Kelowna is the seventh-largest city in the province of British Columbia. It is the regional hub for Central Okanagan, and its proximity to the United States border has resulted in a large influx of American retirees. Kelowna’s population as of 2020 is approximately 142,146. It became a city in 1905 and, as of 2009, had an estimated population of around 119,000.
1) At only 43 years old, mayor Colin Basran is one of the youngest mayors in Canada. He is the current mayor of Kelowna.
2) Kelowna is the largest city in the region, known as the Central Okanagan.
3) The name Kelowna derives from an Okanagan language term meaning “freshwater”, which was used historically by the local First Nations People.
4) The main Okanagan Lake is one of the longest lakes entirely within Canada. It is unusual in that, at some points, it connects to the United States by land. Kelowna sits partially on this lake, with a natural border known as “the causeway”.
5) The city’s economy is focused on tourism, according to a survey conducted by Statistics Canada in 2007.
6) The climate of Kelowna is mild and relatively dry compared to other areas, not only in British Columbia but all over the world. Annually, the city is blessed with over 2,000 hours of sunshine and roughly 28 cm of rain.
7) Kelowna is the financial service centre for Central Okanagan, with over 2,500 people working in this industry.
8) Kelowna has more single mothers than any other city in British Columbia. According to a report by Maclean’s Magazine, Kelowna is ranked as the number 1 place for single mothers.
9) More than 10% of individuals who live in Kelowna are born outside of Canada. It is ranked 14th amongst all cities within Canada with this statistic.
10) The Kelowna Dogwood Festival is held annually in July in downtown Kelowna.
11) Kelowna manages more than 100 parks, ranging from small natural areas to extensive artificial recreation facilities. For example, it has an ice rink at the Sport Kelowna Centre and an artificial Arena at the Central Okanagan Sports Park.
12) The highest point in Kelowna is Mount Boucherie (758m), located in West Kelowna. It was originally named after Isadore Boucherie, a farmer who was one of the early settlers in the region. A plaque commemorating Boucherie’s achievement sits on Mount Boucherie.
13) The city has three high schools: Brentwood Collegiate, Kelowna Secondary School and West Kelowna Secondary.
14) The name “Kelowna” is applied to several selected regional developments, including the Kelowna International Airport, the Kelowna Community Hospital and KELO-TV.
15) The Kelowna General Hospital is the second-largest non-profit acute care medical facility in British Columbia and one of the best in Canada.
