Grow a Suite grant program launched

Date of Issue: Wednesday, March 18, 2026

West Kelowna homeowners who are creating a legal secondary suite or carriage house can now apply for a grant to cover 25 per cent of their construction costs, up to a maximum of $7,500. This grant, which will be applied as a credit towards their property taxes, aims to expand infill housing and increase rental supply, while enhancing tenant safety through compliance with the BC Building Code.

The Grow a Suite Grant Program is expected to incent the creation of a minimum of 42 new dwelling units by the end of 2027.

Applications can be submitted until Dec. 31, 2027, or until the full program budget has been utilized on a first-come first-serve basis. 

The Grow a Suite Grant Program has a budget of $330,000 and is funded by the Housing Accelerator Fund.

How to apply

Eligible applicants can review the Grant Application Form and determine if their secondary suite or carriage house project meets eligibility requirements.  The grant also waives the building permit application fee valued between $150 to $500. 

For more information, or to see if you are eligible, visit: westkelownacity.ca/grow-a-suite.

About the Housing Accelerator Fund

The City of West Kelowna was awarded up to $7.9 million from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) to deliver initiatives that will create more housing options in our community.

The City and CMHC have agreed to a Housing Supply Growth Target of 1,343 housing units by 2028, which includes 199 single-family units, 814 missing middle units, and 330 multi-unit homes. Additionally, 114 affordable housing units are targeted as a subset within the overall targets.

The City of West Kelowna’s Action Plan commits to seven local initiatives including but not limited to: new incentives to increase priority housing, fast-tracking standardized housing designs, and zoning updates to encourage more rental, affordable, and missing middle housing. Opportunities to develop affordable housing will be further enabled through a Land Strategy, which will outline direction and processes for utilizing City land.

For more information about the various Housing Incentive Programs available in West Kelowna, including West Kelowna Builds, visit westkelownacity.ca/housingincentives.

Thank you to the Government of Canada for providing funding through the Housing Accelerator Fund.