Strategies and Priorities

Economic Development & Tourism Strategy

The objectives of the Economic Development Office are to foster economic growth in the City of West Kelowna and implement recommendations made in the City of West Kelowna's Economic Development & Tourism Strategy, which Council adopted May 12, 2015.

The strategy outlines several goals including business retention and expansion, investment attraction, coordination and facilitation of activities and product development and retention.

Economic Diversification

West Kelowna has a diverse economy including agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, retail and construction.

West Kelowna has a labour force of 16,525 (as per the 2011 Census), representing a participation rate of 65.3%. The largest segment of the labour force is in retail trade (13.2%) and construction (12.4%). Proportionately, more people are employed in the construction industry in West Kelowna (12.5%) than in the province overall (7.6%).

Most new employment is created by small and medium sized business. The proportion of self-employed people in West Kelowna in 2011, at 17.8%, was higher than in BC overall, at 13.7%.

View other Plans and Strategies of the City of West Kelowna.