit and vegetable produced in the by wine lovers and critics alike, the region continues to produce
area is organically grown. world-class wines. Although grapes and fruit have been grown in
the Similkameen for decades, only recently has there been a
rapid expansion of wineries. Keremeos Vineyards, now called
St. Laszlo, was the first winery 62 to establish in the Similkameen
Valley, in 1984.
The table below lists the distribution of licensed wineries and

producers of other non-grape products (berries, cider, honey-
wine, mead, rice wine etc.) listed with BCWI, the British Columbia
Wine Institute.
Grape Other Total
Okanagan Valley 152 14 166

Kaleden 3 3
Kelowna 21 6 27
Lake Country 5 5
Naramata 12 1 13
Okanagan Falls 12 12
Oliver 41 2 43
Osoyoos 8 8
Peachland 3 3
Penticton 25 1 26
Summerland 13 3 16
Vernon 0 1 1
West Kelowna 9 9
Similkameen Valley 14 2 16
Cawston 10 2 12
Keremeos 4 4
The above charts indicate the relative share of land under cultivation
and other forms of agriculture throughout the Okanagan Valley, as Okanagan + Similkameen 166 16 182
well as the relative distribution of farmland and gross farm receipts
between the three regional districts of the Okanagan Valley.
Selected Farm and Farm Operator Statistics into account in this profile: the data is provided for areas in close
proximity to communities include in this profile. I n other words,
The following tables give selected statistics to i ndicate the range agricultural statistics include the Central Okanagan District in full,
and diversity of agricultural activities in the Okanagan. plus areas B and D of the North Okanagan regional district, and
Okanagan Similkameen–D.
The regional districts of North Okanagan and Okanagan
Similkameen have agricultural activities in addition to those taken
Selected Farm and Farm Operator 2011 Statistics for the North Central Okanagan ‘Okanagan British
Okanagan Valley 63 Note: some totals may not add to the Okanagan Okanagan Similkameen Valley’ Columbia
sum of unit statistics due to rounding differences, and
operator counts are rounded by Stats Canada to nearest 5 Regional Regional Regional Σ Regional
Province
District District District Districts
Farm and farm operator statistics
Population Census 2011 81,237 179,839 80,742 341,818 4,400,057
Number of farms 1,167 1,020 1,506 3,693 19,759
Number of farm operators 1,770 1,520 2,265 5,555 29,925
Male operators 1,120 985 1,490 3,595 19,010
Female operators 660 535 780 1,975 10,915
% male 62.9 64.8 65.6 64.5 63.5
% female 37.1 35.2 34.4 35.5 36.5
Average age of farm operators 57.4 56.9 55.8 56.6 55.7
% younger than 35 4.0 3.9 4.6 4.2 5.4
% age 35-54 39.0 40.5 40.2 39.9 40.5
% age 55 and above 57.6 55.6 55.2 56.1 54.1
Land , crop and horticulture statistics
Land area (km2) 7,503 2,905 10,414 20,822 922,509
Total area of farms (hectares) 84,339 31,368 84,058 199,765 2,611,382
Total area of farms in crops (hectares) 21,003 6,379 11,899 39,281 599,674
Average area of farms (hectares) 72 31 56 54 132
Farm finance statistics ($ millions)
Total gross farm receipts (excl. forest) 126.2 96.5 132.7 355.4 2,935.9
Value of land & buildings 1,637.9 1,856.4 2,698.7 6,193.0 32,183.0
Value of farm machinery & equipment 98.0 66.4 112.0 276.4 1,834.3
Total farm capital (market value) 1,774.5 1,928.9 2,824.9 6,528.4 34,701.7
Operating expenses 112.8 93.0 122.2 328.0 2620.7
Farms classified by industry group (# Farms)
Fruit and tree nut farming 96 517 1,014 1,627 3,367
Other animal production 300 153 152 605 4,184
Other crop farming 322 119 115 556 4,047
Cattle ranching and farming 220 50 91 361 3,166
Greenhouse, nursery and floriculture production 51 84 41 176 1,934
Vegetable and melon farming 51 45 65 161 912
Poultry and egg production 69 30 10 109 1,191
Sheep and goat farming 33 16 12 61 604
Oilseed and grain farming 24 4 2 30 271
Hog and pig farming 1 2 4 7 83
Farm Statistics 64 North Central Okanagan ‘Okanagan British
Various crops and livestock Okanagan Okanagan Similkameen Valley’ Columbia
Note: some totals may not add to the sum of unit Regional Regional Regional Σ Regional
Province
statistics due to rounding differences District District District Districts
Hay and field crops - Hectares under cultivation
Alfalfa and alfalfa mixtures 11,243 1,428 3,439 16,110 217,898
All other tame hay and fodder crops 3,685 442 2,354 6,481 166,417
Corn 2,378 - - 2,378 14,179
Barley 1,178 24 76 1,278 26,479
Wheat 747 - - 747 34,875
Oats 395 13 11 419 35,164
Fruits, berries and nuts - Hectares under cultivation
Total fruits, berries and nuts 482 3,409 5,511 9,402 24,494
Apples 358 1,625 1,528 3,511 3,904
Grapes 30 855 2,408 3,293 3,711
Cherries (sweet) 23 640 766 1,429 1,691
Peaches 11 65 413 489 511
Pears 3 94 96 193 260
Other fruits, berries and nuts 22 46 98 166 839
Plums and prunes 6 22 99 127 189
Apricots 2 13 72 87 94
Cherries (sour) 1 20 10 31 40
Blueberries 4 14 6 24 8,441
Raspberries 8 8 4 20 1,747
Strawberries 10 5 5 20 363
Saskatoons 4 X X 4 68
Crops other than above - Hectares under cultivation
Vegetables (excl.g/house) 174 163 259 596 6,591
Nursery and greenhouse products 150 468 63 681 4,571
Christmas trees 25 47 21 93 2,621
Livestock and other - #farms and livestock
Horses & ponies - Farms 378 183 243 804 6,087
Horses & ponies - number 2,874 1,327 1,568 5,769 45,791
Cattle and calves-Farms 355 96 144 595 5,790
Cattle and calves-number 33,583 4,215 16,117 53,915 620,638
Sheep and lambs-Farms 75 29 32 136 1,587
Sheep and lambs-number 2,680 1,007 1,228 4,915 57,456
Pigs-Farms 22 10 9 41 627
Pigs-number 141 79 102 322 89,067
Poultry inventory-Farms 190 132 120 442 3,922
Poultry inventory-number of birds 23,639 5,526 3,486 32,651 2,626,811
Egg production-Farms 121 117 87 325 2,982
Egg production-000's of dozens 579 93 42 715 65,124
Bees-Farms 26 31 32 89 629
Bees-number of colonies 1,738 975 1,028 3,741 33,603
Agricultural Land Reserve ‘ALR’
Initially the ALR comprised 4.7 million hectares (5% of the
How the ALR was established province). Despite boundary changes over the decades, its area
Up to the early 1970's nearly 6,000 hectares of prime agricultural remains approximately the same. In the Okanagan valley for
land were lost each year to urban and other uses. The Provincial example, ALR accounts for 8-9% of each Regional District’s overall
government responded to the serious erosion of British Columbia’s area.
agricultural land base by introducing the Land Commission Act on
April 18, 1973. Changes to ALR
Review of land use is an ongoing process in any community. The
A Commission, appointed by the Provincial government, table below, shows inclusions (additions to) and exclusions
established a special land use zone to protect BC's dwindling (removal from) the Agricultural Land Reserve in the three
supply of agricultural land, called the "Agricultural Land Reserve", Regional Districts within which the Okanagan Valley is situated. It
which was established between 1974 to 1976 through cooperative can be seen that significant areas have been excluded from the
efforts with regional districts and member municipalities. Local original ALR, to serve other land uses 65
input on an ALR plan was obtained through a public hearing
process.
Notes:
Agricultural Land reserve North Central Okan. Σ Reg’l British
(Hectares) Okan Okan Similk Districts Columbia
A: Total 2014 land area, all RD areas
Total land area km2 A 7,502.60 2,904.86 10,414.26 20,821.72 922,509.29
%age ALR to total 1974 9.4% 11.4% 8.3% 9.1% 5.1% B: Differences between the cumulated
ALR areas and GIS areas are explained
Area at designation 70,283 33,077 86,478 189,838 4,716,516
in the 2013-2014 Annual Report of the
Inclusions B 1,610 239 2,244 4,093 186,271 Agricultural Land Commission 66 (GIS =
Exclusions B (6,728) (7,275) (4,964) (18,967) (144,703) Geographic Information Systems)
GIS Area at 2014 C 68,886 27,241 83,788 179,915 4,759,928
Net change 1974-2014 (5,118) (7,036) (2,720) (14,874) 41,568 C: Additions to / exclusions from ALR
%age ALR to total 2014 9.2% 9.4% 8.0% 8.6% 5.2% include final approvals at April 1, 2014
Agri-tourism example, touring facilities that produce jams and jellies made
from locally grown fruit, sampling the products and purchasing
The Okanagan Valley is about more than award-wining wineries them on site.
and golf courses. Visit farmers’ markets, farm tours, petting zoo’s,
dude ranches and farm-stays. U-pick is an increasingly popular An ever-broadening mix of restaurants and eateries offer colorful
summer past-time, together with farmgate sales of produce like opportunities to experience the flavors of locally-produced foods,
honey, cheese, eggs, vegetables, fruit, herbs and cider and the talents of local chefs and wine-makers. The importance of
agri-tourism to the economy is also demonstrated by the number
of tourism visitors exposed to the incredible scenery, recreation
and lifestyle opportunities of the Okanagan who are inspired to
return to live and invest in the community.
Many traditional farm operators are taking advantage of the

opportunity to develop new types of sustainable agriculture-
related businesses. Tourism Kelowna’s Studio and Farm Self-
Guided Tour program, now in its second year, includes 24
participants offering diverse experiences from farmers markets to
tours of honey, pumpkin, lavender and alpaca farms producing
various food products as well as well as organic cosmetics and
fibre arts. U-pick cherry farms offer yet another popular
experience.
[EDC-CORD EcoProfile 2012] Agri-tourism represents a major Among the many opportunities associated with this sector, the
area of economic growth and opportunity in the Okanagan. Visitor farm-to-table theme of culinary tourism holds particular promise,
studies increasingly show the region is attractive to travellers with specifically as it relates to training, marketing and new product
high discretionary income who value travel “experiences” – for development.
Okanagan College recently opened a $300,000 new sensory lab in
the heart of wine country.
The new BC Wine Information Centre Sensory Lab is located at

the Penticton campus of Okanagan College and is the first
educational facility of its type in the valley. The classroom-style
lab creates a tasting environment similar to those already in
existence at Brock University and Niagara College in Ontario.
67
Examples of agri-tourism activities , include:
o Agricultural heritage exhibit

o Farm tours and farm demonstrations
o Horse riding including cattle drive activities
o Horse or other livestock shows
o Hay, tractor and sleigh rides
o Pumpkin patch tours and related activities
o Picnicking
o Farm related educational activities including cooking classes
using farm products from the farm
o Seasonal promotional events (e.g. harvest and Christmas
fairs and activities)
o Special promotional events (e.g. private or public special
occasion events for the promotion of farm products)
o Charity fund-raising events where farm products from the
farm are offered for sale or by contribution and the majority
of net proceeds are donated to a registered charity
o Catered food and beverage service special events where
farm products from the farm are promoted, but not a service
requiring the use of a permanent commercial kitchen
o Corn mazes
o Fishing (stocked pond)
o Bird and wildlife refuges and rescue services Photo credit: Marc Smith
Farmers Market Penticton
Manufacturing Commission launched its Foreign Skilled Worker Program in 2007.
The program has provided assistance to numerous employers
The Okanagan is the location of a diverse range of manufacturers wanting to hire foreign workers, and has also assisted temporary
from well-established firms in traditional industries such as foreign workers, provincial nominees, students, investors and
agriculture and forestry, to emerging small businesses producing business owners in navigating the programs that allow them to
leading-edge products. The sector contributes significantly to the work in BC.
regional economy through its ability to provide well-paying jobs
that are not seasonal in nature. For every $1 spent directly in The Commission also works with local employers and other
manufacturing, an additional 80 cents of GDP is created in partners in marketing the region as a place to live, work and
supplier industries and a total of $3.01 is generated in total invest at international recruitment fairs, highlighting the lifestyle
economic activity – considerably more than the GDP of the opportunities associated with living the Okanagan.
tourism industry or high technology sector.
Manufacturers
The area is likely to have a larger proportion of skilled trades and
apprentices in its working population relative to the rest of British
Columbia. This provides a pool of available labour to support the Kelowna Ready Mix
industrial sector. www.kelownareadymix.ca
Central Okanagan Locally owned, family operated ready mix company. Supplies
Manufacturing is well represented by the aerospace industry ready mix concrete throughout Central Okanagan area as well as
including several major companies serving aviation and defence to Big White Ski Resort. Kelowna Ready Mix Inc. has been in
markets around the world. These firms, in turn, help generate operation since the 1940's and has 4 plants and one gravel pit. No
work for smaller companies engaged in aviation equipment Employees: 40
manufacturing and service, communications systems
development, research and development and flight schools. The
FormAShape
aerospace sector is strongly supported by local academic and
www.formashape.com
training institutions including Okanagan College, the University of
British Columbia Okanagan and the British Columbia Institute of
FormAShape is one of North America’s largest manufacturers of
Technology.
composite fiberglass and is the market leader in the application of
fiber reinforced plastics (FRP) for architectural products.
Other manufacturers in the area produce metal, plastic, concrete
FormaShape is recognized in the composites industry as leader in
and fibreglass products, specialty food goods, textiles and
the application of Closed Molded Resin Transfer Molding
chemicals. Several well established manufacturers of fibreglass
technology. FormAShape has excelled at contract manufacturing
and aluminum boat builders are in the area as well as a major
numerous product lines, including: architectural fascia & cladding,
cluster of composite manufacturers. The cross section of
medical equipment enclosures, transportation panels, building
manufacturers in the valley makes it easy for existing and new
products, and waterslides. Founded in 1981, the Company
businesses to find high quality supply partners locally.
operates out of an ISO 9001 certified 80,000 square foot purpose
built facility in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, using Lean
The distance from large urban and industrial centres increases
manufacturing principles. FormAShape, with its sister company,
transportation costs and creates supply chain constraints for some
Whitewater West. Ind. Ltd., are the world's largest manufacturers
manufacturers in the region. Successful businesses have survived
of fibreglass waterpark attractions. Employees: 51-200
and flourished despite such challenges by including value-added
services in their activities such as research and development,
design, engineering and information and logistics management.
Monashee Manufacturing
The ability of smaller firms to be flexible and responsive to the
www.monasheemfg.com
needs of their customers has resulted in many becoming service
providers to companies throughout North America. Custom metal fabrication and production machining for North
America since 1935 and produces its own line of truck snow plow
The entrepreneurial nature of the Okanagan has resulted in assemblies. The company has supplied and serviced local,
extensive resources available through government and provincial and export markets from its present location in Kelowna
educational institutions to support entrepreneurs at all stages - since its incorporation and is the oldest established machine shop
from the start-up stage with business planning assistance and in Kelowna. Employees: 75
guidance obtaining capital, through expansion, export
development and succession planning. To help ensure an
adequate supply of skilled workers for manufacturers and other
sectors, the Central Okanagan Economic Development
Gorman Brothers Norelco Cabinets Ltd.
www.gormanbros.com www.norelcocabinets.ca
Brothers John & Ross Gorman, originally orchardists and fruit Since 1972, Norelco Cabinets has been
growers, started Gorman Bros Lumber in 1953 as a designing and manufacturing quality cabinets and counter tops
complementary business to provide better packaging for the fruit for kitchen and bath. Voted by Okanagan Life Magazine's reader
industry. In 1969 an electrical fire caused the entire mill to burn as 2012 finalist for "Best Custom Kitchen Vendor" in Central
down, fortunately with no loss of life. Rebuilding the mill started Okanagan. Norelco has won several Gold and Silver Tommie
a process of modernization and diversification. The family has Awards in 2012, 2011 and 2010. Employees: 70
continued to reinvest in new technologies, modernized equipment
and processes that have allowed Gorman Bros to stay at the front
of their industry .
Reidco Metal Industries Ltd
Until April, 2008 the company was owned equally by the Ross www.reidcometal.com
Gorman family and the John Gorman family. At this time Ross and
his family purchased the ownership interest from the John Reidco Metal Industries specializes in custom
Gorman family. The corporate vision and strategic planning have manufacturing and production runs of precision
been firmly in the hands of an experienced second generation steel and aluminum parts. With more than 20
team for many years and they are training others to ensure it years experience, the company has gained a
carries on reputation for its high quality fabrication
expertise and excellent customer service,
Kelowna Flightcraft supplying literally thousands of different parts to customers in
www.kelownaflightcraft.ca Canada and the United States. Reidco parts and components are
manufactured to meet the requirements of a wide range of
Kelowna Flightcraft is an award winning AMO and operates two industries, including the exacting standards of U.S. military
full service MRO facilities in Kelowna, BC and Hamilton, ON vehicles, the long-wearing reliability of the heavy-duty trucking
Canada. The company operates or leases over 70 aircraft; is industry, the precise tolerances of the electronics industry and the
Canada’s largest cargo operator; is a leading aircraft rugged durability of the oilfield service industry. Employees: 100
maintenance, modification and manufacturing organization; is a including up to 40 workers under 25 years of age.
transport Canada Design Approval organization (engineering);
owns the type certificate for the Convair airplane; and is a
Transport Canada Approved Training Organization delivering Tree Brewing
training to a wide range of aviation companies. www.treebrew.com
In operation since 1970, Kelowna Flightcraft is ISO 9001 certified Tree Brewing began in 1996. Tree Brewing is an award winning
and employs 1000 employees across Canada (approx. 600 in Craft Brewery. They produce several different brands/styles of
Kelowna) with the head office located in Kelowna. The company beer satisfying the taste buds of the discriminating craft beer
announced in 2012 the signing of a long-term structural consumer. They produce the only dry apple cider – Dukes Cider –
maintenance visit contract with Calgary-based WestJet. The made 100% in Canada’s apple capital of Kelowna using 100%
contract is for an initial three-year period, followed by an optional Kelowna grown apples. They actively support the community from
two-year extension in 2015. sponsorships to charitable donations. Employees: NA
North Side Industries

www.northsideind.ca Urban Distilleries
www.urbandistilleries.ca
Northside Industries is a manufacturer of fuel tanks and steel and
aluminum fabrications for the oil and gas, forestry and heavy duty
truck sectors. It has invested into the company purchasing Urban Distilleries is a small batch micro-distillery that produces
equipment with the latest technology in laser cutting, forming and top-shelf Gins, Vodkas, Rums, & Whisky including the signature
welding. Employees: NA "Spirit Bear" line. Urban Distilleries will also create a private label
for companies who are interested. Proceeds from the “Spirit Bear”
line in every liquor store sale and $2 from all tastings goes to fund
the Spirit Bear Youth Coalition. Employees: 2-10
69
Westwood Fine Cabinetry BC Manufacturers Directory - Firms by NAICS 2009
www.westwoodfinecabinetry.com
Description(NAICS) Firms Percent
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing 32 15%
Since 1972, Westwood Cabinets has been designing and (Machine Shops, Metal Window and Door
manufacturing quality cabinets. Our 6000 square foot facility Manufacturing, Metal Valve Manufacturing,
Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating and
houses our executive management team, sales staff, cabinet
Allied Activities, etc.)
designers, administration staff and all of our skilled cabinet
manufacturing employees. We are one of the Okanagan Valley’s Food Manufacturing (Fruit and Vegetable 30 14%
largest employers and one of the oldest employers. No Canning, Pickling and Drying, Rendering
and Meat Processing from Carcasses,
Employees: 100
Commercial Bakeries and Frozen Bakery
Product Manufacturing etc.)
Wineries and Distilleries 15 7%

Wood Product Manufacturing 15 7%
Furniture and Related Product 14 6%
Manufacturing
Transportation Equipment Manufacturing 12 5%

Machinery Manufacturing 12 5%
Non-metallic Mineral Product 11 5%
Manufacturing
Miscellaneous Manufacturing & Other 10 5%

Services
Plastics and Rubber Products 9 4%
Manufacturing
Printing and Related Support Activities 8 4%
Chemical Manufacturing 7 3%
Computer and Electronic Product 7 3%
Manufacturing
Software Publishers & Computer Systems 7 3%
Design & Related Services
Medical Equipment and Supplies 6 3%
Manufacturing
Sign Manufacturing 5 2%
Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and 4 2%
Specialty Food Manufacturing
Periodical Publishers 4 2%
Grain and Oilseed Milling 3 1%
Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and 3 1%
Component Manufacturing
Paper Manufacturing 2 1%
Dairy Product Manufacturing 1 ---
Mining (except Oil and Gas) 1 ---
Petroleum and Coal Products 1 ---
Manufacturing
"The Women in Trades Training program 68 at Okanagan College is Total 219 100%
breaking barriers with a foundation metal fabrication program
designed to help women build both skills and confidence in this Note: Listing in the database is voluntary and not all firms in the
expanding field" sector are included in the database of firms by industry
classification. In addition BC Stats no longer maintains or
publishes this directory.
West Kelowna North Okanagan
The District of West Kelowna developed a Draft Industrial Land
Study in 2012, with the purpose of providing an analysis of the Manufacturing
current inventory of industrial lands available to accommodate In 2011, the Vernon and area manufacturing sector included 99
future growth, and to gain a better understanding of current firms, the same number of firms that were counted in 2008. The
industrial land uses and absorption trends. local manufacturing sector is characterized by a diversity of
manufacturing activities with clusters of firms identified in the
Industry is a vital component of the District’s economy, and the food and beverage, sawmilling and wood processing, paper
local community has benefitted significantly from industrial land manufacturing, fabricated metal production, machinery
development in previous years. As the District continues to grow, manufacturing, and furniture and related. Collectively these six
the availability of well-located, affordable and serviced industrial manufacturing categories represent over two-thirds of firm count
land is important to the district’s future economic locally. I n addition, the manufacturing is characterized by a mix
competitiveness. of manufacturers focusing on local markets to major exports, and
from firms with only one employee to firms employing hundreds
The Draft Industrial Land Study sees population growth as a key of workers.
driver for development of non-residential property. It also predicts
that population growth in the District - including the population of The manufacturing sector in the City of Vernon has a labour force
Westbank First Nation - will continue at historical rates of around of over 1,600 which makes up over 9% of the total local
2.2% per annum over the next 20 years, which would see a workforce. Regionally, this labour force grew to 4,355 or 11% of
population increase of around 54% (20,936 people) by 2032. the Regional District of North Okanagan’s labour force. The
number and diversity of manufacturers has led to the attraction of
At current absorption rates for industrial land, the District has a a skilled manufacturing workforce that has portable skills
supply of at least 20 years, which could be enhanced by desirable for many manufacturing activities. Approximately 14%
repurposing certain lands in future, such as the useable portions of people age 25 to 64 have a trades certificate or diploma, or are
of depleted gravel pits. participating in an apprenticeship program – higher than the
provincial average. Samples of manufacturing firms in the City of
Vernon include:
Manufacturers FTE Industry

Tolko Industries 3,000 Forestry and lumber
Hytec Products 150-200 Shower & bathroom

fittings & accessories
Westwood Companies 100 Electrical design and
installation services
Tekmar Control Systems 75-100 Control systems for HVAC
and other climate control
KingFisher Boats 50-100 Design & mfg. of welded
(*prev. Harbercraft) h/g aluminum boats
Aspenware 15-20 Wooden bio-degradable
disposable cutlery
Creative Connectors 15 Decorative shelving
Okanagan Spring 140 Beer Brewery
Brewery
Okanagan Spirits 15-20 Spirit distillery
Manufacturing Opportunities – Overall, proximity to key truss and floor systems for residential, farm and commercial
export markets and growth within the local markets are structures.
anticipated to fuel expansion in the local manufacturing sector Customized roof trusses are complimented with AcuJoist structural
over the next decade. wood I-Joists, laminated beams and durable steel roofing. They
sell engineered wood products into Washington, Idaho, and
Growth is also anticipated to come from existing firms expanding Arizona as well as overseas to China and Japan. The Winfield
and new firms arriving, with the local sectors such as fabricated plant has been presented with the 2010 award for “Exceptional
metal manufacturing, non-metallic mineral manufacturing, Quality Performance in Truss Manufacture". The company
transportation equipment manufacturing, plastics and rubber successfully qualified as a member of the WWTABC 2010 Winners
products, and beverages anticipated to lead Circle 2010. Employees: NA
In addition, the Vernon airport has started to see the emergence

AspenWare
of an aviation manufacturing and maintenance cluster and shares
the airport with the Okanagan College’s aircraft maintenance
engineer training facility which could provide additional synergies
These are not plastic utensils! Aspenware Inc. is a Canadian
for this opportunity.
Company, established in 1997, that manufactures compostable
wooden cutlery in Vernon, BC.
Listed below are organizations with representation in the North
Okanagan region selected for mention by the economic
Unlike the rest of the disposable cutlery industry, Aspenware
development personnel in the region.
utilizes only domestic labour, technology partners and wood
sustainably harvested by local foresters. The company distributes
its patented laminated product internationally. O ver 100,000
Okanagan Spring Brewery
pieces of Aspenware can be made from a single log.
Okanagan Spring Brewery was established in 1985 and today

employs over 150 workers and continues to brew from the same Hytec Plumbing Products
location in the City of Vernon. The brewery is one of British
Columbia’s original craft breweries and was determined to offer
an alternative to the mainstream beers of the region. In 1987 Hytec Manufacturing was purchased by Kohler® Co., a
family controlled business since 1873, and became Hytec
Stefan Tobler, Brewmaster and son of co-founder Jacob Tobler, Plumbing Products, A Division of Kohler Canada Co.
introduced Okanagan Spring Pale Ale to BC locals back in 1989 -
Hytec is a full-line manufacturer of gelcoat and acrylic bathtubs,
the beer continues to be BC’s #1 selling Pale Ale. The brewery
showers, bath/showers, modular bathing systems and shower
also offers a variety of other styles including 1516 Bavarian Lager,
receptors. Kohler Co.'s U.S. head office is based in the town of
Brewmaster’s Black Lager, Porter and a range of seasonal
Kohler, Wisconsin and the Hytec head office is located just north
offerings.
of Vernon in Armstrong, BC. They have 5 sales agents
throughout Western Canada who promote our products through
In 1996, Sleeman Brewing purchased Okanagan Spring Brewery
various plumbing outlets. The company's growing full-time staff of
and in 2006 Sapporo Breweries purchased Sleeman Brewing. This
more than 200 manufacturing and administrative professionals is
has enabled Vernon’s small craft brewery to grow to become one
dedicated to being the market leader in high quality bathing
of the largest brewery facilities in Western Canada. Sleemans,
products that offer ease of installation and are supported by
the third largest brewer in Canada, operates breweries in Vernon -
outstanding customer service.
BC, Guelph - Ontario and Chambly - Quebec.
Acutruss Industries
Founded in 1971, AcuTruss Industries (1996) Limited comprises

five sales offices and two manufacturing plants, all located in
beautiful British Columbia. AcuTruss is Western Canada's premier
supplier of professionally engineered and manufactured roof truss
and floor support systems. Their modern manufacturing facilities
have the capacity and means to produce technically advanced
other raw materials needed in the design and manufacture of the
Rapid Span custom products.
Other significant sectors are the construction related

manufacturers. Local companies are creating innovative housing
Rapid-Span consists of a group of companies that specialize in the alternatives in markets from camp housing to high end residential
manufacture of steel, precast, and timber components for the homes.
transportation industry, and in particular, bridges.
Specialized production and manufacturing is common in the area.
They have production plants just north of Vernon, BC and in The economy is driven by the ingenuity of our local
Alberta and have been supplying bridge systems and components entrepreneurs, the cost of manufacturing and availability of
to government and industry since 1983. Their goal is to be a labour. As a result, the area boasts a wide range of companies
leading provider of transportation infrastructure products. Rapid- linked by the ability to deliver high quality, cost effective products.
Span is widely recognized for the quality of its product and
reliability of its service. Several new specially built areas have been developed to support
an expansion of manufacturing and industrial businesses. Two of
note are: Okanagan Falls Business Park and Senkulmen Business
Tolko Industries Ltd Park.
OK Falls Business Park is a superb 136 acre tract of prime, shovel

Tolko Industries Ltd. is a private, Canadian-owned forest products ready, industrial land on the edge of Okanagan Falls. One of the
company based in Vernon, British Columbia. It is a major largest undeveloped industrial zoned areas in the Okanagan
producer and marketer of lumber, veneer, plywood, oriented Valley, this site offers multiple sized lots on levelled, picturesque
strand board, and kraft papers, with manufacturing operations and accessible land. Situated just 15 minutes south of the City of
across Western Canada. Penticton and Penticton Airport near the intersection of Highway
97 and Highway 3A to Vancouver as well as less than one hour to
The company has approximately 3,400 employees with about one the 24-hour USA-Canada border at Osoyoos makes the business
third of them located in their Okanagan operations. park a unique desirable business development opportunity.
Founded in 1956, Tolko has grown from a small sawmill in Senkulmen Business Park is a 112 acre environmentally
Lavington, British Columbia, to become a company diversified by sustainable business and light industrial park near Gallagher Lake,
geography and product. between Okanagan Falls and Oliver. Close to the USA-Canada
border at Osoyoos, this business park affords businesses with
The C ompany’s Woodlands operations have received third-party ready-to-build sites for development and expansion on fully
certification of their sustainable forest management systems. serviced, multiple sized lots. Senkulmen offers superb highway
Tolko is also a member of the Forest Products Association of linkages to Vancouver and the British Columbia Interior.
Canada and a signatory to the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement.
Listed below are organizations with representation in the
For more information on manufacturing companies in Vernon and Okanagan Similkameen region selected for mention by the
the North Okanagan visit www.investvernon.ca economic development personnel in the region.
70
Okanagan Similkameen
The South Okanagan is the location of many specialized custom Pattison Sign Group
manufacturing and construction organizations. These firms benefit
from a pool of skilled labour and the ongoing skilled trades
training offered locally at Okanagan College in Penticton. Pattison Sign Group is one of the largest sign and visual
communication companies in the world and an industry leader in
North America. Pattison Signs is a full service signage provider
Manufacturing is focused on producing and shipping custom
with 100% North America coverage. Pattison chose Penticton for
products. The sector has a strong oil and gas supply chain focus one of only 3 manufacturing plants in Canada
with many companies supplying the robust oil field production
needs of Alberta’s energy sector. Local companies provide
products as diverse as trailers, truck bodies and electrical control Unit Electric Engineering
panels. These major local businesses source supplies and inputs
from other manufacturers such as aluminum, structural steel and
Canadian manufacturer of high voltage electric power & control Cannery Brewing
equipment: Small hydro-electric substations, back up generators,
switchgear, modular e-houses.
Cannery brewing creates local craft brews and ales. Their

products feature the best of the Okanagan, inside and out with
Slimline
iconic names such as Naramata Nut Brown or Anarchist Amber
Ale. Cannery Growler Club members enjoy specialty beers,
limited release beers and refills.
A manufacturer of unique custom airblast spray equipment for
agricultural use in orchards and vineyards. Slimline ships Berdick Windows
worldwide and has the major Canadian market share in their
sector.
Berdick Windows and Doors meets the fenestration standard

Cut Technologies
(NAFS) and complies with the current BC Building Codes, Berdick
has built vinyl windows for the Okanagan and beyond for more
Cut Technologies manufactures precision saw blades of all sizes in than 40 years. They provide top quality, durable energy efficient
Penticton. Cut Technologies uses the latest in robotic technology windows and doors designed for easy maintenance and durability.
and highly skilled technicians to produce reliable, precision saw
blades. S ome of their major customers operate sawmills
R & R Plastics Ltd
throughout North America (Range Rider Truck Caps)
Structurlam
Manufacturer of Range Rider truck canopies since 1983. Truck

lids, truck canopies, truck caps, automotive accessories, truck
Long based in the South Okanagan, Structurlam is world accessories, commercial truck caps, fleet sales, fiberglass caps,
renowned manufacturer of high quality glue-laminated beams, fiberglass lids, manufacturers
cross laminated beams and wood products for construction. The
passion for using wood for its strength and beauty combined with
design expertise and state of the art production facilities has
resulted in more award winning structures than any other Ripley Stainless
manufacturer in North America. Structurlam is headquartered in
Penticton with manufacturing taking place in Okanagan Falls.
Britco Manufacturers of robust, custom made, stainless steel tanks for

the winery, brewery, cidery and micro distillery markets and the
oil & gas sector. Ripley has been fabricating tanks and tank
components in Summerland since 1979
As a leader in supply to oil and gas and utility companies, Britco
specializes in the design and manufacture of custom factory built
Sunview Industries
modular and mobile buildings for camps, residential, industrial
and commercial requirements. Britco won “Best Modular Building
in North America.
Manufacturer of window products for RV, Truck Cab, Marine. This
family owned company specializes in high heat ceramic coatings..
Karoleena Homes ISO9001 Certified
Arrow Industries
Karoleena builds high quality, LEED standard beautiful modern

modular homes from its 55,000 square foot facility in Okanagan
Falls. T heir durable green homes use the best energy efficient Manufactures and sells fibreglass truck canopies
designs to create distinct, beautiful modular prefab cabins or
homes.
Technology
Technology is one of the most rapidly emerging economic sectors Local Government – Private Sector Collaboration
in the Okanagan Valley. Several factors support ongoing
emergence of the region as an innovation and technology A number of private initiatives and collaborative organizations
incubator, including the following:- encourage and facilitate economic growth in the Okanagan.
o The Okanagan is an appealing and moderately affordable

area to live in. Surrounded by mountains and lakes, with an
enviable climate and easy access to recreational and leisure
centres, it appeals to location-independent businesses and
entrepreneurs, evident from some of the key players who
have established in the area.
o The Okanagan is well connected to the rest of the world:
• Telecommunications infrastructure is first rate, with a

choice of service providers offering reliable high speed
online connectivity, cellular service, fixed line
telecommunication, cable and satellite.
• The tenth busiest airport in Canada, Kelowna

International Airport is a first class facility that
Accelerate Okanagan
processes 1.6 million passengers annually. With several
commercial airlines already in operation, it provides
Accelerate Okanagan strives
access to dozens of key national and international
to increase the number of
centres including many non-stop flights, to which new
technology companies that
routes and flights are being added every year. As the
start and grow in the Okanagan. They achieve this in two ways:
largest municipally owned and operated airport in
Canada, and a major economic driver for the
“Helping to develop and support a vibrant entrepreneurial,
Okanagan, Kelowna International Airport is geared to
creative and innovative technology community.
expand its infrastructure and services as required to
accommodate future demand. Penticton Regional
Our community ranges from students and aspiring entrepreneurs
Airport in the southern Okanagan offers direct service
to startups and early stage companies; as well as established
to Vancouver and Calgary.
technology companies and the wide range of service providers
who are critical to our industry.
o The Okanagan is a geologically stable area. This is
particularly important for industries with sensitive
Accelerate Okanagan offers programs that support entrepreneurs
instrumentation and electronic data storage facilities, for
and technology companies looking to s tart, accelerate and grow.
which operational uptime is critical.
These programs combine elements such as needs assessments,
hands on coaching, mentorship, and access to world class
o The Okanagan has attracted a large body of skilled persons
expertise – including connections provincially, nationally and
who have elected to relocate to the area for lifestyle and
internationally.
health reasons, often well ahead of normal retirement age,
and often having enjoyed a successful career elsewhere. This
segment of the population is a source of valuable talent and Our objective is to help entrepreneurs and companies accelerate
mentorship for upcoming entrepreneurs, and is likely to their growth and maximize their opportunity.”
continue to support growth and success of the local economy
in technology and other sectors. Accelerate Okanagan’s mandate is to increase the number of
technology companies that start and grow in the Okanagan. The
o Several local government organizations, in collaboration with organization focuses on developing and supporting a vibrant
the private sector, are actively engaged in the promotion of entrepreneurial, creative and innovative technology community,
the Okanagan as a centre for technology innovation and including students, aspiring entrepreneurs and start-ups, to early
incubation. stage and established technology companies, together with the
range of service providers critical to the industry.
Leveraging a $2.1 million investment through the BC Innovation Several factors support the Okanagan’s appeal to this area of
Council, Accelerate Okanagan aims to increase the number of technology, including its proximity to the geographic centre of the
technology companies that start and grow in the region. largest user groups for ICT services on the planet:
For instance, Accelerate Okanagan is building on the vibrant and o The Okanagan Valley is geologically stable;
successful software and animation cluster in Kelowna. I ndustry o Climate change projections are that it will not experience the
leaders such as Disney’s Club Penguin, that employs a few scale of extreme weather events that have started to impact
hundred technology workers, creates an anchor for this cluster. many areas in the United States;
Recently, start-up luminaries such as Hyper Hippo, led by the o Hydro electricity is available and essentially carbon neutral;
area’s serial entrepreneurs are also gaining momentum. As a o The area has a well developed transportation infrastructure,
result, Kelowna is developing a reputation as an animation providing easy access by air and road;
powerhouse. o Adequate land is available for development, as is a skilled
workforce;
The Okanagan is home to a number of innovative technology
companies. RackForce
IBM and others worked with Rackforce, a privately owned
Metabridge company in Kelowna, to open a huge data centre “far from
earthquake and flood zones, close to cheap power sources and
Metabridge is a solid example of
just a short flight from Vancouver 71”.
the initiative and drive to
connect the Okanagan
RackForce Networks 72 is a privately held ICT service provider
technology community and its
based in Kelowna B.C., Canada. Founded in 2001 by
entrepreneurs and ideas with similar technology communities.
entrepreneurs Tim Dufour and Brian Fry, RackForce supports
thousands of customers from over 100 countries.
“We aim to support entrepreneurship & investment within
Canada’s Emerging Tech Sector -- great people, great
“RackForce's roots are based in Internet infrastructure hosting
relationships". Metabridge evolved from a single-day 30 person
where we earned a reputation for leadership and innovation. It
event in 2008 to an annual program directly engaging hundreds
has consistently provided market leading services by selectively
of technology stakeholders across Western North America.
leveraging emerging technologies to provide cost effective,
Through focused and interactive events, emerging technology
innovative offerings. For example, as early adopters of
companies are establishing important connections that provide
virtualization, Linux and open source management platforms,
them with an opportunity to grow their business beyond Canada.
RackForce has provided more function and performance for the
Steve Wandler came up with the metabridge concept in 2008
dollar than its' larger peers.”
after returning to Kelowna when his company was acquired by
support.com (NASDAQ: sprt) in California’s Bay Area. As the CEO
of a Canadian tech company, Steve realized how important it was
to create relationships in the Bay Area and wanted to give back to
his local community… metabridge was the answer. The Central
Okanagan Economic Development Commission (COEDC) founded
metabridge, subsequently registered as a not-for-profit society in
2013.
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)

The importance of ICT in the evolving economy cannot be
overstated. With the steady migration from paper-based, to
server-based to cloud based information management, storage
and exchange, the demand for secure and reliable data and
information manage and storage increases daily.
Exterior view of a high-density GigaVault in the new Rackforce

As we come to depend more on virtual and cloud-based networks,
data centre in Kelowna
we face an increasing need for secure and reliable information
storage and retrieval. Google’s data centres are an excellent
In the 2005-2007 period RackForce developed strategic
example of the current state and scale of technology in this arena.
relationships with major technology leaders, such as Microsoft,
IBM and Cisco Systems … to have early access to game changing
intelligence, products and technologies. It translated these
advantages into the development of new enterprise-class services,
revising its capabilities to focus more directly on the enterprise
market. Its services are represented in a ‘4 Pillars’ infrastructure
services portfolio:
o Colocation Services
o Servers Services, including dedicated, virtual & Cloud services
o Network Services
o Managed Services and Disaster Recovery Services
Vineyard Networks
Vineyard Networks 73 - recently acquired by Procera - is the world’s
leading developer of true Layer 7 Deep Packet Inspection (DPI)
and application classification technology. Vineyard provides
enterprise and service provider networking infrastructure vendors
with these capabilities through an easily integrated software
package - Vineyard's Network Application Visibility Library (NAVL).
Founded in 2008, Vineyard Networks has been named as a 2011

Red Herring Global 100 Tech Startup Winner, recognized as one
of BC’s Top 10 Places to work, chosen for the 2012 Ready to
Rocket list, selected as one of Canada’s 25 Most Innovative
Companies and named as one of Network World’s 2010 Start-Ups
to Watch. Exro: the ‘Intelligent Revolution’
Exro has developed and

patented a unique method of
‘self-optimizing’ electric motors
and generators to reduce
losses in high variability
applications. Its first
commercial application is wind
power, where Exro is
collaborating with numerous
turbine makers to convert their
existing geared turbines to
direct-drive using Exro’s
Vineyard Networks is funded through a combination of private Variable Input Electrical Generator (VIEG).
investment and technology focused grants and programs,
including SIIF - the Southern Interior Innovation Fund, SIDIT – The benefit is an immediate increase in the turbine’s annual
Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust and NRC-IRAP - output along with a significant reduction in downtime and annual
the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research maintenance. In addition to wind power, their technology
Assistance Program. platform has a compelling value proposition for run of river and
marine power, as well as electric vehicles, industrial motors,
Exro Technologies portable power and other inherently variable applications where
Jonathan Ritchey of Vernon, BC is a serial inventor and visionary reducing losses equates to a material economic benefit.
committed to the environment. This passion led him to
experiment with many innovative technologies over the past 20 Exro Technologies Inc., a privately held Canadian Corporation
years resulting in more than a dozen patents. His most recent based in Vancouver, is the exclusive provider of the Variable
invention the Variable Input Electrical Generator, or VIEG, led to Induction Electrical Generator (VIEG), a unique Direct-Drive
the founding of Exro technologies in 2005. Permanent Magnet Generator designed specifically for clean
energy applications. Initially targeting wind, Exro’s VIEG
eliminates the need for a gearbox— which reduces maintenance
issues and eliminates system losses. The VIEG also provides
additional increases in energy output along with increased fault
tolerance, all without a need for a complete turbine redesign.
portable oxygen concentrator (POC) and an industrial scale
oxygen generation plant.
The PSA process uses innovative techniques to achieve high

oxygen concentration with notable energy efficiency.
Portable oxygen concentrators have been around for about a

decade; but earlier versions were bulky, unreliable, and not
permitted on airplanes. In recent years manufacturers have
improved their reliability and they now produce anywhere
between one half and three litres of oxygen per minute. Portable
concentrators can be recharged directly from a regular household
The installation of the VIEG drives down the cost per kilowatt power outlet or by using a vehicle DC adapter. For ambulatory
hour by producing a double-digit improvement in a turbine’s use, when the patient is on an airplane, train or ship, or generally
annual energy output (kWh per year) and by decreasing the cost away from the home and moving from place to place, long battery
of ownership of the turbine over its lifetime. The company has life is essential.
working prototypes and is currently engaged in testing and
validation activities designed to quantify the economic value of As the “baby boomers” age and in general people live longer lives,
the technology in a range of applications. demand for POC’s will increase; as will performance expectations.
For these reasons efficiency, weight and battery life are major
ElectroMotion Energy determinants of success for modern POC’s. Having benchmarked
its own POC against current products, WearAir is confident that it
ElectroMotion Energy is a Summerland based company that has can become a market leader with a device that is superior in
developed an energy efficient unit known as the Revolution, every way.
designed to make the furnace, hot water tank and air conditioner
obsolete.
An electrical generator uses natural gas to generate heat and

electricity through combustion and includes an internal hot water
tank. The system combines energy efficient heat pump
technology with a natural gas-fired generator, which allows
homeowners to generate their own electricity and heat or cool
their home.
Revolution consolidates hot water heating, space heating, air

conditioning and backup electricity into one unit. Through the new
technology, there is a sharing of energy between the different
systems, which increases efficiency, reduces energy costs and
reduces green house emissions.
The company anticipates future advancements and development

efforts to include the introduction of a standalone solution to
provide electricity, hot water, and space heating for remote From an industrial perspective, since the WearAir cycle operates
applications such as remote ’island-grid’ communities, logging & at low pressure, inexpensive off-the-shelf components can be
oil camps, arctic and military theatres. It has initially focused its used for construction of oxygen generation plants. The benefits
marketing efforts on public utilities and residential developments being reduced capital costs and lower operating costs to users of
in British Columbia ElectroMotion is working with Energy Canada, the patented technology. New applications for the pressure swing
NRC-IRAP, FortisBC, local municipalities and territorial adsorption technology are being investigated. Among them are
government jurisdictions with regards to validating and deploying uses in fuel cells, aviation, oxyfuel combustion, diesel engine
the Revolution™ and Energy EcoSystem™ technologies. emissions reduction and chemical filtration.
WearAir Oxygen and WearAir Industrial

Kelowna-based company WearAir Oxygen has developed an
energy efficient pressure swing adsorption (PSA) air separation
technology that has been successfully prototyped in both a
Factor 9 Sports Retail Trade
Factor 9 Sports received funding from the National Research
Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program Central Okanagan - Wholesale and Retail Trade
(NRC IRAP) in 2013 to research ice hockey skating The Central Okanagan is the largest retail and business
performance using their Blur Analysis System. The project centre in the Interior of British Columbia with a wide range
plan includes researching algorithms that will in turn provide of retail, wholesale and franchise stores to support the
meaningful data to hockey players. region’s growing population. Strong retail trade is a
significant component of tourism and a major generator of
The company expects its system to be used by teams to employment.
gauge talent in prospects, minimize injuries and improve
rehabilitation programs. While the impact of the economic recession was certainly
felt by local retailers and wholesalers, retail leasing
Mazza Innovation activity was the most active segment of the market in the
'Reinventing the extraction of second and third quarters of 2011, according to Colliers
phytochemicals'. Mazza innovation is a International. Lease rates are competitive with other major
Summerland based company, whose urban centres and a diverse inventory of commercial space
patented extraction technology uses pressurized low polarity is available.
water (PLPW) to optimize the extraction of phytochemicals
from plants. Population growth is taking place throughout the Central
Okanagan and many neighborhoods are redefining their
retail mix to enhance the flavor and unique aspects of each
Mazza's PLPW process is a breakthrough clean, green
area. From farmers’ markets to high-end clothing stores
process delivering the natural products consumers
and warehouse megastores, virtually every type of shopping
are demanding by producing high value extracts from plants,
experience is provided.
using sustainable, high performance and cost effective
science.
In downtown Kelowna, a $14 million revitalization is
underway to enhance residents’ and visitors’ experiences in
the area. Planned improvements include wider sidewalks,
more trees and vegetation, and replacement of aging utilities
Okanagan Specialty Fruits and roadways. Building on the city’s evolving arts and
Based in Summerland, OSF is a small, dynamic agriculture cultural district, there will be more events and activities that
biotechnology company that specializes in developing tree engage the community and highlight the area’s attributes.
fruit varieties with novel attributes that benefit fruit
producers and consumers alike. In other parts of the city, the look and feel of the South
Pandosy/Mission area is an example of a self-contained
The firm seeks out and licenses proven technologies that neighborhood for upscale urban residents. High-end
introduce novel attributes into new or existing tree fruits. It condominiums and townhomes are surrounded by
is one of the first firms in the commercial tree fruit industry pedestrian friendly sidewalks, eclectic eateries and a variety
to pursue use of biotechnology directed breeding to deliver of retailers from furniture stores to yoga studios, art
product innovations. galleries and boutiques. Revitalization is also underway in
the neighborhood of Rutland on the northeast edge of the
The OSF science team works collaboratively with many of city’s core, including streetscaping, public art projects and
the world’s leading tree fruit research institutions. Its first increased public transportation. Niche market retailers and
market entry is a platform project to bring a unique non- increasing numbers of businesses are taking advantage of
browning attribute into apple, a trait that is also applicable to competitive commercial space in the area.
pear and soft fruits. OSF holds the exclusive worldwide
license from Australia’s CSIRO to use the polyphenol oxidase The changing face of retail is also evident in the districts of
(PPO) gene to control enzymatic browning in tree fruits. Lake Country just north of Kelowna, and Peachland to the
south. Both communities are enhancing the street appeal
Harnessing use of this gene, in addition to other licensed of their combined business/retail areas to promote local
enabling technologies, OSF is developing tree fruits with pride and a “shop local” attitude.
inhibited enzymatic browning. Nonbrowning fruits such as
the nonbrowning Arctic® apples offer tremendous benefits West Kelowna, which became its own municipality in 2007,
and advantages across the tree fruit supply chain. consists of several major communities just 10 minutes from
downtown Kelowna. With its massive retail component,
diverse residential areas, wineries, golf courses and other The Kelowna area is the largest retail and business centre in
tourism attractions West Kelowna is relatively self- the interior of BC with a total of seven shopping centres.
contained. As it continues to attract new families and Orchard Park Shopping Centre is the largest shopping centre
retirees, additional retail opportunities are expected well into between Calgary and Vancouver and has recently undergone
the future. a major expansion.
In-migration and significant population growth projected for Most major chain stores are represented locally, including
several years points to additional retail opportunities Wal-Mart, Costco, Canadian Tire, The Brick, The Bay, Sears,
throughout the region, provided they are well Zellers, London Drugs, Best Buy, Future Shop, Superstore,
researched and target clearly defined market groups. Home Depot, Rona, and Chapters.
Retail Sales
Retail sales in the Central Okanagan flattened off from an North Okanagan - Wholesale and Retail Trade
historical peak in 2007, but are trending back above that Okanagan Spirits is an internationally acclaimed craft
benchmark according to latest estimates. distillery featuring a unique selection of specialty spirits.
The fall-off in retail sales growth was concurrent with the Made from 100% BC fruit, and without additives, chemicals
end of the real estate boom, which in itself will have driven or artificial flavours, these fine spirits have won numerous
a significant part of retail sales, especially during the headier awards domestically and internationally. Okanagan Spirits is
years of 2005 to 2007. Notwithstanding the softening in recognized as a Master Class distillery, and one of the top
this sector, retail sales have shown robust growth over the craft distilleries in the world. More than 25 varieties are
last 10 years and can be expected to improve further, when produced in their traditional copper-pot stills. These include
the Canadian economy moves out of recession. Fruit Brandies, Liqueurs, Grappa, Aquavit, Gin, Whiskey, and
Taboo Genuine Absinthe.
Central % BC %
Okanagan change change Okanagan Spirits has two distilleries, including one in
1999 1,404.1 27.5% 34,881.8 6.2% downtown Vernon and downtown Kelowna , and has been a
2000 1,477.5 5.2% 37,437.7 7.3% leader in founding the Artisan Distillers Guild of BC to help
2001 1,845.9 24.9% 36,141.4 (3.5%) foster wholesale and retail market access for small-batch
2002 1,761.3 (4.6%) 39,321.1 8.8% distillery products, similar to what is now in place for wine
distribution.
2003 1,904.0 8.1% 42,184.2 7.3%
2004 1,944.2 2.1% 43,039.3 2.0%
Wholesale and Retail Sector – The City of Vernon is
2005 2,009.8 3.4% 45,035.0 4.6%
centrally located in the North Okanagan and is the service
2006 2,458.8 22.3% 52,390.7 16.3% hub for the region with a primary market population 75,000
2007 2,706.7 10.1% 55,506.5 5.9% within a half hour drive. A secondary market with an
2008 2,538.8 (6.2%) 57,263.7 3.2% additional 50,000 people lies within a one hour drive. The
2009 2,516.8 (0.9%) 56,986.8 (0.5%) retail sales generated from the greater Vernon Area is large
2010 2,492.0 (1.0%) 57,034.2 0.1% enough to support a diverse variety of wholesale and retail
* 2011 2,671.0 7.2% 57,034.2 0.0% firms.
** 2012 2,863.1 7.2% 62,493.4 9.6%
Sales in %
Retail category
$mil total
Food 207.9 11
Shelter 374.69 21
Clothing 67.2 4
Transportation 242.0 13
Health & personal care 81.9 5
Recreation, reading, education 140.2 8
Taxes & securities 421.3 23
Other 277.9 15
Total expenditures 1,813.5 100
Source: Regional District North Okanagan, ex Canadian
Demographics, Financial Post - 2011
Collectively in 2011 there were 106 wholesale trade and 330 Penticton commissioned a study by Colliers which highlights
retail trade firms in the greater Vernon Area. The number of the trade areas of the downtown core as well as its retail
firms represents a slight decline for both wholesale and retail growth opportunities. Key findings of the study:
firms locally over numbers present in 2008
o the retail trade area is estimated at over 50,000
The wholesale labour force is approximately 630 while the residents.
retail sector is 2,615. With a collective labour force of over o the City benefits from a substantial tourism trade
3,200, the wholesale and retail sector makes up over 18 estimated at over 1.5 million annual visitors.
percent of the total Vernon labour force. o the convention centre hosts over 100,000 event
participating days annually with 30-40% non resident
Wholesale and Retail Opportunities – Vernon’s delegate days.
population is growing, creating more demand for retail and o the area is expected to need an additional 11,000 sqf of
wholesale services. Vernon also offers commercial land retail commercial floor space support by 2016.
development opportunities in the City Centre District and o the downtown core accommodate more than 6,000
other areas, which are supplemented by favourable residents and 5,700 daytime workers.
municipal government policies.
Penticton offers unique boutique retail product including
Vernon’s emergence as a major shopping hub in British home wares, clothing, sporting goods, collectibles, crafts and
Columbia’s interior means there are many opportunities to art.
invest in the city’s retail and wholesale sector.
The Okanagan Similkameen agricultural zone produces a
Okanagan Similkameen - Wholesale and Retail Trade range of craft food products. Local products include fruit
based spirits, syrups, jams and sweet delights. Local cheese
Penticton and the south Okanagan 74 offer a full range of producers create hand-crafted cheese in their creameries
chain and franchise stores expected in an urban setting. using local milk, including gluten-free and additive-free
Major chains represented include WalMart, Canadian Tire, artisanal products.
The Brick, The Bay, Sears, London Drugs, Superstore, Rona
and Staples. In Penticton, these are located primarily in the The south Okanagan trade area includes the communities of
shopping districts and malls at the south end. Summerland, Osoyoos, Oliver and Hedley.
Boutique and local retail stores meet the local needs for The town of Osoyoos features a range of retail outlets
unique products and shopping experiences along the including clothing, shoes, accessories, innovative gift shops,
downtown streets of Penticton, including iconic Front Street florists, jewelers, bakeries, grocery stores, drug stores, hair
and Main Street as well as in the Riverside Shopping Centre stylists, spas, sweets and treats, health food shops, second-
at the north entrance to the city. hand treasures and more.
The Penticton Downtown Community Market and Farmers Summerland is one of few Okanagan communities with a
Market are part of the retail attraction that defines the south compact, walkable downtown core separated from Highway
Okanagan, attracting over 5000 people per hour on Saturday 97. Specialty retailers include antique and vintage stores,
mornings. The May to October event attracts local retailers, quilting supplies and classes, formal wear, original fashion
farmers and crafters who offer diversity in fresh produce, design and clothing stores, local coffee shops and an organic
unique wares and food. The markets added wine, beer and mill and bakery plus two organic roasting companies.
spirit tasting in 2014 as part of its retail offering. Retailers
often use the community market to test local demand, to Syrups, jams, specialty vinegars, handmade chocolates and
provide a cost effective second location in peak summer wine are available from 13 local wineries, and the local art
months, and to have a low cost retail location for home gallery includes a retail section.
based business ventures.
Okanagan Falls has a small retail sector concentrated along
Penticton recently invested in a downtown revitalization the Highway 97 corridor and a town centre will several
project that tackles the development of areas within the quality antiques and furniture stores. The town is
downtown core to form the basis of a pedestrian friendly undertaking an extensive planning process to revitalize its
vibrant community. Revitalization work started in 2014 and town centre economy.
will continue for several years.
.
Infrastructure
Health Care
Access to first rate health care for its residents is a necessary to services, and improve patient care through the consolidation of
component for a vibrant, sustainable community. The Okanagan programs currently distributed throughout the hospital.
Valley is serviced by the Interior Health Authority (IH), with three
major hospitals, Vernon Jubilee Hospital (north), Kelowna General The project will be constructed in two phases. Phase one will
Hospital (central) and Penticton Regional Hospital (south). include the construction of a new patient care tower with new
walk-in care centre, surgical services centre, 84 medical/surgical
Interior Health 75 was established as one of five geographically- inpatient beds in single patient rooms, a new medical device
based health authorities in 2001 by the Government of British reprocessing unit, and space for the UBC Faculty of Medicine
Columbia. It is responsible for ensuring publicly-funded health Program.
services are provided to over 742,000 residents of the Southern
Interior. Phase two will involve the renovation of vacated areas in the
current hospital to allow the expansion of the emergency
Interior Health serves a large geographic area covering almost department into a space almost four times the size of the current
216,000 square kilometres and includes larger cities such as department, as well as renovations to existing support areas of
Kelowna, Kamloops, Cranbrook, Trail, Penticton and Vernon, as pharmacy, laundry and materiel (supplies and equipment) stores.
well as a multitude of more rural and remote communities.
Communities
58 municipalities & 95 unincorporated places
55 First Nations communities
7 regional hospital districts
Services
Approximately $1.8 billion annual operating budget (2012/13)
16 community hospitals
4 service area hospitals
2 tertiary referral hospitals
6,275 residential care and assisted living beds (Oct 2012)
78
Acute care, health promotion and prevention, community care, Design concept for the Penticton Regional Hospital - Photo Credit
residential care, mental health and substance use, public health,

and more. The procurement process will take approximately 18 months to
complete, and construction of the new tower and renovations to
People the existing building will take about three and a half years.
Approximately 18,666 staff (Oct 2012)
1,516 physicians with privileges in IH's acute facilities (Oct 2012) The procurement process for the new addition began in fall 2014.
Construction is expected in 2016 with the new tower providing
Investments in Health Care health care services by 2019.
The Okanagan has been a major site of acute care renovations 76,
including the major hospital expansion projects underway for Kelowna and Vernon Hospitals Project
Vernon Jubilee Hospital and Kelowna General Hospital. The Polson The Kelowna and Vernon Hospitals Project 79 included the new
Tower in Vernon opened its doors in late 2011 with an estimated 33,500m2 Centennial Building at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH).
cost of $81 million. The Kelowna General Hospital expansion has
added a six-storey high 33,500m2 new Centennial Patient Care The KGH emergency department is located on the ground floor of
Tower that will combine and consolidate outpatient services in to the Centennial Building and has quadrupled in size. And KGH is
one facility. The expansion projects are building capacity to meet also the site of a 3,200m2 Interior Health and UBC Faculty of
the demands of the Okanagan’s growing population and are Medicine Clinical Academic Campus. Vernon Jubilee Hospital (VJH)
estimated to cost over $700 million. has also opened its new 21,500m2 Polson Tower.
BC Premier Christy Clark announced in July 2014 that the These new facilities will help Interior Health provide enhanced
Penticton Regional Hospital Patient Care Tower 77 will go ahead. patient care for a growing population. The coordination of care for
The new Care Tower will include approximately 26,700m2 of new patients will be improved through the integration of outpatient
health care facilities. This project will significantly improve access
and day care services at both KGH and VJH. And service efficiency Interior in an integrated critical care facility supported by a full
and patient flow will improve the patient experience. range of clinical supports closer to where people live.
New Centennial Building (centre) and new Interior Heart and Vernon Jubilee Hospital
Surgical Centre (left) at Kelowna General Hospital Photo credit: Kurtis Stewart
The Kelowna and Vernon Hospitals Project is a partnership The IHSC’s state of the art inpatient surgical unit, combined with
between the BC Ministry of Health, Interior Health, the Central the cardiac revascularization program, will save lives by providing
Okanagan Regional Hospital District, the North Okanagan timely, life-saving therapies and surgeries to residents of the
Columbia Shuswap Regional Hospital District and Infusion Health. Southern Interior who previously would have had to be
transported to the coast.
Artist’s rendering - Interior Heart and Surgical Centre KGH
Support services will be enhanced, including cardiac, surgical and

New Centennial Building - Kelowna General Hospital intensive care units, a new and expanded central sterilization
Photo credit: Kurtis Stewart reprocessing department and expanded diagnostic imaging,
pharmacy and materials management departments.
Interior Heart and Surgical Centre (IHSC) Project
The $367 million Interior Heart and Surgical Centre (IHSC) In addition, a new modern adult psychiatry inpatient unit,
Project 80 is an important part of building patient care in the updated medical inpatient unit, and ophthalmology department
Interior – including new patient care towers at KGH and VJH and have been created in the new KGH Centennial Building, along with
the development of UBC’s Southern Medical Program – and will an expanded laboratory and clinical departments in the new Dr.
bring to $800 million the total capital investment in the Central Walter Anderson Building.
and North Okanagan since 2007.
The IHSC Project is a partnership between the BC Ministry of
The IHSC will benefit patients across the health authority by being Health, Interior Health, the Central Okanagan Regional Hospital
able to provide the highest level of medical care ever seen in the District and Plenary Health.
Medical Research and Teaching Acute Neurology Hospice
Kelowna General Hospital has been designated as a teaching Acute Psychiatric Services Intensive Care Unit
hospital with a UBC Medical School Clinical Academic Campus for Arthritis Rehabilitation Mammography
both instruction and research. The Interior Health and UBC Asthma Education Program Maternity Services
Faculty of Medicine Clinical Academic Campus (CAC) at Kelowna Cardioversion Mental Health & Substance
General Hospital is now complete. It is a two-storey, 3,150m2 Cast Clinic Use Services
building, including a 180-seat lecture theatre, library, classroom Chemotherapy Microbiology
and clinical space. It also includes an attached multi-level Colon Screening Program MRI
parkade. Community Respiratory Oncology
CT Scan Ophthalmology
Diagnostic Bronchoscopy Orthopaedic Surgery
Diagnostic Cardiology Pacemaker Implantation
Ear, Nose & Throat Services Pediatrics
Endoscopy Pulmonary Diagnostics
Enterostomal Therapy Radiology
Fluoroscopy Speech-Language Pathology
Gastroenterology Telehealth
General Surgery Transfusion Services
Hematology Ultrasound
Home Oxygen Program Urology
Penticton Health Care

The City of Penticton offers the full range of health care options.
As a sports training destination, it offers a choice of chiropractors,
physiotherapists, massage therapists and other medical
UBC and Interior Health Clinical Academic Campus - KGH
practitioners, with 3 walk-in clinics and a range of pharmacies.
Penticton Regional Hospital (PRH) is a Service Area Hospital

With a large elderly population, the area has both private and
responsible for providing core medical and surgical specialty
public care homes and facilities offering a range of independent
service, and is also the training site for the UBC Southern Medical
living and assisted care options.
Program Rural Family Practice Clerkships & Year 4 Electives 81.
Penticton is home to public and private social service agencies

including service offices for Provincial Ministries for Family
Services and Social Services as well as emergency and long term
mental health programs and children's services.
Penticton Regional Hospital
The City of Penticton is home to more than 120 doctors including

specialists, with 3 doctors per thousand inhabitants 82. Penticton
Regional Hospital serves the entire South Okanagan and has over
900 staff. It has 237 beds and offers services including 24 hour
emergency and trauma services, acute services, ambulatory and
outpatient clinics and diagnostic and paramedical services.
83
Some key services include
Projections for Sector Growth The Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market
Development reviews high opportunity occupations 86 in British
Two research-based documents provide valuable insights into the
Columbia every few years. Occupations on the list are expected
potential for growth of the economy and employment in the
to have above-average opportunities for job seekers in the near
Okanagan Valley. The research report titled ‘Human Capital and
future, due to a combination of above-average job openings and
Productivity in British Columbia 84’ and the British Columbia Labour
above-average growth. The following list of 22 high opportunity
Market Outlook 2010-2020 85 provide the following findings
occupations was identified in the 2011 Report for 2010-2020.
relevant to the Okanagan Valley community:
NOC Code Occupational Group 87
“In most respects, British Columbia is performing extremely well *0911 Manufacturing Managers
in human capital development. The province’s performance is 6261 Police Officers (Except Commissioned)
above average according to the majority of the indicators we *0013 Senior Managers–Financial, Communications
analyze, relative to both the rest of Canada and other OECD Carriers and Other Business Services
*2171 Information Systems Analysts and Consultants
countries. However, there is room for improvement. We have
*2174 Computer Programmers and Interactive Media
identified four key areas in which improvements would be likely to Developers
contribute to productivity growth in British Columbia: 0713 Transportation Managers
7242 Industrial Electricians
o the underutilization of the skills of recent immigrants; *0015 Senior Managers–Trade, Broadcasting and Other
Services
o the poor educational outcomes of Aboriginal people;
0314 Managers In Social, Community and Correctional
o the below-average production of advanced human capital Services
through graduate training; and 2122 Forestry Professionals
o the problem of high school non-completion.” 3131 Pharmacists
7217 Contractors and Supervisors, Heavy Construction
Equipment Crews
The first two key areas listed above, offer the most impactful
*4163 Economic Development Officers and Marketing
route in terms of which the province and its communities can Researchers and Consultants
generate early improvements in their existing human capital. *2173 Software Engineers
Although the average high school graduation rate in British 0311 Managers In Health Care
Columbia is slightly above 80% with the lowest drop-out rate in 7351 Stationary Engineers and Auxiliary Equipment
Operators
Canada, it is the best performing province in Canada and ranks
1212 Supervisors, Finance and Insurance Clerks
amongst the highest compared with most OECD countries. 6462 Correctional Service Officers
*3152 Registered Nurses
The four areas for improvement in human capital are as true for 7215 Contractors and Supervisors, Carpentry Trades
the Okanagan Valley as they are for the province of British *1441 Administrative Clerks
2147 Computer Engineers
Columbia. For one thing, 20-year population growth forecasts for
the Okanagan Valley assume a continuous inflow in excess of
Labour market indicators used to develop the above list of high
5,000 new in-migrants per year, of which at least a quarter to a
opportunity occupations are:
third will be new immigrants to Canada. Improving the historically
low employment outcome for this group will lead directly to
Employment Size: Employment data from the 2006 Census
productivity gains from human capital advancement, as will
were used to assess the size of the occupation.
educational outcome improvements for Aboriginals.
Historical Unemployment Rate: Very recent occupational
unemployment rates were used to assess the labour market
The Okanagan Valley has many examples of successful immigrant
conditions for occupations.
entrepreneurship and integration, as well as the success
Projected employment growth and job openings: Results
demonstrated by Okanagan Nation Alliance members such as
from the BC Labour Market Scenario Model 2010-2020 were
Westbank First Nation and Osoyoos Indian Band, who have made
used to a ssess occupational employment g rowth and ten-year
their mark throughout communities across the Okanagan Valley.
job opportunities d ue to industry growth and the need for
UBC Okanagan campus, established in 2005, is another key factor
replacing retired workers.
that will support the development of advanced human capital
Projected unemployment rate: Estimated occupational
through research and graduate training.
unemployment rates from the BC Labour Market Scenario Model
2010-2020 were used to assess labour market conditions over the
School Districts that service the Okanagan Valley are also acutely
projected time period
aware of the need to continue improving the historically poor
educational outcomes of Aboriginal training, as well as the need
For nine of the high opportunity occupations above (marked ‘*’)
to increase the overall graduation rate for all students; issues that
the BC Wage & Salary Survey 2009 88 gives a description of each
are recognised in their Achievement Contracts together with the
occupation, together with wage range, vacancies, hiring overview
need to accommodate the evolving population demographic
and other information.
Labour Force
Several features of the Okanagan Valley make it one of the most desirable place to live and work. Improved transportation links to the Lower
Mainland, rest of Canada and several international destinations all to its appeal as a place to locate secondary and tertiary manufacturing. The
University of British Columbia Okanagan, established in 2005, continues to grow. The economic support infrastructure aims to attract
technology development and innovation to the Okanagan community, while the popularity of the region for tourism and as a retirement
centre should ensure continued growth. Residential and commercial construction activity has also started along the road to recovery from a
severe 2008-2009 economic downturn.
Labour Force Statistics
89
Definitions and Explanatory Notes
Reference Week
Monthly estimates of employment, unemployment, and persons Participation Rate
not in the labour force refer to the specific week covered by the The participation rate represents the labour force expressed as a
survey each month, normally the week containing the 15th day. percentage of the population 15 years of age and over. The
participation rate for a particular group (age, sex, marital status,
Labour Force etc.) is the labour force for that group expressed as a percentage
The labour force is composed of those members of the civilian of the population for that group.
non-institutional population 15 years of age and over who, during
the reference week, were employed or unemployed. Employment Rate
The employment rate (employment/population ratio) is the
Employed number of employed persons expressed as a percentage of the
Employed persons are those who, during the reference week, population 15 years of age and over. The employment rate for a
either: particular group (age, sex, marital status, etc.) is the employment
(a) did any work at all, or for that group expressed as a percentage of the population for
(b) had a job but were not at work due to own illness or disability, that group.
personal or family responsibilities, bad weather, labour dispute,
vacation, or other reason not specified above (excluding persons Rounding
whose job attachment was to a job to s tart at a definite date in Estimates published by the Labour Force Survey are rounded to
the future). the nearest thousand but all derived values (totals, averages,
rates, ratios, percent changes etc.) are calculated from unrounded
Unemployment figures. Therefore, the sum of the individual rounded items may
Unemployed persons are those who, during the reference week, not equal the total. Unadjusted estimates rounded to hundreds
either: are available from BC Stats on request.
(a) were without work, had actively looked for work in the past
four weeks (ending with the reference week), and were available Seasonal Adjustment (S.A.)
for work; or Fluctuations in economic time series are caused by seasonal,
(b) had not actively looked for work in the past four weeks but cyclical and irregular movements. A seasonally adjusted series is
had been on layoff and were available for work; or one from which seasonal movements have been eliminated.
(c) had not actively looked for work in the past four weeks but Seasonal movements are defined as those which are caused by
had a new job to start in four weeks or less from the reference regular annual events such as climate, holidays, vacation periods,
week, and were available for work. and cycles related to crops, production and retail sales associated
with Christmas and Easter. It should be noted that the seasonally
Unemployment Rate adjusted series contain irregular as well as longer-term cyclical
The unemployment rate represents the number of unemployed fluctuations.
persons expressed as a percentage of the labour force. The
unemployment rate for a p articular group (age, sex, marital Source: E xtracted from Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey,
status, etc.) is the number of unemployed in that group expressed Definitions and Explanations
as a percentage of the labour force for that group.
Labour Force Data
Statistics Canada produces regular Labour Force Survey estimates for communities of 100,000 citizens and larger. The only community in the
Okanagan Valley large enough to feature in the Labour Force Survey estimates is Kelowna (specifically Kelowna CMA). Data and projections
for this community are more readily available than for others. FPMarkets provides annual estimates based on demographic modelling and a
collection of data sources. T he following tables show the evolution of the labour force for two key centres of the Okanagan Valley: the
greater Vernon metropolitan area (data available to 2011) and the Central Okanagan metropolitan area (data available to November 2012).
It is also useful to view the evolution of the labour force in context of population demographics and projected trends into the future.
Labour Force Activity – Annual Averages 90 – Vernon (incl. Vernon City, Coldstream, North Okanagan electoral areas B & C)
Thousands Percentage of Labour Force
Popu Not in
Year Labour Employ Unemploy Unemploy Partici Employ
-lation labour
force -ment -ment -ment -pation -ment
15yrs+ force
Participation in the labour
1996 52.2 33.0 30.7 2.3 19.1 7.0 63.2 58.8
force reached new levels in
1997 47.5 30.6 28.8 1.8 16.9 5.9 64.4 60.6
2009 and 2010
1998 47.2 28.2 26.2 1.9 19.0 6.7 59.7 55.5
1999 46.9 28.6 26.1 2.5 18.3 8.7 61.0 55.7
2000 47.9 26.9 24.8 2.1 21.0 7.8 56.2 51.8
2001 50.7 32.5 29.6 2.9 18.2 8.9 64.1 58.4
2002 48.7 28.9 26.8 2.0 19.9 6.9 59.3 55.0
2003 45.9 26.7 24.7 2.1 19.2 7.9 58.2 53.8
2004 43.3 26.1 24.7 1.5 17.2 5.7 60.3 57.0
2005 51.5 31.5 30.1 - 19.9 - 61.2 58.4
2006 59.1 38.0 36.6 - 21.2 - 64.3 61.9
2007 63.2 40.8 39.4 1.5 22.4 3.7 64.6 62.3
2008 61.6 38.1 36.8 - 23.5 - 61.9 59.7
2009 50.9 31.4 29.1 2.3 19.6 7.3 61.7 57.2
2010 36.9 23.2 21.7 1.5 13.7 6.5 62.9 58.8
2011 42.9 24.6 22.3 2.3 18.4 9.3 57.3 52.0
Note: values less than 1.5 thousand are suppressed
91
Labour Force Survey estimates at November – Kelowna CMA (incl. Lake Country, Kelowna, West Kelowna, Peachland)
Thousands Percentage of Labour Force
Popu Not in
Nov-Year Labour Employ Unemploy Unemploy Partici Employ
-lation labour
force -ment -ment -ment -pation -ment
15yrs+ force Participation in the labour
Nov 1996 108.5 69.5 63.8 5.8 44.7 8.3 64.1 58.8 force for the Central
Nov 1997 111.3 70.9 63.0 7.9 48.3 11.1 63.7 56.6 Okanagan region reached
Nov 1998 113.4 69.7 65.2 4.6 48.2 6.6 61.5 57.5 new levels in 2009 and 2010
Nov 1999 115.6 71.0 65.3 5.7 50.3 8.0 61.4 56.5
Nov 2000 117.4 75.0 69.3 5.7 48.1 7.6 63.9 59.0
Nov 2001 119.6 74.7 68.7 6.0 50.9 8.0 62.5 57.4
Nov 2002 121.8 77.2 71.4 5.9 50.4 7.6 63.4 58.6
Nov 2003 124.5 82.9 76.0 6.9 48.5 8.3 66.6 61.0
Nov 2004 127.2 81.4 77.9 3.5 49.3 4.3 64.0 61.2
Nov 2005 130.1 81.3 76.9 4.4 53.2 5.4 62.5 59.1
Nov 2006 133.6 88.3 83.4 4.9 50.2 5.5 66.1 62.4
Nov 2007 137.2 87.1 82.4 4.7 54.8 5.4 63.5 60.1
Nov 2008 140.9 92.6 86.6 6.0 54.3 6.5 65.7 61.5
Nov 2009 144.5 101.1 94.9 6.2 49.6 6.1 70.0 65.7
Nov 2010 148.0 104.5 95.9 8.6 52.1 8.2 70.6 64.8
Nov 2011 150.0 100.6 92.4 8.2 57.6 8.2 67.1 61.6
Nov 2012 150.2 100.1 92.3 7.8 57.9 7.8 66.6 61.5
92
Employment by Industry for the Census Metropolitan Area of Kelowna - Annual Averages
Kelowna 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
thousands of persons
Total employed, all industries 66.8 66.4 68.3 71.3 69.6 71.1 77.8 76.4 80.1 80.9 87.2 87.5 94.6 94.4 92.9 90.8
Goods-producing sector 16.6 16.7 14.1 15.0 15.5 15.6 17.8 18.0 21.1 20.3 22.2 20.3 21.8 20.4 19.1 17.7
Agriculture 3.3 2.3 1.7 --- 1.9 1.8 1.5 1.5 --- --- 2.0 1.9 1.9 --- --- 1.9
Forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, oil and gas --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 1.5 --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Utilities --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Construction 4.2 4.9 4.3 6.3 5.3 4.8 8.2 9.0 10.8 10.3 12.3 10.6 10.8 11.0 10.5 9.4
Manufacturing 8.2 8.6 7.0 6.5 7.1 7.7 7.2 6.5 7.7 8.4 6.3 7.0 7.4 6.6 6 5
Services-producing sector 50.2 49.7 54.2 56.4 54.2 55.6 60.0 58.4 59.0 60.6 65.0 67.2 72.9 74.0 73.8 73.1
Trade 11.3 10.6 12.9 14.1 11.5 11.6 13.9 11.7 13.3 13.9 13.8 13 16.1 17.3 14.8 16.6
Transportation and warehousing 2.8 2.9 2.5 2.5 2.7 4.0 3.5 2.7 2.4 2.9 4.3 2.7 3.6 3.9 4.4 3.6
Finance, insurance, real estate and leasing 5.1 2.8 4.4 4.5 3.6 3.4 3.9 4.7 4.8 6.3 4.6 5.9 6.1 4.5 5.1 7.4
Professional, scientific and technical services 3.3 2.6 4.9 5.6 3.5 4.8 2.8 6.1 4.9 3.5 4.2 6.3 7.5 6.2 8.2 6.3
Business, building and other support services 2.6 2.9 3.3 2.7 2.9 3.2 5.2 1.9 3.2 2.8 3.5 3.9 2.6 2.5 3.5 5.3
Educational services 4.1 4.4 4.7 5.6 5.1 4.7 3.5 3.3 4.7 5.8 5.4 5.2 5.2 6.7 5.5 6.2
Health care and social assistance 6.7 8.3 8.4 7.8 7.3 8.5 10.5 10.1 11.2 11.8 11.5 13.1 12.4 13.9 11.8 10.3
Information, culture and recreation 3.2 2.6 3.2 3.3 2.4 4.6 4.9 3.3 3.7 2.4 3.4 4.1 5.1 4.1 5 4.5
Accommodation and food services 5.0 5.5 5.4 3.7 7.1 6.2 6.2 8.7 5.1 5.3 7.4 6.1 6.7 7.3 8.2 6
Other services 4.2 5.3 2.6 3.8 5.2 2.2 3.6 3.8 2.8 2.9 4.0 3.5 3.5 5.2 4 3.7
Public administration 1.9 1.8 1.7 2.7 2.9 2.4 2.1 2.1 2.8 3.1 3.0 3.4 3.9 2.5 3.3 3.2
Note: values less than 1.5 thousand are suppressed “---“
Location Counts by NAICS Industry
The following table shows the number of businesses located in the North Okanagan regional district of the Okanagan Valley, indicating the distribution across industry and relative
size measured by employee headcount 93 . The majority of businesses have an "indeterminate" employee count, as explained in the footnotes.
North Okanagan Employment Size Range - 2013

NAICS2 Description Indeter with All
1-4 5-9 10-19 <20 20-49 50-199 200+
-minate Emp Sizes
Total, All Industries 14,200 2,000 714 402 3,116 236 92 18 3,462 17,662
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting 1,820 173 55 23 251 15 2 0 268 2,088
Mining & Oil & Gas Extraction 56 13 5 2 20 2 0 0 22 78
Utilities 18 4 1 0 5 2 0 0 7 25
Construction 1,294 353 104 33 490 21 5 1 517 1,811
Manufacturing (31-33) 240 62 40 26 128 17 11 4 160 400
Wholesale Trade 185 61 27 19 107 13 3 0 123 308
Retail Trade (44-45) 754 146 124 88 358 32 17 4 411 1,165
Transportation & Warehousing (48-49) 336 82 23 16 121 6 6 0 133 469
Information & Cultural Industries 119 19 3 6 28 2 3 0 33 152
Finance & Insurance 463 70 20 13 103 18 4 1 126 589
Real Estate & Rental & Leasing 4,589 160 27 10 197 4 1 0 202 4,791
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 1,303 242 43 17 302 4 4 0 310 1,613
Management of Companies & Enterprises 237 34 6 1 41 1 1 1 44 281
Admin. & Support, Waste Mgmt. & Remediation. 664 85 29 14 128 7 3 1 139 803
Educational Services 212 20 7 1 28 2 0 1 31 243
Health Care & Social Assistance 560 194 70 46 310 32 8 1 351 911
Arts, Entertainment & Recreation 312 31 9 12 52 6 2 2 62 374
Accommodation & Food Services 228 48 51 50 149 39 18 1 207 435
Other Services (excl. Public Administration) 807 200 68 24 292 8 0 0 300 1,107
Public Administration 3 3 2 1 6 5 4 1 16 19
The Business Register is the source of business counts. It uses the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).
Establishment is the level at which the accounting data required to measure production is available (principal inputs, revenues, salaries and wages).
Location requires only the number of employees for delineation. The location, as a statistical unit, is defined as a producing unit at a single geographical location at which
or from which economic activity is conducted and for which, at a minimum, employment data are available.
The locations in the "indeterminate" employee count category do not maintain an employee payroll, but may have a workforce which consists of contracted workers, family
members or business owners. However, the Business Register does not have this information available, and has therefore assigned the locations to an "indeterminate"
category. This category also includes employers who did not have employees in the last 12 months.
The following table shows the number of businesses located in the Central Okanagan regional district of the Okanagan Valley, indicating the distribution across industry and relative
size measured by employee headcount. The majority of businesses have an "indeterminate" employee count, as explained in the footnotes.
Central Okanagan Employment Size Range - 2013

NAICS2 Description Indeter with All
1-4 5-9 10-19 <20 20-49 50-199 200+
-minate Emp Sizes
Total, All Industries 33,626 4,362 1,610 1,031 7,003 648 247 39 7,937 41,563
Utilities 23 8 1 2 11 3 3 0 17 40
Construction 3,381 822 228 150 1,200 68 15 0 1,283 4,664
Manufacturing (31-33) 444 123 80 47 250 36 20 4 310 754
Wholesale Trade 444 163 112 59 334 37 3 2 376 820
Retail Trade (44-45) 1,646 357 291 200 848 118 41 5 1,012 2,658
Finance & Insurance 1,423 206 50 45 301 38 4 1 344 1,767
Admin. & Support, Waste Mgmt. & Remediation 1,902 210 100 46 356 24 21 0 401 2,303
Health Care & Social Assistance 1,367 465 145 82 692 45 19 4 760 2,127
Other Services (excl. Public Administration) 1,862 422 144 74 640 26 9 0 675 2,537
The following table shows the number of businesses located in the Okanagan Similkameen regional district of the Okanagan Valley, indicating the distribution across industry and
relative size measured by employee headcount. The majority of businesses have an "indeterminate" employee count, as explained in the footnotes.
Okanagan Similkameen Employment Size Range - 2013

NAICS2 Description Indeter with
1-4 5-9 10-19 <20 20-49 50-199 200+ All Sizes
-minate Emp
Total, All Industries 14,175 2,087 794 435 3,316 253 97 12 3,678 17,853
Utilities 16 3 3 0 6 2 1 0 9 25
Construction 1,104 288 79 36 403 13 8 0 424 1,528
Manufacturing (31-33) 229 59 43 32 134 26 14 2 176 405
Wholesale Trade 140 58 30 21 109 6 2 0 117 257
Retail Trade (44-45) 662 190 136 76 402 48 16 3 469 1,131
Finance & Insurance 403 58 29 20 107 12 3 0 122 525
Admin. & Support, Waste Mgmt. & Remediation. 623 100 31 8 139 8 3 0 150 773
Health Care & Social Assistance 489 212 56 24 292 17 11 2 322 811
Other Services (excl. Public Administration) 694 201 72 19 292 8 3 0 303 997
Businesses - Okanagan Valley
The following table shows the change over time in the number of businesses located in the three largest metropolitan centres of the
Okanagan Valley, indicating the distribution across industry and relative size measured by employee headcount. The majority of businesses
have an "indeterminate" employee count, as explained in the footnotes.
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Businesses With Employees
Vernon CA 2,408 2,501 2,508 2,468 2,464 2,485 2,518
Kelowna CMA 7,387 7,692 7,673 7,657 7,454 7,740 7,937
Penticton CA 1,870 1,919 1,901 1,904 1,886 1,918 1,901
Total of above 11,665 12,112 12,082 12,029 11,804 12,143 12,356
British Columbia 172,372 175,003 176,124 175,913 173,589 175,950 183,667
Businesses With Indeterminate Employee Counts A, B
Vernon CA 3,019 3,554 3,938 7,136 7,116 9,582 9,887
Kelowna CMA 9,954 11,542 12,865 22,876 22,921 31,952 33,626
Penticton CA 2,079 2,436 2,727 5,100 5,063 6,876 6,574
Total of above 15,052 17,532 19,530 35,112 35,100 48,410 50,087
Total Business Counts A, B
Vernon CA 5,427 6,055 6,446 9,604 9,580 12,067 12,405
Kelowna CMA 17,341 19,234 20,538 30,533 30,375 39,692 41,563
Penticton CA 3,949 4,355 4,628 7,004 6,949 8,794 8,475
Total of above 26,717 29,644 31,612 47,141 46,904 60,553 62,443
Notes:
A. The locations in the "indeterminate" employee count category do not maintain an employee payroll, but may have a workforce which
consists of contracted workers, family members or business owners. However, the Business Register does not have this information
available, and has therefore assigned the locations to an "indeterminate" category. This category also includes employers who did not have
employees in the last 12 months.
94
B. There were methodological changes in 2010 and 2012 that substantially increased the number of indeterminate businesses .
Businesses by location
10,000 50,000
8,000 40,000
Businesses ________ with employees
Businesses ------- indeterminate

Vernon CA-with employees
Kelowna CMA-with employees
Penticton CA-with employees
6,000 Vernon CA - indeterminate 30,000
Kelowna CMA - indeterminate
Penticton CA - indeterminate
4,000 20,000
2,000 10,000
- -
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Central Okanagan Region
The Labour Force: ‘members of the civilian non-institutional population 15 years of age and over who, during the reference week, were
employed or unemployed’, draws mainly from the 18-64 age cohort: the core support group for children and the elderly. Historical population
growth in the Central Okanagan has consistently exceeded the average for British Columbia for the last 20 years, and is expected to continue
this trend for another 20 years. The core labour force age cohort 18-64 will reduce its share of the population over the same period.
Selected Demographic Characteristics 95 – Central Okanagan

Population by age group, Thousands of persons H- Dependency Ratios Popu-
holds lation
Year 0-4 5-17 18-24 25-44 45-64 65+ All ‘000 Child Elderly Total
Ages
1976 4.6 17.4 8.4 18.2 15.3 9.0 73.0 24.4 0.524 0.215 0.739 72,980
1981 5.3 17.2 10.3 23.5 18.6 12.5 87.5 31.9 0.428 0.237 0.666 87,453
1986 5.6 16.0 9.5 25.8 20.4 15.5 92.8 36.5 0.388 0.278 0.667 92,826
1991 7.1 19.0 9.8 34.2 24.7 19.9 114.8 44.6 0.379 0.290 0.669 114,76
1996 8.3 24.0 12.0 42.3 31.1 23.8 141.6 55.8 0.378 0.279 0.657 141,62
2001 7.5 25.5 12.9 42.2 38.3 27.9 154.2 62.5 0.354 0.299 0.652 154,15
2006 7.4 25.1 15.6 41.9 46.5 30.8 167.4 69.1 0.312 0.296 0.609 167,41
2011 8.7 24.7 17.9 47.3 55.9 34.2 188.6 79.5 0.275 0.282 0.557 188,64
2016 9.8 25.7 16.0 54.9 58.4 41.2 206.0 88.5 0.275 0.318 0.593 206,02
2021 10.6 28.4 15.3 61.3 59.9 48.4 223.8 96.5 0.286 0.354 0.640 223,80
2026 10.8 31.3 15.9 64.6 61.8 56.2 240.6 104.0 0.296 0.395 0.691 240,64
2031 10.7 32.9 17.7 64.1 67.1 63.6 256.1 111.6 0.293 0.427 0.720 256,12
2036 11.0 33.5 19.3 63.7 74.9 68.0 270.4 119.1 0.281 0.431 0.712 270,39
0-4 5-17 18-24 25-44 45-64 65+

Child dependency is defined as the
Pre-school
Mature workers
School
Advanced education
Family formation
Seniors
proportion of the population aged (0-

17) divided by the proportion of the
population aged (18-64)
Elderly dependency is defined as the

proportion of the population aged
65+ divided by the proportion of the
The evolving age profile means that elderly dependency- Historical population growth in the Central
having already surpassed child dependency- will increase into Okanagan has consistently exceeded the
the future, as will total dependency. At the same time, the average for British Columbia for the last 20
core working population cohort 18-64 is forecast to decline years, and is expected to continue this trend for
from 64.2% (2011) to 58.4% (2036) of the total population. at least another 20 years
Index Child
Child Elderly
Elderly TotalTotal
180
B.C. Region 0.8
160 0.7
140
0.6
120
0.5
100
0.4
80
0.3
60
40 0.2
20 0.1
0 0.0
'76 '81 '86 '91 '96 '01 '06 '11 '16 '21 '26 '31 '36 '76 '81 '86 '91 '96 '01 '06 '11 '16 '21 '26 '31 '36
Population growth over time (index 100 in 2006) Child and elderly dependency over time
North Okanagan Region
growth in the North Okanagan has followed the average for British Columbia for the last 20 years, but is expected to grow more slowly than
the provincial average into the future. The core labour force 18-64 age cohort, will reduce its share of the population over the same period.
Selected Demographic Characteristics 96 – North Okanagan

holds lation
Ages
1976 3.6 11.9 6.0 12.2 9.4 4.9 48.0 15.5 0.560 0.179 0.738 47,985
1981 4.1 12.0 6.5 15.7 10.9 6.5 55.7 19.4 0.486 0.198 0.684 55,744
1986 3.9 11.2 5.6 16.4 11.8 8.0 56.9 21.7 0.443 0.236 0.680 56,885
1991 4.0 11.9 5.2 18.7 13.6 10.0 63.3 24.0 0.425 0.266 0.692 63,282
1996 4.3 14.0 6.0 21.3 16.8 11.8 74.2 28.7 0.414 0.268 0.682 74,196
2001 3.6 13.5 6.1 19.4 19.8 12.9 75.2 30.5 0.376 0.286 0.662 75,185
2006 3.5 12.6 6.3 17.9 23.7 14.9 78.9 31.7 0.337 0.311 0.647 78,877
2011 3.8 11.7 7.8 17.3 26.5 16.9 84.0 35.2 0.301 0.328 0.628 83,993
2016 4.1 11.5 7.2 19.8 26.1 19.9 88.6 38.6 0.293 0.374 0.667 88,639
2021 4.5 12.2 6.5 22.2 25.4 22.9 93.6 40.9 0.307 0.423 0.730 93,560
2026 4.6 13.2 6.5 23.6 24.6 25.8 98.4 43.1 0.326 0.472 0.798 98,373
2031 4.6 14.0 7.0 24.6 24.6 28.0 102.7 45.1 0.331 0.498 0.829 102,72
2036 4.6 14.4 7.6 24.1 27.4 28.4 106.4 47.1 0.321 0.481 0.802 106,42
0-4 5-17 18-24 25-44 45-64 65+

Pre-school
Mature workers
School
Advanced education
Family formation
Seniors


The evolving age profile means that elderly dependency- Historical population growth in the North
having already surpassed child dependency- will increase into Okanagan has followed the average for British
the future, as will total dependency. At the same time, the Columbia for the last 20 years, but is expected to
core working population cohort 18-64 is forecast to decline grow more slowly than the provincial average
from 61.4% (2011) to 55.5% (2036) of the total population. into the future.
Index Elderly
Child
Child Elderly TotalTotal
160 B.C. Region
0.9
140 0.8
120 0.7
100 0.6
0.5
80
0.4
60
0.3
40
0.2
20 0.1
0 0.0
'76 '81 '86 '91 '96 '01 '06 '11 '16 '21 '26 '31 '36 '76 '81 '86 '91 '96 '01 '06 '11 '16 '21 '26 '31 '36
Okanagan Similkameen Region
growth in the Okanagan Similkameen has followed the average for British Columbia for the last 20 years, but is expected to grow more slowly
into the future. The core labour force 18-64 age cohort, will reduce its share of the population over the same period.
Selected Demographic Characteristics 97 – Okanagan Similkameen

holds lation
Ages
1976 3.1 11.3 6.1 11.8 12.6 7.8 52.6 18.5 0.471 0.256 0.727 52,624
1981 3.5 10.6 6.2 14.3 13.5 10.3 58.5 22.6 0.413 0.302 0.714 58,493
1986 3.6 10.0 5.3 15.6 13.8 12.7 60.9 25.3 0.392 0.365 0.757 60,936
1991 3.7 10.9 4.7 17.9 15.5 15.5 68.2 28.1 0.384 0.407 0.791 68,211
1996 3.9 12.3 5.3 19.8 18.8 18.5 78.6 33.5 0.370 0.420 0.790 78,593
2001 3.3 12.0 4.8 17.2 20.8 19.7 77.8 34.4 0.358 0.460 0.818 77,750
2006 2.9 11.0 5.4 15.5 24.9 20.8 80.4 34.5 0.302 0.456 0.758 80,351
2011 3.1 9.4 6.6 15.2 26.9 21.9 83.2 37.0 0.256 0.450 0.706 83,167
2016 3.4 9.0 5.9 17.2 25.5 25.0 85.9 39.5 0.256 0.515 0.771 85,905
2021 3.7 9.5 5.1 18.9 23.9 28.0 89.1 41.1 0.275 0.586 0.861 89,110
2026 3.8 10.3 4.9 19.6 22.5 30.8 91.9 42.3 0.300 0.656 0.955 91,930
2031 3.6 11.0 5.3 19.6 22.3 32.6 94.3 43.4 0.309 0.691 1.000 94,304
2036 3.4 11.1 5.8 18.6 24.4 32.5 95.8 44.4 0.298 0.667 0.964 95,750
0-4 5-17 18-24 25-44 45-64 65+

Pre-school
Mature workers
School
Advanced education
Family formation
Seniors


Historical population growth in the Okanagan

The evolving age profile means that elderly dependency-
Similkameen has followed the average for
having already surpassed child dependency- will increase into
British Columbia for the last 20 years, and is
the future, as will total dependency. At the same time, the
expected to grow more slowly, into the future.
core working population cohort 18-64 is forecast to decline
The overall dependency rate is projected to
from 58.6% (2011) to 50.9% (2036) of the total population.
reach 1.0 in about 20 years.
Index Elderly
Child
Child Elderly TotalTotal
160
B.C. Region
1.2
140
1.0
120
0.8
100
80 0.6
60
0.4
40
0.2
20
0 0.0
'76 '81 '86 '91 '96 '01 '06 '11 '16 '21 '26 '31 '36 '76 '81 '86 '91 '96 '01 '06 '11 '16 '21 '26 '31 '36
BC Job growth forecast by Sector
Kelowna Penticton Vernon Okanagan British

CMA CA CA
Valley Columbia
Population estimates
Population 15+ (**) 156,776 37,887 50,111 253,849 3,894,345
In the labour force 100,278 21,595 30,221 157,121 2,550,667
Participation rate 64.0% 57.0% 60.3% 61.9% 65.5%
Employed 94,132 19,837 28,219 146,817 2,367,076
Unemployed 6,146 1,758 2,002 10,304 183,591
Unemployment rate 6.1% 8.1% 6.6% 6.6% 7.2%
Not in labour force 56,498 16,292 19,890 96,728 1,343,678
Occupations by major groups

Management 11,483 2,104 3,007 17,121 266,258
Business, Finance & Admin 16,678 3,504 4,473 25,335 432,226
Natural & Applied Sciences and related 4,560 825 1,277 6,907 162,017
Health 5,920 1,511 2,056 9,835 139,267
Social sciences, Government Services & Religion 3,643 656 1,386 5,934 110,984
Education 3,042 511 1,137 4,874 94,921
Arts, Culture, Recreation & Sport 2,754 505 677 4,105 90,132
Sales & Service 25,853 5,864 7,193 40,015 628,942
Trades, Transport & Equipment Ops etc 17,191 3,544 5,231 26,748 381,387
Primary industries 4,416 1,222 1,694 7,780 99,475
Processing, Manufacturing & Utilities 3,757 1,127 1,676 6,811 106,047
Participation in the Labour Force by Okanagan Valley residents is around 3.5% lower than the average participation rate for British Columbia.
Also, fewer adults in the southern Okanagan communities participate in the labour force than the Valley average. This correlates with the
demographic characteristics of the Okanagan Valley, where the median age is nearly 4 years above the British Columbia median, and an
increasing proportion of residents are seniors (65+). Median ages are even higher in the southern Okanagan communities.
Distribution of occupations amongst the local labour force is similar across local communities and in comparison with British Columbia, except
for the higher proportion of trades in the labour force. This correlates with the education profile for the same communities.

CMA CA CA
Valley Columbia
Labour Force 100,278 21,595 30,221 157,121 2,550,667

In the labour force 64% 57% 60% 62% 65%
Not in labour force 36% 43% 40% 38% 35%
Occupations by major groups

Management 12% 10% 10% 11% 11%
Business, Finance & Admin 17% 16% 15% 16% 17%
Natural & Applied Sciences and related 5% 4% 4% 4% 6%
Health 6% 7% 7% 6% 6%
Social sciences, Government Services & Religion 4% 3% 5% 4% 4%
Education 3% 2% 4% 3% 4%
Arts, Culture, Recreation & Sport 3% 2% 2% 3% 4%
Sales & Service 26% 27% 24% 26% 25%
Trades, Transport & Equipment Ops etc 17% 17% 18% 17% 15%
Primary industries 4% 6% 6% 5% 4%
Processing, Manufacturing & Utilities 4% 5% 6% 4% 4%
Workforce Development Programs
Ministry of Social Development - Community and Employer Partnerships
Since the launch of the Employment Program 98 of British Columbia Program Objective
in April 2012, the Ministry of Social Development has begun LMP funds projects
implementing an initiative known as Community and Employer that encourage and
Partnerships. The purpose of this initiative is to increase support employers,
employment opportunities for unemployed British Columbians employee and/or
through the use of agency and business partnerships, shared employer associations
information and technology, and innovative processes and and communities in
practices, to: developing and
implementing
strategies for dealing
• promote and simplify communication between
stakeholders with labour force
• help the easy and quick flow of local labour market adjustments and
information meeting human
• ensure strategic, coordinated approaches to investing resource
the necessary employment support in communities requirements.
• provide opportunities for stakeholders to discuss Projects may include
strategies and solutions to address labour market needs researching labour
market/human
Community and Employer Partnerships will also provide labour resource adjustment
market information to communities and employers to better issues and developing
address the needs of the community and help create jobs. This and implementing labour market adjustment activities.
labour market information will also help communities and
employers in submitting requests to the Partnership and
Innovation Fund, administered by the Ministry, comprising four What is a labour market or human resource issue?
streams: Labour market issues are often characterized by a current or
anticipated imbalance in the labour market between supply
(workers) and demand (employers). The imbalance may be
• Job Creation Partnerships
between available and anticipated jobs and available people
• Labour Market Partnerships
(numbers). It can also be about an imbalance between available
• Research and Innovation
jobs and the skills of available people. Labour market issues are
• Project Based Labour Market Training
normally of broad community concern and the most effective
solutions will result from broad involvement and commitment to
Organizations interested in applying for funding under Job addressing the issue. An example of a labour market challenge is
Creation Partnerships and Labour Market Partnerships can refer to an industry which experiences difficulty recruiting and retaining
the letter of Intent guide, online. The Research and Innovation workers in a particular occupation.
and Project Based Labour Market Training funding streams are
still under development. Enquiries and letters of Intent for JCP
and LMP projects can be sent to the regional contact emails listed Information?
on the website. More information is available on Labour Market Partnerships on the
WorkBC website.
Labour Market Partnerships 99 is a component of the
Employment Program of BC’s Community and Employer
Partnerships. Labour Market Partnerships provide funding to
organizations to encourage, support and facilitate strategies and
activities to address local labour market or human resources
issues. This is achieved through strategic partnerships with other
labour market stakeholder organizations.
Community Futures British Columbia
The Community Futures

Network was established by
the Government of Canada
almost 30 years ago in
response to the severe The British Columbia Economic Development Association (BCEDA)
economic and labour market changes faced by rural Canadian is the leading professional association of economic development
communities. practitioners in the Province of BC. With over 420 members from
communities throughout the Province, BCEDA provides services
Each Community Futures office delivers a variety of services that help member communities grow and expand new and
ranging from strategic economic planning, technical and advisory existing businesses, attract new business investments, and work
services to businesses, loans to small and medium- sized towards strategic infrastructure investment, land use planning,
businesses, self-employment assistance programs, and services and community enhancement.
targeted to youth and entrepreneurs with disabilities.
BDC is Canada’s business development bank and the only
The Community Futures Network in British Columbia is comprised financial institution dedicated exclusively to entrepreneurs. Its
of 34 locally and strategically positioned organizations who share mission is to help create and develop strong Canadian businesses
a common vision to create diverse, sustainable communities by through financing, consulting services and securitization, with a
supporting local, community based economic development. Since focus on small and medium-sized enterprises. Financing business
its creation, the network has had significant impact on the socio- loans for projects and working capital to protect cash flow.
economic development and diversification of the rural Consulting advisory services to meet the unique needs of small
communities it serves. Community Futures has an office for each and medium-sized businesses. Securitization: Specialized
of the three regions in the Okanagan, with one in each of the financing for small and medium-sized independent finance and
larger centres Vernon, Kelowna and Penticton. 100 leasing companies.
For more information on the support programs and partners in Small Business BC is a key
the Okanagan Valley and further afield in BC, connect to resource centre for business
Community Futures BC or the local organizations in North information and services.
Okanagan - Vernon, Central Okanagan-Kelowna or Okanagan-
Similkameen-Penticton.
Resources for women

entrepreneurs, offering skills development, business loans , fr ee
business guidance, business resources, mentoring, networking
and events
For more than 25 years, Western Economic Diversification Canada
has been working to diversify the western economy while Societé de developpement économique Colombie-Britannique
improving the quality of life of western Canadians. It aims to be a
leader in building a strong, competitive West by focusing on Represents the interests of the
business development, innovation and community development economic sector of the francophone community.
101
.
WINN is a $100 million five-year federal initiative that offers

repayable contributions for small- and medium-sized enterprises Works to promote and improve
(SMEs) with operations in Western Canada to move their new and trade, commerce and the economic and social wellbeing of the
innovative technologies from the later stages of research and people of British Columbia.
development to the marketplace.
Credit Union Central of British
Through this initiative, WD will support entrepreneurs in bringing Columbia --- Trade association
their ideas from the work bench into the marketplace. The second and central banker for BC's 50 independent credit unions. Credit
application intake period for WINN is now closed. Information Union Central of British Columbia is an "umbrella organization,"
regarding the next intake period will be communicated at a later representing a full-service retail financial system.
date.
Education
Educational attainment
While overall educational attainment 102 amongst Okanagan Valley residents is slightly higher than the Canadian national average and is on
par with British Columbia provincial averages, these include a higher proportion of trade certifications and other non-university qualifications.
This is likely a feature of the historical skill sets required for the agriculture and forestry industries that feature so significantly in the legacy of
the Okanagan. The educational attainment statistics are also a product, to some extent, of the higher median age and associated educational
qualification profile related typically to an earlier age cohort.
Educational attainment
Population aged 25 and above Canada
CMA CA CA Valley Columbia
Population 25+ yrs 133,045 32,900 42,990 216,812 3,296,254 24,097,279
No certificate, diploma or degree 21,230 6,779 8,368 37,731 533,788 4,815,366
Certificate, diploma or degree 111,815 26,121 34,622 179,081 2,762,466 19,281,913
High school certificate or equivalent 35,716 9,158 11,869 58,721 837,996 5,646,163
Apprenticeship or trades certificate
21,237 4,858 6,282 33,732 395,056 2,871,115
or diploma
College, CEGEP or non-univ.
28,526 6,653 8,216 44,970 603,536 4,497,976
certif. or diploma
University certificate or degree 26,336 5,452 8,255 41,658 925,878 6,266,659
University certificate or degree below
7,317 1,755 2,073 11,555 193,455 1,171,863
bachelor level
University certificate or degree 19,019 3,697 6,182 30,103 732,423 5,094,796
Bachelors degree 12,585 2,263 3,978 19,483 462,864 3,244,663
University certificate or diploma
2,024 345 666 3,184 72,463 528,152
above bachelor level
Degree in medicine, dental,
588 128 209 976 21,680 147,248
veterinary med or optometrist
Masters degree 3,229 726 1,136 5,311 145,652 983,145
Earned doctorate 593 235 193 1,149 29,764 191,588
Percentage of Population Kelowna Penticton Vernon Okanagan British

Canada
aged 25 and above CMA CA CA Valley Columbia
Population 25+ yrs
No certificate, diploma or degree 16.0% 20.6% 19.5% 17.4% 16.2% 20.0%
Certificate, diploma or degree 84.0% 79.4% 80.5% 82.6% 83.8% 80.0%
High school certificate or equivalent 26.8% 27.8% 27.6% 27.1% 25.4% 23.4%
Apprenticeship or trades certificate
16.0% 14.8% 14.6% 15.6% 12.0% 11.9%
or diploma
College, CEGEP or non-univ.
21.4% 20.2% 19.1% 20.7% 18.3% 18.7%
certif. or diploma
University certificate or degree 19.8% 16.6% 19.2% 19.2% 28.1% 26.0%
University certificate or degree below
5.5% 5.3% 4.8% 5.3% 5.9% 4.9%
bachelor level
University certificate or degree 14.3% 11.2% 14.4% 13.9% 22.2% 21.1%
Bachelors degree 9.5% 6.9% 9.3% 9.0% 14.0% 13.5%
University certificate or diploma
1.5% 1.0% 1.5% 1.5% 2.2% 2.2%
above bachelor level
Degree in medicine, dental,
0.4% 0.4% 0.5% 0.5% 0.7% 0.6%
veterinary med or optometrist
Masters degree 2.4% 2.2% 2.6% 2.4% 4.4% 4.1%
Earned doctorate 0.4% 0.7% 0.4% 0.5% 0.9% 0.8%
Schools and School Districts
“This is an exciting time of change for education in British Columbia. And yet our education system is based on a
model of learning from an earlier century. To change that, we need to put students at the centre of their own
education. We need to make a better link between what kids learn at school and what they experience and learn in
their everyday lives. We need to create new learning environments for students that allow them to discover, embrace,
and fulfill their passions. We need to set the stage for parents, teachers, administrators and other partners to
prepare our children for success not only in today’s world, but in a world that few of us can yet imagine.” Hon.
George Abbott, Minister of Education 103
The Okanagan Valley has a school-going population 104 of approximately 38,000 kindergarten, elementary, middle and secondary school
students reaching across four independent School Districts with significantly different challenges. The four School districts are SD23 - Central
Okanagan; SD22 - Vernon, SD53 - Okanagan Similkameen and SD67 - Okanagan Skaha.
Aging of the general population, together with a trend of decreasing enrolments into the school system, has been an ongoing trend within all
four School Districts servicing various communities within the Okanagan Valley. The mean age of residents is significantly higher within
communities in the southern half of the Valley than the north, with a concurrently low proportion of children in the population. Declining
fertility rates in British Columbia, including communities in the Okanagan Valley, mean that elementary school enrolment rates have seen a
long-term decline.
The pattern is changing in certain communities within the Okanagan Valley, for example School District SD23, which serves the Central
Okanagan region. The Central Okanagan is one of British Columbia’s fastest growing regions, with a 21.1% population increase 105 between
2000 and 2009. School District 23 faces significant challenges in its Long Term Facility planning to accommodate a changing school-going
demographic. With a steady increase in the annual birth rate from 1300 to 1700 over an 8 year period since 2002, facility planning demands
a review of grade location and distribution, as an increasing number of toddlers enter the system at kindergarten and elementary level and a
diminishing number of ‘echo-boomers’ leave after completing Grades 11 and 12.
Fifty-five out of every hundred school students in the Okanagan There are also at least 14 private and independent schools in the
Valley are enrolled in schools within School District 23 - Central Okanagan Valley,.
Okanagan. Communities serviced by each School District and
the relative size of the student body, are listed in the table below.
School 2012-2013 Communities

District student served
enrolments
FTE
#22 8,444 Coldstream
Vernon Ellison
Mission Hill
Okanagan Landing
Silver Star
Vernon
#23 21,354 Kelowna
Central Lake Country
Okanagan Peachland
West Kelowna
#67 6,219 Kaleden
Okanagan Naramata, Penticton
Skaha Skaha
Summerland
#53 2,360 Cawston
Okanagan Hedley
Similkameen Keremeos
Okanagan Falls
Oliver
Osoyoos
38,377
School District 23 - Central Okanagan
Vision Facts & Figures – Learning Cohorts

SD23 is a progressive leader in # Students Cohort Male Female
education, which sets the standard for 2,255 Aboriginal 1,145 1,110
educational excellence and ensures that 83 Aboriginal Distance 30 53
every student has opportunities to Learning
succeed. 378 English Language 206 172
Learners
Cultural Values 217 International 136 81
Honesty, Responsibility, Respect, Empathy, Fairness Education
2,037 French Immersion 916 1,121
Facts & Figures 106, 107, 108 1,788 Students with 1,236 552
With a 2012-2013 annual operating budget of $181 million, SD 23 special needs
is the largest of three School Districts that service the Okanagan 3,200 Career Programs – 1,595 1,605
Valley with an estimated 2012 population of 173,026 citizens in 6 Secondary School
local governments - Lake Country, Kelowna, West Kelowna,
Westbank First Nation, Peachland and the Regional District of 196 Apprenticeship / 151 45
Central Okanagan. The District employees approximately 3,000 Dual Credit
people, making it the second largest employer in the Central
Okanagan, after the Interior Health Authority. Catchment maps
for various school categories are available at the following links:
Elementary, Middle and Secondary.
The Central Okanagan is one of British Columbia’s fastest growing

regions, with a 21.1% population increase 109 between 2000 and
2009. The District faces significant challenges in its Long Term
Facility planning to accommodate a changing school-going
demographic. With a steady increase in the annual birth rate from Facts & Figures – General
1300 to 1700 over an 8 year period since 2002, facility planning * 21,354 Students (5th largest district in BC)
demands a review of grade location and distribution, as an 42 30 elementary Student enrolment
increasing number of toddlers enter the system at kindergarten Schools 6 middle Kindergarten 1,532
and elementary level and a diminishing number of ‘echo-boomers’ 5 secondary
leave after completing Grades 11 and 12. Elementary 10,733
1 alternate
7 BoE Trustees Middle 3,878
Secondary 6,742
1,302 Teachers Continuing Ed. 13
220 Teachers on call Alternate School 228
1,379 Support staff Distrib. Learning * 758
79 Principals & VP’s Total * 22,335
36 Senior staff and union- * Some students are cross-
exempt staff enrolled in more than one
program
School District 22 –Vernon wonderfully rich opportunities our
geographical location offers our students and staff as they pursue
Mission lifelong learning in their communities. It is the combined effort of
Develop in all students a lifelong love of students, parents, employees and community members that
learning and to prepare them to thrive in a ensures the individual success of every student in our School
changing world. District.
Motto
“A Great Place to Learn” International Student Program
Vernon School District offers a complete curriculum in all schools
Facts & Figures 110, 111 including university preparation subjects such as Mathematics,
Located in the Okanagan Valley of south central British Columbia, English, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Business/Computer courses
School District 22 serves a population 112 of around 66,000 living and Fine Arts. Many students go on to Universities and Colleges.
in the communities of Vernon, Coldstream, Lavington, Lumby and The Okanagan Valley has Okanagan College and the World Class
Cherryville,. As a dynamic public education system, the District University UBC Okanagan.
provides excellent educational services to over 8,400 students and
School District 22 has introduced the StrongStart free preschool
Facts & Figures – General program 113, primarily focused on 3-5 year old children and their
8,444 Students parent/caregivers, at no cost to them. The program is located
at each of the four Elementary Schools in the District, and
19 14 elementary Student enrolment
generally operates Mon-Fri 08:30-11:30AM, with specific days and
Schools 5 secondary Kindergarten
hours of service depending on the host elementary school.
1 distance 4,500
Elementary Families may drop into the program whenever it meets their
4 alternate
needs, and younger siblings are also welcome.
7 Board of Education Middle
3,498
Trustees Secondary
600 Teachers Continuing ed. 256
350 Teachers on call Alternate 106
1,356 Support staff Distrib. learning 84
39 Principals & VP’s 8,444 Facts & Figures – Learning Cohorts
12 Senior staff and union- * some students are cross- # Students Cohort Male Female
exempt staff enrolled in more than one 1,118 Aboriginal 588 578
7 Aboriginal Distance 1 6
Learning
250 adults with a $75.8 million annual operating budget.
54 English Language 30 24
Learners
These services include a strong International Program, an elite
195 International 107 88
athlete High Performance Program, a vibrant French Immersion
Education
Program, a growing Montessori Program, new and exciting
990 French Immersion 263 346
Distributive Learning Courses, a strong Aboriginal presence, and
613 Students with 429 184
opportunities for Trades Training and Secondary Apprenticeships.
special needs
*37 Career Programs – *18 *19
Secondary School
The District’s motto, “A Great Place to Learn” epitomizes the
School District 67 – Okanagan Skaha School District 67 has introduced the StrongStart preschool
program, primarily focused on 0-5 year old children and their
Vision parent/caregivers, at no cost to them. The program is located
Improving the achievement of all learners. at each of the four Elementary Schools in the District, open Mon-
Fri 08:45—11:45 on school days. Families may drop into the
Inquiry-based improvement program whenever it meets their needs, and younger siblings are
The District is committed to an inquiry‐based welcome.
model for improving student achievement,
focusing on two goal areas, Literacy and
School Completion & Transitions. Facts & Figures - General
6,219 Students
Facts & Figures 114
19 4 strong start Student enrolment
With an annual operating budget of $54 million (2012-2013) the
Schools 11 elementary Kindergarten 362
Okanagan-Skaha School District has a student population of
4 middle 1,873
approximately 6,220 students 115 in 19 schools. It is the smallest Elementary
3 secondary
of three school districts servicing the Okanagan Valley, addressing
7 Board of Education Middle 1,386
an estimated 2012 population of 55,000 citizens 116 in the
Trustees Secondary 2,598
communities of Penticton, Summerland, Naramata and Kaleden.
1,275 Teachers Total (2012) 6,219
225 Teachers on call Total (2011) 6,301
1,356 Support staff
77 Principals & VP’s
36 Senior staff and union-
exempt staff
The early learning program is designed to work in partnership

with parents/caregivers, their children, an Early Childhood
Educator, and community partners. Community partners include
School District No. 67 (Okanagan Skaha), Communities for Kids,
Child Care Resource and Referral, Interior Health, Speech and
Language, Supported Child Development, Success by Six, and
other community agencies. The program is funded by the Ministry
of Education and sponsored by School District No. 67.
Student enrolment has declined each year for the last 10 years,
while the proportion of seniors has increased to double the
provincial average, with a commensurate decline in the school-
aged population. Approx 10% of the district’s students are
Aboriginal, representing Status On‐Reserve First Nations, Other
First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and other off‐reserve people of
Aboriginal ancestry. A full‐day Kindergarten program was
implemented in all of Okanagan-Skaha’s elementary schools from
September 2011.
School District 53 – Okanagan Similkameen Program Highlights
The district is proud of its comprehensive programs serving clients
Mission Statement from birth to the golden years. Our early learning programs
We are committed to quality learning experiences include StrongStartBC programs, preschool and daycare
in a caring environment, which promote personal partnerships and a new family hub. This is accomplished through
excellence, life-long learning and responsible strong partnering with community service groups and businesses.
citizenship. We have an excellent teaching and support staff and a strong
record of achievement Kindergarten to graduation, and our
District Context and Goals continuing education programs for adults are second to none.
Improving student achievement is the highest priority for the
Okanagan Similkameen School District and the Ministry of
Education. Achievement Plan 2012-2013 has the following goals:
o To improve student success in literacy;

o To improve student success in numeracy;
o To support schools in creating safe, positive learning
environments;
o To increase transition and completion rates for all students
with a particular focus on Aboriginal students.
Facts & Figures 117

School District 53 covers the communities of Hedley, Keremeos,
Cawston, Osoyoos, Oliver and Okanagan Falls. Within the district
boundaries are three First Nations Bands: Osoyoos Indian Band
and the Upper and Lower Similkameen Bands. The district faces
the challenge of declining enrolment due largely to economic and
demographic changes within the region.
Our distance learning program provides service to those wishing
School District No. 53 has an enrollment of 2360 Full Time to learn at home, as well as to those in other parts of British
Equivalent (FTE) students as of September 30, 2012. The district Columbia. Our focus is on the individual learner and we strive to
employs 146 educators, 131 support staff, 16 school and district enhance learning through new and innovative ideas
principals/vice-principals, and 11 other excluded staff members.
We partner with our various cultural communities to develop
schools where all students feel welcome and successful.
We reach beyond the traditional walls of education to provide

career programs which allow students to get a head start in trade
apprenticeships and post-secondary education. As a district we
endeavour to find relevant and meaningful ways to support
student learning and success while in school and after graduation.
Facts & Figures - General
8 Schools, 3 YouLearn Student enrolment

facilities (Continuing 2012-2013
Education, Distance
Full Time
Learning, Outreach, Adult 2,360
Equivalents (FTE)
Education)
The facilities include 8 schools, 3 YouLearn facilities (Continuing Educators 146
Education, Distance Learning, Outreach, Adult Education), two of Support staff 132
which are leased, a board office in Oliver, 3 bus garages and 1 Principals & VP’s 16
district maintenance building. T he district has a total operating Excluded staff 11
budget of $24.2 million.
Private and Independent Schools
In addition to public schools operated by the Provincial St James Catholic School

Government, there are also a number of privately owned and run St James Catholic School, based in Vernon, offers schooling from
schools in the Okanagan Valley, that offer educational services for K through to Grade 7
students from Kindergarten through to Grade 12
Aberdeen Hall St Joseph Catholic Elementary School

Aberdeen Hall is a co-educational and non-denominational St Joseph Catholic Elementary School is based in Kelowna and
independent university preparatory school based in Kelowna. It offers Catholic K-7 elementary school of the diocese of Nelson and
offers classes from Preschool and Kindergarten to Grade 11. is an accredited and classified Group 1 independent school of the
Grade 12 is offered for 2013/14. Ministry of Education in the Province of British Columbia
Heritage Christian School

Heritage Christian School is a group 1 independent school located Studio 9 Independent School of the Arts.
in Kelowna, with classes from Kindergarten to Grade 12. The A category 1 private school based in Kelowna, Studio 9
school offers a strong Christian emphasis and devout teachers Independent School of the Arts offers a core academic program
with a heart for the school community. integrated with an arts curriculum.
Holy Cross Elementary Vernon Christian School

Based in Penticton and offers Catholic K-8 elementary school of Vernon Christian School is based in Vernon. Its K-12 curriculum is
the diocese of Nelson and is an accredited and classified Group 1 presented from a Christian perspective, and follows the BC
independent school of the Ministry of Education in the Province of Ministry of Education guidelines.
British Columbia
Pleasant Valley Christian School
Pleasant Valley Christian School is a missionary outreach of
Immaculata Catholic Regional High School
Pleasant Valley Bible Church. Its K-8 curriculum is presented from
Immaculata is a local-regional Catholic high school serving
a Christian perspective.
Kelowna and its surrounding area. Established in 1960,
Immaculata currently serves over 250 students from grades 8-12.
http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/reporting/ind.php
Kelowna Christian School

Kelowna Christian School offers Christian based education and
classes from Kindergarten to High school.
Kelowna Waldorff School

Kelowna Waldorf School has been operating for 31 years in the
Kelowna community. It offers a multi-age preschool program,
Kindergarten through Grade 8 with an average student teacher
ratio of one to fourteen.
Okanagan Adventist Academy

Based in Kelowna, the Okanagan Adventist Academy is operated
by the Seventh-day Adventist Church to provide a spiritually
oriented education for children.
Okanagan Montessori
Okanagan Montessori, based in Kelowna, offers preschool and
kindergarten classes, morning or afternoon sessions, Monday
through Friday, with extracurricular activities.
Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary School

Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary School is a Catholic elementary
school based in West Kelowna.
Universities
University of British Columbia – Okanagan Campus
The University of British Columbia's Okanagan

campus 118 opened in Kelowna in September
2005. UBC is one of North America’s largest
public research and teaching institutions, and one
of only two Canadian institutions consistently
ranked among the world’s 22 best universities.
Facts & Figures

Student Population: 8,307 total
(as of Sep 4, 2012) 7,652 undergraduate
655 graduate
Faculties
Faculty Population: 371 permanent
(as of Jul 23, 2012) 70 temporary
Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences
Staff Population: 412 permanent
o Community, Culture and Global Studies
(as of Jul 23, 2012) 88 temporary
o Biology
Faculties and Schools: 8 (including the Faculty of o Chemistry
Medicine's Southern o Psychology
Medical Program) o Computer Science | Mathematics | Physics | Statistics
Campus Housing: 1,676 total beds o History | Sociology
Size of Campus: 209 Hectare (516 acres) o Earth and Environmental Sciences | Physical Geography
Buildings: 140 370 m2 o Economics | Philosophy | Political Science
Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies
o Department of Creative Studies
The Okanagan campus is an intimate learning community o Department of Critical Studies
embracing bold new ways of thinking that attract exceptional Faculty of Education
students and faculty. More than 8,300 students from throughout Faculty of Applied Science
the Okanagan region, across Canada and 80 other countries are o School of Engineering
enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs in eight Faculty of Health and Social Development
faculties and schools. Here, students interact with one another o School of Health and Exercise Sciences
and their professors on a daily basis, while becoming global o School of Nursing
citizens through interaction with their community and the world. o School of Social Work
Faculty of Management
With $11.7 million in annual research funding, and more than 480 Faculty of Medicine, Southern Medical Program
College of Graduate Studies
research projects underway, the Okanagan campus is earning a

reputation as an important, respected centre of learning and
research, enhancing knowledge creation and innovation in our
region and internationally.
Colleges
Okanagan College Aboriginal students comprise a growing portion of the College’s

Okanagan College is the largest post-secondary student body. More than 1,700 Aboriginal students attended the
institution in the region, educating and training institution in 2011-12; more than three times the 513 registered
more than 22,000 people annually. Established at the College in 2007-08
under the provisions of the College and Institute
Act (2004), its history can be traced to 1 963 when the BC
Vocational School was established in Kelowna.
The College offers a wide variety of career, continuing education,

degree, developmental, trades, technology, university transfer,
and vocational programs. It is British Columbia’s second largest
trades training institution. The region served by Okanagan
College covers 37,750 square kilometres – more than six times
the size of Prince Edward Island - and extends from Osoyoos and
Princeton in the south and west to Mica Creek and Revelstoke in
the north and east. Work has started on a $33-million expansion
and renovation of Okanagan College’s Trades facility on the
Kelowna campus.
Okanagan College’s growing international student population is
It has more than 1,200 employees and the 2012-13 operating diverse: almost 1,000 individual students have attended
budget is approximately $93 million. In 2009, it opened the Okanagan College (all programs, including Continuing Studies)
Centre for Learning at its Kelowna campus, a $28-million five- from abroad, and have come from 42 different countries. The
storey building that is LEED Gold certified and is a showcase for biggest proportion, about a third of international students, came
carbon-conscious construction and operation. The Jim Pattison from China.
Centre of Excellence building opened at the College’s Penticton
campus in 2011. It houses a host of programs focused on Campuses Continuing Trades Training
Sustainable Building Technologies and Renewable Energy Studies Centres Centres
Conservation. This innovative building has been the recipient of Kelowna Revelstoke Salmon Arm
Vernon (Kalamalka) Summerland Vernon
several internationally recognized awards.
Penticton Oliver Kelowna
Salmon Arm Penticton
The new $33m Trades Complex on Kelowna Campus is scheduled
to open late 2015 / early 2016 and a new Community Sports
Facility adjacent to Okanagan College Vernon campus is under
development.
Since 2005, the College has grown by more than 50 per cent in
terms of full-time equivalent students, and has added a number
of new programs in a variety of centres and areas of study.
Okanagan College has awarded more than 15,000 credentials
since 2005 in over 140 programs in 14 locations.
Facts & Figures

Student Full Time Equivalents by 7,754 total
Campus 2011-2012: 4,931 Kelowna
735 Penticton
Programs by Category
866 Vernon University Studies Business
459 Salmon Arm Computer Information Systems Engineering Technologies
374 Distance Health & Social Development Trades & Apprenticeship
389 International Foundational Programs International Education
Employees: + 1,200 Continuing Studies Distance Education
Operating budget 2012-2013 $ 93 million
environments, and industry-developed animation labs to fuel the
Private Institutions creative spirit that is inherent to all our programs.
The digital art and technology programs offered at the Kelowna

Centre for Arts and Technology - Kelowna
campus brings industry-leading talent into the classroom as
Centre for Arts and Technology is a
mentors and connect real-world projects with businesses and
Private Career Training Institutions
organizations in the community.
Agency (PCTIA) accredited school
offering a suite of accelerated
professional diploma and certificate programs in Animation (2D
and 3D), Digital Media Design, Event Management (for
Entertainment and Digital Arts Industry), Digital Film, Information
Technology, Recording Arts, Video Gaming and Visual Effects and
other emerging digital media technologies.
The Kelowna campus opened its doors in 2002 and is located in

the Landmark Technology Centre - a hub of technology
companies that serve the greater Okanagan valley and beyond.
o Over 28,000 square feet of learning spaces;

o Two contemporary digital recording studios with mix-to-
picture surround-sound capability;
o A Film Production Studio complimenting extensive digital
video, motion graphics, digital media, visual effects and
green screen color keying technology;
o Interior design, fashion design, and animation labs;
o Student lounge;
Programs offered at the Kelowna campus include:
o 2D Animation & Digital Art

o Animation for Game, Film, & Visual Effects
o Audio Engineering & Production
o Studio Production
o Electronic Music Production
o Digital Filmmaking
o Digital Photography
o NEW! Digital Marketing Online Program
o Event & Promotions Management
o Graphic Design & Web Development
o Graphic & Digital Design
o Fashion Design & Merchandising
o Interior Design
o Network Security Administrator/Specialist
o Web Programmer Specialist
Students are offered liberal access to facilities and equipment, o PC Technician Specialist
that creates an educational setting where art and creativity blend o .NET Developer Specialist
seamlessly with technology. The Centre's vision is centred on o Veterinary Hospital Assistant
established industry partnerships and a commitment to bringing
the latest software and hardware into the classroom.
Located in the heart of the Okanagan, the college is home to two

contemporary digital recording studios, an elaborate production
studio, dedicated Fashion, Interior Design, and Photography
Sprott-Shaw Community College British Columbia Institute of Technology
Sprott Shaw has always maintained a sharp focus to provide BCIT has satellite campuses 120 at various
relevant skills for meaningful jobs in high growth industries. 119 locations in British Columbia, including two
in the Okanagan Valley, at Rutland
Sprott Shaw has two campuses in the Okanagan Valley: in Secondary Senior School and Hollywood
Kelowna and in Penticton. The modern campuses of Sprott Shaw High School, both in Kelowna.
now train over 4500 students each year. All locations feature
small class sizes, qualified instructors, hands-on training and a BCIT offers programs with a variety of levels of certification:
friendly, appropriate learning environment for adults of all ages. certificates, diplomas and advanced studies, including degrees.
During the past century, Sprott Shaw College has built a solid BCIT has established itself as Canada’s leading aerospace training
reputation with both the private sector and government. This facility. Its aerospace instructors are industry professionals at the
reputation is based not only on training excellence, but also on top of their game that develop employer-driven curricula ensuring
Sprott Shaw graduates’ enviable record of securing successful your program adopts best practices and remains at the forefront
jobs after training. of technological change.
In all cases, the College’s goal is to help students to obtain HNZ Topflight
employment at the conclusion of their studies and to open the HNZ Helicopters operates out of a state of the art training facility
door for life-long learning. located at the Penticton Regional Airport 121. This facility is
uniquely suited for helicopter mountain training due to its
proximity to the 4 kinds of mountain terrain. The school has a
world renowned reputation for the caliber of its training. Over
the last 60 years, elite military, police, corporate and individual
pilots from around the world have come to P enticton to train in
the Okanagan due to the flying challenges that are idea for
learning mountain flight techniques. The comprehensive ground
school, experienced instructors and availability of a range of
The College offers the following basic courses with a range of courses make the school world class.
variations to suit specific applications:
Okanagan Mountain Helicopters FTU
Academic Preparation; Accounting And Payroll Administrator; Okanagan Mountain Helicopters is known for a high standard of
Administration Assistant; Advanced Business Management & E- flight training and instruction 122.
Commerce; Business Administration; Business Communication Located at Kelowna International
Management; Business Office Concepts; Business Technology; Airport, Okanagan Mountain
Canadian Business Suite; Communications For Healthcare; Helicopters Training and Instruction
Community Support Worker - Assisted Living; Construction school offers the most
Electrician Level 1; Early Childhood Education; English Language comprehensive helicopter pilot training in the industry:
Skills; Exam Preparation - IELTS; Global Marketing Management
With Co-Op; Health Care Assistant; Hospitality And Tourism BC Forestry Mountain; Class 4 Helicopter Instructor Rating;
Management; Industrial Vocation; Instructor Competency Commercial Helicopter – Alternate category; Commercial
Program; International Hospitality Management; International Helicopter – Initial; Premium Training
Trade; Legal Assistant; Live-In Caregiver; Marketing & Sales
Essentials; Math For Healthcare; Medical English; Medical Office Kelowna College of Professional Counselling
Assistant; Medication Administration Assistance; MELAB www.counsellortraining.com
Preparation; Pharmacy Assistant; Power Speaking-Introductory
Business Communication Management; Practical Nursing Access; The Kelowna College of Professional
Professional Business Management; Residential Construction Counselling is located in downtown
Framing Technician; Retail Merchandising; Sales Professional; Spa Kelowna. In 7-12 months 123 students can
Body Therapy; Teaching English To Speakers Of Other earn a Diploma of Applied Psychology and
Languages; Tourism /Hospitality Management. Counselling or a Certificate in Applied Counselling Studies.
Graduates choose from a wide range of career opportunities in
private practice and community mental health agencies. The
specially designed curriculum provides practical knowledge and
skill training, applicable to all types of counselling settings.
Focus College of Professionals Kelowna
Based in Kelowna, Focus offers post-secondary education in Air-Hart Aviation

Accounting and Payroll Practitioner; Accounting Courses; Bush Pilot; Commercial Pilot; Float rating
Advanced Security Training; Basic Security Training; Business
Administration Skills; Bylaw Enforcement Officer/Course; Canscribe Career College
Canadian Firearms Safety Course; Criminal Justice and Civil Law Medical Transcription; Windows & Office
Studies; First Aid Courses; Human Resource Business
Management; Intro to Microcomputers; Keyboarding; Loss Diving Dynamics
Prevention; Microsoft Office; Private Investigations; Safety PDT Master’s; Professional Diver Training; Unrestricted Surface
Supplied Diver
Okanagan Valley College of Massage Therapy
Invidia Academy
Based in Vernon, Okanagan Valley College of Hair Artistry
Massage Therapy is committed to creating and
maintaining the highest possible standards of Southern Interior Flight Centre
education in professional massage therapy, Commercial Pilot Licence; Flight Instructor Rating; Instrument
and education in relaxation massage and spa Rating; Multi Engine Rating
modalities. They provide a dynamic, positive, safe and supportive
environment where students can develop the knowledge, skills Studio Chi
and attitudes essential to becoming Registered Massage Acupressure & Shiatsu; Shiatsu
Therapists or spa practitioners. The curriculum emphasizes the
integration of academic content, practical skills and application Taylor Pro Training
with the art and ethics of professionalism. Heavy Equipment – Excavator Operator Training; Heavy
Equipment Operator; Multi Equipment
BC is one of three provinces where Massage Therapy is a
regulated profession. Once registered with the College of West Kelowna
Massage Therapists of BC (CMTBC), graduates are eligible to
practice in any other province Canada West School of Professional Groomers
Professional Groomer
Several other post-secondary education institutions are present in Canadian Institute of Natural Health and Healing
the Okanagan. T he following private institutions are registered Aromatherapy; SPA Practitioner; Esthetician; Hypnosis;
with the Private Career Training Institutions Agency of BC: Hypnotherapy; Intuitive Practitioner; Muscologist; Nail
Technician; Natural Health Practitioner; Reflexology; Reiki
Vernon Masters; Holistic Practitioner
British Columbia College of Equine Therapy First College

Equine Sport Therapy Vocational, technical and career training. Diploma Programs and
specialized Short Courses. Health Care Assistant, Personal
M.C. College Support Worker, Non Destructive Testing
Vernon and Kelowna. Artificial Nails; Esthetics; Hairstyling; Make-
up Artistry; Nail Technology Penticton
Procare Institute Okanagan Hockey School

Vernon and Kelowna. Health Care Assistant Professional coaching for developmental, professional and high
performance hockey players. On- and off-ice skills development.
Interior Heavy Equipment Operator School
Winfield and Kelowna. Articulated Rock Truck; Combination; Okanagan Cosmetology Institute
Dozer; Excavator; Full; Grader; Heavy equipment Operator; Student-run salon and spa. Comprehensive selection of courses in
Individual Courses; Loader; Public Works; Rubber Tire backhoe Hairstyling, Esthetics, Nail Technician and Make Up Artistry, offers
diplomas in cosmetology and esthetics.
SICA Construction Training Centre
Kelowna and Penticton. Carpentry; Construction Trades; Core
Training; Road Builders & Heavy Construction; Tile Setter Level 1
Income - Personal, Household and Family
The most recent census information for personal, household and family unit income is available from the 2011 National Housing Survey
(Statistics Canada), which provides income distribution for the 2010 tax year. P ersonal income for Okanagan residents in 2010 averaged
around $37,800 per year with a median value of around $28,600. Average personal income for Okanagan residents is around 4% lower than
British Columbia, and 8% lower than average Canadian incomes.
Personal and household incomes vary significantly between communities in the Okanagan Valley, generally a function of different employment
environments and the demographic characteristic of each community. West Kelowna, for example, with a younger working population, enjoys
the highest personal and household income in the Okanagan Valley, whereas incomes in Penticton and Westbank First Nation are below
average. For the communities of Vernon and Penticton, personal, family and household income statistics are presented for their respective
Census Agglomeration areas (CA).
Personal Income Household Income

Community Average $ Median $ # People GNR% Average $ Median $ # HH
Vernon CA 36,692 27,756 46,235 27.0 69,450 55,542 24,425
Lake Country 35,497 29,102 9,160 24.0 72,366 66,676 4,495
Kelowna 39,494 29,832 94,290 28.1 74,975 57,948 49,670
West Kelowna 40,965 30,704 24,250 24.7 84,167 68,261 11,800
Westbank First Nation 22,731 15,165 655 35.6 53,565 47,244 445
Peachland 36,830 28,691 4,480 33.1 71,370 60,590 2,310
Penticton CA 33,730 24,846 34,490 30.3 60,585 45,516 19,200
Okanagan Falls 38,264 25,419 4,905 45.9 77,016 61,773 2,435
Okanagan Valley 37,854 28,505 218,465 28.2 72,123 56,851 114,780
British Columbia 39,415 28,765 3,464,260 26.1 77,378 60,333 1,764,630
Canada 40,650 29,878 25,918,505 26.1 79,102 61,072 13,319,255
Note: column 'GNR%' in the above table indicates Global Non-Response rates for the 2011 National Household Survey per community. This
combines complete non-response (household) and partial non-response (question) into a single rate which is used as an indicator of data
quality. A lower GNR indicates lower risk of non-response bias and as a result, lower risk of inaccuracy. The threshold used by Statistics
Canada for estimates' suppression is a GNR of 50% or more.
Median>Average Median~Average Median<Average Median: the median income of a

18 specified group of income recipients is
16 that amount which divides their income
Percentage in Income Range
14 size distribution into two halves i.e. the

12 incomes of the first half of individuals
10
are below the median while those of the
second half are above the median.
8
Median income is calculated from the
6
individuals with income in that group.
4 Average: the average income of
2 individuals refers to the weighted mean
0 total income of individuals aged 15 years
and over who reported income for 2010.
$100,000 and over
$5,000 to $9,999
$10,000 to
$15,000 to
$20,000 to
$30,000 to
$40,000 to
$50,000 to
$60,000 to
$80,000 to
Under $5,000
$14,999
$19,999
$29,999
$39,999
$49,999
$59,999
$79,999
$99,999
Average income is calculated from

unrounded data by dividing the
aggregate income of a specified group
of individuals by the number of
Income Range individuals with income in that group.
Income distribution: average income exceeds median income for all communities in the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia and Canada
(characterized by the red income distribution curve in the above chart). T he ratio between median and average income is an indicator of
income equality (differences tend to be smaller in egalitarian economies). The Okanagan Valley ratio median : average income is 75% for
Personal income, 79% for Household income and 83% for Economic Family income. Ratios for British Columbia and Canada are substantially
the same, meaning income diversity is universally wider at the Personal level than at the Household level or Economic Family level.
Average Income and Median Income
Charts below indicate the relative Household and Economic Family incomes for communities across the Okanagan Valley in comparison with
averages for the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia and Canada. Household and Economic family incomes are defined below:
o Household total income - the total income of a household is the sum of the total incomes of all members of that Household (they may or
may not be members of the same family). A ‘household’ is a person or a group of people occupying the same dwelling.
o Economic Family total income - the total income of an economic family is the sum of the total incomes of all members of that Family
(they may or may not be members of the same household).
Average and median HOUSEHOLD income by community Average and median ECONOMIC FAMILY income by community
90,000 100,000
Average Median Average Median
80,000 90,000
94,125
84,167
92,999
91,967
90,084
88,275
79,102
77,378
85,700
77,016
80,000
74,975
70,000
82,581
81,697
81,686
72,366
72,123
71,370
69,450
77,042
76,782
76,511
75,797
68,261
70,000
75,076
74,697
66,676
60,000
71,474
70,120
68,728
61,773
68,230
61,072
60,590
60,585
60,333
60,000
57,948
56,851
62,250
55,542
50,000
53,565
50,000
47,244
45,516
40,000
40,000
30,000
30,000
20,000 20,000
10,000 10,000
0 0
Peachland
Peachland
Canada
Canada
Okanagan
Okanagan
Kelowna
Kelowna
WFN (no data)

Vernon CA
Lake Country
British Columbia
Penticton CA
Vernon CA
Okanagan Falls
Lake Country
British Columbia
Penticton CA
Okanagan Falls
West Kelowna
West Kelowna
Average and median HOUSEHOLD INCOME by community Average and median ECONOMIC FAMILY INCOME by community
The following charts show the range of average and median Personal incomes across different communities in the Okanagan Valley, as well as
the distribution of income across various income brackets for each community, the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia and Canada.
Average and median PERSONAL income by community Personal Income distribution - Okanagan
20%
50,000 2010 Okanagan
18%
Average income: $ 37,854
45,000 Average Median
16% Median income: $ 28,505
40,000
40,965
40,650
39,494
14%
39,415
38,264
37,854
35,000
36,830
36,692
35,497
12%
33,730
30,000
30,704
29,878
29,832
29,102
28,691
28,765
28,505
25,000 10%
27,756
25,419
24,846
20,000 8%
22,731
15,000 6%
15,165
10,000
4%
5,000
2%
-
0%
Peachland
Okanagan
Penticton CA
Canada
Okanagan Falls
Kelowna
Vernon CA
West Kelowna
Lake Country
British Columbia
$10,000 to
$15,000 to
$20,000 to
$30,000 to
$40,000 to
$50,000 to
$60,000 to
$80,000 to
$100,000 and
$5,000 to $9,999
Under $5,000
$14,999
$19,999
$29,999
$39,999
$49,999
$59,999
$79,999
$99,999
over
Average and median PERSONAL INCOME by community Personal income distribution - Okanagan
Personal Income distribution - Vernon CA Personal Income distribution - Lake Country
20% 20%
2010 Vernon Okanagan 2010 Lake C Okanagan
18% 18%
Average income: $36,692 $ 37,854 Average income: $35,497 $ 37,768
16% Median income: $27,756 $ 28,505 16% Median income: $29,102 $ 28,552
14% 14%
12% 12%
10% 10%
8% 8%
6% 6%
4% 4%
2% 2%
0% 0%
$10,000 to
$15,000 to
$20,000 to
$30,000 to
$40,000 to
$50,000 to
$60,000 to
$80,000 to
$100,000 and
$10,000 to
$15,000 to
$20,000 to
$30,000 to
$40,000 to
$50,000 to
$60,000 to
$80,000 to
$100,000 and
$5,000 to $9,999
$5,000 to $9,999
Under $5,000
Under $5,000
$14,999
$19,999
$29,999
$39,999
$49,999
$59,999
$79,999
$99,999
$14,999
$19,999
$29,999
$39,999
$49,999
$59,999
$79,999
$99,999
over
over
Personal income distribution - Vernon CA Personal income distribution - Lake Country
Personal Income distribution - Kelowna Personal Income distribution - West Kelowna
20% 20%
2010 Kelowna Okanagan 2010 West Kel. Okanagan
18% 18%
14% 14%
12% 12%
10% 10%
8% 8%
6% 6%
4% 4%
2% 2%
0% 0%
$10,000 to
$15,000 to
$20,000 to
$30,000 to
$40,000 to
$50,000 to
$60,000 to
$80,000 to
$100,000 and
$10,000 to
$15,000 to
$20,000 to
$30,000 to
$40,000 to
$50,000 to
$60,000 to
$80,000 to
$100,000 and
$5,000 to $9,999
$5,000 to $9,999
Under $5,000
Under $5,000
$14,999
$19,999
$29,999
$39,999
$49,999
$59,999
$79,999
$99,999
$14,999
$19,999
$29,999
$39,999
$49,999
$59,999
$79,999
$99,999
over
over
Personal income distribution - Kelowna Personal income distribution - West Kelowna
Personal Income distribution - Westbank First Nation Personal Income distribution - Peachland
20% 20%
2010 WFN Okanagan 2010 Peachld Okanagan
18% 18%
14% 14%
12% 12%
10% 10%
8% 8%
6% 6%
4% 4%
2% 2%
0% 0%
$10,000 to
$15,000 to
$20,000 to
$30,000 to
$40,000 to
$50,000 to
$60,000 to
$80,000 to
$100,000 and
$10,000 to
$15,000 to
$20,000 to
$30,000 to
$40,000 to
$50,000 to
$60,000 to
$80,000 to
$100,000 and
$5,000 to $9,999
$5,000 to $9,999
Under $5,000
Under $5,000
$14,999
$19,999
$29,999
$39,999
$49,999
$59,999
$79,999
$99,999
$14,999
$19,999
$29,999
$39,999
$49,999
$59,999
$79,999
$99,999
over
over
Personal income distribution - Westbank First Nation Personal income distribution - Peachland
Personal Income distribution - Penticton CA Personal Income distribution - Okanagan Falls
20% 20%
2010 Pentictn Okanagan 2010 OK Falls Okanagan
18% 18%
14% 14%
12% 12%
10% 10%
8% 8%
6% 6%
4% 4%
2% 2%
0% 0%
$10,000 to
$15,000 to
$20,000 to
$30,000 to
$40,000 to
$50,000 to
$60,000 to
$80,000 to
$100,000 and
$10,000 to
$15,000 to
$20,000 to
$30,000 to
$40,000 to
$50,000 to
$60,000 to
$80,000 to
$100,000 and
$5,000 to $9,999
$5,000 to $9,999
Under $5,000
Under $5,000
$14,999
$19,999
$29,999
$39,999
$49,999
$59,999
$79,999
$99,999
$14,999
$19,999
$29,999
$39,999
$49,999
$59,999
$79,999
$99,999
over
over
Personal income distribution - Penticton CA Personal income distribution - Okanagan Falls (Area D)
The table below shows median and average household incomes for two categories of household (single person and more than one person):
Household income in 2010 Vernon Lake Kelowna West Peach- Pentic- OK Falls Okanagn British
WFN Canada
of private Households CA Cntry Cy Kelowna land ton CA Area D Valley Columbia
Total number of HH's 24,425 4,495 49,670 11,800 445 2,310 19,200 2,435 114,780 1,764,630 13,319,255
Median HH total income 55,542 66,676 57,948 68,261 47,244 60,590 45,516 61,773 56,851 60,333 61,072
Average HH total income 69,450 72,366 74,975 84,167 53,565 71,370 60,585 77,016 72,123 77,378 79,102
Median after-tax HH income 50,773 58,817 52,258 60,904 43,743 55,379 42,126 52,916 51,437 54,379 54,089
Average after-tax HH income 60,550 63,065 64,723 72,291 49,108 61,865 53,533 65,629 62,577 66,264 66,149
One-person private HH's 6,670 900 14,680 2,130 50 520 6,310 510 31,770 497,215 3,662,800
Two-or-more-persons HH's 17,755 3,595 34,995 9,670 390 1,790 12,890 1,925 83,010 1,267,420 9,656,450
Income Gender Diversity by community

60,000
50,994 The chart to the left shows the difference in

47,480 48,594
50,000
45,317
46,628
45,376 46,145 45,462 average personal annual income between
42,308
39,666
Male and Female earners in the Okanagan
40,000
Valley, British Columbia and Canada.
32,981 33,000
30,000
31,185 30,694 30,807 31,683 Income gender diversity in the Okanagan
28,743 28,706 23,704 28,817 28,307
Valley is similar to the provincial and
20,000 21,575 national pattern: where Male Income (top of
bar) is higher on average than Female
10,000
income (bottom of bar). Westbank First
Nation is an exception, where Females earn
-
Vernon CA Lake Kelowna West Westbank Peachland Penticton Okanagan Okanagan British Canada
slightly more on average than Males.
Country Kelowna First CA Falls Valley Columbia
Nation
Income Composition
Income composition for individuals varies significantly across communities in the Okanagan Valley, as shown in the table below. Market
generated income represents 85% on average and 15% from government transfer payments. The ratio of government transfers to total
income tends to be higher in communities with higher median age, given the associated increase in retirees in those communities. Income
from self employment represents 4.1% of total.
Composition of Income (2010) Vernon Lake West Peach- Penticton OK Falls Okanagn
Kelowna WFN
CA Country Kelowna land CA Area D Valley
Average Income (individual) 36,692 35,497 39,494 40,965 22,731 36,830 33,730 38,264 37,854
Median age (2011) 46.5 43.1 43.0 43.5 50.5 53.8 49.4 53.2 46.8
Market income 84.2 87.8 87.1 87.6 78.0 82.9 80.4 83.5 85.3
Employment income 64.8 73.6 68.4 69.5 72.2 58.0 62.8 63.1 66.8
Wages and salaries 61.0 69.9 64.3 64.5 73.0 52.6 59.1 59.7 62.7
Self-employment income 3.8 3.7 4.1 5.1 0.2 5.5 3.7 3.4 4.1
Investment income 7.0 4.8 8.2 6.9 1.3 6.5 6.3 8.2 7.3
Retirement pensions, superann, annuities 10.0 7.7 8.5 9.2 2.0 15.9 9.8 10.2 9.2
Other money income 2.4 1.7 2.0 2.0 1.2 2.5 1.6 1.9 2.0
Government transfer payments 15.8 12.2 12.9 12.4 22.9 17.2 19.6 16.5 14.7
Canada/Quebec Pension Plan benefits 5.7 3.9 4.6 4.5 5.0 7.4 7.1 6.1 5.3
OAS* pensions and GIS** 4.7 3.2 3.7 3.5 4.0 5.6 6.6 6.5 4.4
Employment Insurance benefits 1.7 1.9 1.7 1.8 1.6 1.9 1.8 1.4 1.7
Child benefits 1.3 1.2 1.0 1.2 3.6 0.9 1.3 0.8 1.1
Other income from government sources 2.4 2.0 1.9 1.4 8.7 1.5 2.9 1.8 2.1
Income taxes paid as a %total income 12.8 12.8 13.7 14.1 6.8 13.3 11.6 14.8 13.2
After-tax income as a %total income 87.2 87.1 86.3 85.9 93.2 86.8 88.3 85.2 86.8
Net capital gains/losses as %total income 1.8 2.2 2.6 0.8 - 2.0 2.8 7.3 2.3
WFN = Westbank First Nation ** GIS = Guaranteed Income Supplement * OAS = Old Age Security
Composition of Market Income
100
Government transfer payments
Other money income
Retirement pensions, superannuation and annuities
% of Mkt Income
Investment income
80
Self-employment income
Wages and salaries
60 Note: '% of Income' scale on LH side

starts at 40% to accentuate relative
share of total income composition other
than wages and salaries.
40
Vernon CA Lake Kelowna West Westbank Peachland Penticton OK Falls / Okanagan
Country Kelowna First Nation CA Area D Valley
Economic Dependency
The following section indicates the changes in number of individual taxfilers, income from employment, government transfer payments and resulting Economic Dependency profile of
three key areas within the Okanagan Valley for which the data is available 124.
Year 2008 2012 2008 2012 2008 2012 2008 2012

Geographic centre Vernon CA Vernon CA Kelowna CMA Kelowna CMA Penticton CA Penticton CA Total Total
Number of taxfilers - employment income 33,080 33,290 100,120 103,000 24,210 23,490 157,410 159,780
Number of taxfilers - government transfers 39,750 34,150 112,960 95,700 30,710 25,680 183,420 155,530
Income - Employment income $'000 1,124,900 1,183,475 3,582,970 3,893,005 772,210 782,045 5,480,080 5,858,525
Income - Government transfers $'000 260,725 315,645 668,140 823,875 216,035 247,970 1,144,900 1,387,490
Income - Total 1,385,625 1,499,120 4,251,110 4,716,880 988,245 1,030,015 6,624,980 7,246,015
Economic Dependency Ratio (EDR) 23.2% 26.7% 18.6% 21.2% 28.0% 31.7% 20.9% 23.7%
Employment income includes wages and salaries, commissions from

Vernon CA + Kelowna CMA + Pencticton CA - income composition 2008-2012 employment, training allowances, tips and gratuities, and net self-employment
$7,000,000 240,000 income (business, professional, commission, farming and fishing income).
230,000
Government transfer payments are payments to individuals by the federal or
$6,000,000 5,858,525 220,000 provincial governments: Employment Insurance (EI), Goods and Services Tax
5,618,600
5,480,080 Credit (GST) and Harmonized Tax Credit (HST), Canada Child Tax Benefit, Old
5,266,540 5,334,110 210,000
Age Security (OAS) and net federal supplements, Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and
$5,000,000 200,000 Quebec Pension Plan (QPP), Workers' Compensation, Social Assistance and
Number of taxfilers in category

Income - Employment income $'000
188,760 provincial refundable tax credits, Family Benefits and Other Government
Income - Government transfers $'000 190,000
Total income in $'000
183,420 Transfers.
Number of taxfilers - employment income
$4,000,000 180,000
Number of taxfilers - government transfers
Economic Dependency Ratio (EDR) is the sum of transfer payment dollars
170,000
received as benefits in a given area, compared to every $100 of employment
159,780 income for that same area. For example, where the table shows an EDR of
$3,000,000 155,900 160,000
23.7%, it means that $23.70 in government transfers were received for every
157,410 155,530 150,000
153,980 $100.00 of employment income for the area.
$2,000,000 140,000
Employment income started to recover after 2009, following the Global Financial
1,271,085 1,293,280 1,342,050 1,387,490 130,000
1,144,900 Crisis 2008-2009. In the Okanagan, 2012 income exceeded 2008 income by
$1,000,000 120,000 6.9% while the number of income-earning individuals increased by 1.5% Over
the same period, the number of individuals receiving government transfers
110,000 decreased 15.2% while the value of government transfers increased 21.2%.
$0 100,000 The Economic Dependency Ratio for all three areas increased collectively from
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 20.9% to 23.7%, having peaked at 24.2% in 2010 and undergoing a modest
decline each year since then.
Dwellings, Household Characteristics, Shelter Costs
The following table provides information on occupied private dwellings, household characteristics and shelter costs, for metropolitan areas in the Okanagan Valley, based on the
National Housing Survey conducted by Stats Canada as part of the 2011 Census. Values relate to 2010 income, expenses and shelter costs etc.
Occupied private dwellings, household characteristics Lake West Westbank Penticton OK Falls Okanagan
Vernon CA Kelowna Peachland
and shelter costs Country Kelowna First Nation CA Area D Valley
Total number of private HH's by tenure 24,425 4,495 49,670 11,805 445 2,310 19,200 2,435 114,785
Owner 76% 82% 72% 85% 87% 86% 70% 93% 75%
Renter 24% 18% 28% 15% 10% 14% 30% 7% 25%
Band housing 0% 0% 0% 0% 2% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Total number of private HH's by condominium status 24,425 4,495 49,665 11,805 445 2,310 19,200 2,435 114,780
Part of a condominium development 18% 8% 26% 12% 3% 14% 20% 3% 20%
Not part of a condominium development 82% 92% 74% 88% 97% 86% 80% 97% 80%
Number of private HH's by age group of primary HH

24,425 4,495 49,670 11,800 445 2,310 19,200 2,435 114,780
maintainers
Under 25 years 3% 2% 5% 2% 2% 1% 3% 0% 3%
25 to 34 years 10% 12% 14% 12% 8% 6% 9% 4% 11%
35 to 44 years 14% 17% 15% 16% 27% 10% 12% 12% 14%
45 to 54 years 21% 25% 21% 22% 28% 21% 20% 22% 21%
55 to 64 years 21% 23% 18% 21% 17% 24% 20% 25% 20%
65 to 74 years 16% 13% 13% 15% 13% 21% 17% 23% 15%
75 years and over 15% 8% 15% 13% 3% 16% 19% 14% 15%
Number of owner HH's in non-farm, non-reserve

17,015 3,460 35,310 9,935 --- 1,990 12,510 2,165 82,385
private dwellings
Owner households with a mortgage 54.5% 63.4% 58.5% 58.5% --- 52.3% 52.9% 52.1% 56.4%
Owner HH's spending +30% of HH income on shelter costs 20.3% 25.1% 24.7% 23.8% --- 27.1% 19.7% 19.9% 22.7%
Median monthly shelter costs for owned dwellings $ 868 $ 1,238 $ 1,064 $ 1,072 --- $ 858 $ 736 $ 694 $ 959
Average monthly shelter costs for owned dwellings $ 1,053 $ 1,290 $ 1,207 $ 1,220 --- $ 1,062 $ 993 $ 977 $ 1,131
Median value of dwellings ($) 379,774 449,131 415,710 448,732 --- 449,797 350,168 399,428 400,534
Average value of dwellings ($) 431,651 523,377 467,313 510,483 --- 484,658 397,687 409,965 452,032
Number of tenant HH's in non-farm, non-reserve

5,635 815 14,095 1,815 --- 320 5,705 155 28,540
private dwellings
Tenant HH's in subsidized housing 13.8% 11.1% 10.1% 6.6% --- 31.7% 18.3% 16.1% 12.5%
Tenant HH's spending +30% of HH income on shelter costs 52.8% 48.5% 51.1% 43.9% --- 41.3% 53.9% 40.0% 50.5%
Median monthly shelter costs for rented dwellings ($) $ 839 $ 1,038 $ 1,001 $ 1,080 --- $ 767 $ 825 $ 742 $ 933
Average monthly shelter costs for rented dwellings ($) $ 905 $ 1,069 $ 1,098 $ 1,173 --- $ 892 $ 883 $ 753 $ 1,012
Note: "---" data not available
Housing & Housing Characteristics
Several sources of information on the residential housing and The increase in number of dwellings is likely to follow the same
mortgage market in the Okanagan, British Columbia and Canada pattern, with a small decrease of around 0.1 persons per
are available to readers seeking additional insight into the real household on average. The trend towards slightly smaller
estate market. These include: household size can be attributed to the effect of the changing
population age profile, where senior households tend to be
OMREB – the Okanagan Main Real Estate Board covers the area smaller on average than those with young children.
from Peachland to Vernon and other communities in the north.
More information: http://www.omreb.com New Home Starts
SOREB – the South Okanagan Real Estate Board covers an area

from Summerland to Osoyoos: http://www.soreb.org Dwelling projection 2011-2036
250,000
CMHC – the Canadian Housing and mortgage Corporation, covers 200,000

the Canadian market, as well as providing information on policy, 45,488
forecasts, trends and other information of broader interest in 150,000
34,839
North Okanagan
relation to residential real estate: http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca 114,758
100,000 Central Okanagan
78,966
Okanagan-Similkameen
Dwelling Counts 50,000
36,782 43,124
The population of around 352,900 is accommodated within
-
approximately 150,600 dwellings in the three regional districts
2011
2013
2015
2017
2019
2021
2023
2025
2027
2029
2031
2033
2035
encompassing Okanagan Valley, with an average household size
of 2.34 persons.
The population is expected to grow by an average of 1.0% per

year over the next 25 years, increasing 29% from 352,900 to
454,800 while the number of dwellings will increase by 35% or
nearly 53,000 units over the same period, from 150,600 to
203,400 with commensurate decrease in average household size.
Population projection 2011-2036

500,000
450,000
400,000 102,432
350,000
83,052
300,000
250,000 North Okanagan
259,672
200,000 Central Okanagan
187,187
150,000 Okanagan-Similkameen
100,000
50,000 82,692 92,671
-
2011
2013
2015
2017
2019
2021
2023
2025
2027
2029
2031
2033
2035
The major component of population and dwelling count increase

is expected to come from the Central Okanagan Region, with long
term population growth of 1.3% per annum. More moderate
growth rates of 0.8% and 0.5% per annum are expected for the
North Okanagan and Okanagan Similkameen regions respectively.
Dwelling Counts 2011 2036

Households and Households and
Regional District
persons per HH persons per HH © George Dimitrov Photography
North Okanagan 34,839 2.38 45,488 2.25
Central Okanagan 78,966 2.37 114,758 2.26
Okanagan Similkameen 36,782 2.25 43,124 2.15
Buyer Profile and Behaviour Family Characteristic - Buyers
Two parent family with children 29%
OMREB, the Okanagan Main Real Estate Board, has released Couple without children 22%
certain data 125 for characteristics of the residential resale market Empty nesters / retired 20%
for the period Jan-Nov 2012. MLS data covers the OMREB Single Female 13%
geographic area (Central Okanagan plus Vernon and several Single Male 12%
Single Parent with children 4%
communities in the North Okanagan).
Origin - Buyers
Most buyers come from within the OMREB area (58%) while 17%
come from Alberta, 10% from Vancouver / Lower mainland, 8%
from elsewhere in British Columbia and 7% from other places.
OMREB area 58%
Alberta 17%
Lower Mainland / Vancouver 10%
Elsewhere in British Columbia 8%
Saskatchewan / Manitoba 2.4%
Eastern Canada / Maritimes 2.3%
NWT/Yukon 0.5%
Outside Canada 1.4%
Family characteristic
Financing
Mortgage conditions have tightened over recent years, mainly to
mitigate the risks associated with high ratio mortgages.
Low interest rates have persisted for more than a decade. Home
purchases based on high ratio mortgages characteristically expose
owners to the risk of an ‘underwater mortgage’ - which occurs
when the realizable / market value of the home falls below the
value of the outstanding mortgage. This can be triggered by an
Origin of Buyers upwards step in interest rates and consequent fall-off in market
price levels. Relatively few purchases in the core Okanagan area
Reason for purchase are financed through high ratio mortgages. Most are ‘All Cash’ and
Move-up Buyer 25% the rest are conventional mortgages.
First time buyer 21%
Single family to Strata 12%
Conventional Mortgage > 20% down payment 52%
Revenue Investor 11%
High Ratio Mortgage < 20% down payment 19%
Recreation Property 9%
All cash purchase 28%
Strata to single family 4%
Rental income to qualify 1%
Move into retirement community 5%
Indeterminate 13%
Purchase Financing
Reason for purchase
Median Prices
The median price 126 for single detached residential homes and strata units increased substantially in the Okanagan Valley between early 2002
and mid-2008. Prices continued to increase well ahead of the Consumer Price Index at a rate in excess of 15% per annum until around mid to
late 2008.
The trend is not unlike the real estate boom that took place in other major centres, fuelled in part by the low costs of mortgages that helped
to fuel a surge in speculative buying by non-resident out-of-province owners. Price escalation cooled off from mid-2008 due to various factors
including a drop in consumer confidence inspired by the onset of a worldwide economic downturn, high levels of residential stock across
various categories, and tightening of Canadian mortgage lending rules.
Prices are strongly influenced amongst other factors, by the variety and mix of high- medium and low-end residential properties in the market,
the general quality and age of homes in the community, and relative attractiveness of the area as a place to work and live.
Average price trends across various communities are explored in the next section, as this provides a closer sense of market value. A ‘rule of
thumb’ price ratio of 0.85 is typical for the difference between median price and average price in the Okanagan Valley. This means the
cumulative value of residential homes above the median price significantly exceeds the cumulative value of residential homes below the
median price.
Single detached house - average & median price trend 2002-2012

600,000 Single detached residential properties
Median vs Average Price trend
The chart at the left shows the 12 month trended

500,000 average selling price vs. median selling price for
single detached residential homes for the the
Central Okanagan, Northern Okanagan and
400,000
southern Okanagan regions.
Average and median prices trend similarly for all

regions. Median prices for single detached
300,000 residential homes in the Central Okanagan are
generally around $80,000 higher than for the same
category in the Northern Okanagan, while the
200,000
12 per. Mov. Avg. (North Okanagan AVE Single Detached) difference in average price is even higher at
12 per. Mov. Avg. (North Okanagan MED Single Detached)
around $100,000. Price levels in the southern
12 per. Mov. Avg. (Central Okanagan AVE Single Detached)
12 per. Mov. Avg. (Central Okanagan MED Single Detached)
Okanagan are generally around $180,000 lower on
12 per. Mov. Avg. (Okanagan South AVE Single Detached) average, than in the central Okanagan (median
100,000 price data not available for the southern
2002-Jul
2003-Jul
2004-Jul
2005-Jul
2006-Jul
2007-Jul
2008-Jul
2009-Jul
2010-Jul
2011-Jul
2012-Jul
2012-Nov
2002-Jan
2003-Jan
2004-Jan
2005-Jan
2006-Jan
2007-Jan
2008-Jan
2009-Jan
2010-Jan
2011-Jan
2012-Jan
Okanagan).
Strata properties - average & median price trend 2002-2012

350,000 Strata – Residential Condominium and
Apartment properties
Median vs Average Price trend
300,000
The chart at the left shows the 12 month trended
average selling price vs. median selling price for
250,000 strata residential units for the Central
Okanagan, Northern Okanagan and southern
Okanagan regions.
200,000
Average and median prices trend similarly for both
regions. Median prices for strata category
150,000 residential units in the Central Okanagan are
12 per. Mov. Avg. (Central Okanagan AVE Strata) generally around $40,000 higher than for the same
12 per. Mov. Avg. (Central Okanagan MED Strata) category in the Northern Okanagan, while the
100,000 12 per. Mov. Avg. (North Okanagan AVE Strata) difference in average price is even higher at
12 per. Mov. Avg. (North Okanagan MED Strata) around $50,000 (median price data is not available
12 per. Mov. Avg. (Okanagan South AVE Strata) for the southern Okanagan).
50,000
2002-Jan
2003-Jan
2004-Jan
2005-Jan
2006-Jan
2007-Jan
2008-Jan
2009-Jan
2010-Jan
2011-Jan
2012-Jan
2012-Nov
2002-Jul
2003-Jul
2004-Jul
2005-Jul
2006-Jul
2007-Jul
2008-Jul
2009-Jul
2010-Jul
2011-Jul
2012-Jul
Average Prices
Single Residential Properties

The average price 127 for a single detached residential and strata units in the Okanagan Valley increased rapidly between early 2002 and mid-
2008. Prices continued to increase well ahead of the Consumer Price Index until around mid 2008 at a rate in excess of 15% per annum.
The trend is not unlike the real estate boom that took place in other provinces and regions, fuelled in part by a surge in speculative buying,
specifically of strata condominiums and apartments in the Central Okanagan. Price escalation ended mid-2008 due to various factors
including the onset of a worldwide economic downturn, high levels of housing stock across various categories, and tightening of Canadian
mortgage lending rules.
This section explores trends in average price across certain communities in the Okanagan Valley. The level of detail required to explore
market activity and trends is not uniformly available across all communities, and is presented only for those communities for which available.
Single detached residential properties

Single detached house - average price trend 2002-2012 Selling Price trend
600,000
The chart at the left shows the 12 month
trended average selling price for single
detached residential homes in key
500,000
communities within Central Okanagan, an
expanded Vernon area, Penticton and nearby
communities.
400,000
o Vernon (including City and South,
Coldstream, Okanagan Landing, Mission
Hill, Bella Vista and East Hill)
300,000
o Lake Country
12 per. Mov. Avg. (Weighted) o Kelowna
12 per. Mov. Avg. (Kelowna AVE Single Detached) o West Kelowna
12 per. Mov. Avg. (West Kelowna AVE Single Detached)
200,000 o Peachland
12 per. Mov. Avg. (Vernon Expanded AVE Single Detached)
12 per. Mov. Avg. (Peachland AVE Single Detached)
o Penticton, Naramata, Okanagan
12 per. Mov. Avg. (Lake Country AVE Single Detached) Falls/Kaleden
12 per. Mov. Avg. (Pentiction-Nara AVE Single Detached)
100,000 The end of this market boom / cycle
2002-Jul
2003-Jul
2004-Jul
2005-Jul
2006-Jul
2007-Jul
2008-Jul
2009-Jul
2010-Jul
2011-Jul
2012-Jul
2012-Nov
2002-Jan
2003-Jan
2004-Jan
2005-Jan
2006-Jan
2007-Jan
2008-Jan
2009-Jan
2010-Jan
2011-Jan
2012-Jan
occurred in each community at around the

same time, after having escalated at a
similar pace in excess of 15% per annum
over the period 2002-2008.
Single detached house - average price ratio trend 2002-2012
Single detached residential properties
3.5
Relative Selling price trend

3.0 trended average selling price ratio for single
detached residential homes – relative to a
baseline of 1.0 in early 2002.
2.5
It indicates the scale of average price
increases across communities, as well as the
degree of price stabilization that has taken
2.0 place in the 4 years following the end of the
residential property boom in 2008.
12 per. Mov. Avg. (Weighted)
12 per. Mov. Avg. (Lake Country AVE Single Detached)
12 per. Mov. Avg. (Kelowna AVE Single Detached)
As an example, Lake Country and Peachland
1.5 experienced greater price volatility than
12 per. Mov. Avg. (West Kelowna AVE Single Detached)
12 per. Mov. Avg. (Vernon Expanded AVE Single Detached) larger nearby communities, post-2008.
12 per. Mov. Avg. (Peachland AVE Single Detached)
Trend curves are also affected by lower
12 per. Mov. Avg. (Penticton-Nara AVE Strata)
1.0 trading volumes and sensitivity to significant
individual or cluster sales in smaller
2002-Jul
2003-Jul
2004-Jul
2005-Jul
2006-Jul
2007-Jul
2008-Jul
2009-Jul
2010-Jul
2011-Jul
2012-Jul
2012-Nov
2002-Jan
2003-Jan
2004-Jan
2005-Jan
2006-Jan
2007-Jan
2008-Jan
2009-Jan
2010-Jan
2011-Jan
2012-Jan
communities during the period.
Residential Strata (Apartments and Condominiums)
The average price 128 for residential strata properties in the Okanagan Valley increased substantially between early 2002 and mid-2008.
Prices continued to increase well ahead of the consumer price index until around mid to late 2008 at a rate in excess of 14-17% per annum.
The trend is not unlike the real estate boom that took place in other provinces and regions, fuelled in part by a surge in speculative
purchasing by non-resident out-of-province owners. Price escalation cooled off from mid-2008 due to various factors including the onset of a
worldwide economic downturn, high levels of housing stock across various categories, and tightening of Canadian mortgage lending
requirements.
Average prices are strongly influenced by the variety and mix of high- medium and low-end residential properties traded in the market, and
the reader should also take note of median price levels for the same property categories.
Residential strata properties

Strata properties - average price trend 2002-2012
Selling Price trend
400,000

trended average selling price for residential
350,000
strata in key communities within Central
Okanagan and the greater Vernon area:
300,000
o Vernon (including City and South,
Coldstream, Okanagan Landing, Mission
250,000
Hill, Bella Vista and East Hill)
o Kelowna
o West Kelowna
200,000 o Peachland
o Penticton, Naramata, Okanagan
12 per. Mov. Avg. (Vernon Expanded AVE Strata)
Falls/Kaleden
12 per. Mov. Avg. (West Kelowna AVE Strata)
150,000 12 per. Mov. Avg. (Kelowna AVE Strata)
The market boom / cycle ended around the
same time in each community, after having
100,000 escalated at a similar pace in excess of 15%
per annum over the period 2002-2008. West
2002-Jul
2003-Jul
2004-Jul
2005-Jul
2006-Jul
2007-Jul
2008-Jul
2009-Jul
2010-Jul
2011-Jul
2012-Jul
2012-Nov
2002-Jan
2003-Jan
2004-Jan
2005-Jan
2006-Jan
2007-Jan
2008-Jan
2009-Jan
2010-Jan
2011-Jan
2012-Jan
Kelowna saw price escalation that continued

further into 2008, but experienced a steeper
price fall-off shortly afterwards.
Strata properties - average price ratio trend 2002-2012
3.5 Residential strata properties
Relative Selling price trend

3.0 trended average selling price ratio for
residential strata – relative to a baseline of
1.0 in early 2002.
2.5
It indicates the scale of price increases
across communities, as well as the price
contraction / stabilization that has taken
2.0 place in the 4 years following 2008.
12 per. Mov. Avg. (Kelowna AVE Strata)
Note: Information available for specific
12 per. Mov. Avg. (West Kelowna AVE Strata)
southern Okanagan communities is available
1.5 12 per. Mov. Avg. (Vernon Expanded AVE Strata)
only from 2005.
1.0
2002-Jul
2003-Jul
2004-Jul
2005-Jul
2006-Jul
2007-Jul
2008-Jul
2009-Jul
2010-Jul
2011-Jul
2012-Jul
2012-Nov
2002-Jan
2003-Jan
2004-Jan
2005-Jan
2006-Jan
2007-Jan
2008-Jan
2009-Jan
2010-Jan
2011-Jan
2012-Jan
Absorption rates
The residential rental property market favoured renters for several years after the Global Financial Crisis 2008-2009, although lower vacancy
rates in 2013 and 2014 have started to bring the rental market closer to equilibrium. Several factors impact the market situation, including
rental affordability, adequate rental stock, declining vacancy rates in most areas, and moderate growth in the economy.
While the rental market has experienced moderate decreases in vacancy and availability rates 129 across key centres during the period April
2011-2014, the stock of unrented properties will continue to exert pressure on rental returns across the Okanagan Valley for a while.
Vacancy and Availability Rates (%)

in Privately Initiated Rental Apartment Structures of Three Units and Over
April 2011 April 2014

Table 1
Universe Availability Vacancy Universe Availability Vacancy
KelownaCMA 4,027 8.0% 6.6% 4,431 3.1% 1.5%
VernonCA 1,594 8.8% 7.7% 1,589 4.7% 4.1%
PentictonCA 1,995 6.8% 6.0% 1,980 3.2% 2.9%
Vacancy and Availability Rates (%)

in Privately Initiated Rental Row and Apartment Structures of Three Units and Over

Table 5
Universe Availability Vacancy Universe Availability Vacancy
KelownaCMA 4,432 8.2% 6.8% 4,835 3.1% 1.6%
VernonCA 1,788 8.4% 7.2% 1,859 4.5% 3.9%
PentictonCA 2,212 6.5% 5.8% 2,186 3.5% 3.2%
Resale Market
Kelowna CMA home sales 130 are forecast to increase in 2014 and
2015. Q1-2014 home sales were up 16% from 2013, and sales of While the focus of home buyers was moderately priced single-
single-detached homes, townhouses and apartment detached homes in 2013, demand will broaden to include higher
condominiums all recorded gains on top of a 14% increase 2012- priced homes in 2014. T he difference in house prices between
2013. Low mortgage interest rates and strong price competition neighbourhoods within the Kelowna CMA typically reflects varying
were key factors supporting higher sales activity in 2013 and land and development costs and other factors including access to
early 2014. The supply of all home types listed for sale and new amenities, lake or valley view for example.
listing activity has trended lower during this time, attributed
partly to an earlier uptick in sales, and prospective sellers Apartment condominium sales have gathered momentum in
choosing not to list or relist their properties until prices begin to 2014. With the Alberta and Saskatchewan economies continuing
show upward movement. to expand, Kelowna’s resort market can expect to attract more
condominium buyers in 2014. House prices in both Alberta and
The supply of homes listed for sale remains at elevated levels, Saskatchewan are rising, a key factor underlying historical
meaning that buyers will continue to benefit from price demand for resort housing and second residences in Kelowna.
competition among sellers in the first half of 2014. Reduced
supply coupled with rising demand will begin to exert upward A stronger US dollar may lead to renewed interest in Canadian
pressure on prices into 2015. resort markets, including Kelowna. Condominium prices are
forecast to stabilize this year and begin edging higher in 2015 as
The average Q1-2014 single-family residential sale price was up demand increases and the supply of active listings declines.
sharply compared to Q1-2013, largely attributed to shifts in the Kelowna is expected to move into a balanced market position late
price composition of sales rather than market driven price 2014 as demand improves, the supply of listings is drawn lower
appreciation. Specifically, Feb 2014 home sales included a and prices begin to increase.
number of homes priced at between $1.1m and $4.5m, which
had the effect of pushing up the average.
Average Rents
Affordability
According to the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, to represent the 80th, 65th and 50th rent percentiles - referred to as
be considered affordable 131, rents for the majority of units in a Levels 1, 2 and 3 respectively.
housing project must be within the levels specified for that area.
Aggregated rental affordability information is available for three
Rent levels are derived from the most recent data gathered from communities listed within the Okanagan Valley Economic Profile.
CMHC’s rental market survey, the last survey having been Information for KelownaCMA includes the full Kelowna Census
conducted in April 2014. The rent levels presented below, Metropolitan Area, while the data for VernonCA and PentictionCA
cover their respective Census Areas.
Rental affordability in terms of monthly rentals for different residential configurations (Spring 2014)
Affordability rental level: Level 1 = 80th percentile / Level 2 = 65th percentile / Level 3 = 50th percentile
Bachelor Studio 1-Bedroom 2-Bedroom 3+ -Bedroom
1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3
KelownaCMA $650 $620 $600 $840 $780 $750 $1,100 $975 $916 $1,525 $1,200 $1,155
VernonCA $590 $590 $550 $695 $680 $650 $850 $825 $765 $925 $880 $860
PentictonCA $600 $600 $550 $750 $700 $670 $850 $825 $800 $1,300 $975 $913
132
The table below shows actual rentals over a recent 12-month period for different category of rental accommodation
Average Rents in Privately Initiated Rental Apartment Structures of Three Units and Over
Oct 2011 April 2014
Table 3
Bachelor 1-bedrm 2-bedrm 3+bedrm Average Bachelor 1-bedrm 2-bedrm 3+bedrm Average
KelownaCMA $596 $745 $920 $984 $836 $601 $775 $964 $1,159 $879
VernonCA $514 $635 $773 $814 $703 $531 $649 $794 $844 $714
Rental Apartment Structure - Definition: Any building containing three or more rental units, of which at least one unit is not ground
oriented. Owner-occupied units are not included in the rental building unit count.
Average Rents in Privately Initiated Rental Row and Apartment Structures of Three Units and Over
Oct 2011 April 2014
Table 7
KelownaCMA $596 $744 $910 $1,026 $840 $601 $774 $959 $1,140 $884
VernonCA $518 $634 $774 $867 $713 $537 $645 $793 $899 $727
Rental Row (Townhouse) Structure - Definition: Any building containing three or more rental units, all of which are ground oriented
with vertical divisions. Owner-occupied units are not included in the rental building unit count. These row units in some centres are
commonly referred to as townhouses.
The following tables indicate the change in availability and vacancy rates across two key areas and between different residential rental
accommodation configurations.
Availability Rates (%) in Privately Initiated Rental Apartment Structures of Three Units and Over
Table 2A
CMA
Kelowna 2.7% 6.5% 9.8% 6.1% 8.0% 2.3% 3.2% 3.1% 3.2% 3.1%
VernonCA 5.4% 8.2% 9.7% 9.1% 8.8% 3.7% 4.3% 5.1% 6.1% 4.7%
Availability Rates (%) in Privately Initiated Rental Row and Apartment Structures of Three Units and Over
Table 6A
KelownaCMA 2.7% 6.5% 9.9% 8.0% 8.2% 2.3% 3.3% 3.2% 2.0% 3.1%
VernonCA 6.5% 8.0% 9.6% 6.7% 8.4% n/a 4.1% 5.2% 4.1% 4.5%
CMHC Rental Market Forecast Summary 133

Kelowna CMA - Spring 2014
Year averages 2011 2012 2013 2014f 2015f
1 bedrm 736 750 778 760 770
2 bedrm 922 927 970 975 985
Vacancy rate
3.0 4.0 1.8 1.8 1.5
(Oct)
Lower vacancy rates have eased the pressure on rentals

across the Okanagan, and rentals are expected to continue
moving upwards as rental inventory decreases from its
earlier peak in 2010, especially for multiple-family units.
The rental market has experienced significant decreases in vacancy and availability rates across key centres during the period April 2011-
April 2014. Rentals have started to recover in response to lower availability and vacancy rates throughout the Okanagan.
Vacancy Rates (%) in Privately Initiated Rental Apartment Structures of Three Units and Over

Table 2V
KelownaCMA 2.7% 5.2% 8.2% 6.1% 6.8% 0.9% 1.5% 1.6% 0.9% 1.5%
VernonCA 1.4% 7.4% 8.5% 9.1% 7.7% 3.7% 3.7% 4.4% 5.3% 4.1%
Rental Apartment Structure - Definition: Any building containing three or more rental units, of which at least one unit is not ground
oriented. Owner-occupied units are not included in the rental building unit count.
Vacancy Rates (%) in Privately Initiated Rental Row and Apartment Structures of Three Units and Over

Table 6V
KelownaCMA 2.7% 5.2% 8.2% 7.0% 6.8% 0.9% 1.5% 1.7% 0.6% 1.6%
VernonCA 2.6% 7.2% 8.2% 5.7% 7.2% n/a 3.0% 4.4% 3.9% 3.9%
Rental Row (Townhouse) Structure - Definition: Any building containing three or more rental units, all of which are ground oriented with
vertical divisions. Owner-occupied units are not included in the rental building unit count. These row units in some centres are commonly
referred to as townhouses.
Canadian House Observer --- Housing Market Indicators, Kelowna CMA (2004–2013)
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Construction
Starts, total 2,224 2,755 2,692 2,805 2,257 657 957 934 836 1,013
Single-detached 1,342 1,205 1,122 1,130 765 404 595 539 544 579
Multiple 882 1,550 1,570 1,675 1,492 253 362 395 292 434
Semi-detached 148 112 170 100 98 62 68 83 68 100
Row 171 206 268 233 207 55 70 96 126 103
Apartment 563 1,232 1,132 1,342 1,187 136 224 216 98 231
Starts by intended market, total 2,224 2,755 2,692 2,805 2,257 657 957 934 836 1,013
Homeownership - freehold 1,418 1,191 1,026 1,043 709 391 614 576 601 630
Rental 181 167 68 75 94 55 237 180 68 180
Homeownership - condominium 625 1,397 1,598 1,687 1,454 211 106 178 167 203
Completions, total 1,784 1,936 2,329 2,015 3,142 1,942 1,453 1,117 971 974
Available Supply
Newly completed and unabsorbed homes 1
118 69 165 83 362 471 608 502 258 212
Single- and semi-detached 103 58 86 81 208 154 181 177 140 106
Row and apartment 15 11 79 2 154 317 427 325 118 106
Rental vacancy rate (%) 2 1.0 0.5 0.6 0.0 0.3 3.0 3.5 3.0 4.2 1.8
Rental availability rate (%) 2 NA 1.1 1.0 0.4 1.4 3.9 4.5 4.0 4.5 2.8
Average monthly rent ($)2

Bachelor 467 497 524 568 624 584 587 586 592 606
One-bedroom 589 616 661 715 803 737 740 736 750 778
Two-bedroom 723 755 800 846 967 897 898 922 927 970
3+ bedroom 770 781 834 953 993 1001 1018 1,061 1,120 1,144
Demand Influences 134

3
Labour force participation rate (%) 64.8 62.5 64.3 62.3 65.7 66.9 69.8 68.5 66.4 64.5
Employment rate (%) 3 57.5 57.6 61.6 59.2 60.4 59.4 62.4 61.0 64.4 63.1
Unemployment rate (%) 3 4.9 5.3 6.0 4.6 5.0 8.8 7.7 7.9 6.8 6.9
Net migration 4 3,089 2,859 3,780 3,800 3,951 2,980 2,842 2,176 --- ---
Notes:
1 Housing units for which construction has been completed but which have not been rented or sold
2 In privately initiated apartment structures with at least 3 units
3 Statistics Canada (CANSIM)
4 CMHC, adapted from Statistics Canada (CANSIM)
Source: CMHC (Starts and Completions Survey, Market Absorption Survey, Rental Market Survey); Statistics Canada (CANSIM)
The 2014 Canadian Housing Observer presents a detailed annual review of

housing conditions and trends in Canada and of the key factors behind them.
The annual Housing Observer report examines the state of Canada's housing
from a variety of perspectives, combining national coverage with
provincial/territorial and metropolitan detail. The report discusses influences
on housing demand, current market developments, housing finance, housing
Household Characteristics
Please refer to section heading ‘Population Demographics’ in this document,
for information on typical household size and composition.
Government & Taxation
Local Government
The Okanagan Valley traverses three Regional Districts and as well as for the communities of Vernon, Lake Country, Kelowna,
several municipal areas, districts and unincorporated areas. West Kelowna, Westbank First Nation, Peachland, Penticton,
Contact details are provided for the Regional District offices of Okanagan Falls and Osoyoos.
North Okanagan, Central Okanagan and Okanagan-Similkameen,
Regional District of Central Okanagan City of Kelowna www.kelowna.ca

1450 KLO Road, Kelowna BC, V1W 3Z4 1435 Water Street, Kelowna, BC V1Y 1J4
www.regionaldistrict.com City Manager Ron Mattiussi
Chief Administrative Officer Brian Reardon Switchboard (250) 469 8500
Economic Development Corie Griffiths Business & Entrepreneurial Development Robert Fine
Switchboard (250) 763 4918
Economic Development (250) 469-6280 District of West Kelowna www.districtofwestkelowna.ca
Engineering (250) 469 6241 2760 Cameron Road, West Kelowna, BC V1Z 2T6
Inspection (250) 469 6211 Chief Administration Officer Jim Zaffino
Planning (250) 469 6227 Switchboard (778) 797 1000
Regional Parks (250) 469 6232 Business Development John Perrott
(778) 797 2215
Regional District of North Okanagan

Westbank First Nation www.wfn.ca
9848 Aberdeen Road, Coldstream, BC V1B 2K9
201-515 Highway 97S, Kelowna, BC V1Z 3J2
www.rdno.ca
Switchboard (250) 769-4999
Chief Administrative Officer David Sewell
Economic Development & Mandi Carroll
Switchboard (250) 550 3700 Communications (250) 769 4999
Administration (250) 550 3700
Engineering (250) 550 3700 District of Peachland www.peachland.ca
Parks, Recreation and Culture (250) 550 3700 5806 Beach Avenue, Peachland BC, V0H 1X7
Planning and Building (250) 550 3700 Chief Administration Officer Elsie Lemke
Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen Switchboard (250) 767 2647
101 Martin Str, Penticton, BC V2A 5J9
City of Penticton www.penticton.ca
www.rdos.bc.ca
171 Main Street, Penticton, BC V2A 5A9
Chief Administrative Officer Bill Newell
City Manager Annette Antoniak
Tollfree 1 877 610 3737
Switchboard (250) 490-2400
Switchboard (250) 492 0237
Economic Development Colleen Pennington
Community Services (250) 492 0237
(250) 493 3323
Development Services (250) 492 0237
Okanagan Falls www.rdos.bc.ca
City of Vernon www.vernon.ca
101 Martin Str, Penticton, BC V2A 5J9
3400 - 30th Street, Vernon BC, V1T 5E6
Chief Administration Officer Bill Newell
Chief Administrative Officer Will Pearce
Switchboard 1 877 610 3737
Switchboard (250) 545 1361 Economic Development John Powell
Manager of Economic Development Kevin Poole (250) 515 5520
& Tourism (250) 550 3249
Osoyoos www.osoyoos.ca
District of Lake Country www.okanaganway.ca 8707 Main Street, Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0
10150 Bottom Wood Lake Road, Lake Country BC, V4V 2M1 Chief Administration Officer Barry Romamko
City Manager Alberto de Feo Switchboard (250) 495 6515
Switchboard (250) 766 5650 Economic Development Gail Scott
Community Development Jamie McEwan 250-495-5070 ext 203
250-766-5650 ext 227
Taxation
Marginal Tax Rates for personal income

Individuals are subject to progressive taxation. Taxable income is subject both to federal and provincial taxation in accordance with the tables
below. Disclaimer: the following tables serve to indicate taxation scales on personal income for residents of British Columbia. This information
should not be used for tax planning or any related purposes, and is presented only to provide an overview of the relative level of taxation for
individuals who live and work in the Okanagan Valley and are subject to the relevant tax legislation.
Province of British Columbia -- Individual Marginal Tax Rates for Salary 135 (‘provincial tax rates’)
% plus % plus % plus % plus % plus %

on the first up to up to up to up to over
Year 5.06% 7.70% 10.50% 12.29% 14.70% 16.8%
2014 $37,606 $75,213 $86,354 $104,858 $150,000 $150,000
% plus % plus % plus % plus %

on the first up to up to up to over
Year 5.06% 7.70% 10.50% 12.29% 14.70%
2013 $37,606 $75,138 $86,268 $104,754 $104,754
2012 $37,606 $74,028 $84,993 $103,205 $103,205
2011 $37,606 $72,293 $83,001 $100,787 $100,787
2010 $37,606 $71,719 $82,342 $99,987 $99,987
2009 $37,606 $71,433 $82,014 $99,588 $99,588
2008 $37,606 $70,033 $80,406 $97,636 $97,636
Year 5.70% 8.65% 11.10% 13.00% 14.70%
2007 $37,606 $68,794 $78,984 $95,909 $95,909
Year 6.05% 9.15% 11.70% 13.70% 14.70%
2006 $37,606 $67,511 $77,511 $94,121 $94,121
2005 $37,606 $66,123 $75,917 $92,185 $92,185
2004 $37,606 $64,954 $74,575 $90,555 $90,555
Government of Canada (Federal) -- Individual Marginal Tax Rates for Salary 136 (‘federal tax rates’)
% plus % plus % plus %

on the first up to up to over
Year 15.00% 22.00% 26.00% 29.00%
2014 $43,953 $87,907 $136,270 $136,270
2013 $43,561 $87,123 $135,054 $135,054
2012 $42,707 $85,414 $132,406 $132,406
2011 $41,544 $83,088 $128,800 $128,800
2010 $40,970 $81,941 $127,021 $127,021
2009 $40,726 $81,452 $126,264 $126,264
2008 $37,885 $75,769 $123,184 $123,184
2007 $37,178 $74,357 $120,887 $120,887
Year 15.25% 22.00% 26.00% 29.00%
2006 $36,378 $72,756 $118,285 $118,285
Year 15.00% 22.00% 26.00% 29.00%
2005 $35,595 $71,190 $115,739 $115,739
Year 16.00% 22.00% 26.00% 29.00%
2004 $35,000 $70,000 $113,804 $113,804
Effective Tax Rates for personal income
Disclaimer: the following table and chart serve to indicate taxation scales on personal income for residents of British Columbia. The
information should not be used for tax planning or other purposes, and is presented only to provide an overview of the relative level of
taxation for individuals who live and work in the Okanagan Valley and subject to the relevant tax legislation.
137
Combined BC Provincial and Federal Tax Rates for Salary - British Columbia
Taxable British Government Marginal Tax Effective

Income C$ Columbia of Canada Tax Rate C$ Tax Rate
--- 5.06% 15.00% 20.06%
37,606 7.70% 15.00% 22.70% 7,544 20.1%
43,953 7.70% 22.00% 29.70% 8,985 20.4%
75,213 10.50% 22.00% 32.50% 18,269 24.3%
86,354 10.50% 22.00% 32.50% 21,890 25.3%
87,907 12.29% 26.00% 38.29% 22,394 25.5%
104,858 14.70% 26.00% 40.70% 28,885 27.5%
136,270 14.70% 29.00% 43.70% 41,670 30.6%
150,000 16.80% 29.00% 45.80% 47,670 31.8%
200,000 16.80% 29.00% 45.80% 70,570 35.3%
250,000 16.80% 29.00% 45.80% 93,470 37.4%
300,000 16.80% 29.00% 45.80% 116,370 38.8%
350,000 16.80% 29.00% 45.80% 139,270 39.8%
400,000 16.80% 29.00% 45.80% 162,170 40.5%
Taxation on income is progressive, starting at a marginal rate of 20.06% and increasing to the ceiling rate of 45.8%
for personal income, which it reaches once the level of taxable income exceeds $150,000 per annum.
Effective tax rate is the simple ratio of tax due on a given taxable income.
Marginal tax rate is the tax due on the next dollar of taxable income.
The Effective rate at a taxable income of $150,000 is 31.8% while the marginal rate at the same income is 45.8%
180,000 40.5% 45%

39.8%
38.8%
37.4%
160,000 40%
139,270
35.3%
31.8%
140,000 35%
30.6%
116,370
27.5%
120,000 30%
25.3%
Effective Taxation Rate

24.3%
93,470
100,000 25%
Tax on Income
20.4%
20.1%
70,570
80,000 20%
47,670
60,000 15%
41,670
28,885
40,000 10%
21,890
Tax on Income
18,269
8,985
7,544
20,000 5%
- 0%
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
140,000
160,000
180,000
200,000
220,000
240,000
260,000
280,000
300,000
320,000
340,000
360,000
380,000
400,000
-
Taxable Income
Property Tax Rates
Real property values in British Columbia are reviewed annually by Act or the Forest and Range Practices Act. Property owners in this
the British Columbia Assessment Authority. BC Assessment 138 class have an obligation to provide good resource management
places property in one or more of nine classes, typically based on practices, such as reforestation, care of young trees, protection
the property’s type or use. Municipal zoning does not determine from fire and disease and sound harvesting methods.
property class, though it may be a factor in some cases.
Class 8, Recreational Property, Non-profit Organization —
Municipal authorities set the annual Tax Rates ‘Mill rates’ per includes two very different categories:
$1000 of assessed value.
Recreational Land
Class 1, Residential — single-family residences, multi-family - land used solely as an outdoor recreational facility for specific
residences, duplexes, apartments, condominiums, nursing homes, activities such as golf, skiing, tennis, public swimming pools,
seasonal dwellings, manufactured homes, some vacant land, farm waterslides, amusement parks, marinas and hang gliding.
buildings and daycare facilities. Improvements on the land (such as a clubhouse) fall into Class 6.
- land in a rural area that is part of parcel used for overnight
Class 2, Utilities — structures and land used for railway commercial accommodation that exists predominantly to facilitate
transportation, pipelines, electrical generation or transmission specific outdoor recreational activities such as hunting, fishing and
utilities, or telecommunications transmitters. This property class kayaking. Improvements on the land most likely fall within Class
does not include gathering pipelines, offices or sales outlets. 6 (e.g. a hotel).
Class 3, Supportive Housing —this property class only includes Non-Profit Organization Land and Improvements
eligible supportive housing property that has been designated by - property used or set aside for at least 150 days per year as a
Cabinet. Eligible supportive housing property is funded by the place of public worship or as a meeting hall by a non-profit,
provincial government or a health authority for the provision of fraternal organization. The 150 days cannot include activities with
housing that includes on-site support services for persons who paid admission or the sale/consumption of alcohol.
were previously homeless, at risk of homelessness, affected by - additionally, the 150 days needs to be in the year ending on
mental illness or who are recovering from drug or alcohol June 30 of the calendar year preceding the calendar year for
addictions. which the assessment roll is being prepared.
Class 4, Major Industry — land and improvements (buildings Class 9, Farm — to qualify as farm for assessment purposes, the
and structures) of prescribed types of industrial plants, including land must produce a prescribed amount of qualifying primary
lumber and pulp mills, mines, smelters, large manufacturers of agricultural products for sale, such as crops or livestock. Farm
specified products, ship building and loading terminals for sea- buildings come within Class 1.
going ships. Split Classification
Property with several distinct uses can fall into more than one
Class 5, Light Industry — property used or held for extracting, class. For example, commercial and residential space might be
processing, manufacturing or transporting products, including combined in one building, or a property combines residential,
ancillary storage. Scrap metal yards, wineries and boat-building farm and forest land. In these cases, BC Assessment determines
operations fall within this category. Exceptions include properties the share of the value of the property attributable to each class.
used for the production or storage of food and non-alcoholic
beverages and retail sales outlets, which fall into Class 6. The schedules that follow, indicate:
Class 6, Business Other — property used for offices, retail, o 2014 Property Tax Rates per community, and
warehousing, hotels and motels all fall within this category. This o 2014 Assessments, Tax Rates, Municipal Taxes and Class
class includes properties that do not fall into other classes. Proportions of Taxes and Assessments for communities in
the Okanagan Valley.
Class 7, Managed Forest Land — privately-owned, forest land
managed in accordance with the Private Managed Forest Land
BC Provincial Schedule 702 - 2014 Tax Rates 139 - various classes of property - Okanagan Valley communities
Purpose of Supportive Major Light Managed Recreation
Tax Rate Residential Utilities Housing IndustryS IndustryS Business Forest Land Non-Profit FarmS
Municipal 4.0300 20.2713 4.0300 12.4558 8.4152 8.4152 --- 4.0300 0.5000
RD 0.3756 1.3146 0.3756 1.2771 1.2771 0.9202 --- 0.3756 0.3756
Kelowna Hospital 0.3610 1.2636 0.3610 1.2275 1.2275 0.8845 --- 0.3610 0.3610
School 2.0389 13.6000 0.1000 6.0000 6.0000 6.0000 2.4000 3.4000 6.9000
Other 0.0621 0.5122 0.0002 0.5122 0.1762 0.1760 0.3622 0.0621 0.0621
Total 6.8676 36.9617 4.8668 21.4726 17.0960 16.3959 2.7622 8.2287 8.1987
Municipal 3.5805 44.6974 --- --- 16.3867 8.7692 --- 7.0921 1.0869
RD 0.4345 1.5208 --- --- 1.4773 1.0645 --- 0.4345 0.4345
Lake
Hospital 0.3610 1.2635 --- --- 1.2274 0.8845 --- 0.3610 0.3610
Country
School 2.0389 13.6000 0.1000 6.0000 6.0000 6.0000 2.4000 3.4000 6.9000
Other 0.0621 0.5122 0.0002 0.5122 0.1762 0.1760 0.3622 0.0621 0.0621
Total 6.4770 61.5939 0.1002 6.5122 25.2676 16.8942 2.7622 11.3497 8.8445
Municipal 3.7044 31.4231 --- --- 12.9656 7.0385 0.0000 5.5567 3.7044
RD 0.4403 1.5413 --- --- 1.4972 1.0789 0.0000 0.4403 0.4403
Peachland Hospital 0.3613 1.2645 --- --- 1.2284 0.8852 0.0000 0.3613 0.3613
School 2.0389 13.6000 0.1000 6.0000 6.0000 6.0000 2.4000 3.4000 6.9000
Other 0.0621 0.5122 0.0002 0.5122 0.1762 0.1760 0.3622 0.0621 0.0621
Total 6.6070 48.3411 0.1002 6.5122 21.8674 15.1786 2.7622 9.8204 11.4681
Municipal 4.5326 20.2234 4.5326 6.4948 6.4948 7.4026 7.4026 5.7908 21.9779
RD 0.2303 1.0290 0.2303 0.3284 0.3284 0.3816 0.3816 0.3076 0.6201
Penticton Hospital 0.3043 1.0649 0.3043 1.0345 1.0345 0.7454 0.9128 0.3043 0.3043
School 2.2813 13.6000 0.1000 6.0000 6.0000 6.0000 2.4000 3.4000 6.9000
Other 0.0621 0.5122 0.0002 0.5122 0.1762 0.1760 0.3622 0.0621 0.0621
Total 7.4106 36.4295 5.1674 14.3699 14.0339 14.7056 11.4592 9.8648 29.8644
Municipal --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
RD 0.7995 2.7983 0.7995 2.7183 2.7183 1.9588 2.3985 0.7995 0.7995
Okanagan 0.3042 1.0647 0.3042 1.0343 1.0343 0.7453 0.9126 0.3042 0.3042
Hospital
Falls 140
School 2.6420 13.6000 0.1000 6.0000 6.0000 6.0000 2.4000 3.4000 6.9000
Other 2.0270 9.2496 1.4570 10.6288 7.8628 6.5280 5.1369 2.4070 1.9870
Total 5.7727 26.7126 2.6607 20.3814 17.6154 15.2321 10.8480 6.9107 9.9907
Municipal 3.5833 39.7390 3.5833 12.6109 12.6109 9.2008 1.5808 5.1294 0.7968
RD 1.5977 5.5920 1.5977 5.4322 5.4322 3.9145 4.7932 1.5977 1.5977
Vernon Hospital 0.2978 1.0424 0.2978 1.0126 1.0126 0.7297 0.8935 0.2978 0.2978
School 2.2883 13.6000 0.1000 6.0000 6.0000 6.0000 2.4000 3.4000 6.9000
Other 0.0660 0.5555 0.0041 0.5259 0.1899 0.1860 0.3639 0.0677 0.0630
Total 7.8331 60.5289 5.5829 25.5816 25.2456 20.0309 10.0313 10.4926 9.6554
Municipal 3.8258 42.0832 3.8258 11.4772 8.3784 8.5697 11.4772 3.8258 3.8258
RD 0.4106 1.4370 0.4106 1.3959 1.3959 1.0059 1.2317 0.4106 0.4106
West
Hospital 0.3613 1.2645 0.3626 1.2284 1.2284 0.8852 1.0839 0.3613 0.3613
Kelowna
School 2.0389 13.6000 0.1000 6.0000 6.0000 6.0000 2.4000 3.4000 6.9000
Other 0.0621 0.5122 0.0002 0.5122 0.1762 0.1760 0.3622 0.0621 0.0621
Total 6.6986 58.8969 4.6991 20.6138 17.1789 16.6367 16.5551 8.0597 11.5597
S
Note on School Tax Rates and Property Tax Rates:
The Province currently has two tax credit programs: the Provincial Industrial Property Tax Credit which gives a 60% school tax reduction to Class 4
(Major Industry), and the Provincial Farm Land Tax Credit which gives a 50% school tax reduction to Class 9 (Farm) properties. The Ministry of
Community, Sport and Cultural Development does not take these credits into account when reporting property tax rates.
Property tax rates published by specific municipalities for various classes of property may differ slightly from those listed in the above tables
published by the Provincial Government of British Columbia. While provincial tables are useful for comparing tax rates across different property
classes in each municipal area, the reader should enquire with the specific municipality to obtain accurate current tax rates if these may influence
any decision related to selection of residence, business or investment. For real estate located in rural areas, the Rural Property Tax calculator (BC
Ministry of Finance website) can be used to generate an estimate of taxes on a property of a specific value. To determine the exact rates including
local services, one needs to be familiar with the area and specific property.
141
BC Provincial Schedule 707 - 2014 Assessments, Tax Rates, Municipal Taxes, Class Proportions of Taxes and Assessmnts
Municipal
Municipality Authenticated Municipal % Total Taxes
Property Class
-Pop.- Roll General Purposes Tax Class Total Municipal % Total Assess- Per
Taxable Values Tax Rates Multiples Taxes Taxes ment Capita
Residential 19,668,783,022 4.03000 1.00 78,776,176 70 83 658

Utilities 26,455,635 20.27130 5.03 536,290 --- --- ---
Supportive Housing 16 4.03000 1.00 --- --- --- ---
Kelowna Major Industry 30,323,000 12.45580 3.09 377,697 --- --- ---
117,312 Light Industry 316,424,200 8.41520 2.09 2,662,773 2 1 ---
Business/Other 3,616,906,510 8.41520 2.09 30,436,992 27 15 ---
Recreation 78,130,600 4.03000 1.00 314,866 --- --- ---
Farm 21,516,088 0.50000 0.12 10,758 --- --- ---
Totals 23,758,539,07 113,115,552 100 100 945
Residential 2,453,579,788 3.58050 1.00 8,785,042 87 95 723
Utilities 4,143,918 44.69740 12.48 185,222 2 --- ---
Supportive Housing --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Lake Major Industry --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Country
Light Industry 12,573,500 16.38670 4.58 206,038 2 --- ---
11,708
Business/Other 97,068,105 8.76920 2.45 851,210 8 4 ---
Recreation 10,607,900 7.09210 1.98 75,232 1 --- ---
Farm 7,878,410 1.08690 0.30 8,563 --- --- ---
Totals 2,585,851,621 10,111,308 100 100 832
Residential 1,091,383,849 3.70440 1.00 4,042,922 93 96 785
Utilities 764,900 31.42310 8.48 24,036 1 --- ---
Supportive Housing --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Peachland Major Industry --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
5,200 Light Industry 1,764,900 12.96560 3.50 22,883 1 --- ---
Business/Other 33,195,786 7.03850 1.90 233,649 5 3 ---
Recreation 6,707,300 5.55670 1.50 37,270 1 1 ---
Farm 455,992 3.70440 1.00 1,689 --- --- ---
Totals 1,134,272,727 --- --- 4,362,449 100 100 847
Residential 4,322,042,504 4.53260 1.00 19,590,090 72 81 591
Utilities 16,071,946 20.22340 4.46 325,029 1 --- ---
Major Industry --- 6.49480 1.43 --- --- --- ---
Penticton
Light Industry 80,995,100 6.49480 1.43 526,047 2 2 ---
33,098
Business/Other 874,390,932 7.40260 1.63 6,472,766 24 16 ---
Managed Forest --- 7.40260 1.63 --- --- --- ---
Recreation 10,305,800 5.79080 1.28 59,679 --- --- ---
Farm 4,446,139 21.97790 4.85 97,717 --- --- ---
Totals 5,308,252,429 27,071,328 100 100 816
Residential 560,962,862 1.70170 1.00 954,591 71 86 211
Okanagan Utilities 1,510,400 10.92340 6.42 16,499 1 --- ---
Falls 142 Supportive Housing --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
est 2,900 Major Industry --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
(NB: data
Light Industry 6,455,700 4.16910 2.45 26,914 2 1 ---
for the
town of Business/Other 83,564,050 4.16910 2.45 348,387 26 13 ---
Oliver) Managed Forest --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Recreation 2,143,000 1.70170 1.00 3,647 --- --- ---
Farm 571,938 1.70170 1.00 973 --- --- ---
Totals 655,207,950 1,351,011 100 100 299
Municipal
Municipality
Property Class Authenticated Municipal % Total Taxes
-Pop.- 143
Roll General Purposes Tax Class Total Municipal % Total Assess- Per
Taxable Values Tax Rates Multiples Taxes Taxes ment Capita
Residential 5,320,194,760 3.58329 1.00 19,063,801 64 82 500

Utilities 7,333,370 39.73900 11.09 291,421 1 --- ---
Major Industry --- 12.61090 3.52 --- --- --- ---
Vernon
Light Industry 37,213,900 12.61090 3.52 469,301 2 1 ---
38,150
Business/Other 1,093,901,108 9.20080 2.57 10,064,765 34 17 ---
Managed Forest 19,400 1.58076 0.44 31 --- --- ---
Recreation 23,375,300 5.12935 1.43 119,900 --- --- ---
Farm 3,968,606 0.79680 0.22 3,162 --- --- ---
Totals 6,486,006,448 30,012,381 100 100 787
Residential 5,535,191,900 3.82575 1.00 21,176,260 84 92 678
Utilities 2,993,501 42.08318 11.00 125,976 --- --- ---
Supportive Housing --- 3.82575 1.00 --- --- --- ---
West Major Industry 14,993,000 11.47724 3.00 172,078 1 --- ---
Kelowna Light Industry 80,326,100 8.37837 2.19 673,002 3 1 ---
30,892 Business/Other 358,752,183 8.56966 2.24 3,074,384 12 6 ---
Managed Forest --- 11.47724 3.00 --- --- --- ---
Recreation 10,494,300 3.82575 1.00 40,149 --- --- ---
Farm 3,393,412 3.82575 1.00 12,982 --- --- ---
Totals 6,006,144,396 25,274,832 100 100 810
144
BC Provincial Schedule 704 - 2014 Taxes and Charges on a Representative House - Okanagan Valley
Total Total
Res. Total Total Res.
General BCA, Variable Res. Res. Property
House Municip Regional MFA and Rate Parcel User Taxes &
Municipalities Value School al Total District Hospital Other Taxes Taxes Fees Charges
Kelowna 451,036 920 1,818 159 163 28 3,087 50 796 3,933
Lake Country 474,694 968 1,700 194 171 29 3,063 75 1,074 4,212
Okanagan Falls 331,394 820 Nil 236 90 558 1,704 Nil 531 2,235
Peachland 407,642 831 1,510 169 147 25 2,683 440 543 3,666
Penticton 339,111 774 1,537 68 103 21 2,503 0 836 3,339
Vernon 358,226 820 1,284 350 107 23 2,583 0 1,184 3,767
West Kelowna 453,301 924 1,734 175 164 28 3,026 515 898 4,439
Note: Average house values in the above table are those published by 2014 BC Assessment, per community. Market value is not the
same as assessed value, although the two valuations have tended to coalesce from 2010, following cooling of the residential real estate
market in recent years. Provincial tables are useful for comparing average values and tax burden across different municipal areas,
however the reader should exercise caution in relying upon these values when determining the suitability of any specific community to
invest in or live.
Infrastructure
Health
The Okanagan Valley is serviced by the Interior Health Authority Services provided by IH
(IH), with three major hospitals, Vernon Jubilee Hospital (north), Approximately $1.8 billion annual operating budget (2012/13)
Kelowna General Hospital (central) and Penticton Regional 16 community hospitals
Hospital (south). 4 service area hospitals
2 tertiary referral hospitals
Interior Health 145 was established as one of five geographically- 6,275 residential care and assisted living beds (Oct 2012)
based health authorities in 2001 by the Government of British Acute care, health promotion and prevention, community care,
Columbia. It is responsible for ensuring publicly-funded health residential care, mental health and substance use, public health,
services are provided to over 742,000 residents of the Southern and more.
Interior, over a geographic area almost 216,000 square kilometres
Vernon Jubilee Hospital First Helicopter landing on Interior Health rooftop

Photo credit: Kurtis Stewart Mar 28, 2012 - Kelowna General Hospital
Communities serviced by IH
58 municipalities & 95 unincorporated places
55 First Nations communities
7 regional hospital districts
UBC and Interior Health Clinical Academic Campus - KGH
Penticton Regional Hospital

People
Approximately 18,666 staff (Oct 2012)
1,516 physicians with privileges in IH's acute facilities (Oct 2012)
Transportation
Freight
Rail Freight Road Freight
Canadian National Railways recommenced freight service in The Okanagan Valley area is serviced by 18 truck lines 147, 10
December 2014 for 75 per cent of the rail network previously freight forwarders, and three provincial and three inter-provincial
operated by bankrupt short-line Kelowna Pacific Railway. freight forwarders 148.
Operations resumed on 156 km of track between Campbell Creek, For lighter packages of up to 100 lb (45 kg) per piece, Greyhound
Vernon, Lumby junction and Lumby, while the section between Courier Express services 149 will carry individual packages from
Lumby junction and Kelowna was permanently discontinued any of their collection key points in the Okanagan: Okanagan
because of insufficient freight traffic. Falls, Kaleden, Penticton, Summerland, Peachland, Westbank
Kelowna, Winfield, Oyama and Vernon to any other key location in
Significant investment was required to bring the northern section northern America.
of track back to standard, to ensure safe train operations.
The Coldstream to Kelowna rail line ceased to operate in 2013

Air Freight
after the operator, Kelowna Pacific Railway went into receivership
and this section of the rail corridor was effectively abandoned by Purolator Inc. is a Canadian courier 91% owned by Canada Post
owner Canadian National Railway early July 2014. Corporation and others. Purolator offers guaranteed, time-
definite delivery services within Canada, to and from the U.S. and
The City of Kelowna, on behalf of the Inter-jurisdictional more than 210 countries and territories worldwide. It provides
Acquisition team signed a negotiated sales and purchase overland and air freight courier services from a range of outlets
agreement 146 with CN Rail on Dec 2, 2014 for the discontinued and depots in the area.
rail line between Kelowna and Mile 88 in Coldstream, involving a
combination of $22-million in monetary consideration and land Kelowna Flightcraft Air Charter 150- 151 is one of the air cargo
donation for which the City of Kelowna will issue a charitable carriers for Purolator Courier Ltd. and provides cargo service for
donation receipt. Canada Post.
The specific land parcels fall within the jurisdictions of Kelowna, As operator of the largest fleet of freighter aircraft in Canada, it
Lake Country and the Regional District of the North Okanagan, so ships up to 900,000 lbs. of freight nightly on its fleet of DC10's,
funding options such as partnerships, grants, municipal reserves B727’s and CV580's with a staff of over 135 dedicated to flight
or borrowing will be finalized by those jurisdictions during the due operations.
diligence period. The rail corridor traverses 52 kms of prime and
highly scenic real estate. With a maximum grade of 1.5% it
follows the waters' edge for a large part of the route, providing a
meandering path from Kelowna to Coldstream, past Kelowna
International Airport, Ellison lake, Wood Lake and Kalamalka Lake.
Air
Three commercial airports serve the Okanagan, the largest of which is Kelowna International Airport (YLW).
Kelowna International Airport (YLW) is located 15 km north of the Kelowna city centre, in the heart of the Okanagan Valley. As the 10th
busiest airport in Canada 152, YLW plays a vital part in the economic development and prosperity of the Okanagan Valley, with a total
economic impact 153 in 2010 of 2,730 jobs, representing $140 million in wages and $610 million in total economic output to the province of BC.
Passenger traffic increased at an unprecedented rate of 52% in the 3-year period 2004 to 2007, and remained steady at around 1.39 million
passengers per year between 2008 and 2011. Passenger volumes increased again in 2012 and grew at 4% per year to 2013, exceeding
1.5 million passengers while breaking previous records for most months. Passenger growth continued from 2013 into 2014 at an accelerated
rate in excess of 6.5% per annum, breaking records every month and exceeding 1.6 million passengers by year end.
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

--- Monthly Passenger Volumes ---
January 120,075 125,448 114,438 125,936 123,588 126,115 127,799 135,422
February 113,013 124,644 114,093 112,635 118,080 125,428 125,439 136,094
March 128,040 129,243 121,864 127,187 123,391 131,245 133,511 141,392
April 106,406 105,559 105,754 109,376 106,031 109,524 111,346 122,064
May 109,572 110,236 107,433 107,730 106,045 107,437 113,976 121,405
June 106,730 106,951 108,343 105,047 106,802 110,018 117,104 124,274
July 113,798 116,638 118,917 122,965 122,813 126,795 133,792 141,118
August 122,583 128,214 126,703 131,914 128,639 136,101 143,555 152,677
September 106,129 108,218 108,506 107,971 110,879 113,557 120,114 129,869
October 109,093 111,757 106,266 109,499 111,361 116,346 123,356 130,940
November 103,101 102,006 111,818 104,952 104,748 111,306 117,151 122,266
December 124,851 120,969 123,496 126,595 127,810 127,080 136,145 145,378
Year Total 1,363,391 1,389,883 1,367,631 1,391,807 1,390,187 1,440,952 1,503,288 1,602,899
fly in and out of YLW annually, making this airport the third
busiest in BC and in the top 10 busiest airports in Canada.
Offering over 66 commercial daily flights and serving over 1.6

million passengers annually, YLW makes getting to the Okanagan
and back home again easier than ever with non-stop and same
plane service. We also work with our air carriers to have greater
connectivity so you can get here or go anywhere from YLW with
as little as one connection. YLW is Your Link to the World by
offering non-stop flights to seven of the 35 busiest airports in
North America.
Airlines serving YLW – Air Canada, Air Canada Express, Air

Kelowna International Airport (YLW) is the primary International North, Alaska Airlines, Central Mountain Air, Northwestern Air,
airport for BC’s Southern Interior. Over 1.6 million passengers 154 Pacific Coastal Airlines, WestJet and United Airlines. Seasonal
charter services are also offered by Transat Holidays/Nolitours, Commercial flights by airline to / from key destinations:
Sunwing/ Signature & Sunquest.
Daily non-stop destinations - Vancouver, Victoria, Cranbrook,

Prince George, Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, Fort McMurray,
Whitehorse, Toronto, Seattle, and San Francisco. Seasonal
scheduled service to Las Vegas, Phoenix, Los Cabos, Puerto
Vallarta, Mazatlan, Cancun and Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo. Reaching 1.6
million passengers by 2014, one year ahead of schedule, YLW's
phased approach for construction, will be triggered by passenger
traffic demand.
The main terminal building at the south-end of the airport

property has numerous amenities for passengers. On ground side,
there are over 2600 long-term and short-term parking stalls, food
and beverage services, a gift shop and a brand-new well-wishing
area that features local artwork. The expanded departures lounge
includes a full service restaurant, gift shops, cafe, and a wine
shop that sells local vintages. The terminal building is open 24 Daily non-stop Number of
YLW non-stop to
hours every day. flights seats daily
Air Canada/AC Express
Vancouver 8 350
Calgary 4 250
Toronto 1 (Mo & Fr) 97
Central Mountain Air
Prince George 1 18
Northwestern Air
Red Deer 5 19
WestJet
Vancouver 4 544
Calgary 5 816
Elevation: 1421' (433 m) Runway Length: 8900' (2,713 m) Edmonton 5 408
Fort McMurray 1 97
Flights by destination Victoria 1 136
Destination Frequency Seats Toronto 1 136
Vancouver 12 daily 894 Horizon Air
Calgary 9 daily 1066 Seattle 3 228
Edmonton 5 daily 408 United Airlines
Victoria 1 daily 136 San Francisco 1 66
Toronto 1 daily 233 Pacific Coastal
Seattle 3 daily 228 Cranbrook 1 19
San Francisco 1 daily 66 Air North
Prince George 1 daily 18 White Horse 1 (Th & Su) 136
Fort McMurray 1 daily 194
Red Deer 5 weekly 95 Kelowna International Airport has planned for a phased expansion
White Horse 2 weekly 272 to meet forecast demand in passenger traffic into the future. The
* Las Vegas 2 weekly 332 ten years since 2002 saw passenger volume growth of 79%,
* Phoenix 1 weekly 166 equivalent to an average 6% per annum. With the ongoing
* Puerto Vallarta 2 weekly 332 addition of non-stop routes to popular regional and international
* Los Cabos 1 weekly 166 destinations, passenger traffic exceeded 1.6 million passengers in
* Cancun 2 weekly 332 2014 and is expected to continue with its robust growth into the
* Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo 1 weekly 166 future.
* Seasonal service between November and April
The table below indicates some of the milestone events in the Penticton Regional Airport
YLW storybook:
Penticton Regional Airport (YYF) 155 is situated 3 km southwest of
Selected Milestones at YLW --- 2002-2014 the city of Penticton, at the northernmost tip of Skaha Lake, with
a direct connection to Highway 97.
2002 Air Canada offers non-stop seasonal service to Toronto
First Canadian Airport to introduce Biometric
The airport is federally owned and managed by Transport Canada,
Technology for staff and tenants
and the federal government invested additional funds in the
2003 New instrument landing system commences operation
runway and taxiways 156 during 2014. Canada Customs and
2005 One millionth passenger before year-end, YLW
Revenue Agency operates at the airport and customer amenities
becomes the 10th busiest Canadian airport
include car rental, food and beverage facilities. Over
2007 Passenger numbers increase by 54% in 3 years
80,000 passengers 157 used the airport in 2013.
2008 Expanded departures room, new pre-board screen
area, new restaurant
The airport generates an estimated $24.7 million for the provincial
Runway extended to 8900 ft – expands reach from
economy 158 and provides employment for around 247 FTE (full
continental to intercontinental
time equivalent) positions.
2009 Airport Ambassador volunteer program celebrates 10th
anniversary, introduces Jr Ambassador volunteer
Air Canada Express, operated by Jazz Air, offers four daily
program
commercial flights to/from Vancouver 159 during the week, and
YLW welcomes one of the world’s largest aircraft, the
five per day over weekends. Westjet Encore service to Calgary 160
Antonov AN-124 from Moscow Russia
started October 26, 2014. Air training and charter services are
The $52.8 million Drive to 1.6 million passenger
provided by Canadian Helicopters (HNZ) and Eclipse Helicopters.
development program is approved by City Council
2010 Free WiFi available throughout the airport terminal
Passengers can connect to destinations in Canada and elsewhere
2011 Construction Phase 1 of the Drive to 1.6 million
from Vancouver and Calgary, including 12 same day
passenger development program commences
connections 161 within Canada and the USA.
2012 North Western Air introduces twice weekly service to
Red Deer, Alberta
Helicopter training company HNZ has trained the world’s elite
Every month of the year is a record breaking month,
military and commercial pilots for more than 60 years 162.
other than May
United Airline announces daily service to Los Angeles
The airport is an operational base for the Air Operations Tanker
beginning December 19, 2012
Base of the BC Ministry of Forests, and is used by private pilots
Construction Phase 1 of the Drive to 1.6 million
and charter flights on their way to the South Okanagan.
passenger development program completed
2013 Every month of the year is a record breaking month.
Annual passenger traffic exceeds 1.5 million.
Northwestern Air introduces a non-stop flight, 5 days
per week to Red Deer, AB.
Pacific Coastal introduces a daily non-stop flight to
Cranbrook, BC.
Air North introduces 2 flights per week non-stop to
White Horse, BC.
2014 Every month of the year is a record breaking month.
Annualized YTD 2014 growth rate exceeds 6.5% and
passenger volumes exceeded 1.6 million by year-end
2014, a year ahead of earlier forecasts.
United Airline replaces daily non-stop service to Los
Angeles with daily non-stop service to San Francisco.
Elevation: 1125' (343 m) Runway Length: 6000' (1,829 m)
Flights by destination
Destination Frequency Seats
Vancouver * 4 daily 200
Calgary 1 daily 78
Vernon Regional Airport
Vernon Regional Airport 163, 164 (YVE) is a non-towered airport,

situated 5 km southwest of the city of Vernon, at the northern
end of Okanagan Lake.
The airport, fully serviced with airside lots, was designed to

facilitate industry and has become the centre for manufacturing
and maintenance in the Pacific Northwest.
Elevation: 1158' (353 m) Runway Length: 3517' (1,072 m)
The 3517 ft runway is surrounded by recreational amenities, with

Okanagan Lake to the south and Kalamalka Lake to the south
east.
It is also one of few airports in the Okanagan Valley that can offer
skydiving, as commercial operators must give written consent to a
skydiving company for operate there. This is simply not feasible
at a larger airport, such as Kelowna International Airport.
The airport is a City-owned and managed commercial airport that

houses industrial based businesses focusing on aircraft
manufacturing and maintenance as well as a base for corporate,
commercial, and general aviation.
The City of Vernon has recently begun work on an Airport Master

Plan. The plan is anticipated to be completed by the end of the
Summer 2015.
Road
The first phase was completed in September 2010, which
Highway 97 is the Okanagan Valley’s key north-south highway established service between the University of BC Okanagan
with connections to several east-west highways, including the campus and Queensway in downtown Kelowna.
Trans Canada Highway and Highways 3 (Crows Nest or Southern
Trans Provincial Highway), 3A, 6 and 97C (Okanagan Connector). Phases two and three extended the line to the Westbank First
Highways 97A, 97B and 33 are north-south routes that parallel Nation and District of West Kelowna on August 31, 2014 and
various sections along the Highway 97 spine. H owever, none of introduced real-time passenger information on the buses and at
these routes provides a continuous connection between the stations.
communities in the north and the south.
In total, the region has six transit exchange facilities and ten new
The most heavily trafficked section of Highway 97 along the RapidBus stations as a result of the project. Using limited stops,
north-south spine of the Okanagan Valley is the Okanagan Lake HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lanes, and transit signal priority,
bridge crossing between Kelowna and West Kelowna, where RapidBus gives customers the convenience of having direct,
vehicle traffic volumes exceed 67,000 vehicles per day in the limited-stop service along Highway 97 every 15 minutes during
summer peak (August), counting travel in both directions. peak hours.
While the daily volume in each direction is approximately equal, South Okanagan Express Shuttle 167
an additional lane on the Okanagan lake bridge is available to Several Okanagan-based organizations including the Southern
Southbound traffic (towards Vancouver and the USA border) to Okanagan Chamber of Commerce joined together with Air Canada
cater for short-term peaks. Northbound traffic includes travel to to provide travellers with an improved transportation option
Vernon and Alberta. between Osoyoos, Penticton and Kelowna by announcing a new
shuttle service between Osoyoos and Kelowna International
Inter-community travel between Kelowna and West Kelowna Airport with 10 community stops along the way.
accounts for nearly half of the daily vehicle traffic.
The scheduled transportation link been needed for several years
Okanagan Valley Corridor 165 has been awarded to Let's Go! Transportation. T he new service
The BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure recently includes four round-trips from Osoyoos to the Kelowna airport,
upgraded the 9 km section of Highway 97 to four lanes between with community stops at specific pick-up and drop off times and
Winfield and Oyama in the District of Lake Country. The new locations. It provides the South Okanagan with an efficient and
alignment removed the last two-lane section of Highway 97 economical shuttle service for customers flying in and out of the
between Westbank and Vernon. Completed in 2013, it increased Okanagan Valley.
the corridor capacity, addressed safety concerns, mobility and
reliability issues, reduced delays and improved travel times. Rates for trips between Osoyoos and Kelowna airport, including
destinations along the way, are published on the Let's Go website.
Rapid Bus 166
The Province of British Columbia launched the Provincial Transit
Plan in 2008 with the goal of doubling ridership and reducing
greenhouse gases. The Plan identified nine new RapidBus lines in
high growth urban centres such as Kelowna.
The Kelowna RapidBus project is designed to improve travel time,

reliability, passenger comfort and convenience. It features fast,
direct service and modern, attractive amenities.
Public transport – Local

Public transportation in the
Okanagan is provided by BC Transit in cooperation with several
local communities, and operated by FirstCanada ULC.
The Kelowna Regional Transit System 168 is cost-shared between

the City of Kelowna, District of West Kelowna, District of Lake
Country, Central Okanagan Regional District and BC Transit.
The Vernon Regional Transit System 169 is cost shared among the
City of Vernon, District of Coldstream and the Regional District of
North Okanagan. It provides conventional low-floor accessible Connector) to Highway 97: a journey of around 390kms / 4hrs
service and custom door-to-door handyDART service in the City of from Vancouver to the William R Bennett Bridge at the centre of
Vernon and District of Coldstream, and a blended the Okanagan. The route is typically four-laned with higher
conventional/“Community Bus” servicing the North Okanagan posted speed limits and is popular from Spring through Fall.
Regional District, including Spallumcheen, Armstrong, Enderby, Since the route traverses two high altitude passes, road travellers
Lavington, Whitevale and Lumby. must take special care when planning trips between October and
April.
The conventional and handyDART transit systems are operated by
First Canada ULC. An alternative connection is known locally as the Hope-Princeton
Highway or Crows' Nest (Highway 3), a journey of around
BC Transit is working with the Regional District of North 512kms / 6.5hrs. The scenic route, much of which is single lane,
Okanagan, District of Coldstream and the City of Vernon to connects Hope to Penticton through the South Okanagan with
develop a 25 year Transit Future Plan to: Manning Provincial Park at the centre. Traversing lower terrain
with milder grades, it often has less snow and less extreme winter
o Create a vision for transit in the region conditions.
o Guide and prioritize future investment in the transit system
o Identify key transit corridors and the supporting local transit Winter conditions in the BC interior can be challenging and lead to
network and infrastructure temporary road closures in high terrain, especially along mountain
o Encourage transit supportive land use passes.
The Penticton Transit System 170 serves major destinations and The Trans-Canada Highway between the Okanagan Valley and
neighbourhoods within the City of Penticton. Hope, en route to Vancouver, traverses several high altitude
mountain passes that experience high snowfalls, fog and quickly
Funding for the Penticton Transit System is cost shared between changing conditions during the winter season. B C highways are
the City of Penticton and BC Transit. Decisions on fares, routes well monitored and road conditions and travel advisories are
and service levels are made by Penticton City Council based on communicated regularly over public radio. The DriveBC highway
information and planning provided by BC Transit. webcam system (BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure)
can be accessed freely over cellular networks and the internet.
The Okanagan-Similkameen Transit System provides service
between Naramata and Penticton six days per week. From Calgary, travellers enter the Okanagan on Highway 1 known
as the TransCanada Highway. The shortest route from Calgary to
Funding for the Naramata service is cost-shared between the Vernon and the Okanagan passes over the Canadian Rockies
Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen and BC Transit. mountains via Banff National Park.
Decisions on fares, routes and service levels are made by the
Regional District Board based on information and planning Highway 97 is the main north-south route through the Okanagan,
provided by BC Transit. Penticton Transit Service Ltd operates offers great driving experiences year round and connects to
both transit systems. Washington, USA at the 24 hour border crossing at Osoyoos and
passing through all the major cities in the Okanagan.
Road Travel – Regional
Winter conditions
The road and highway infrastructure in the BC Interior is of a high
standard, well serviced and maintained, providing an essential DriveBC has installed permanent webcams in several positions
route for westbound and eastbound product. The BC highway along critical highways. The program brings additional permanent
network is regularly strengthened and improved. webcam locations into use from year to year.
Southbound Highway 97 branches off Highway 97 a few

kilometres south of West Kelowna, and heads westwards as
Highway 97C towards Merritt and Vancouver. From Vernon,
Highway 1 heads north-east towards Calgary, passing over the
Rockie Mountains via Banff National Park to Calgary in the
province of Alberta.
DriveBC webcam locations - Highway 97C

Getting to the Okanagan by highway is convenient. From
Vancouver, travellers can chose two main options:
The shorter and faster connection is via the Coquihalla highway to
Merritt and from there via Highway 97C (the Okanagan
heading west to the Lower Mainland. The BC interior is a popular
road touring region, with logging operations in many areas.
Roads are shared with articulated long-distance transport, logging
trucks, motorists, trailers, motorcyclists and cyclists.
Greyhound Canada
Greyhound is the largest provider of inter-city bus transportation
DriveBC webcam locations - Highway 1
in Canada and the most frequently used bus line in the Thompson
Okanagan.
It offers scheduled services to more than 200 locations

throughout BC, including most cities and towns in the Thompson
Okanagan. The company also offers numerous connections to
cities and towns throughout Canada and the US.
The Okanagan Valley is served by Greyhound Lines of Canada

Ltd., which provides a network to all Canadian and US
destinations.
School Zones, Pedestrians, Cyclists
Motorists are encouraged to a ccommodate other road users and

show courtesy towards them at all times. Several communities in
Sample: DriveBC webcam – Highway 97 Callan Road the Okanagan are developing pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly
infrastructure, to promote an urban environment that encourages
Road travel healthier lifestyles and lower environmental damage from
vehicular emissions. Motorists will encounter shared road lanes
The road infrastructure in the Okanagan Valley is generally of a and a growing number of cycle- and pedestrian paths, calling for
high standard, well serviced and maintained. We highlight a few increased vigilance and consideration for other road users.
issues that impact road users, particularly those less familiar with
local conditions. When school is in session, a 30-km/h school zone speed limit is in
effect from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every school day, unless otherwise
Speed Limits posted. M otorists are expected to stay alert to the possibility of
Maximum speed limits 171 are set for ideal road, traffic, and children running into the roadway, irrespective whether or not in
environmental conditions. One would expect the same speed a school zone. School buses are also highly visible, and may not
limits along sections of road with similar conditions, but this is not be passed while stopped to collect or offload children.
the case. While the Motor Vehicle Act provides statutory
maximum speed limits of 50 km/h within municipalities and
80 km/h outside of municipalities, the Act also permits the
Ministry to adjust the speed limit within speed zones by erecting a
sign. The Provincial posted speed limit is subject to a 50 km/h
minimum and 120 km/h maximum limit, and the speed limit
procedure also contains guidelines for setting speed limits in
transition zones.
What this means to a motorist passing through the Okanagan, is

that different sections of road have various posted speed limits
according to l ocal determination. Motorists need to b e aware of
changing conditions and particularly speed transitions along any
route. There are several in the Okanagan, where posted speeds Pedestrian road crossings are marked, and often include
can be anywhere between 30 to 110km/h depending on location. pedestrian-activated flashing orange warning lights. Motorists
must stop fully, and allow pedestrians to cross, irrespective
Multiple Users whether or not a crossing is marked with warning lights.
As mentioned earlier, the Trans-Canada Highway (97) passes
directly through the northern half of the Okanagan Valley, before
Road Distances (km) between communities in the Okanagan Valley, and nearby metropolitan centres
Vernon
Merritt
Calgary
Kelowna
West Kelowna
Peachland
Vancouver
Osoyoos
Kamloops
Okanagan Falls
Penticton
Lake Country
Summerland
Vernon --- 28 54 60 78 98 115 134 176 117 182 443 556
Lake Country 28 --- 27 33 51 71 88 107 149 145 156 416 583
Kelowna 54 27 --- 7 25 46 63 81 123 170 130 391 609
West Kelowna 60 33 7 --- 22 42 59 78 120 177 127 387 615
Peachland 78 51 25 22 --- 21 38 56 98 195 120 381 633
Summerland 98 71 46 42 21 --- 17 35 78 215 141 402 654
Penticton 115 88 63 59 38 17 --- 21 63 242 158 419 671
Okanagan Falls 134 107 81 78 56 35 21 --- 40 260 177 385 689
Osoyoos 176 149 123 120 98 78 63 40 --- 288 204 396 732
Kamloops 117 145 170 177 195 215 242 260 288 --- 87 352 621
Merritt 182 156 130 127 120 141 158 177 204 87 --- 269 706
Vancouver 443 416 391 387 381 402 419 385 396 352 269 --- 971
Calgary 556 583 609 615 633 654 671 689 732 621 706 971 ---
Utilities
Electricity and Natural Gas Power Utilities
Two major utility corporations supply electrical power to residential, business and commercial sites in the Okanagan Valley.
BC Hydro, a commercial BC provincial Crown corporation, and FortisBC, a listed Canadian corporation, supply electricity to various non-
overlapping communities within the Okanagan Valley. The City of Penticton operates its own electrical utility.
BC Hydro hydroelectric generating plants, approximately 7,000 kilometres of

BC Hydro 172 is a commercial Crown corporation owned by the transmission and distribution power lines and approximately
Province of British Columbia. BC Hydro is one of North America’s 47,000 kilometres of natural gas transmission and distribution
leading providers of clean, renewable energy, and the largest pipelines, and employs 2,300 employees.
electric utility in British Columbia, serving approximately 95 per
cent of the province’s population and approximately 1.8 million
In 2004 Fortis
customers. Its vision is "Powering B.C. with clean, reliable
Inc. acquired all
electricity for Generations", which provides the context for its
the distribution,
business decisions.
transmission and
generation assets
of the West
Kootenay Power
and Light
Company and
renamed it
FortisBC Inc. In
2007 Fortis Inc.
purchased Terasen Inc., which included the Terasen Gas group of
companies. In July 2010, Terasen Inc. and FortisBC Inc. started
sharing the same leadership team and on March 1, 2011, the
Terasen group of companies began operating under the FortisBC
brand name. Today, the natural gas and electricity businesses
continue to operate as before, as separate legal entities, while
BC Hydro operates 31 hydroelectric facilities and three thermal sharing the name FortisBC.
generating plants, totaling 12,000 megawatts (MW) of installed
generating capacity. Its hydroelectric facilities are located BC Hydro and FortisBC supply electrical energy to different areas
throughout the Peace, Columbia and Coastal regions of B.C. which within the Okanagan Valley. For example, FortisBC supplies
provide over 95 per cent of the total electricity it generates. Three residents and businesses in the City of Kelowna and some
thermal generating plants provide the remaining electricity residents of Winfield,
generation. Lake Country. The rest
of the central Okanagan
BC Hydro is responsible for reliably generating between 42,000 including West Kelowna,
and 52,000 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity per year, which it Peachland, the rest of
delivers electricity to its customers through a network of over Lake Country and
18,500 kilometres of transmission lines and 57,648 kilometres of unincorporated areas
distribution lines. This network also includes approximately 300 receive power from BC
substations, 900,000 utility poles and 325,000 individual Hydro, as do the whole
transformers. Northern Okanagan and
some of the Okanagan Similkameen region
The system connects with other transmission systems in Alberta
and Washington State, which improves the overall reliability for its The City of Penticton operates an electrical utility providing
system, and opportunities for trade. service to the residents of Penticton and some of the
neighbouring regional district. The City operates, maintains and
FortisBC sets the rates for the electrical utility. It purchases its wholesale
FortisBC serves approximately 1.1 million customers in more than electricity from Fortis BC.
135 communities in BC 173, delivering approximately 22% of the
total energy consumed in the province. As an integrated energy
solutions provider, FortisBC owns and operates four regulated
Life in the Okanagan Valley
Location and Climate

Like much of Southern British Columbia, the Okanagan enjoys a mild climate, although considerably drier than many other areas in the
southern interior of British Columbia. Areas in the north end of the valley receive more precipitation and cooler temperatures than areas to the
south. Generally, Kelowna is the transition zone between the drier south and the wetter north. Vegetation also ranges from cactus and
sagebrush in the south, to Cedar and Hemlock trees in the North.
On average, the Okanagan Valley receives around 2000 hours of sunshine every year. Summertime temperatures (June-August) often peak
in the high 30’s, and have achieved record highs of 40ºC during July to August. Fortunately, night temperatures cool off substantially, and
areas close to the waterfront receive cooling relief from lake breezes, where surface temperatures rarely exceed 24ºC in mid-summer.
Winters are generally mild, with daily minimum temperatures ranging between -4ºC and -8ºC, although temperatures of minus 38.9 ºC have
been recorded (Vernon). Extreme lows usually have a short duration of hours rather than days, and result from specific Arctic weather fronts
moving across the region. Residents in the central Okanagan also experience several weeks of ‘Okanagan Grey’ cloud cover during the winter
months December-March. A result of local topography and weather, low cloud blocks out direct sunlight but also provides a cloud ‘blanket’
that keeps ambient temperatures warmer than would otherwise be the case with clear skies.
The Okanagan receives less than 400mm of precipitation per annum, of which around three quarters is direct rainfall and the rest from snow.
Precipitation varies throughout the Valley depending on location and altitude. It is generally slightly cooler and wetter in the north, and
warmer and drier in the south.
The warm summers with fairly low humidity and relatively mild winters provide an excellent environment for agriculture and recreation.
Summers are warm, with hot days and cool nights. Winters are much milder than areas north and east of the Valley. Mean daily temperatures
vary from about -2ºC in January to 28ºC in July-August. Tables below, indicate climate normals over the period 1971-2000, for weather
stations in Vernon, Kelowna and Penticton.
Canadian Climate Normals 1971-2000 | Vernon, Kelowna and Penticton – Precipitation averages
Precipitation Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Rainfall (mm)
Vernon 7.3 12.1 19.7 28.7 46.5 53.9 40.7 42.8 37.3 32.1 25.3 10.0 356.5
Kelowna 8.1 12.2 17.0 21.3 28.8 35.1 28.4 29.0 27.1 23.1 22.0 10.7 262.7
Penticton 10.6 13.8 19.1 26.4 37.3 38.9 27.9 30.7 24.7 19.5 19.7 11.1 279.6
Snowfall (cm)
Vernon 32.9 22.2 6.1 0.4 --- --- --- --- --- 1.2 22.8 42.4 127.9
Kelowna 24.1 11.3 3.2 0.1 --- --- --- --- --- 0.2 11.4 26.7 77.0
Penticton 21.8 11.1 3.5 0.1 --- --- --- --- --- 0.2 8.3 22.1 67.2
Total precipitation (mm)
Vernon 40.2 34.3 25.8 29.0 46.5 53.9 40.7 42.8 37.3 33.3 48.1 52.4 484.4
Kelowna 32.2 23.5 20.2 21.4 28.8 35.1 28.4 29.0 27.1 23.3 33.4 37.4 339.7
Penticton 26.8 22.5 22.3 26.6 37.3 38.9 27.9 30.7 24.7 19.7 27.1 28.4 332.7
Average Annual Precipitation - North, Centre, South
60
Vernon
50
Kelowna
40 Penticton
30
20
10
0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
The following tables indicate seasonal variation in temperatures and bright sunshine for the three largest urban centres at the north, centre
and south of the Okanagan Valley: Vernon, Kelowna and Penticton respectively. ‘Climate Normals’ refer to measured normals during the
period 1971-2000, the most recent long-term tracking data available from Environment Canada.
Canadian Climate Normals 1971-2000 | Station Name: VERNON BELLA VISTA RANCH 174 | Climate ID: 1128553
Average, Minimum and Maximum Temperatures and Precipitation – Vernon
Temperatures Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C 14.5 13.9 21.0 29.4 34.5 37.0 40.0 37.8 33.9 26.7 18.9 15.0 40.0
Average high °C -1.9 1.6 8.4 14.7 19.4 23.1 26.6 26.2 20.2 12.1 3.7 -1.3 12.7
Daily mean °C -5.0 -2.0 3.3 8.4 12.8 16.4 19.1 18.7 13.7 7.3 0.6 -4.1 7.4
Average low °C -8.1 -5.5 -1.8 2.0 6.1 9.6 11.6 11.3 7.2 2.5 -2.5 -6.9 2.1
Record low °C -35.6 -36.1 -28.9 -10.6 -5.0 3.3 -1.7 -5.0 -20.5 -32.0 -38.9 -38.9
175
Sunshine hr 46.1 83.0 152.3 205.3 249.3 266.4 313.0 285.8 207.2 141.6 63.8 42.7 2056
176
Canadian Climate Normals 1971-2000 | Station Name: KELOWNA PC BURNETTS NURSERY | Climate ID: 1123992
Average, Minimum and Maximum Temperatures and Precipitation – Kelowna
Record high °C 15.0 14.0 21.0 28.0 33.0 37.5 40.0 40.0 33.0 26.5 21.1 15.0 40.0
Average high °C 0.9 4.0 9.6 15.4 20.3 24.2 27.6 27.2 21.4 13.7 6.1 1.5 14.3
Daily mean °C -2.1 0.2 4.4 9.0 13.8 17.6 20.3 20.1 14.9 8.5 2.8 -1.2 9.0
Average low °C -5.0 -3.6 -0.7 2.6 7.2 11.0 13.1 12.9 8.3 3.3 -0.5 -3.9 3.7
Record low °C -32.2 -20.6 -16.7 -6.1 -1.7 2.2 4.4 3.9 -2.8 -13.5 -26.0 -28.5 -32.2
Sunshine 177
hr 40.3 77.0 144.9 194.2 236.4 253.2 300.5 272.2 213.1 132.3 52.8 37.6 1954
Canadian Climate Normals 1971-2000 | Station Name: PENTICTON A 178 | Climate ID: 1126150
Average, Minimum and Maximum Temperatures and Precipitation – Penticton
Record high °C 15.7 16.6 21.7 29.6 33.9 37.7 40.6 38.9 36.6 28.9 19.4 14.4 40.6
Average high °C 0.9 4.3 10.1 15.6 20.5 24.5 28.1 27.6 21.9 14.3 6.3 1.4 14.6
Daily mean °C -1.7 0.7 4.7 9.0 13.6 17.4 20.4 20.1 14.9 8.7 3.1 -1.1 9.2
Average low °C -4.3 -3.0 -0.7 2.3 6.7 10.3 12.7 12.5 7.8 3.0 -0.2 -3.7 3.6
Record low °C -26.7 -26.7 -17.8 -7.2 -5.6 0 2.2 2.9 -3 -14.5 -22.3 -27.2 -26.7
Sunshine hr 39.5 78.8 143.5 195.9 237.4 246.1 295.2 275.0 211.9 141.6 55.0 36.2 1956
Recreation
Summer Recreation
Water Activities Zip Lines

Every community in the Okanagan Valley has waterfront access to Zipzone 179, located in Peachland, offers 2100m of zip lines that
one or more of its lakes. criss-cross Deep Creek Gorge. With an operating season that starts
in Spring and ends in Fall, they claim to have the highest ziplines
Sandy beaches and waterfront areas in available in Vernon, in Canada. More information: www.zipzone.ca
Coldstream, Lake Country, Kelowna, West Kelowna, Peachland,
Summerland, Penticton, Naramata and Okanagan Falls. Oyama Zipline 180, located in Oyama, Lake Country, offers
adventure tours and a course that includes seven zip line stations,
Water activities include indoor swimming, open water lake including two parallel racing lines. Its operating season starts in
swimming, water slides and several opportunities for the more May and ends mid-October.
adventurous, such as jet skiing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, More information www.oyamazipline.com
windsurfing and parasailing.
Field Sports
With boats, paddleboards, canoes and kayaks, you can enjoy being Field sports, including soccer, lacrosse, cricket, football, baseball,
on the water as much as you love being in it. volleyball, ultimate frisbee, lawn bowling, and riding (English and
Western) are popular within the valley.
Waterparks
The Okanagan has several excellent water parks for the
amusement of old and young alike: Kenyon Park in Okanagan
Falls; Skaha Beach, Penticton Children’s Water Park in City Park,
Kelowna; Ben Lee Park in Rutland; the Kettle Valley Playground in
the Upper Mission; Trethewey Splash Park in Lake Country;
Westbank Centre Community Park in West Kelowna, along with
Polson Spray Park and Atlantis Water slides in Vernon.
Waterways
A local attraction at the south end of Okanagan Lake is the
Okanagan River Channel in Penticton. Created in the 1950's to
control flooding and water flow from Okanagan Lake to Skaha
Lake, it doubles as a popular tourist attraction and favourite
summer activity for children and adults. The river channel is about
7 km long, with a rest stop at the halfway point at Green Mountain
Road. Depending on flow through the channel, it will take 45-90
minutes to float to the halfway point, and twice that to reach
Skaha Lake. For an afternoon of fun: take a hat, sunscreen,
something to float on, swim trunks and safety equipment.
The Okanagan Valley has miles of beautiful parkland, much of

these located along its beaches. Grassy picnic areas, playgrounds,
washrooms and concession stands are all standard facilities at
beaches close to urban centres.
There are also day-camping and overnight facilities at selected

areas at or near a waterfront for those who prefer the self-catered
outdoor experience.
Golf www.totabc.org. Golf vacation package opportunities can be
Golf season in the Okanagan Valley is the envy of Canada. Over found at www.golfkelowna.com and other sites.
2000 hours of sun every year equals the longest, driest golf season
you will find. Several of the tee boxes at dozens of golf courses Vernon
offer incredible views of mountains, lakes, vineyards and orchards, The highly acclaimed Predator Ridge Golf Resort in Vernon recently
rolling hills and cityscapes. added the spectacular new Ridge Course, which SCOREGolf named
Top New Course in Canada for 2010. The resort's Predator Course
The Okanagan Valley is home to some of the most beautiful golf is consistently awarded 4.5 stars by Golf Digest and is listed
courses in Canada. Whether you are an avid golfer or a beginner, among the top courses in the country by SCOREGolf.
there is a course out there to match your skill set.
Opened in 2008, the Golf Club at The Rise - Vernon - has a Fred
The Okanagan Valley has more Couples Signature Course that looks out over Okanagan Lake from
than 38 golf courses offering a vantage point of 400m/1,300ft above the water.
panoramic mountain views, sage-
covered desert terrain, and
backdrops of orchards, vineyards
and lakes with a season that
extends from March to
November, providing nearly 8 months of near perfect golf weather!
Many of the golf courses offer lessons provided by qualified

professionals and several resorts, hotels and motels offer golf
packages for those just visiting our great community.
Predator Ridge Golf Club - Vernon
Tee times should be booked in advance of arrival, especially in July

and August. Many courses have a dress code in effect, so check
ahead with the course or resort.
Kelowna
Gallagher's Canyon delivers the quintessential Okanagan golf
Okanagan Golf Club (‘The Bear’) - Kelowna experience with exquisite scenery visible along its 6,802 yards.
Gallagher's Canyon was listed among the Top 100 Courses in
Several award-winning courses have been designed by renowned Canada by SCOREGolf magazine in 2008/2009.
golf architects such as Greg Norman, Graham Cooke, Doug
Carrick, Thomas McBroom, Les Furber, Michael Hurdzan, Robert For a unique golfing experience, try The Harvest Golf Club, home
Trent Jones Sr. and Fred Couples. to a large working orchard. The property is also used to grow
grapes for a local winery.
The Okanagan Golf Club boasts the spectacular Bear Course,

envisioned by Nicklaus Designs and built around a man-made lake,
and the dramatic Quail Course, a Les Furber design.
The Club at Tower Ranch, opened in 2008 and named one of the
top new Canadian golf courses by Golf Digest and SCOREGolf in
2009
Harvest Golf Course - Kelowna © George Dimitrov Photography In 2009 the signature island green 6,394-yard Black Mountain Golf
Club was a finalist in SCOREGolf's Best New Course in Canada
More information: www.tourismvernon.com,
2010.
www.tourismkelowna.com, www.tourismpenticton.com and
Penticton and the South Okanagan Designed by Les Furber, and rated as high as 18th in Canada by
Score Magazine, the course gives a challenging and memorable
The South Okanagan 181 boasts spectacular golf courses and the experience.
longest golf season in the Interior of British Columbia. The warm,
dry climate makes it possible to play from early March to late Nestled in a scenic valley surrounded by towering rock cliffs, south
November. There are five championship courses within the vicinity west of Okanagan Falls, is the 285-acre Twin Lakes Golf Resort.
of Osoyoos, Oliver, and Okanagan Falls; all are members of Desert This 18-hole course features elevated tees, strategically bunkered
Links which is a network of premium golf courses. greens and fairways, and water hazards on four holes. The views
and vistas are exceptional, and the course was deliberately
Sonora Dunes Golf Course offers golfers of all abilities a one-of-a- designed to take advantage of the surrounding mountains.
kind, desert-links golf course experience, with spectacular views of
Osoyoos Lake, rolling desert hills, vineyards and surrounding Voted the best nine-hole golf course in the South Okanagan for
mountains. two years running, St. Andrews By-The-Lake Golf Course, west of
Okanagan Falls, is a refreshing green oasis that will treat your
senses and test your game. It is perhaps the only golf course in
the world with an "official" turtle crossing!
Sonora Dunes Golf Course at Spirit Ridge, Osoyoos
Nk’Mip Canyon Desert Golf Course is an 18-hole championship

course owned and operated by the Osoyoos Indian Band. Nk’Mip St. Andrews By-The-Lake Golf Course, near Oliver
(Inkameep) roughly translates as “flat bottom land at the mouth of
the creek or river.” Penticton Golf and Country Club with an 18 hole golf course, is
proud to have one the best conditioned courses in the valley with
Perched high above the Town of Osoyoos, the Osoyoos Golf Club a variety of challenges for all players. The fairways are narrow,
offers vistas of mountains, lake, desert and valley along its 36-hole there is water in play on 12 holes and well placed bunkers protect
championship layout. Twin 18-hole championship courses—the the greens.
Park Meadows and the Desert Gold—challenge golfers of all ability
levels. ScoreGolf Magazine calls the Osoyoos Golf & Country Club Skaha Meadows Golf Course is an enjoyable, flat 9 hole golf course
"Canada's Best Hidden Gem." that is easy walking. This course welcomes players of all skill
levels although the 2,435 9 hole layout can be challenging at
times.
Rated the best course in the South Okanagan, the Summerland

Golf and Country Club offers a pristine setting fitting of a
championship golf course. Not only is the setting quiet and free
from urban noise, it offers beautiful views of the Okanagan Valley
and Trout Creek Canyon.
Since 1961, Sumac Ridge Golf & Country Club Ltd has been the
highest rated public short course in British Columbia.
In the table below 182, 183 ratings are an average for the course.
Fairview Mountain Golf Course, Oliver Green fees and cart rates exclude local taxes, for a course round in
2013/2014. Check with the golf course directly to confirm actual
Perched on the mountainside overlooking vineyards and wineries costs, as these may not be up to date. It is intended to serve as a
near Oliver, is spectacular Fairview Mountain Golf Course. guide to some of the popular golf courses available in the Valley.
Kelowna Springs Kelowna Golf & Harvest Golf Club Shannon Lake Golf Black Mountain Golf The Quail at
Golf Club Country Club Course Club Okanagan
480 Penno Road 1297 Glenmore Dr. 2725 K.L.O. Road 2649 Shannon Lake 575 Black Mountain 3200 Via Central
Kelowna, BC Kelowna, BC Kelowna, BC Rd Drive Kelowna, BC
V1X 6S3 V1Y 4P4 V1W 4S1 Westbank, BC Kelowna, BC V1V 2A4
(250) 765-4653 (250) 763-2736 (250) 862-3103 V4T 1V6 V1P 1P7 (250) 765-5955
Holes: 18 Holes: 18 1-800-257-8577 (250) 768-3535 (250) 765-6890 1-800-446-5322
Par: 71 Par: 72/73 Holes: 18 Holes: 18 1-866-765-6890 Holes: 18
Slope/Rating: Rating: 71.2 Par: 72/73 Par: 71/72 Holes: 18 Par: 72
116/69 $: semi-private Rating: 71.3 Rating: 71.7 Par: 71 Rating: 73.1
$72 + $36 for cart must call $120 incl. cart $63 + $36 for cart Rating: 67.8 $119 incl. cart
$89 incl. cart
Predator Ridge Golf Predator Ridge Golf The Bear at
Resort Resort Okanagan Michaelbrook Ranch Summerland Golf & Fairview Mountain
Predator Course Ridge Course 3200 Via Central Golf Club Country Club Golf Club
301 Village Centre 301 Village Centre Kelowna, BC 1085 Lexington 2405 Mountain Ave 13105 334th Ave
Place Place V1V 2A4 Drive Summerland, BC Oliver,
Vernon, BC Vernon, BC (250) 765-5955 Kelowna, BC V0H 1Z0 V0H 1X0
V1H 1T2 V1H 1T2 1-800-446-5322 V1W 4M8 (250) 494-7745 (250) 498-6050
(250) 542-3436 (250) 542-3436 Holes: 18 (250) 763-7888 1-877-955-7955 Holes: 18
1-888-578-6688 1-888-578-6688 Par: 72 Holes: 18 Holes: 18 Par: 72
Holes: 18 Holes: 18 Rating: 72.3 Par: 62 Par: 72/73 Rating: 71.5
Par: 72 Par: 72 $119 incl. cart Rating: 57.3 Rating: 71.4 $72 + $35 for cart
Slope/Rating: Slope/Rating: $36 + $26 for cart $65 + $36 for cart
141/75 141/75 Sonora Dunes Golf Nk’Mip Canyon Osoyoos Golf Club
$145 incl. cart $165 incl. cart Course Desert Golf Course
Tower Ranch Golf Sunset Ranch Golf Two Eagles Golf 1300 Rancher Creek 6891 Tucelnuit Dr. 12300 Golf Course
Club & CC Road, Osoyoos, BC Oliver, BC V0H 1T2 Drive, Osoyoos
1855 Tower Ranch 5101 Upper Booth 3509 Carrington V0H 1V6 1 (800)-656-5755 BC V0H 1V0
Blvd. Road Road 1-877-495-4655 1.800.481.6665
Kelowna, BC Kelowna, BC Westbank, BC (250) 495-4653 $59 including cart
V1P 1R2 V1X 7V8 V4T 2E6 Holes: 18
(250) 491-8211 (250) 765-7700 (250) 768-0080 Par 70
1-877-491-8211 1-877-606-7700 Holes: 18 $50 + $28 for cart
Holes: 18 Holes: 18 Par: 65
Par: 72 Par: 72/73 Rating: 63.9 Fairview Mountain Twin Lakes Golf Penticton Golf and
Rating: 71.4 Rating: 70.1 $49 + $30 for cart Golf Course Course Country Club
$110 incl. cart $72 + $37 for cart 13105-334th Ave, 79 Twin Lakes Road 600 Comox St,
Mission Creek Golf Orchard Greens Golf Ponderosa Golf Club Oliver, BC V0H 1X0 Kaleden, BC V0H Penticton BC, V2A
Club Club (250) 498-6050 1K0 6J9
1959 K.L.O. Road 2777 K.L.O. Road 4000 Ponderosa Pl. Holes: 18 (250) 497-5359 (250) 492-8727
Kelowna, BC Kelowna, BC Peachland, BC Par: 72 Holes: 9 Par: 70
V1W 2H8 V1W 4A5 V0H 1X5 Rating: 71.5 Par: 32 18 holes $47 -$60
(250) 860-3210 (250) 763-2447 (250) 768-7839 $75 + $35 for cart $27 + $19 for cart Cart: add $32
Holes: 18 Holes: 9 Holes: 18
Par: 32 Par: 72
Gallaghers Canyon Pinnacle Course at Shadow Ridge Golf Skaha Meadows Sumac Ridge Golf
Golf and CC Gallaher's Canyon Club Golf Course and Country Club
Gallagher's Course Pinnacle Course 3770 Bulman Road 113 - 437 Martin Str 17333 HWY 97
4320 Gallaghers 4320 Gallaghers Kelowna, BC Penticton, BC V2A Summerland, V0H
Drive West, Drive West, V1X 7V1 5L1 1Z6
Kelowna, BC Kelowna, BC (250) 765-7777 (250) 492-7274 (250) 494-3122
V1W 3Z9 V1W 3Z9 Holes: 18 Par: 35/70 9H/18H 9 hole mid-length
(250) 861-4240 (250) 861-4240 Par: 73 $30 to $42 9H/18H executive par 28
1-800-446-5322 1-800-446-5322 Rating: 71.7 Cart: add $32 $18 + cart $18
Holes: 18 Holes: 9 $63 + $34 for cart
The Golf Club at the Vernon Golf & Hillview Golf Course
Rise Country Club
8500 Rising View 800 Kalamalka Lake 1101-14th Ave
Way, Vernon BC Rd, Vernon, BC Vernon, BC V1B 2S6
V1T 5G4 V1T 6V2 (250) 549-GOLF
(250) 542-0151
(250) 545-7425 (250) 542-9126 Holes: 18
1-877-243-7417 Holes: 18 Par: 57
Holes: 18 Par: 72 Rating: NA
Par: 72 Rating: $30 excl. pullcart
Rating: $65 incl. cart
$115 incl. cart
Hiking and Biking Penticton area - hiking trails in and around Penticton provide a
Varied landscapes, panoramic views, and historic sites make for variety of sights and challenges. Landscapes include orchards and
infinitely interesting hiking and biking around many areas in the vineyards, dry grasslands and ponderosa pine hillsides, clay banks
Valley. I n the city of Kelowna for example, walkways follow the and granite cliffs, deep forest and mountain lakes. Panoramic
shoreline of Okanagan Lake, run along the cottonwood-lined views take in the city itself, Okanagan Lake, Skaha Lake and
riparian zone bordering Mission Creek, climb the flanks of Knox distant mountain ranges. Trails provide opportunities for viewing a
Mountain and run through pocket nature preserves. South of the variety of common and rare wildlife.
city, Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park offers challenging hiking
terrain. Carmi/Ellis Creek Trail - on the eastern ridge above Penticton
overlooks steep cliffs into Ellis Creek Canyon. The Lost Moose
Trails around Kelowna lead to lookouts, waterfalls, historic Lodge near the parking area offers lunch, and the view of
irrigation flumes, abandoned homesteader's cabins, unique Penticton and the Cascade Mountains to the west is impressive.
volcanic formations and the deep forest. Most are designed for day
hikes, although there are longer overnight routes like the High Rim Three Blind Mice Trail - The 121 hectare Three Blind Mice trail
Trail that stretches 50km from Kelowna through Lake Country to system, rated moderate to advanced, is located northeast of
Kalamalka Provincial Park south of Vernon. Penticton, partially within the city limits. It is also a popular
mountain biking area with views over Naramata Bench wineries
Trails in Kelowna, neighbouring Lake Country, West Kelowna and and Okanagan Lake.
Penticton areas, as well as the regional and provincial parks are
frequently travelled and appropriate for self-guided hikes. Vaseaux Lake Provincial Park - 26km south of Penticton, a
short trail with big wildlife viewing opportunities is located at the
Mission Creek Greenway - is the longest and most popular trail southern end of the lake. A boardwalk leads to platforms in the
in Kelowna. Phase 1 of the trail is an easy 7km gravel route along Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada Waterfowl
the banks of a significant Kokanee Salmon spawning stream from Sanctuary. Birdwatchers will see a wide range of species including
Mission Creek Regional Park to Okanagan Lake. The 9km Phase 2 trumpeter swans. The park is also home to rare and endangered
section offers more challenging sections and follows the creek species like California bighorn sheep, badgers and pallid bats. More
eastward from the Mission Creek Regional Park into Gallagher's common are turtles, beaver, muskrats and deer.
Canyon.
Vernon is emerging as a new mountain biking destination.
Kettle Valley Railway (KVR) - The KVR Trail, part of the Trans- Located in the North Okanagan, Vernon shares the enviable
Canada trail, is an easy high-country trail , with gentle two per lifestyle of other Okanagan communities - beaches and peaches -
cent grades on the old KVR rail bed. The 12km section of the trail but has the added benefit of having great hillsides and mountains
between the former Ruth Station and Myra Station near Kelowna, right next to the city.
features reconstructed wood-frame trestles, two steel bridges, and
two tunnels. From Naramata on the east side of Okanagan Lake, Okanagan High Rim Trail
the trail descends into Penticton with terrific views of orchards, The main trailhead in the north is located in at the Cosen’s Bay
vineyards and the lake. It passes among several wineries of the Gate of Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park. The south trail head is
Naramata Bench. Between Penticton and Summerland, the trail located on Philpott Road off of Highway #33.
traverses the west side of the valley across spectacular clay cliffs,
with wonderful lake views, crosses the historic Trout Creek trestle Okanagan High Rim Trail is a 55 km trail along the eastern slopes
bridge before veering westward among the orchards of Prairie of the Thompson Plateau from Vernon to Mission Creek, just east
Valley. The total trail distance from Naramata to Summerland is of Kelowna. The trail explores many diverse eco systems and
40km. provides open sections with fantastic views of the valley, as well as
canopied sections that allow exploration of the wilderness forests.
Bear Creek Provincial Park – an easy 5km trail among
cottonwood trees along the creek at Bear Creek Provincial Park, In total, the trail should take no longer than 3-4 days to complete,
into ponderosa pine grasslands above the canyon, providing although most casual hikers will find that it is best hiked in shorter
excellent views of Bear Creek Falls and a panorama of Okanagan sections, having numerous access points (or trailheads) making it
Lake. possible for shorter day hikes. Overall the Okanagan High Rim Trail
is well marked, but plan your route ahead and use regular trail
West Kelowna - offers a variety of trail t errain. A flat pathway safety procedures. For more information contact the Vernon
skirts the rim of the Okanagan Lake’s Gellatly Bay to Gellatly Nut Outdoors Club.
Farm, Canada’s first commercial nut farm and now a regional park.
Forest and grassland trails in Rose Valley, Glen Canyon and Nearby Silver Star, Kalamalka and Ellison Provincial Parks –
Kalamoir Regional Parks, and a climb to the heights of Mount all have mountain biking trails. The ones in Kalamalka and Ellison
Boucherie, an extinct volcano, give hikers abundant opportunities are developed and maintained by the North Okanagan Cycling
for exercise while taking in panoramic views. Society. These trails have been created over the past two years.
The beauty of some of these trails is that you can jump in the lake locally-sourced dishes to complement the region's distinctive
after a great ride! wines.
Silver Star Resort is located just 25 minutes from downtown Several wineries in the Okanagan Valley offer lake-view fine dining
Vernon and has lift accessed mountain bike trails with over 1600 through most of the year. Wine sampling is available throughout
vertical feet of great terrain. The trails have been created to meet the year at all of the major wine estates. The climatic character of
a full range of riding expectations from beginners to experts. the region is much dryer than Niagara, and is at the same latitude
as the Rhine Valley in Germany and Champagne region of France.
Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park Trails
Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park is a mixture of desert grasslands, Growth of the wine industry is one of the region’s striking success
wetlands, canyons and forests. The highlights of the park include stories. F rom a time in the late 1990’s when less than a dozen
the large lake, the sandy beaches and the 14 km network of trails. estates were producing wine, the Valley now has over 160 licensed
There are three main bays located on Kalamalka Lake; Jade, wineries and has garnered accolades and awards from many
Juniper and Cosen Bays. Jade Bay is less populated and Juniper corners of the world.
Bay is larger, and therefore more popular thus providing more
amenities like picnic tables, a swimming area, grass lawns, some
pit toilets and viewing benches.
Ellison Provincial Park Trails

Ellison Provincial Park is a popular summer park and campground,
located southwest of Vernon. Throughout the park there is a small
series of hiking trails adding up to 6 km. The trails vary in
difficulty, both in grade and terrain, and there are some wheelchair
accessible sections of trail. Amenities include flush toilets, showers,
running water, an outdoor amphitheatre, a playground, picnic
tables and a large grass lawn area.
Kekuli Bay Provincial Park Trail

The trail starts at the entrance to the campground in Kekuli Bay
Provincial Park, just south of Vernon on Highway 97. This 2.5 km
earthy-gravel walking path around Kekuli Bay Provincial Park
explores the grassland hills, providing views of the valley and lake.
Some of the attractions are the wildflowers, birds and large rodent
type animals that all flourish within the park. Amenities include
showers, power and flush toilets and there is a children’s
playground area as well as picnic tables.
Mabel Lake Provincial Park Trails

Around 60 km from Vernon, Mabel Lake Provincial Park offers a
short, 1 km “Changing Rainforest” self-guided interpretive hiking
trail that winds through the shaded forest carpeted in moss that is
found between the campsites and the main road. It is a gentle
hike taking visitors through the maturing second growth rainforest
of western red cedar, hemlock and some Douglas fir. The hike
takes 30 minutes.
Food and Wine
The Okanagan Valley is known historically around the world for its
scenic beauty and fruit orchards, and more recently for its
vineyards 184. As you travel through the Okanagan, you will In addition to its well-known vineyards and wineries, the
uncover some of the province's best wineries. Ensconced in the Okanagan is also home to a number of local breweries, cideries
region's most spectacular scenery, the estate, farm, and major and distilleries, including Okanagan Spring breweries and
wineries are as diverse as the wines they produce. Often Okanagan Spirits in Vernon, Tree Brewing in Kelowna, Cannery
enveloped by lush vineyards, each has its own unique character Brewing and Tin Whistle Brewing in Penticton.
whether set in an enchanting stone house or 120-year old log
home. Bountiful farms and orchards allow chefs to produce fresh
The Valley’s best harvest is featured both on the plate and in the located in the Visitor Centre. How-to-taste wine tutorials are
glass. Do-it-yourself foodies can learn local tricks at cooking available any time with the daily tasting menu.
schools such as Kelowna’s Wine & Thyme or the culinary
workshops of Mission Hill Family Estate winery in West Kelowna. Penticton is also located in the only region in BC where peaches
and apricots will grow along with other tree fruits like cherries,
The Okanagan Valley is historically known around the world for its plums, apples and pears. Fresh produce is available at roadside
scenic beauty and fruit orchards. It is now also becoming knownfor stands, in locally prepared preserves and on the tables of Penticton
its vineyards. As you travel through the Thompson Okanagan, you restaurants. Pair any meal with an Okanagan wine or for a change
will uncover some of the province's best wineries. Ensconced in of taste, try an ale or lager produced by one of Penticton's three
the region's most spectacular scenery, the estate, farm, and major micro-breweries.
wineries are as diverse as the wines they produce. Often
enveloped by lush vineyards, each has its own unique character Naramata, founded on the eastern shore of Okanagan Lake to take
whether set in an enchanting stone house or 120-year old log advantage of the rich clay soil of the stepped benchlands for fruit
home. farming, was also a tourist destination from the start.
The valley begins in the south near the US/Canadian border with People come to visit farms and orchards, tour wineries and
the Town of Osoyoos. Here is one of North America's most fragile vineyards and see the work of artists in their studios and local
and endangered ecosystems, it is Canada's only true desert. The galleries. They swim in the
area hosts one of the largest concentrations of species at risk in waters of Okanagan Lake
Canada, and is of international importance. Our desert is actually and hike or mountain bike
part of the Great-Basin Desert. The Okanagan Valley climatic the trails in the surrounding
region is much dryer than Niagara and unique as a grape growing highlands. Wine tourism is
region in western Canada. The valley is at the same latitude as the the latest evolution in the
Rhine Valley in Germany and the Champagne region of France. Naramata story. The
Naramata Bench region has
After you pass through the Osoyoos and Oliver regions and head quickly developed a distinct
north up the valley, you will encounter orchards and vineyards, style featuring more than 20
evidence of some of the best fruit- and vegetable-growing land in boutique wineries, all quickly
the world. Just north of Oliver, the wine capital of Canada, is and easily accessible along
Okanagan Falls, a rural community located on the shores of the 16km stretch of
beautiful Skaha Lake. To the North end of the Lake lies Penticton Naramata Road between the
also located on the Southern Shores of the Okanagan Lake. village and the city of
Penticton.
The Naramata Bench extends from Penticton running along
Okanagan Lake’s eastern slopes. The western bank
all the way to Kelowna and beyond is covered with vineyards and
wineries, including Peachland and Summerland.
Quails Gate Estate – West Kelowna. © Glowbal Collections White Cliffs and Vineyards - Naramata - © Christine Reimer
Penticton lies in the heart of Okanagan wine country. The Visitor

Centre lists 44 wineries within a 20-minute drive, with more than
400 labels representing over 60 wineries at the VQA Wine Shop,
Okanagan Falls is home to thirteen significant wine estates within
a short trip from the centre of the community, both to the north,
and extending to Vaseaux Lake in the south.
Okanagan Hockey Academy has coached players since 1963 186,
from all Canadian provinces and territories, all US states, and 27
Sports Tourism different countries. OHA offers training in a number of summer
The Okanagan enjoys increasing popularity as a year-round sports vacation areas including Penticton and Kelowna, along with camps
tourism destination. In addition to its appeal as an off-season in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Fort McMurray and Saskatoon.
hockey training venue, several other large events bring thousands There also large hockey school programs available in most
of athletes and spectators to the Okanagan every year. Okanagan communities, especially Penticton.
Launched in 1983 by Kelowna Mayor John Hindle, the Kelowna Tennis

Apple Triathlon will celebrate its 33rd year in 2015. Attracting The Okanagan has many active community tennis clubs with both
around 1500 athletes to a three-day event during August, it private and public facilities.
includes Sprint and Olympic distance triathlon events for
individuals and teams, an aquathon and several open water Hiking
swimming events. Kids of Steel youth and teen triathlon camps A wide selection of hiking trails throughout the Okanagan allows
also take place the week before the Apple weekend. The ‘Apple’ is for enjoyment by all levels of fitness and inclination. The
notable in that it has hosted several elite Canadian athletes who Okanagan offers year-round sporting and recreational
have progressed to the Olympics. opportunities. Su mmer sports and recreation ranges from hiking
and biking, to soccer and lacrosse, followed by alpine and cross-
Penticton hosted its 30th Iron Man competition in 2012 a nd from country (Nordic) skiing, snowboarding, ice-skating and snow-
August 2013, it hosted the European brand ‘Challenge Penticton’ tubing in winter. Year-round sports and recreation include
triathlon along the same course with 3.8km swim, 180km cycle swimming and ice-skating.
and 42.2km run with a new relay component.
Spring and Summer
The longest-standing fresh open-water swimming event in British o Biking and hiking along several dozen magnificent trails
Columbia is the 2km ‘Across The Lake Swim’ across Okanagan o Golfing at any number of spectacular courses and many
Lake, close to the W Bennett Bridge, Kelowna, celebrating its 67th practice (driving-) ranges
anniversary in 2015. It attracts over 800 recreational and o Field sports include baseball, cricket, field hockey, football,
competitive swimmers from throughout Canada, the USA and lacrosse, soccer and tennis
beyond. o On and in the water: open water swimming, kayaking,
fishing, paddle-boarding, wind-surfing, kite-boarding, sailing
In addition to the large events above, the Okanagan Valley is host and power-boating
to several annual events including sprint triathlons in Peachland, o Adventure sports include para-sailing, downhill biking, zip-
Summerland and Vernon, Xterra cross-country triathlons in lining, bouldering and rock-climbing.
Kelowna and Vernon, the Okanagan Marathon in October, and a o The Okanagan is a popular destination for touring
number of popular cycling events including the Axel Merckx motorcyclists who seek endless vistas and winding roads.
Granfondo event (Penticton, July). The broad range of events
offers sports tourists the privilege of competitive touring through Winter
some of the most beautiful landscapes in the country. The o Alpine and Nordic skiing, snowboarding, biathlon
Penticton Dragon Boat festival is a 2-day event that draws local o Snow-shoeing
and international racers with over 1600 participants in mixed and o Open air hockey and skating
women’s teams. o Ice-fishing
Adventure sports include back-country skiing and snowmobiling
Similarly the Okanagan Valley is recognised for its hosting of
winter sport events and its ability to attract international athletes.
Silver Star is part of the National High Altitude Training Center,
with cross-country trails that attract skiers from around the world,
many of whom are Olympic athletes 185 in training.
All seasons
Various resorts offer summer and winter vacation packages to suit
different tastes. For more information, refer to the section
heading Tourism ’ above ‘
All images by © George Dimitrov
Winter Recreation
Skiing, Snowboarding, Snowshoeing Best Access out of all North American resorts! Award – The
Telegraph, United Kingdom
The Okanagan Valley is renowned for its family-friendly ski
resorts with terrain to satisfy every level of skiing and
snowboarding ability. Up to 7.5m/25ft of snow can fall on the
slopes in a single season.
All three major resorts here (Big White Ski Resort, Silver Star
Mountain Resort and Apex Mountain Resort) have excellent ski-in
ski-out accommodations. Ski Canada magazine recognized their
convenience by including some of them as the “Best Choice for
Lazybones who like to Ski Straight from their Doors” (2008).
Other small ski area resorts that have significant plans for
expansion include Crystal Mountain Ski R esort (Kelowna) and
Mount Baldy Ski Area (Osoyoos).
Big White Ski Resort 188, near Kelowna
Only 25 minutes from Vernon, Silver Star Mountain Resort’s

brightly coloured village is host to many amenities and activities.
The Mountain included exceptional Nordic facilities with 105 Kms
of trails at Silver star and Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre. Silv er
Star was recently named “Best Ski R esort” and “Best Family
Resort” in the Reader’s Choice as well as Best of the Okanagan
awards from Okanagan Life Magazine. Silver Star was named the
Best Nordic Ski Destination by Ski Canada Magazine in 2011.
http://winter.skisilverstar.com/
Apex Mountain Resort, west of Penticton, receives quality powder

snow, has terrain for all levels of skiers and boarders, lots of
resort activities, was voted Ski Canada Magazine's choice for Best
Weather in 2011. With downhill skiing, snowboarding,
snowshoeing, snowmobiling and ice skating, it’s also known for its
World Cup aerial and mogul courses http://www.apexresort.com
Silver Star Resort 189, near Vernon

Note: the above selection is not an exhaustive list of mountain ski
resorts. There are several others including groomed cross-country
Apex Mountain Ski Resort 187, near Penticton trails & snow-shoeing opportunities throughout the region.
Located just outside of Kelowna, Big White is one of Canada's

largest ski-in, ski-out resorts and features cruising runs, alpine Alpine Skiing, Nordic Skiing and Snowboarding
The Okanagan Valley has extensive Alpine skiing, Snowboarding
bowls, a well-equipped terrain park, and beautiful snow-caked
trees (“snow ghosts”). http://www.bigwhite.com and Nordic ski facilities that have an excellent reputation. A
Its many accolades and awards include 2013 Best Ski Resort – number of foreign national teams regularly come to train on
About.com Reader’s Choice Awards; Family Resort of the Year, Nordic trails in the region, and many of the mountain resorts
2012 – Snow Action Magazine in Australia ; Best Park & Pipe” in have chalets and other forms of accommodation in addition to
the Pacific Northwest, - Snow’s 2012 Visitor Choices Awards; and extensive groomed slopes and trails.
Quick Facts Apex Mountain 190 Big White 191 Silver Star 192 Crystal Mountain 193
Season: Nov - Apr Nov - Apr Nov - Apr Dec - Mar
Annual Snowfall 600 cm (19 ft) 750 cm (24.5 ft) 700 cm (23 ft) 310 cm
Base Elevation 1,575 m 1,508 m 1,155 m 1,200 m
Summit Elevation 2,180 m 2,319 m 1,915 m 1,400 m
Vertical Rise 605 m / 2,000 ft. 777 m / 2,550 ft. 760 m / 2,500 ft. 200 m
Terrain (Patrolled) 450 hectare 1,147 hectare 1,240 hectare 65 hectare
Number of Trails 67 118 115 20
Longest Run 5.0 km / 3.0 miles 7.2 km / 4.5 miles 8.0 km / 5.0 miles 1.6 km / 1.0 mile
Trails
Novice 16% 18% 15% 20%
Intermediate 48% 54% 40% 40%
Advanced/Expert 36% 22% 35% 40%
Extreme 6% 10% ---
Terrain Parks 2 2 2 -
Half Pipes 1 2 1 -
Lifts 4 16 12 3
Lift Capacity (people/hr ) 6,700 28,000 14,000 *3,000
Night skiing 4:00-9:00pm Fri-Sat 3:30 – 8:00pm Tue-Sat 3:30 – 8:30pm Fri-Sat No
Nordic / Cross country trails 56 km groomed 25 km groomed 100 km groomedA Yes
Accommodation Apex Accommodations 3 Village Hotels 5600 pillows No
www.stayatapex.com 25 Condo/Town Home
Toll Free: 1-866-273-9737 Complexes
Apex Mountain Inn and 244 Vacation Homes and
Group Lodge Luxury Cabins
www.apexmountaininn.com 1 Ski-in ski-out Youth
Toll Free: 1-800-387-2739 Hostel
33 kms (35 minutes) 56 kms (45 minutes) 22kms (30 minutes) 30kms (25 minutes)
Location
west of Penticton southeast of Kelowna north east of Vernon west of Kelowna
Website www.apexresort.com www.bigwhite.com www.skisilverstar.com www.crystalresort.com
Nordic ski facilities and trails are located at Apex Mountain, Big Nickel Plate Nordic Centre
White, Silver Star, Sovereign Lake, Telemark Nordic Club and Nickel Plate Nordic Centre, is located 45 minutes west of
Crystal Mountain. The Nordic ski areas also offer backcountry and Penticton.
snowshoe trails.
It has 65 km of groomed
The nearby Monashee Mountains boast consistent amounts of trails for both classic and
light, dry powder snow that challenges every level of downhill skate skiing, and well
enthusiast. Four ski resorts within a short drive (Big White, Silver marked backcountry and
snowshoe trails. At 6000
Star, Crystal Mountain and Apex) offer a wide selection of
feet elevation it enjoys one
amenities beyond the major attractions of skiing or snowboarding.
of the longest ski seasons
Big White is the closest to Kelowna International Airport and the
in the western hemisphere,
centre of the Okanagan Valley.
with trails for all abilities and a heated 4000 sqft day lodge with
kitchen, eating and lounge areas, separate heated washrooms
Winter is a great season in the Okanagan and cross-country skiing and shower facilities.
enthusiasts will enjoy the serenity of our wilderness. In addition
to the trails available at the major ski resorts, the region has It also offers a full line of rental equipment, professional
several active cross-country ski clubs that maintain well over instruction, races and special events. More information:
100 km (60 mi) of groomed trails in the area, that are affordable http://www.nickelplatenordic.org
and easily accessible.
Telemark Nordic Club Combined with the adjacent Silver Star Ski Resort trail system,
Telemark Nordic Club 194 is a non-profit sports club dedicated to there are more than 100km of interconnected trails for your
fostering and promoting the sport of cross-country skiing, and exploring pleasure. The terrain suits every need from “first-timer”
other Nordic winter sports. to “big-timer”. In addition to our exceptional trails, we are also
world-renowned for our early season skiing, plentiful snowfall and
Located about 20 km east of West Kelowna, its 1012 Hectare hosting of World Class events. In 2005 we hosted an XC Ski World
(2500 acre) facility offers a modern, spacious chalet with heated Cup race and in 2011 we hosted the Sparkling Hill Masters World
washrooms and snack bar. More than 50 km of groomed trails is Cup attended by over 1100 athletes from 23 countries.
available for both classic and skate cross-country skiing, 4.3 km of
lit trails, biathlon range, 40 km of snowshoe trails, ski and More information: www.sovereignlake.com
snowshoe rentals and lessons. We offer a full range of lessons
and programs, and each year we host many events. Kelowna Nordic Club
Situated in the hills 195 35 km east of Kelowna on Highway 33, the
Kelowna Nordic Ski Club has been providing a unique ski
experience since 1977. Rustic facilities, friendly club members and
75 km of beautiful wooded trails, coupled with state-of-the-art
grooming and track-setting, define our club. The icing on the cake
is the 75 km of snowshoe trails, many with panoramic views.
The cross country ski season typically lasts from late November
until mid-March. Our goal is to provide the highest quality facilities
and grooming at the most economical cost to our members and
visitors. We encourage families to use the property (at your own
risk) all year round for outdoor activities such as hiking, biking,
and horseback riding. Elevations range from 1000 m at the Chalet
to 1225 m on the Crystal Rim Trail.
All levels of skiers and snowshoers are catered to, and dogs are
Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre
welcome on all snowshoe trails and 16 km of ski trails. The trails
World class cross country skiing located in a BC Provincial Park
are never crowded, but those who prefer "old-time" skiing will
22 km from Vernon. At an elevation of 1664 m (5500 ft) the
enjoy 6 km of snowmobile groomed single track trails. If the kids
Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre includes more than 50km of
are bored, there is a toboggan hill for them to use close to th e
manicured trails, and 14 km of snowshoe trails. a large full service
main cabin.
day lodge, ski school, rentals, night skiing, biathlon range and
more.
The cabin at the main trail head and the two cabins on the trails
themselves all have wood stoves and freshly refurbished pit
toilets. In addition, there are two snowshoe shelters, one of which
has a small wood stove. New club members enjoy two free skiing
lessons, while existing club members also qualify for a free skate
lesson. A ski host programme provides out of town visitors with
an easy opportunity to get to know the trails. The club also hosts
a variety of social events during the season, all of which are
described on the web page.
More information: http://www.kelownanordic.com/
Curling Year Round Recreation
The sport of curling found new interest when the Canadian Men’s
Olympic team won Gold Medal and the Canadian Womens’ Aquatic Centres, Swimming Pools
Olympic team won the Silver Medal at the 2010 Winter Olympic
held in Vancouver, BC. There are several curling clubs in Vernon: the Vernon Recreation Centre includes an Aquatic
communities throughout the Okanagan: V ernon, Winfield (Lake Centre with two pools: a 25-metre, 8-lane pool for lap swimming
Country), Kelowna, Summerland and Penticton. and a separate free-form leisure pool. In addition, the facility
provides a steam room, sauna, whirlpool, waterslide, one metre
diving board, rope swing and lots of other fun things for the
whole family. There is also a fitness gym adjacent to the pool,
which has a wide range of cardio and weight lifting equipment.
The temperature in the lap pool is kept at 27ºC, the leisure pool is
kept at 30ºC and the hot tub is kept at 40ºC.
Kelowna: hosts three public aquatic centres:
H2O Adventure & Fitness Centre, operated by YMCA of Okanagan,

comprises an Olympic-size 50-metre 8-lane swimming pool, two
whirlpools, a children’s play area, a fitness centre and a large
water park. The 8,920 sq m (96,000 sq ft) facility, opened in April
2009. The 50-metre tank is configurable in three ways: as one
50m tank, two 25-metre tanks, or two 12.5m end tanks plus one
Ice-Skating 25m middle tank. This allows a variety of simultaneous activities
Ice skating is an extremely popular sport in the Okanagan. Ice such as length swimming, synchronized swimming and water
rinks are available in the following communities: polo. With movable bulkheads and a 12.5 metre adjustable floor,
the facility will also be able to accommodate kayaking, scuba and
Vernon KalTire Place, Civic Arena, Priest Valley, springboard diving. The indoor water park is the largest in B.C.
Centennial Outdoor Arena and Okanagan and the second largest in Canada. Features include:
Training Centre (3 on 3)
Winfield Winfield Arena Ice Skating Rink o A 3-metre wide River Run
Kelowna Rutland Arena, Capital News Centre o Canada’s first Flowrider with a standing wave that simulates
Prospera Place, Kelowna Memorial Arena an ocean wave for surf enthusiasts
Stuart Park (open sheet – winter only) o A wave pool capable of generating waves up to 1.5 metres
West Kelowna Mount Boucherie Recreation Centre o Three slides, including a tube ride
Penticton Penticton Memorial Arena, MacLaren Arena, o One family and one “adults only” whirlpool
Apex (winter only) o Children’s play area with water jets and other interactive
water toys
The Kelowna Family Y in Rutland, operated by YMCA of

Okanagan, offers fitness, swimming and recreational programs for
all ages.
The facility features an 8-lane shallow pool suitable for
competitive swim meets, a leisure pool, a diving tank, two multi-
functional rooms, cardio and weight rooms and an adult only
Membership Plus change room and lounge.
The Parkinson Recreation Centre, operated by the City of

Kelowna, has a shallow 25-metre, 6-lane pool suitable for lane
swimming, a diving tank, cardio and weight rooms,
The Johnson-Bentley Memorial pool in West Kelowna hosts a

shallow 25-metre, 6-lane pool within an aquatic centre, operated
Some of the facilities are open year-round and others are
privately.
seasonal. It is advisable to phone ahead to enquire about
availability.
Summerland: hosts a 25-metre, 6-lane pool at the Summerland Cultural & Social Amenities
Aquatic & Fitness Centre.
Penticton: The newly renovated Community Centre 196 offers a Libraries

modern swimming facility, featuring a 25-metre, 10-lane square The Okanagan Regional Library 197 (ORL) is a public library system
lap pool, leisure pool with lazy river, several spray features, a established in 1936 to serve people in the regional districts of
waterslide and large whirlpool, zero-entry ramps in to all three Columbia Shuswap, North Okanagan, Central Okanagan and
pools, sauna and steam room, deck-side seating and multipurpose Okanagan-Similkameen.
rooms, spacious men's, women's, and family changing areas and
floor to ceiling viewing areas.
Headquartered in Kelowna, ORL is governed by a Board of 25

elected officials representing municipalities, regional districts, and
Penticton Community Aquatic Centre First Nations and serves over 360,000 people across an area
covering 59,600 square kilometres through 29 branches. It offers
Bowling Lanes various services online through its website. Membership is free to
There are five pin and 10 pin bowling alleys in Kelowna and people within its library regions
Penticton, and five pin alleys located in West Kelowna, Lake
Country, and Peachland.
Parks
A list of parks in the region can be found on various city and
community websites in the Okanagan.
Recreation programs are offered by communities throughout the

Okanagan Valley. Details can be found on local government
websites and other community websites.
Other Recreation Services

Judo and karate clubs, fitness centres and senior citizen activity Okanagan Regional Library – Vernon branch
centres are also located throughout the region. The North Okanagan has a branch in Vernon, the Central
Okanagan has six branches in Kelowna, Rutland, Mission, West
Kelowna, Peachland and Winfield, and the Okanagan Similkameen
region has branches in Summerland, Naramata, Okanagan Falls
and Kaleden.
Every library branch has a wide range of print and non-print

materials available for circulation or use in the branch. The
Kelowna branch has a broad range of reference materials and
serves as the reference resource centre for all other branches. All
branches carry both large print and taped books to meet the
needs of people with visual disabilities, and Kelowna has an
Optolec Reader which allows those with low vision to access
materials in the branch. All branches in the Central Okanagan
have public access catalogues.
Penticton has its own library system and participates in the BC

One system, allowing access to users from other systems
including ORL to access its collections.
Churches Arts and Music
There are more than 240 churches in the Okanagan Valley, The following listing refers to some of the arts and music centres
representing a broad range of denominations 198. in various communities in the Okanagan Valley. It is not intended
to be exhaustive or understood as an endorsement of any of the
Community Churches facilities. Reader is advised to research specific community
Vernon 62 websites and information centres for current and detailed
Coldstream 2
information:
Winfield 11
Kelowna 103
West Kelowna 3 Vernon Theatre: Vernon Towne Theatre
Peachland 6
Summerland 10 Cultural centres
Penticton 38 Caetani Cultural Centre
Naramata 1 Gallery Vertigo
Okanagan Falls 4 Vernon Community Arts Centre
Kaleden 1 Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre
Vernon Public Art Gallery
Greater Vernon Museum & Archives
Okanagan Science Centre
Lake Country/ Lake Country Museum

Winfield Lake Country Art Gallery
Kelowna Theatre: Kelowna Community Theatre: Rotary

Centre for the Arts, Mary Erwin Theatre, Theatre
Kelowna Society, The Sunshine Theatre,
Dreamnasium and Foot Lights Play House.
Music: Okanagan Symphony Orchestra by

Special Appearances and Kelowna Philharmonic
Festival Society.
Art Galleries: The Evans Gallery, Freeman

Galleries, Peachland, Hambleton Galleries,
Kelowna Art Gallery, R. Dow Reid Gallery, Tutt
Street Gallery, Blueberry Hill, Geert Mass
Sculpture Gardens and Gallery, Art Ark,
Alternator Gallery and Bronze Rooster Gallery.
West Kelowna Music in the Park (Jul, Aug); New Moon Gallery
Penticton Theatre: Many Hats Theatre, Shatford Centre,

Cleland Theatre, the Lakeside Resort.
Music: Dream Café, Okanagan Symphony

Orchestra, Cleland Theatre, St. Andrews.
Art Galleries: Penticton Art Gallery, Leir House,

Arthouse, Lloyd Gallery, Tumbleweed Gallery,
Cormier’s Art Gallery, St. Germaine Café,
Shatford Centre- Okanagan Centre for the Arts.
Okanagan Okanagan Falls Heritage Society; OK Falls

© George Dimitrov Photography Falls Museum; The Bassett House; Paw Prints Studio
& Gallery; Art Tours
Major Events/Festivals
Various festivals are held throughout the Okanagan at various Okanagan Okanagan Spring Wine Festival May
times during the year. Sp ring and Fall (Autumn) wine festivals (various) Okanagan Fall Wine Festival Oct
are held throughout the Valley in April and October, and are
usually accompanied by other forms of entertainment including Vernon/ Vernon Winter Carnival Feb
200
Coldstream Creative Chaos Craft Show Jun
art shows and music.
Sunshine Festival Jun
Funtastic Jul
Civic Sounds Aug
Interior Provincial Exhibition Sep
Lake Country/ Lake Country Art Festival Jul

Winfield Lake Country Art Walk Sep
Kelowna Fat Cat Children’s Festival Jun

Kelowna Parks Alive concerts Jul-
(various locations Aug
Downtown Kelowna Fusion
Festival and Taste of Downtown Aug
Light Up Downtown
Dec
West Kelowna Westside Daze Festival Jun-Jul
Music in the Park Jul-Aug
Peachland Spirit Festival of the Arts Feb

Dancin' Barefoot in the Park Jul
Concert in the Park - Kelowna
Outdoor music festivals are held throughout the warmer months Penticton Meadowlark Festival May
starting late June through to early September, many of which are Peach City Beach Cruise June
Peach Fest Aug
free entrance and others charge a reasonable fee.
Okanagan Falls Okanagan Falls Heritage Society

Canada Day (July 1) is celebrated in every community in the OK Falls Museum
Okanagan, generally with open public events and entertainment The Bassett House
from early morning through to evening, usually finishing off with a Paw Prints Studio & Gallery
spectacular waterfront firework display after sunset. Funtastic, Art Tours
takes place in Vernon every Canada Day weekend. As Canada's
largest Slo-Pitch tournament and music festival, the event attracts
over 4,500 ball players. I t continues to grow and now includes
several nights of music concerts to enhance three days of
festivities, generating about $4.5m in direct economic impact 199.
The following list provides an example of some of the festivals

held in various communities, although it is not exhaustive, and
readers are directed to the tourism websites of specific
communities for detailed and up-to-date information.
References
http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/StatisticsBySubject/Demograp
hy/PopulationEstimates.aspx accessed Nov 14, 2012
15 BC Stats. ‘Municipalities, Regional Districts and Development
1 Okanagan Valley overview. Available at. Regions: 2006-2011’. Accessed Nov 14, 2012
http://www.okanaganbritishcolumbia.com http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/StatisticsBySubject/Demograp
Accessed December 23, 2012 hy/PopulationEstimates.aspx
2 Statistics Canada. 2012. Census Profile. 2011 Census. 16 Population Data - Source: StatsCan Extraction Title: 2011
Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316-XWE. Ottawa. Census Profile for British Columbia Census Divisions and
Released October 24, 2012. Census Subdivisions; File name: 98-312-XCB2011006.IVT ;
http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/dp- Produced by: BC Stats; Accessed: Nov 14, 2012
pd/prof/index.cfm?Lang=E 17 Okanagan-Similkameen D, Regional district electoral area
Accessed January 24, 2013 18 Statistics Canada. 2002. 2001 Community Profiles. Released
3 Statistics Canada. 2012. Census Profile. 2011 Census.
June 27, 2002. Last modified: 2005-11-30. Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316-XWE. Ottawa. Catalogue no. 93F0053XIE.
Released October 24, 2012. http://www12.statcan.ca/english/Profil01/CP01/Index.cfm?La
http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/dp- ng=E Accessed January 24, 2013.
pd/prof/index.cfm?Lang=E 19 Statistics Canada. 2012. Census Profile. 2011 Census.
Accessed January 24, 2013 Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316-XWE. Ottawa.
4 UBCO website: About UBCO : Economic benefits.
Released October 24, 2012.
http://www.ubc.ca/okanagan/about/welcome.html Accessed http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/dp-
February 15, 2013 pd/prof/index.cfm?Lang=E
5 District of Lake Country website: Business.
Accessed January 24, 2013
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P.E.O.P.L.E. 12 population projections. Accessed December Geography, 2006 Census Data, April 2009. 2001 and 1996
23, 2012. estimates extrapolated from 2006 -2011 based on Kelowna
growth rate for intercensual periods 1996-2001-2006.
Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316-XWE. Ottawa. 21 Statistics Canada. 2007. Tsinstikeptum 9 & 10, British
Released October 24, 2012. Columbia Community Profiles: 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011.
http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/dp- http://www12.statcan.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-
pd/prof/index.cfm?Lang=E pd/prof/92-591/index.cfm?Lang=E & other URL’s.Accessed
Accessed January 24, 2013 December 3, 2012
7 Section description - City of Penticton Economic Development 22 Statistics Canada. 2012. Census Profile. 2011 Census.
office on behalf of Okanagan Similkameen communities Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316-XWE. Ottawa.
(modified) Released October 24, 2012.
http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/dp-
Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316-XWE. Ottawa. pd/prof/index.cfm?Lang=E
Released October 24, 2012. Accessed January 24, 2013
http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/dp- 23 Note re: data for 2010-2011: “The data for migration to/within
pd/prof/index.cfm?Lang=E the province for the most recent years are modelled and
Accessed January 24, 2013 assume to follow the trend of the previous year(s) in some
9 City of Kelowna: ‘About Kelowna’.
instances. That’s because it’s based on tax or other
http://www.kelowna.ca/CM/Page67.aspx administrative data that has a lag and is not readily available
10 InvestVernon website: http://www.investvernon.ca
at the time the figures are published. More information is
11 WFN Annual Report 2013-2104. Accessed Jan 4, 2015
available in the Statistics Canada’s methodology paper:
12 Fiscal Realities Economists, The Economic and Fiscal
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/91-215-x/91-215-x2012000-
Benefits of the Westbank First Nation, Nov. 2011 eng.pdf
13 District of Lake Country website: Business.
Example: “Net temporary emigration in the current period is
http://www.ourokanagan.ca/business/district-of-lake- assumed to be the same as in the previous period for each
country.html Year 2030 adjusted to 2032 to match province and territory.” Information provided by email from
P.E.O.P.L.E. 12 population projections. Accessed December BCStats, November 28, 2012.
23, 2012. 24 BC Stats – Population by Age and Sex. Tabulation for RD
14 Population Data - Source: BC Stats : 2011 Sub-Provincial
35000 years 1986 to 2011. Accessed Nov 27, 2012.
Population Estimates.pdf http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/StatisticsBySubject/Demography/P
opulationEstimates.aspx
25 BC Stats, Custom Run - Dec 05, 2012 – emailed regional 39 Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association website
district population growth tables http://www.totabc.org/corporateSite/resources/news/cross-
26 Approximation based on BC Stats projections for three border-partnership-launches-discover-route-97-tourism-
Okanagan regions combined, scaled back to communities website/ Accessed October 18, 2014
within the ‘Okanagan Valley’ in this profile. BC Stats 40 Tourism Kelowna 2011 Econ Imp Final Report (29 Dec 2011)
projections indicate a combined growth of 29% between Originally Accessed Mar 19, 2012.
2011 and 2036. 41 Tourism overview provided by Penticton Economic
27 FPMarkets Canadian Demographics 2012 Update: “Families”, Development officer November, 2014. Abridged and edited.
“Income”and “Average Household Expenditures” for the 42 BC Stats - Tourism Publications and Data – Room Revenue
communities of Kelowna CMA, Penticton CA, Summerland Statistics – Thompson Okanagan Region – Room Revenues
DM, Vernon CA. 2012 Update (Print version) c/o RDCO. and Property Counts -
December 14-21, 2012. http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/StatisticsBySubject/BusinessIn
28 BC Stats. Income and Taxation. Selected communities - 2009 dustry/Tourism.aspx Accessed October 28, 2014.
filing. 43 Vernon and the North Okanagan Valley Visitor online
http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/StatisticsBySubject/LabourInco publication. http://okanaganvisitor.ca/vernon.html p.38

me/OtherData/IncomeTaxation.aspx Accessed February 19, Accessed January 3, 2013
2013 44 Wikipedia: Big White Ski Resort.
29 “Our Okanagan - Okanagan Valley Regional Profile. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_White_Ski_Resort Accessed
http://www.ourokanagan.ca/assets/files/OK VALLEY January 3, 2013
PROFILE.pdf Accessed November 17, 2012. 45 The Canadian Encyclopedia.
30 Source for full paragraph: Penticton Economic Development http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/okanagan-
Officer (edited) valley. Accessed December 21, 2012
31
Municipalities and districts by phone and e-mail February 15, 46 The Okanagan Water Supply & Demand Project.
2013 http://www.obwb.ca/wsd/about/state-of-the-basin Accessed

32 Regional District of Central Okanagan. December 21, 2012
http://www.regionaldistrict.com/media/19008/InterComBizLic 47 Wikipedia: Okanagan lake. Source citation
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http://www.vernon.ca/services/bylaw_enforcement/business Sources 3, 4, 5 and 6. Including ‘Anonymous (1974a).
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33 City of Kelowna Official Community Plan 2030. Canada - British Columbia Okanagan Basin Agreement,
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Westbank Centre – January 2011. http://www.okanaganwater.ca/ReportsView.aspx Accessed
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594 Provided December 23, 2014 49 British Columbia Agricultural Land Commission: Agricultural
35 IBID. source: District of West Kelowna Draft Industrial Land Land Reserve.
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331 50 Regional District of the Central Okanagan – Economic Profile
36 Source: Penticton Economic Development Officer. November 2012.
2014. Unedited. 51 BC Wine Institute - http://www.winebc.org/members/index/1/
37 Much of the content for this section was distilled from local 106 members listed for Okanagan. Accessed October 10,
and regional overviews provided in the HelloBC website 2014
http://www.hellobc.com/british-columbia.aspx 52
Okanagan-Kootenay Sterile Insect Release Program (SIR)
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KelownaBC and other websites including 53 Osoyoos Times article June 18, 2014
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http://www.kelownabc.com Accessed December 24-27, sterile-release-program-seeks-new-opportunities/ Accessed
2012 October 10, 2014
38 Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association. Embracing our 54 Source: Penticton Economic Development Officer, by email
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strategy/ Accessed February 22, 2013 55
IBID
56 Summerland varieties Corporation was known as the 75 Interior Health. Quick Facts.
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57 BC Wine Institute - list of licensed wineries, by email 76Interior Health Authority website: “Our Communities:
December 11, 2014 Okanagan”

58
VancityBuzz - August 2014 http://www.vancitybuzz.com http://www.interiorhealth.ca/sites/betterhere/OurCommunitie
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region-visit/) Accessed October 10, 2014 77 BC Government New Release 2014HLTH0081-001081 July
59 Source: Penticton Economic Development Officer, by email 30, 2014. http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2013-
October 6, 2014 2017/2014HLTH0081-001081.htm Accessed October 18,
60 Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winery 2014
61 BC Wine Institute website, November 2014. 78 Kelowna Now.
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62 BC Wine Institute website, November 2014. 17/Search_for_Design_Teams_Launched_for_Penticton_Ho
http://www.winebc.com/discover-bc/similkameen-valley spital_Expansion Accessed October 18, 2014
63 Statistics Canada, 2011 Census of Agriculture, Selected 79 Building Patient Care: Kelowna and Vernon Hospitals Project
variables, http://www29.statcan.gc.ca/ceag- Overview. http://www.buildingpatientcare.ca/kelowna-and-

web/eng/community-agriculture-profile-profil-agricole vernon-hospital-project/project-overview/ Accessed January
(truncated). Accessed January 10, 2013 2, 2013
64 Statistics Canada, 2011 Census of Agriculture, Selected 80 Building Patient Care: Interior Heart and Surgical Centre
variables, http://www29.statcan.gc.ca/ceag- Projects. http://www.buildingpatientcare.ca/interior-heart-

web/eng/community-agriculture-profile-profil-agricole and-surgical-centre-project/project-overview/ Accessed
(truncated). Accessed January 10, 2013 January 2, 2013
65 Provincial Agricultural Land Commission Annual Report 2013- 81 UBC University of British Columiba: SMP Southerm Medical
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66 Agricultural Land Commission 2013-2014 Annual Report. Education Centres.
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http://www.alc.gov.bc.ca/alc Accessed October 10, 2014. January 2, 2013.
67 Agricultural Land Commission Policy document. “Activities 82 Information provided by Penticton economic development
designated as Farm Use: Agri-Tourism activities in the ALR”. officer via email October 16, 2014.
83 IBID
http://www.alc.gov.bc.ca/legislation/policies/Pol4-03_agri-
tourism.htm Accessed January 14, 2013 84 Centre for the Study of Living Standards – ‘Human Capital
68 BC Colleges: Women now engaged in high-demand metal and Productivity in British Columbia’, prepared for the BC
fabrication trade Progress Board. August 2011. CSLS Research Report
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69 British Columbia Manufacturer’s Directory, List by Regional 85 WorkBC - British Columbia Labour Market Outlook 2010-2020
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bc.ca/bcmd/servlets/bcmd.BcmdAdvSearchServlet, Accessed February 25, 2013
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70 Introduction and selected company information provided by Development. High Opportunity Occupations in British
Penticton economic development officer via email October Columbia. (2009). Accessed February 25, 2013
16, 2014. 87 NOC 2006 is the current framework used to classify
71 CIO.com article dated February 13, 2008. occupations. For more information on the NOC, see
http://www.cio.com/article/183256/The_Best_Place_to_Build http://www5.hrsdc.gc.ca/NOC/English/NOC/2006/Welcome.
_a_Data_Center_in_North_America Accessed January 4, aspx. The occupation codes and their descriptions used in
2012. the survey are based on the National Occupational
72 Rackforce website: ‘About us’. Classification (NOC) framework, which is maintained and
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4, 2013. Canada (HRSDC). For detailed occupational descriptions,
73 Vineyard Networks website: Company Overview. visit: http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/noc
88 BCStats. 2009 BC Wage & Salary Survey: Focus on Selected
http://www.vineyardnetworks.com/company/overview/
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74 Section material provided by Penticton economic development 89 BC Stats – Quarterly Regional Statistics – Second quarter
officer. Abbreviated and edited. 2012 (Final edition)
http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/Publications/QuarterlyRegionalStat Employer-Partnerships/Pages/Community-Employer-
istics.aspx Accessed Dec 12, 2012 Partnerships.aspx Accessed December 13, 2012.
90 Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey (Annual 100 Community Futures BC website:
Averages) Produced by BC STATS February 2012. http://www.communityfutures.ca/network-map accessed

http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/StatisticsBySubject/LabourInco December 4, 2014
me/EmploymentUnemployment/LabourForceStatisticsAnnua 101 Western Economic Diversification Canada website.
l.aspx Accessed December 13, 2012 http://www.wd-deo.gc.ca/eng/ Accessed December 4, 2014

91 Statistics Canada. Table 282-0116 - Labour force survey 102
FPMarkets Canadian Demographics, 2012 hardcopy update:
estimates (LFS), by census metropolitan area based on Level of Schooling. Accessed December 14, 2012
2006 census boundaries, 3-month moving average, 103 BC’s Education Plan. Introduction by BC Minister of
seasonally adjusted and unadjusted, monthly (persons Education, the Honourable George Abbott.
unless otherwise noted), CANSIM (database). Accessed http://www.bcedplan.ca/assets/pdf/bc_edu_plan.pdf.
December 13, 2012 Accessed Nov 23, 2012
92 BC Stats – Annual Labour Force Statistics – Employment by 104 Based on population count of school-aged children (5-18) in
Industry. listed communities (approx. 38,940) and the total of 2012-

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me/EmploymentUnemployment/LabourForceStatisticsAnnua (38,377)
l.aspx Accessed December 01, 2014 105 Central Okanagan Regional Growth Strategy 2012 (draft).
93 BC Stats - Business Counts and Employment by Industry. Reference: School District 23 (Draft) Long Term Facility
http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/StatisticsBySubject/BusinessIn Plan, courtesy Judy Shoemaker, Planning Manager, Special
dustry/BusinessCountsEmploymentByIndustry.aspx Projects, SD23. Nov 26, 2012.
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94 BC Stats - Business Counts and Employment by Industry.
Achievement Contract 2012-2013.
http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/StatisticsBySubject/BusinessIn http://www.sd23.bc.ca/DistrictInfo/achievementcontract/Docu
dustry/BusinessCountsEmploymentByIndustry.aspx ments/Achievement Contract 2012 -2013.pdf
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95 BC Stats –Quarterly Regional Statistics - Central Okanagan,
September 2012”. Email from Office of the Director of
RD. Issue: 12-2 : Second Quarter, 2012 Operations, Michelle Desrochers, SD23, Nov 26, 2012.
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Stats advises the QRS series will be discontinued, although Special Projects, SD23. Nov 26, 2012.
the data used to compile the QRS documents will still be 109 Central Okanagan Regional Growth Strategy 2012 (draft).
available elsewhere on the BC Stats website.) Reference: School District 23 (Draft) Long Term Facility
96 BC Stats –Quarterly Regional Statistics – North Okanagan, Plan, courtesy Judy Shoemaker, Planning Manager, Special
RD. Issue: 12-2 : Second Quarter, 2012 Projects, SD23. Nov 26, 2012.
http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/Publications/QuarterlyRegional 110 SD22 Vernon School District 22 website
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Stats advises the QRS series will be discontinued, although 2012.
the data used to compile the QRS documents will still be 111 SD22 Vernon School District 22. Student Enrolment and
available elsewhere on the BC Stats website.) staffing information via email from SD22 administration Nov
97 BC Stats –Quarterly Regional Statistics – Okanagan 28, 2012.
Similkameen, RD. Issue: 12-2 : Second Quarter, 2012 112 BC Stats Population by Age and Sex, School District 22.
http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/Publications/QuarterlyRegional Accessed Nov 27, 2012

Statistics.aspx Accessed December 12, 2012. (Note: BC http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/StatisticsBySubject/Demograp
Stats advises the QRS series will be discontinued, although hy/PopulationEstimates.aspx
the data used to compile the QRS documents will still be 113 SD22 Vernon School District 22 website
available elsewhere on the BC Stats website.) http://www.sd22.bc.ca/initiatives/strong_start.html and FAQ

98 WorkBC Community and Employer Partnerships.
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http://www.workbc.ca/Workplace-Resources/Community- 114 SD67 Okanagan Skaha School District 67 website:
Employer-Partnerships/Pages/Community-Employer- Achievement Contract 2012-2013. Accessed Nov 23,

Partnerships.aspx Accessed December 13, 2012 2012.
99 British Columbia Ministry of Social Development WorkBC - http://www.sd67.bc.ca/media/Documents/District_Achievem
Labour Market Partnerships FactSheet. ent_Contract_SD67_Final12Jul05.pdf
http://www.workbc.ca/Workplace-Resources/Community-
115 SD67 Okanagan Skaha School District 67 website: October sales price for single detached homes. Courtesy Jaclyn
2012 enrolment. Kinrade – Royal LePage, Penticton - December 12-19,
http://www.sd67.bc.ca/media/Documents/Business/Enrol_Oc 2012.
t_31_2012.pdf Accessed Nov 23, 2012. 129 CMHC Publication: “Rental Market Statistics” Released -
116 Central Okanagan School District 23 – Achievement Contract Spring 2014
2012-2013. 130 CMHC Housing Outlook - Kelowna, Spring 2014.
http://www.sd23.bc.ca/DistrictInfo/achievementcontract/Docu https://www03.cmhc-
ments/Achievement Contract 2012 -2013.pdf Accessed Nov schl.gc.ca/hmiportal/en/#Publication/0670/3/Kelowna.
22, 2012. Accessed October 29,2014
117 School District 53 – Dec 3, 2012 email from Beverly Young, 131 CMHC Publication: “Advancing Affordable Housing Solutions”
Superintendent of Schools, School District #53 (Okanagan http://www.cmhc-

Similkameen) Tel: 250-498-3481. schl.gc.ca/en/inpr/afhoce/fias/upload/Criteria.pdf
118 UBC - University of British Columbia – Okanagan campus. Accessed October 28, 2014
www.ubc.ca/okanagan Accessed Nov 21, 2012 132 CMHC Housing Portal https://www03.cmhc-
119 Sprott-Shaw website: About. http://www.sprottshaw.com schl.gc.ca/hmiportal/en/#Profile/1/1/Canada Accessed
Accessed December 23, 2012 October 28, 2014
120 British Columbia Institute of Technology website. Campuses. 133 CMHC Publication "Housing Market Outlook - Kelowna CMA"
http://www.bcit.ca/about/locations.shtml Accessed http://www.cmhc-

December 23, 2012 schl.gc.ca/odpub/esub/64359/64359_2014_B01.pdf
121 Source: Penticton Economic Development officer. November Accessed October 28, 2014
2014. 134 Stats Canada. Table 282-01101
122 Okanagan Mountain Helicopters website. Labour force survey estimates (LFS), by census
http://www.okhelicopters.com Accessed December 23, metropolitan area http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/cansim/a26
2012 Accessed October 29, 2014
123 Kelowna College of Professional Counselling website. 135 Canada Revenue Agency: Federal and provincial/ territorial
Overview. http://www.counsellortraining.com/overview.html tax rates, 2014

Accessed December 23, 2012 http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/ndvdls/fq/txrts-eng.html#federal
124 Stats Canada. National Housing and Income Survey 2011 (Accessed Sep 18, 2014)
and supplementart data per Statistics Canada. Table 111- 136 Canada Revenue Agency: Federal and provincial/ territorial
0025 - Economic dependency profile, by sex, taxfilers and tax rates, 2014
income, and source of income, annual. Accessed October 7, http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/ndvdls/fq/txrts-eng.html#federal
2014 (Accessed Sep 18, 2014)
125 Re/Max Kelowna: 2012 Home Buyer’s Report. Accessed 137 Canada Revenue Agency: Federal and provincial/ territorial
January 7, 2013 tax rates, 2014

126 OMREB data – MLS Central Okanagan and Northern http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/ndvdls/fq/txrts-eng.html#federal
Okanagan average sales price for single detached homes, (Accessed Sep 18, 2014)
selected communities, courtesy Ann Stanley - ReMax 138 BC Assessment Fact Sheet.
Kelowna, December 7-11, 2012. SOREB data – MLS http://www.bcassessment.bc.ca/public/Fact

southern Okanagan and selected communities, average Sheets/Classification of Property.aspx Accessed Nov 16,
sales price for single detached homes. Courtesy Jaclyn 2012
Kinrade – Royal LePage, Penticton - December 12-19, 139Ministry of Culture, Sports and Cultural Development (British
2012. Columbia). BC Provincial schedule of Tax Rates: Schedule

127 OMREB data – MLS Central Okanagan and Northern 702. Accessed Sep 30, 2014.
Okanagan average sales price for single detached homes, http://www.cscd.gov.bc.ca/lgd/infra/tax_rates/tax_rates2014.htm
selected communities, courtesy Ann Stanley - ReMax 140 BC Ministry of Finance - Surveyor of Taxes office. Discussion
Kelowna, December 7-11, 2012. SOREB data – MLS with Ms Catherine McGill, October 1, 2014. 250-387-0576
southern Okanagan and selected communities, average http://www.sbr.gov.bc.ca/applications/rpt/TaxRollSearch/folioSea
sales price for single detached homes. Courtesy Jaclyn rch.aspx and
Kinrade – Royal LePage, Penticton - December 12-19, http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/topic.page?id=42D7C3FF421046
2012. B9AE705D8648F5C52E
128 OMREB data – MLS Central Okanagan and Northern 141 Ministry of Culture, Sports and Cultural Development (British
Okanagan average sales price for single detached homes, Columbia). BC Provincial schedule of Tax Rates: Schedule
selected communities, courtesy Ann Stanley - ReMax 707. Accessed Sep 30, 2014.
Kelowna, December 7-11, 2012. SOREB data – MLS http://www.cscd.gov.bc.ca/lgd/infra/tax_rates/tax_rates2014.htm
southern Okanagan and selected communities, average
142 British Columbia Ministry of Finance Property Tax Branch, 155 Wikipedia: Penticton Regional Airport.
2014 Assessments, Tax Rates, Municipal Taxes and Class http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penticton_Regional_Airport
Proportions of Taxes and Assessments. Accessed Oct 17, 2014.
http://www.cscd.gov.bc.ca/lgd/infra/library/Schedule707_201 156 Source: Penticton Economic development office, October
4.xls Accessed Oct 1, 2014 2014

143 Population based on July 1, 2011 BC STATS Population 157 IBID
Estimates (Dec. 2011 Release) – per Ministry of Culture, 158 YYF website. http://www.cyyf.ca/information.htm#GDP
Sports and Cultural Development (British Columbia). BC Undated. Accessed October 29, 2014
Provincial schedule of Tax Rates: Schedule 702. Accessed 159 Air Canada website:
Sep 30, 2014. http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelinfo/traveller/flightstatus

http://www.cscd.gov.bc.ca/lgd/infra/tax_rates/tax_rates2012. Accessed Oct 17, 2014
htm 160 Wikipedia: Penticton Regional Airport.
144 Population based on July 1, 2011 BC STATS Population http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penticton_Regional_Airport
Estimates (Dec. 2011 Release) – per Ministry of Culture, Accessed Oct 17, 2014.
Sports and Cultural Development (British Columbia). BC 161 Source: Penticton Economic development office, October
Provincial schedule of Tax Rates: Schedule 704. Accessed 2014

Sep 30, 2014. 162 IBID
http://www.cscd.gov.bc.ca/lgd/infra/tax_rates/tax_rates2014. 163 City of Vernon website: Welcome to the Vernon Regional
htm Airport. http://www.vernon.ca/services/airport/ Accessed

145 Interior Health. Quick Facts. December 28, 2012.
http://www.interiorhealth.ca/AboutUs/QuickFacts/Pages/defa 164 Wikipedia: Vernon Regional Airport.
ult.aspx Accessed January 2, 2013 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernon_Regional_Airport

146 Kelowna Capital News article, December 2, 2014 Accessed December 28, 2012.
http://www.kelownacapnews.com/news/284363701.html 165 Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. “Okanagan
Accessed December 22, 2014 Valley Corridor”.

147 CanadaTransportation.com BC Trucking companies in http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/OkanaganValley/projects/winfield-
Kelowna (10), Penticton (1), Lumby (1), Okanagan Falls (1), oyama/ Accessed Nov 16, 2012.
Penticton (2), Vernon(2) and West Kelowna(1). 166 BC Transit website http://www.kelownarapidbus.ca/ Kelowna
http://www.canadatransportation.com/British_Columbia_truc RapidBus and City oif Kelowna website 'Rapid Bus' All
king_companies_AgA.htm Accessed December 28, 2012 accessed October 30, 2014
148
InvestKelowna: 2012 Economic Profile. http://www.kelowna.ca/CM/Page468.aspx
http://investkelowna.com/documents/2012RegionalEconomicP 167 Castanet article August 8, 2014
rofile_final_2012-04-26_000.pdf Accessed November 17, http://www.castanet.net/news/Penticton/120647/New-
2012. Osoyoos-Kelowna-shuttle Accessed October 30, 2014
149 Greyhound Courier Express – “British Columbia Rates”. 168 BC Transit: Kelowna Regional Transit System.
http://www.shipgreyhound.ca/en/services/pdfs/british_colum http://www.transitbc.com/regions/kel/ Accessed Nov 16,

bia.pdf Accessed December 28, 2012. 2012
150 Kelowna Flightcraft website. http://www.flightcraft.ca/. 169 BC Transit: Kelowna Regional Transit System.
Accessed December 28, 2012 http://www.transitbc.com/regions/ver/ Accessed Nov 16,

151 Purolator website: Director Profile Barry Lapointe. 2012
http://www.purolator.com/en/resources-and-support/about- 170 BC Transit: Penticton Transit System & Okanagan-
us/governance/board-of-directors/biographies/barry- Similkameen Transit System.

lapointe.page? Accessed December 28, 2012. http://www.transitbc.com/regions/pen/ Accessed Nov 16,
152 YLW Fact Sheet: “YLW Fact 2012
Sheet_Stats_Dec.docx”.Courtesy Jenelle Turpin, YLW 171 British Columbia Ministry of Transportation: Posted Speed
Marketing and Media Relations, Kelowna International Limits and Speed Limit Setting Practices in British Columbia
Airport. Received December 28, 2012. Final Report Spring 2003.
153 City of Kelowna website: “About YLW” http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/publications/eng_publications/speed
http://www.kelowna.ca/CM/Page135.aspx Accessed _review/Speed_Review_Report.pdf Accessed December 31,
December 24, 2012 2012.
154 City of Kelowna website: 172 “About BC Hydro” http://www.bchydro.com/about/ (Accessed
http://www.kelowna.ca/CM/Page182.aspx Accessed Jan 13, Nov 19, 2012)

2015 173 FortisBC, http://www.fortisbc.com/About/Pages/default.aspx
‘About’ (Accessed Nov 19, 2012)
174 Environment Canada Weather Office website: Canadian 194 Telemark website. About Telemark. http://www.telemarkx-
Climate Normals (1971-2000). Kelowna PC Burnett’s c.com Accessed January 4, 2013
Nursery. Station ID: 1123992 195 Kelowna Nordic website: Welcome:
http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca Accessed January 2, http://www.kelownanordic.com/ Accessed January 4, 2013.

2013. 196 City of Penticton website: Swimming Pool.
175 The records at Vernon Bella Vista Ranch do not include http://www.penticton.ca/EN/main/community/amenities/com
Bright Sunshine records for the station. “Vernon”: station ID munity-centre/schedules/swimming-pool.html. Accessed
1128551 records used for Bright Sunshine hours. January 5, 2013.
176 Environment Canada Weather Office website: Canadian 197 Okanagan Regional Library website. About ORL, and Your
Climate Normals (1971-2000). Kelowna PC Burnett’s ORL Board. http://www.orl.bc.ca/about-us Accessed

Nursery. Station ID: 1123992 January 5, 2013.
http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca Accessed January 2, 198 Canadian Church Directory website. http://churchdirectory.ca
2013. Accessed January 5, 2013

177 The records at PC Burnett’s Nursery do not include Bright 199 Kevin Poole, Manager of Economic Development & Tourism
Sunshine records for the station. “Kelowna A”: station ID City of Vernon April 2013
1123970 records used for Bright Sunshine hours. 200 VirtualVernon website. http://www.virtualvernon.com
178 Environment Canada Weather Office website: Canadian Accessed January 5, 2013
Climate Normals (1971-2000). Penticton. Station ID:
1126150 http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca Accessed
January 2, 2013.
179 Zipzone website. http://www.zipzone.ca/ Accessed
December 30, 2012

180 Oyama Zipline website. http://www.oyamazipline.com/
Accessed December 30, 2012.

181 Information provided by Okanagan Falls Economic
Development officer, November 30, 2014

182
IBID
183 Trish Wise (Re/max) website. Golf Courses: Kelowna, BC
and the Okanagan valley.

http://www.trishwise.com/kelowna-golf.html. Accessed
January 4, 2013. HelloBC website
http://www.hellobc.com/golflisting Accessed April 16, 2013.
184 British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley Wineries..
http://www.winesofcanada.com/bc_ok.html Accessed
December 27, 2012
185 XCSkiResorts.com Silver Star.
http://www.xcskiresorts.com/xcBCSStar.php Accessed
February 20, 2013
186 Okanagan Hockey Academy (Okanagan Hockey School)
http://www.hockeyschools.com/ohs/vpMessage.php
Accessed February 20, 2013
187 Copyright Apex Mountain Resort
188 Copyright Big White Ski Resort
189 Copyright Apex Mountain Resort
190 Apex Mountain Resort, Homepage,
http://www.apexresort.com/ (Accessed January 4, 2013)

191 Big White Ski Resort, Mountain Stats
http://www.bigwhite.com/mountain-info/general/mountain-
stats (Accessed January 4, 2013)
192 Silver Star, Fast Facts, http://winter.skisilverstar.com/about-
the-mountain/fast-facts (Accessed January 4, 2013)

193 Crystal Resort, History, http://www.crystalresort.com
Accessed January 4, 2013 NB: site last updated 2007.

Information marked * cannot be verified.(Note: New website
released between Jan 4-6, 2013. FactSheet not included)

Oveds Eco Profile 2015r2s

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Oveds Eco Profile 2015r2s

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Okanagan Valley

Vernon Okanagan Falls

West Kelowna Osoyoos

Westbank First Nation Lake Country

About this document:

The Okanagan Valley Economic Profile is available online through

The Economic Profile was compiled in 2013 and updated in 2014

Statistics Canada: www.statcan.gc.ca

Throughout the profile, we have also included links to other

Regional District of the North Okanagan ................................. 4 Education............................................................................... 78

Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen............................. 4 Educational attainment ........................................................ 78

City of Kelowna ..................................................................... 6 Universities ......................................................................... 85

City of Vernon ....................................................................... 6 Colleges .............................................................................. 86

City of Penticton .................................................................... 7 Private Institutions .............................................................. 87

Westbank First Nation............................................................ 8 Average Income and Median Income .................................... 91

Labour Force Data ............................................................... 66

The Okanagan Valley traverses three regional districts in British

Situated in the south-central interior of British Columbia, the

The Okanagan has a diverse economy with prime industry sectors

The Okanagan has become a prime destination for residential and

The region has experienced significant growth in residential

The Okanagan Similkameen has a well-diversified economy with

The desert climate, alluvial soil and warmer weather compared to

The area benefits from Okanagan College. The Penticton campus

Transportation is available through three airports in the Okanagan

The South Okanagan has hundreds of acres of industrially zoned

Vernon offers a climate for healthy growth, entrepreneurship and

Vernon is a city as rich in history as it is in unmatched beauty and

The District of West Kelowna continues to invest in infrastructure

WFN Membership values the role business plays in the long-term

WFN established the WFN Land Registry Regulations, a public

The community has undertaken rapid growth recently including

The community’s waterfront, children’s spray park and facilities

In addition, just to the north of Okanagan Falls, Skaha Bluffs

The District of Lake Country is committed to helping business

More information: www.lakecountry.bc.ca

Over the past few years, Peachland has undergone a major

© George Dimitrov Photography

© George Dimitrov Photography

© George Dimitrov Photography

More information: www.peachland.ca

© George Dimitrov Photography

Reference Maps and 2011

Census data and population estimates

The map to the left outlines the three

Population Distribution by Community

Population Distribution and 2011 Land area including People

15 year Pop. Growth Trend Okanagan Valley - Census

British Columbia 3,724,500 3,907,738 4,113,487 4,400,057

‘Okanagan Valley’ 284,081 297,601 319,042 341,818

2000-01 134 (182) 1,593 1,545 3,000

2001-02 119 (28) 2,063 2,154 2,500

The area has also experienced a smaller but steady flow of

The Central Okanagan region has had one of the highest

Fertlity rate per thousand females

Net Population Growth

climate and quality of life, as well as the effect it will have on

projected to stabilize over time and net migrant flow is expected

Fertlity rate per thousand females

(4,000) 1,200 4,000 1,600

The combined area represented by the North Okanagan, Central

inflows for the 10-year periods 2011-2020 and 2021-2030 are

in-migration growth of 1.3% per annum for the next 20 years,

average of 5,000 per annum during the 2000’s.