Kamloops council to expand tax exemptions for new rental builds
Developers have more land to choose from if they want to cut costs on new rental buildings in Kamloops.
UBCO not releasing engineering reports for downtown excavation that caused evacuation
UBC won't make public the engineering reports for the construction site in downtown Kelowna that caused the evacuation of a subsidized housing complex.
Tranquille developer blames province after multiple ALC denials
The province's Agricultural Land Commission has heard multiple pleas from the owner of a historic Kamloops property who wants to build an agricultural suburb on the massive site.
Thousands of short-term rentals in B.C. go back to long-term May 1
LANGLEY, B.C. - British Columbia Premier David Eby is warning real estate investors and speculators that his government is tilting the rules towards families seeking homes as it tightens the rules on short-term rentals.
40 new complex care housing units coming to Kelowna
The BC government is building 40 housing units in Kelowna to support those struggling with mental health and addiction with additional units to be built in Kamloops.
B.C. home sales slide almost 10 per cent in March despite mortgage rate drop
VANCOUVER - Home sales in British Columbia fell by almost 10 per cent in March compared with the same period last year, in a slowdown an analyst says could be buyers waiting for lower interest rates.
Work on UBCO highrise resumes in downtown Kelowna as evacuated residents face unsure future
Residents evacuated from a supportive housing complex next door to a massive UBC Okanagan construction project building a highrise tower in downtown Kelowna feel like they've been left in the dark as work resumes.
Sun Peaks wants exemption from foreign homebuyers ban
Sun Peaks near Kamloops is one of three ski communities in the province where foreigners are banned from buying houses, and the mountain resort municipality wants to change that.
Big year for aurora activity, just not in Kamloops, Okanagan yet
While more aurora borealis activity is predicted, Kamloops and the Okanagan haven’t seen much of it yet.
'Devastating': Evacuation of building next to UBCO construction site extended two weeks
Residents of the building next to the UBC Okanagan construction site for a highrise will be out of their homes for at least another two weeks due to safety concerns.
Kamloops, Okanagan real estate sales down last month
Real estate sales in Kamloops and Okanagan in March were down significantly compared to last year.
Ottawa to launch $6B infrastructure fund to help build homes — with strings attached
The upcoming federal budget will include a $6-billion infrastructure fund to support homebuilding as well as a $400 million top-up to the housing accelerator fund, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday.
BC tenancy branch catches up with repeat rent skippers
A BC renter spurred a Residential Tenancy Branch investigation when he reported that his landlord threatened to change the locks.
Residents scramble for places to live as downtown Kelowna building deemed unsafe
A subsidized housing building next to UBC Okanagan’s downtown construction site is being evacuated, but the university has yet to take any responsibility.
Breach of privacy?: Recreational drone lingers over people's yards in Kamloops neighbourhood
A couple living on Kamloops' North Shore reported a recreational drone was hovering around their house and property a couple of days ago.
UPDATE: Residents across from the big hole UBCO dug in downtown Kelowna have to evacuate their building
There was a meeting today for residents of an apartment building across from the site of the new UBC Okanagan tower, where residents heard the news that they will have to vacate their homes.
Bigger houses, driveways in Kelowna may trigger increased stormwater costs
The City of Kelowna is looking at changing the way it charges homeowners for the rain and melted snow that runs off their properties.
'Renters matter': Trudeau promises renter bill of rights and protection fund
VANCOUVER - A federal government announcement that rental history could be used on a credit score is a "game changer" for those who have been faithfully paying their rent for years, said a longtime advocate of the idea.
Manhattan Point homeowners vow to fight Kelowna in court over future parks designation
Property owners on what amounts to a private beach on Okanagan Lake say it’s illegal for the city to designate their properties for future parks and they will take all legal steps possible to stop them.
Central Okanagan regional district asks for delay in new provincial housing rules
While all BC communities with populations of more than 5,000 have to allow up to four homes on single-family lots under new provincial housing rules, rural areas are also being told to densify.
Kelowna’s approach to buying waterfront parkland called 'diabolical'
Property owners along a Manhattan Point beach with no public access are ticked off at the City of Kelowna for thinking of taking it away from them.
iN PHOTOS: Enjoy the Shuswap with two houses on waterfront acreage for mere $30M
The most expensive house listed for sale in the Okanagan – and maybe the second highest in all of BC – is the $45.9 million Waterside Farm on Pixton Road in Lake Country.
Futuristic micro-home communities may be answer to housing crisis in Thompson-Okanagan
With new single-family houses selling for $1 million or more in the Thompson-Okanagan region, the dream of house ownership is out of reach for many.
HIGHWAY TO HOMELESSNESS: A Kamloops foster care survivor’s account
A woman who grew up in the foster care system in Kamloops has spent most of her life on and off of the streets, moving from placement to placement, and self-medicating with drugs and alcohol.
FortisBC gas rate steady as carbon tax increases
The BC Utilities Commission has approved FortisBC's request to maintain the cost of natural gas as of April 1.
HOUSING CRISIS: Evicted Kamloops seniors suspect foul play by landlord
A Kamloops man in his 70s is looking for a place to move to with his wife and stepdaughter after they were evicted from a rental unit they’ve been in since 2017.
Kelowna council may to be willing to let a handful of old-timers keep their private beach
One of the key things most Kelowna residents want to see as the North End redevelops is a lakefront pathway all the way from Knox Mountain to the Bennett bridge.
HOUSING CRISIS: What are mobile homes worth when a developer buys the land?
Central Mobile Home Park is the final resting place for 134 manufactured homes that are mostly around 50 years old and waiting for the wrecking ball that will come when the park is eventually redeveloped for modern housing.
Kamloops and Okanagan lagging far behind BC in real estate activity
While February wasn’t a banner month in the BC real estate world, it was a big improvement over a year ago with growth in both sales and prices.
HOUSING CRISIS: Kamloops senior loses battle against city housing regulations
A Kamloops homeowner is living on the financial brink after losing a battle to live in a suite he built in a garage on his property.
Penticton mobile home park for sale for $15 million
The 93-unit Whitewater Mobile Home Park in Penticton is listed for sale for $14.9 million.
Some Kelowna residents want to protect heritage neighbourhoods from infill: petition
A new online petition created by the Friends and Residents of the Abbott Street Heritage Conservation Area Society is pleading for the City of Kelowna’s heritage conservation areas to be protected.
Another BC Tree Fruits building for sale in Kelowna, this one for $28 million
BC Tree Fruits has been selling off its buildings in Kelowna for the last few years and has now added its plant in the downtown’s North End.
Hosting Ukrainian war refugees changes Kamloops man's life for the better
A Kamloops search and rescue volunteer hosted several families seeking refuge from the Russian-Ukraine war over the past two years.
Rebuilding from Okanagan wildfires bogged down by insensitive insurance companies
It’s been seven months since wildfires destroyed hundreds of homes in the Okanagan and Shuswap yet rebuilds are just now starting to get underway.
How new provincial housing rules are boosting and hurting development in Central Okanagan
The Bennett bridge stretches a mere kilometre across Okanagan Lake between Kelowna and West Bank First Nations lands.
Not all Central Okanagan trailer park sales mean loss of affordable housing
There have been a number of sales of manufactured home parks in the Central Okanagan in recent years that have forced owners of the low-cost units out – or may soon do so.
$50K in unpaid rent over five years nets fine for BC woman
A BC woman could have saved enough for a down payment with the amount she stiffed her landlords over five years.
Tiny homes for Kelowna's homeless community welcomes first residents
So far, 40 people have moved from Kelowna’s homeless shelters into the individual tiny home units at Step Place on Crowley Avenue.
CAT COUCH: Kamloops woman makes 'pawsitively' popular pet accessory
A Kamloops resident who loves cats and crochet put the two together and made some cat-sized comfortable couches.
Rent in Kelowna on the rise as national rate falls
The asking rental price for one-bedroom apartments fell marginally in Canada in February compared to January.
Kelowna calls for more highrises in response to new provincial housing rules
New provincial infill housing rules that require for more density in core areas of cities means more highrises will be possible in Rutland and South Pandosy.
Real estate prices and sales jump in Kamloops, Okanagan
After a sluggish winter the real estate market is picking up in Kamloops and the Okanagan with the number of sales climbing significantly in February from January.
Penticton the break-and-enter capital of the Thompson-Okanagan
RCMP regularly report to local governments on the crime scene in each of their communities in the Thompson-Okanagan region.
Why Kelowna pays way over assessed value for land it buys
Whenever the City of Kelowna announces a big land purchase, reporters scurry to the BC Assessment website and write headlines screaming out how many times more than the assessed value was paid in taxpayers’ dollars.
Penticton council asked to approve $23M in housing, commercial space downtown
Penticton has plans to rezone part of downtown 1,500 housing units can be built at part of a new Innovation District.
HOUSING CRISIS: Penticton considering new pilot program for affordable housing
As communities throughout the Thompson-Okanagan region struggle to get home built in the midst of a housing crisis, Penticton is considering a pilot project to help non-profits fund new affordable housing.
Rental apartment buildings proposed on Clement Avenue in Kelowna
Kelowna city staff support the proposed rezoning of a residential area on Clement Avenue to allow for two large-scale apartment buildings to be constructed in their place.
Peachland man battling to stay in tiny home facing court, hefty fines
Peachland man Ryan King has 60 days to remove his dwelling from his property or he will face hefty fines and end up in provincial court.
Most British Columbians in favour of province's new housing policies
A new survey says a majority of British Columbians are in favour of the province's new housing guidelines.
Kelowna home sale lawsuit shows the 'frenzy' from speculators
A lawsuit filed over a botched home and land sale shows how the frenzy of speculators drove up prices of residential real estate at the peak of Kelowna’s housing market and the case appears to be contingent on a finding of whether the selling realtor misled buyers.
Short-term rental rules to tighten in West Kelowna
West Kelowna is one of the few cities in BC that has the right to opt out of tough new provincial rules clamping down on short-term rentals.
Kelowna City Staff push back against 26 storey development proposal in Prospera Place parking lot
City Staff are asking Kelowna City Council to not permit the three towers, set to be built in the Prospera Place parking lot, reach 26 storeys.
It helps to be a couple when saving for a home in Kamloops, Kelowna
While the dream of home ownership includes the reality of at least a 5% down payment, the reality is that an affordable mortgage requires much more than that for the average earner.
How Kelowna can help build housing faster all over BC
Every city in the province is unique and most would resent being compared to Kelowna.
Thousands without power in Lake Country
Thousands are without power in Lake Country this morning.
Construction well under way for new tiny homes for homeless Kelowna residents
Building has started on Kelowna’s second batch of tiny homes for homeless residents.
How billions for middle income housing in Kamloops, Okanagan may help those in need
From the City of Kelowna to the federal government, the flavour of the day for Canada’s housing crisis seems to be to build more rentals for the middle class.
Kelowna's homeless fighting cold, mould and stigma at rail trail encampment
Being unhoused and living in a tent is an everyday challenge, but it gets harder in the winter. Hygiene, safety and health are constantly being tested in the cold, humid, mouldy and wet environment residents of Kelowna's tent city along the Okanagan Rail Trail live in.
Why Kelowna is building more homes for middle class rather than low income
With the cost of living and the rate of homelessness continuing to rise, it may be hard to comprehend why the City of Kelowna is proposing to build more housing for the middle class.
Kelowna creates online tool to help homeowners understand dramatic housing changes
New provincial rules to allow up to four units to be built on most single-family lots in BC has led to lots of confusion in city halls and residential neighbourhoods across the province.
The history behind the last ranch house in Kamloops
A big, beautiful colonial-style house in Kamloops has a long and fascinating history of ownership by many prominent families over the decades.
BC Housing spent more than $730M in Thompson-Okanagan in past five years
The province, through BC Housing, has spent big bucks in the past five years trying to improve housing options for those most in need in the Thompson-Okanagan region.
Why this Kelowna death doula supports medical assistance in dying
A death doula in Kelowna is passionate about her work, despite the controversy it comes with.
More choice, fewer buyers bodes well for Central Okanagan real estate market
Statistics issued every month only tell part of the real estate story in the Central Okanagan.
Well-known Kamloops guitar shop to be replaced by five-storey condo
A well-known Kamloops music shop may soon be the site of a five-storey condo building.
West Kelowna's high rental vacancy rate is a Canadian rarity
Canada hit an historically low rental vacancy rate in 2023 but West Kelowna not only increased its vacancy rate it's one of few Canadian cities to have what is considered a healthy vacancy rate.
Kelowna real estate faced big price drops in 2023; Kamloops prices went up
For anyone buying a new home at the end of 2022, the direction their equity took over the following year was vastly different depending on whether they lived in Kelowna or Kamloops.
'Not a silver bullet solution': Kelowna council concerned with new housing plan
Kelowna city council expressed concerns around BC Housing's Middle Income Housing Partnership plan, which proposes leasing city-owned land to developers at a low price in order to create more affordable homes for middle-income residents.
Sales and prices up in Kamloops, Okanagan real estate markets
Despite an extreme cold snap earlier in the month, real estate markets in the Southern Interior were surprisingly strong in January.
More than 27,000 Kelowna lots targeted for more crowding with infill housing
The details are coming out on how the City of Kelowna is going to comply with provincial rules to crowd more housing onto most single-family lots.
Kelowna plans to hand over city land in exchange for affordable housing
Kelowna city council has plans to lease city-owned land to developers at minimal cost in exchange for more affordable housing. But low income renters will not be benefiting.
No exemptions for Kelowna property owners wanting to stay in short-term rental market
There was a glimmer of hope last week that some exemptions could be made to new provincial short-term rental rules so some housing that was built and sold for that purpose could continue.
Kamloops, Kelowna buck national rental vacancy increase trend
Canada’s rental vacancy rate dropped to 1.5% in 2023 from 1.9% in 2022, the lowest ever recorded since Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation started compiling data in 1988.
Kelowna's plant haven where exotic plants and the community meet
Walking into Plant Gather immediately engulfs one in the smell of a jungle's thick humidity. It's a calming, therapeutic and unique experience and it's what this exotic plant store in Kelowna has come to be known for.
Construction of new affordable rental housing underway in Osoyoos
The Osoyoos Indian Band has partnered with the provincial government to build affordable on-reserve rental housing.
Thinking about renting your home short-term? Rules vary widely in Okanagan, Kamloops
West Kelowna is the latest of the Okanagan’s largest cities to respond to new provincial regulations on short-term rentals.
How a $500 tax break gets rental housing built in Kelowna
It doesn’t seem like a lot on a multi-million dollar project but $500 per unit can make or break major rental building construction in Kelowna.
Thousands demand fairness for evicted mobile home communities
Thousands of Kelowna and West Kelowna residents have signed a petition demanding fair treatment for people who live in manufactured home communities.
Kamloops woman frustrated after finding homeless man freezing overnight
It was 3 a.m. on Sunday when Bonnie Jackson went to the bathroom and happened to look out the window onto the dark Kamloops street and saw something that shocked her.
Unlicensed BC property manager slapped with $125,000 fine
An unlicensed property manager in BC was hit with fines and costs of more than $125,000 last month.
Burst pipe floods vacant BC Housing apartment building in Kamloops
A vacant BC Housing apartment building in Kamloops had a pipe burst as temperatures plummeted last week.
Rowdy short-term rentals in Kelowna not going to disappear any time soon
While Kelowna city council has moved ahead with changes to its short-term rental rules that are tougher than what the province has proposed, it’s still going to be a challenge to crack down on the bad apples in the market.
Kamloops, Okanagan housing prices rose faster than most of BC in December
At the tail end of the worst year in a decade for home sales, activity in the BC real estate market picked up in December both in terms of sales and prices.
Not enough beds: Cold and chaotic night for shelter operators in Kamloops
Glenn Hilke is resting at home today after spending the night collecting the homeless off Kamloops and helping them find shelter overnight when temperatures were at -36 Celsius with the windchill.
No public hearing needed for infill housing in Okanagan, Kamloops
Most single-family properties in communities of 5,000 or more from Kamloops to Osoyoos could get three storeys of housing built on them with no public input.
Stranger donates late father's tools to mechanic after devastating Kamloops-area house fire
A heavy-duty mechanic who lost his home, workshop and tools in a devastating fire near Kamloops on Christmas Eve was gifted with replacement tools by a kind stranger who read the tragic story.
Some Naramata residents want short term rental regulations
Residents in Naramata are concerned about controversial new housing developments in the area because their community is not protected by the province’s short term rental legislation.
YO MAMA: Mommy and Me New Year’s workout
It was New Year’s Day and my son was playing happily with some new building blocks he’d gotten for Christmas. I saw my chance to sneak in some yoga and quietly unfurled my mat on the other side of the living room.
iN VIDEO: Worst real estate sales in a decade in Okanagan, Kamloops
High interest rates soured the 2023 real estate market in Kamloops in the Okanagan.
Kelowna outshone most of BC for new construction in 2023
Kelowna shattered its record for the value of building permits in 2023 for the third consecutive year.
Kelowna housing starts twice historic average in 2023
The number of building permits for new homes in Kelowna in 2023 was almost double the average for the previous 10 years.
Property values fell in Kamloops and most of the Okanagan in 2023
A Lake Country home continues to be the most expensive in the Southern Interior for the second straight year even though it lost more than $300,000 in its assessed value.
Will it ever be safe to go home after Okanagan and Shuswap wildfires?
Hundreds of homes were destroyed by the McDougall Creek wildfire in and around West Kelowna and the Bush Creek East Wildfire in the Shuswap last summer. But hundreds more homes were damaged, even if just by smoke drifting in through open windows.
iN PHOTOS: Summer flowers add colour to winter gardens in Okanagan, Kamloops
Unseasonably warm winter temperatures are bringing a variety of garden flowers to bloom in an array of colours in Kamloops and the Okanagan, adding a bit of cheer to the so far snowless season.
Summer flowers are blooming again in Kamloops and the Okanagan
If this seems to be an unusually warm winter so far, local green thumbs agree.
Not so fast: You could toss your poinsettias, or help them 'bloom' again next year
I tend to view holiday decorations strictly as anticipatory objects. They’re lovely leading up to the big day, but as soon as midnight strikes, I’m ready to drag the Jack-O-Lantern or Christmas tree to the curb.
Christmas tragedy in Kamloops leaves family homeless, community rallies to support
A mobile home and workshop in Pinantan Lake in Kamloops burned down on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, leaving a small family and pets stranded out in the cold in need of help.
This may be one way to get excluded from new short-term rental rules in Kelowna
A major Kelowna developer is hoping the province will look into what he sees as a grey area in new provincial short-term rental rules and make changes in his favour.