Mayor Tom Dyas gives a state of the city address to the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024.

(GEORGINA WHITEHOUSE / iNFOnews.ca)

Kelowna is one of the fastest-growing cities in Canada and according to Mayor Tom Dyas is on an upward trajectory of expansion and development.

Dyas gave a state of the city address to members of the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce today, Feb. 15.

He said this year Kelowna city council will begin some of the most ambitious capital and infrastructure projects in the city’s history.

In the 2024 budget, $20.2 million will be spent on transportation infrastructure projects, including $3.9 million for the rail-trail to greenway expansion and $4.7 million in enhancing current transportation.

The city is also working on a $100 million investment to deal with congestion on the city’s key road networks as well as investing close to $422 million in upgrades to airport infrastructure in the next 10 years.

“We have a bright future ahead of us and the opportunity to shape it all together,” Dyas said in his speech.

In 2023, the city issued a record-breaking $1.76 billion worth of building permits up 46% from the year before.

“This results in more homes, more jobs, more amenities and more customers for your businesses,” Dyas said.

Dyas said Kelowna is "a city of entrepreneurs" and with a 23.5% business license increase in the last five years it's clear why. 

The mayor also outlined six of the key issues city council wishes to address: crime, housing homelessness, transport, agriculture and climate.

Crime represents 44% of the spending in the city's 2024 operating budget and the city has already hired 32 new RCMP members and bylaw officers and 11 new firefighters.

This spring, council will put $100,000 toward an an uptown Rutland business association on-call program like the Redshirt on-call team in downtown Kelowna.

“We are happy to say in 2023 we saw a 44% decline in business break and enters, a 40% decrease in bike theft, a 39% decrease in auto theft and a 29% reduction in theft from a motor vehicle,” he said. 

This year, the city will also dedicate 10 full-time bylaws officers and seven social development staff solely to “homelessness and social issues.”

“We have been working closely with our local business associates and researchers to ensure that the use of illicit drugs is banned in playgrounds, spray pools and skate parks, within six meters of all building entrances and bus stops and within all parks, beaches and sports fields,” Dyas said.

In regards to housing, the city estimates that Kelowna needs 26,000 homes by 2031 to address the current deficit, which means around 2,600 homes built per year.

He said 7,425 purpose-built rental and supportive housing units are in the works and through an agreement with the federal government the city got $31.5 million through the Housing Accelerator Fund.

Dyas called homelessness a “complex and challenging issue.”

The city has responded to the homeless crisis by constructing 120 temporary tiny units. They are also in the process of identifying a third site that to accommodate another 60 units.

Last year, the city invested close to $70 million in transportation infrastructure.

“A well-designed, sustainable and efficient city transportation plan is crucial for business, economic development and the overall quality of life of our citizens,” Dyas said.

Plans are also in motion to create a traffic mobility plan with UBC Okanagan to connect the university, airport and downtown Kelowna via the Kelowna Rail Trail.

An Agriculture Advisory Committee has been established to advise council on agricultural issues and sustainable land use from a cultural, economic and environmental perspective.

“Through this committee, we hope to learn more about how we can better support the industry, including the wine and fruit growers who have been recently very impacted by the extreme cold weather and fires,” Dyas said.

Kelowna will have an updated Community Climate Action Plan and Community Urban Forestry Strategy to help battle climate change, as well as a Landscape Standards bylaw focused on tree protection.

The mayor said the redevelopment of Parkinson's Recreation Centre will also have positive environmental impacts.

“The new facility will be built to a net-zero standard, directly aligning itself with investment and emission reduction goals,” he said. 

The community can expect substantial investment in the coming years, Dyas said.

“In fact, our 10-year capital plan indicates over 330 infrastructure projects to support Kelowna's future. This is a $2 billion investment."

This will include the construction of two new activity centres in the Mission and Glenmore, enhanced sports fields in Rutland, the redevelopment of Parkinson's Recreation Centre and further development of community partnership opportunities with Okanagan College and UBCO.

Dyas said he is excited for the work ahead in 2024. 

“We are not letting our foot off the gas.”

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