Kelowna

Kelowna is a city located on Okanagan Lake in the Okanagan Valley in the southern interior of British Columbia, Canada. The city's name comes from the Okanagan word kiʔláwnaʔ, which means grizzly bear. Kelowna is an important place as it serves as the head office of the Regional District of Central Okanagan.

It is the third-largest metropolitan area in British Columbia, after Vancouver and Victoria, and the largest city in the Interior of the province. In 2025, the city proper had a population of 165,907 people, with the larger metro area home to 254,605 people.

Nearby communities include West Kelowna across Okanagan Lake to the west, Lake Country and Vernon to the north, Peachland to the southwest, and Summerland and Penticton to the south.

History

The exact dates of the first people settling in the Okanagan Valley are unknown, but Indigenous people lived there around 9,000 years ago. The Syilx people were the first known inhabitants and still live there today.

In 1811, David Stuart became the first European to visit the Okanagan Valley. Later, in 1859, Father Pandosy, a French Roman Catholic missionary, was the first European to settle there. Kelowna officially became a town on May 4, 1905, with 600 people. Its first mayor was Henry Raymer.

For many years, people traveled across Okanagan Lake to reach Kelowna. In 1893, a steamship called the SS Aberdeen helped connect Kelowna to nearby areas. In 1925, a railway was built to Kelowna, making travel easier.

Wildfires

Kelowna has had many wildfires over the years. Some of these fires caused people to leave their homes and damaged land and buildings. For example, in August 2003, a wildfire destroyed many homes and forced thousands of people to leave. Other fires happened in later years, sometimes affecting homes and sometimes only forests. In August 2023, a large fire near McDougall Creek caused many people in Kelowna to leave their homes.

Geography

Kelowna is a city located on Okanagan Lake in British Columbia, Canada. It has many natural landmarks such as Mission Creek, Bellevue Canyon, and Knox Mountain.

The city has a special flower called arrowleaf balsamroot. Kelowna has a mild climate with warm, dry summers and cool, cloudy winters. The city experiences all four seasons and sometimes has very hot days in the summer, reaching temperatures above 30°C. Winters are usually mild but can occasionally get very cold for short periods.

Sectors and neighbourhoods

Kelowna has ten main areas, each with many smaller neighbourhoods. Some of these neighbourhoods include Belgo, Benvoulin, Black Mountain, Braeloch, Central City, and many more.

Central City is a busy commercial area along Harvey Avenue. It includes important shopping spots like the Capri Centre Mall and Orchard Park Shopping Centre. Downtown Kelowna is a popular spot for tourists, located along Okanagan Lake. It has parks, beaches, and many shops and restaurants. Recent plans aim to make downtown even more lively with new, taller buildings.

Glenmore is a growing suburb with many new homes and schools. Midtown is known for its large shopping stores, while the Mission area has its own commercial centre with shops, parks, and fun places like Gyro Beach. Rutland is the largest neighbourhood in Kelowna, offering a mix of affordable homes and newer developments.

Economy

Kelowna is the largest city in the beautiful Okanagan Valley, where many people work in services. It is a popular place for tourists, especially in the summer for boating, golfing, hiking, and biking, and in the winter for skiing and snowboarding at nearby resorts like Big White and Silver Star. The tourism industry in Kelowna is very big, worth over a billion dollars each year.

Kelowna is famous for its wines, with many vineyards and wineries around the city. The city is also home to Sun-Rype, a company that makes fruit bars and juices. It has important schools like Okanagan College and the University of British Columbia's Okanagan campus, where thousands of students study.

Kelowna is the center of the Regional District of the Central Okanagan and is one of the fastest-growing cities in North America. Because it has beautiful views and a nice climate, people often compare Kelowna to Napa Valley, California.

Kelowna's use as a film locale

• Fido, a movie about zombies, was filmed in Kelowna.
• Part of the movie Mee Shee: The Water Giant was filmed in Kelowna.
• The movies Shred and Shred 2 were partly filmed at Big White, a ski hill near Kelowna.
• Flicka: Country Pride, released in 2012, was filmed in several Kelowna locations.

Kelowna's use as a market trial location

Because Kelowna has a good size population, it is often used to test new products. Examples include:

• The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority tested new whole body imaging technology at the Kelowna International Airport.
• Telus Mobility re-launched its Clearnet brand in Kelowna and Red Deer, Alberta.
• Kelowna was the first city in Canada to have a permanent flow-rider at the H₂O indoor water park.
• Peachwave opened its first Canadian store in Kelowna in 2013.
• Overwaitea Food Group opened its first Urban Fare store outside downtown Vancouver in Kelowna.

Demographics

Kelowna is a city in British Columbia, Canada. In 2021, it had a population of 144,576 people living in 62,209 homes. The city covers an area of 211.85 km² and had a population density of 682.4 people per km².

The surrounding area, called the Kelowna census metropolitan area, had a population of 222,162 in 2021. Most people in Kelowna speak English, and children under five make up about 5% of the population. The average age in Kelowna is 41.1 years.

According to the 2021 census, most people in Kelowna had no religious affiliation (53.8%), while others were Christian (39.7%), Sikh (2.6%), Muslim (1.1%), Hindu (0.8%), Buddhist (0.6%), Jewish (0.4%), or followed Indigenous spirituality (0.1%).

Visible minorities made up about 14% of the population. The largest groups were South Asian, Chinese, Filipino, Black, Latin American, Japanese, Southeast Asian, Korean, West Asian, and Arab.

Kelowna once had a Chinatown between Harvey Avenue and Leon Avenue. In 1909 and 1911, about 15% of Kelowna's population was ethnic Chinese. By 2010, this number had dropped to less than 1%.

Transportation

Kelowna has grown with many new areas built for cars, making it hard for people to use other ways to get around. Roads are very important for moving around the city and creating some pollution.

The city is connected by Highway 97 and Highway 33. There is a public bus system run by FirstGroup that helps people travel around Kelowna and nearby places. The bus service is paid for by the city, nearby areas, and BC Transit.

There is also an airport north of the city called Kelowna International Airport. It is very busy with flights to many places such as Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Vancouver, and Seattle, plus some seasonal trips to other spots. Major airlines like Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, and WestJet fly there.

Local services

Kelowna has several important services to keep people safe. The Kelowna General Hospital provides medical care, and the British Columbia Ambulance Service helps with emergencies. The Kelowna Fire Department fights fires, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police keeps the community secure. For search and rescue needs, the Central Okanagan Search and Rescue is available to help.

Venues and attractions

Kelowna has many fun places to visit and enjoy. There is Prospera Place, a big indoor arena with space for 6,800 people, and Apple Bowl, an outdoor stadium for 2,314 people. You can also find Elks Stadium, a smaller outdoor baseball stadium with 1,250 seats.

Other attractions include the Kelowna Art Gallery, the Centre of Gravity Festival held in City Park, the historic Kettle Valley Railway with its famous Myra Canyon Trestles, the Big White Ski Resort for winter sports, and beautiful Okanagan Wineries to explore.

Culture and sport

Kelowna has many fun activities and sports teams. The Kelowna Rockets are a major junior hockey team that won a big tournament in 2004. There are also other hockey teams like the Kelowna Chiefs and the Okanagan All Stars Hockey Club.

The city hosts film festivals such as the Okanagan Independent Film Festival and the World Community Film Festival. Other sports teams include the Okanagan Sun football team, who won Canadian Bowl in 1988 and 2000, the Okanagan Challenge soccer team, and the Kelowna Falcons baseball team.

• Westbank First Nation
• Kelowna Rockets – Major Junior hockey team in the Western Hockey League (Winners of the 2004 Memorial Cup)
• Kelowna Chiefs – Junior B hockey team in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League
• Okanagan Independent Film Festival
• Okanagan Sun – Canadian Junior Football League (Winners of the 1988 and 2000 Canadian Bowl)
• Okanagan Challenge – Pacific Coast Soccer League
• Kelowna Falcons – West Coast Collegiate Baseball League
• Okanagan All Stars Hockey Club
• World Community Film Festival

Education

Kelowna has many places for learning, from big colleges to small private schools. You can study at the University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus or Okanagan College, along with other colleges like Focus College and the Justice Institute of British Columbia.

Public schools are managed by School District 23 Central Okanagan. There are several high schools, such as Kelowna Secondary School, which also offers learning in French, and others like Rutland Senior Secondary School. There are also schools taught in French by the Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique.

Kelowna also has many private schools, including Aberdeen Hall Preparatory School, Kelowna Christian School, and Okanagan Adventist Academy.

The city is served by the Okanagan Regional Library, with four branches to explore.

Crime

Kelowna has faced challenges with crime, especially involving property and drugs. In 2012, it had the highest reported crime rate in Canada, but efforts by police helped lower this rate over time.

The city has also seen high rates of certain types of crime, including drug-related issues and challenges with family safety. Despite these difficulties, the community continues to work on improving safety for everyone.

Notable people

Kelowna has been home to many interesting people from different fields. Some have served as leaders in government, while others have achieved fame in sports, entertainment, and literature.

In politics, the city has seen leaders like W. A. C. Bennett and William R. Bennett, both former Premiers of British Columbia. In the world of sports, Kelowna proudly claims several professional athletes, including ice hockey players such as Steve Bozek, Byron Dafoe, and Tij Iginla, as well as Olympic athletes like rower Scott Frandsen and ski cross champion Kelsey Serwa.

The city also has a vibrant arts scene, with entertainers such as country singer Chad Brownlee, actors Taylor Kitsch and Evangeline Lilly, and musicians like Conro and Excision. Authors such as Fern G. Z. Carr and Jack Whyte have also called Kelowna home.

Sister cities

Kelowna has special friendship agreements with two cities around the world. These cities are Kasugai in Aichi, Japan, and Veendam in The Netherlands. This means they work together and share ideas to help each other.

Freedom of the City

The following people and military units have been given the Freedom of the City of Kelowna.

Individuals

• Brigadier General Harry Herbert "H.H." Angle DSO ED: January 7, 1946.
• Barbara Ann Scott OC OOnt: October 24, 1949.
• The Honourable W. A. C. Bennett PC OC: December 8, 1952.
• George Howard Dunn: April 4, 1955.
• Stanley Merriam Simpson: April 15, 1957.
• William John Knox OBE: January 3, 1961.
• Major General, The Honourable George Randolph Pearkes VC PC CC CB DSO MC CD OD: April 24, 1967.
• Richard Francis "Dick" Parkinson: January 5, 1970.
• Walter Frederick Anderson: September 28, 1981.
• Blair Horn: September 11, 1984.
• The Honourable William Richards "Bill" Bennett PC OBC: November 1, 1988.
• James H. Stuart: July 1, 2001.
• Benjamin "Ben" Lee: July 1, 2001.
• Senator, The Honourable D. Ross Fitzpatrick OBC: May 26, 2008.
• Walter Gray: April 25, 2015.
• Andre Blanleil: April 25, 2015.
• Robert Hobson: April 25, 2015.

Military Units

• The British Columbia Dragoons: February 11, 1963.