Backgrounder: Why People Are Moving to Kelowna

BACKGROUNDER: WHY PEOPLE ARE MOVING TO KELOWNA

QUALITY OF LIFE / RECREATION

• Kelowna offers shorter commutes and a healthier lifestyle. • Kelowna’s summer climate is one of the warmest in Canada. • As a city surrounded by farms, orchards, vineyards and breweries, there’s no better, or tastier, place to eat, drink and shop local. • Nearby Big White and other attractions make Kelowna one of the Interior’s favourite winter playgrounds. • In addition to countless mountain trails and roads, cyclists have around 350 kilometers of city cycling lanes and multi-use paths they can use to stretch their legs or enjoy a healthy commute. • Downtown Kelowna is mere steps from the Okanagan Rail Trail head, accessing 48 km of trails north to Coldstream (near Vernon). • At 348 square kilometers, Okanagan Lake is one of the biggest in BC and the perfect place to “Go jump in a lake!” for swimming, boating, kitesurfing, paddle boarding or just a walk along Kelowna’s waterfront. • Kelowna is home to numerous wine festivals, culinary championships, concerts, tours, art exhibits, cultural events, and Festivals Kelowna events. • With downtown housing prices significantly lower than the Vancouver area, the bigger bang for the (real estate) buck in Kelowna means residents moving here have more disposable income to invest in their families and lifestyle. • Kelowna’s combination of nice weather, great value, health accessibility, safety, arts and culture, and thriving economy make it one of Canada’s most desirable communities for retirees.

DOWNTOWN KELOWNA – A VIBRANT SPORTS, CULTURE AND ENTERTAINMENT HUB

• Downtown Kelowna’s cultural icons include the Rotary Centre for the Arts, the Kelowna Art Gallery and several theatres. • Downtown Kelowna is home to many farm-to-table restaurants, tapas houses, wine bars, micro-breweries, pubs and great dining options like the highly-rated Bouchons Bistro and Waterfront Wines Restaurant. • As the largest multipurpose sports and entertainment arena in the Interior, downtown Kelowna’s Prospera Place hosts the biggest bands, comedians, entertainment acts and special event touring Canada. • As the home of the Western Hockey League Kelowna Rockets, Prospera Place features the highest level junior hockey action in Canada. • Downtown Kelowna is just a five-minute walk to Okanagan Lake and its boardwalks, parks and beaches.

YOUTHFUL GROWING POPULATION

• Kelowna is one of the fastest going cities in Canada. In the Canada 2016 Census, the Kelowna region’s population grew by 8.6 per cent to 127,380. Kelowna is the sixth fastest- growing city in Canada. • Millennials are bringing their talents and young families to create a whole new generation of residents where housing is more affordable. • Foreign students are opting to attend university in Kelowna universities, Okanagan College and UBC Okanagan (UBCO), instead of the Lower Mainland, with increasing numbers of them choosing to stay in the area after graduation and put down roots in the Okanagan.

STRONG ECONOMY / GREAT PLACE TO WORK

• In November 2016, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business named Kelowna Canada’s top place to start and grow businesses. • The Kelowna region is home to 633 technology companies. • Many new residents are coming to be a part of Kelowna's growing tech and animation industry, in addition to its well-established tourism, agriculture and wine sectors. (7,600 people work in the Kelowna region’s tech sector. More than half are 35 or younger.) • During 2017, Kelowna’s unemployment was cut from 8.5 per cent to 6.4 per cent. (Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission)