Shaping a strong, sustainable, diverse economy in the central Okanagan

Since 1906, the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce has played a key role in building, developing and promoting Kelowna and our surrounding region. When the private sector is strong, innovation and prosperity follow. An effectively functioning community requires good services, including transportation, government, and opportunity. The Kelowna Chamber works with its members to ensure equal opportunities for everyone, and that we are one of the best places in Canada to live, work, prosper and play.

 

Advocacy Example: The Chamber advocates for a reduction in the cost of doing business. Various specific policies are written in support of this (taxation review; cut red tape; simplify regulations). The Kelowna Chamber maintains an active, ongoing program of taking issues that are important to members, on to elected officials and ministries, at all three levels of government: municipal, provincial and federal.

Policy Example: The Chamber researches, writes, and takes to government a specific policy such as "Cancel the speculation tax unless it is applied equally across all jurisdictions, and monies collected flow back to the region in which they are collected". In any given year, the Kelowna Chamber has up to 25 active policies (adopted policies remain active for three years) on the books.

Adopted policies form the basis of Kelowna Chamber policy work. Annual policy development forums, Issue Roundtables and focused speaker events give our members numerous opportunities throughout the year to bring their concerns in front of our policy team and other members to ensure their voices are heard in government. 

Adopted policies can be accessed on both the BC Chamber's and the Canadian Chamber's policy webpages. Three years of BC policies can be found here or you can search by topic here. Three years of Canadian Chamber policies can be found here.  

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Policy Work: 2026

The Notes from the November 13, 2025 Policy Development Forum, attended by sixty members, can be found here. These notes form the basis of our new policies, provincial and national, for 2026. The language is formal, actionable, and aligned with senior government engagement. Information is separated into:

• Healthcare
• Crime & Homelessness
• Housing
• Small Housing BC Initiative
• Tariffs/Trade
• Tourism
• Energy
• Transportation
• Banking/Finance
• Labour/Immigration

Notes include Background; Goals; Expected Impact; Policy Recommendations; and Expected Outcomes.

 

OBAC

Okanagan Business Advocacy Council

In late 2025, the three-year-old two-Chamber collaboration - COBAT, Central Okanagan Business Advocacy Team - became a much stronger regional group, becoming OBAC, the Okanagan Business Advocacy Council. 

Signing a new MOU, member organizations now include:

• Penticton & Wine Country Chamber of Commerce
• Greater Westside Board of Trade
• Kelowna Chamber of Commerce
• Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce

The policy advisory committees of all four business organizations, and especially their CEOs/Executive Directors, have come together to advocate common issues with governments up and down the valley, in Victoria, and in Ottawa. 

Research and policy writing will be a joint responsibility of group members, with coordination provided by Kelowna Chambers Policy & Government Relations Advisor. 

The group will meet bi-monthly, and in 2026, plan to table a new policy with the BC Chamber for consideration at its June AGM.

COBAT submitted one policy on Transportation to the BC Chamber in June 2025 which was adopted and now forms part of provincial policy for the next three years. 

 

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Our Policy Work

The Policy Advisory Committee at the Kelowna Chamber oversees all Chamber policy developments and advocacy initiatives, ensuring alignment with the Chamber's mission of working to achieve business strength in the Okanagan. The Committee serves at the direction of the Board of Directors and is supported by the management team.

What we do:

Policy Development Forum for members

• Input from members on topics of importance to their business/organization

• Draft policy resolutions which address member concerns for adoption by other chambers and discussion with government representatives. A full list of adopted policies linked to action recommendations for the past three years is included on this website.

• Collaborate with other chambers to support their policy initiatives. 

Issue Roundtables

Convened periodically to hear experts, get member input on topics of importance to business and organizations in the Okanagan and inform policy development.

Letters to elected officials & meetings with elected officials and government staff

Every year, the Chamber sends numerous letters outlining our, and members' concerns across a broad range of issues. These letters generate responses, ranging from return messages, to setting up member events where the officials outline their position, to studies, and opportunities to work with government staff to review proposed changes. View on the Chamber Blog. 

We hold a seat on National Agriculture and Agri-Food Committee of the Canadian Chamber

This membership gives us a chance to input western Canada issues around food, food security, agricultural tariffs, export issues, and multiple federal regulations. Speakers from the CFIA, Trade & Tariff specialists, and trade ministers are a mainstay of committee agendas. 

Work with partners to initiate change

The Kelowna Chamber is willing to speak out on behalf of its members on issues of local, provincial and national importance. One example is our ongoing policy opposing the B.C. Spec Tax.

Economic Scorecard Project

The Economic Scorecard project was a venture between the Kelowna Chamber, the City of Kelowna, the Okanagan School of Business, and UBC Okanagan Faculty of Management. The Scorecard provides an evidence-based view of Kelowna's performance in comparison to 16 other North American and international cities. Data was drawn from 78 sources to generate scores and grades on 24 indicators: 12 social indicators and 12 economic indicators. To read the complete Scorecard, click here.

State of the Southern Interior Region

Policy Overview - Adopted Kelowna Chamber Policies

PROVINCIAL

2025

• Why is it so hard to move people and goods through and within British Columbia?

2024 

• A Balanced Approach to Implementing New Short-Term Rentals Legislation 
• Broadening Emergency Response to Include Emergency Economic Recovery 
• Natural Assets - Status Report on Giving a Dollar Value to Forests, Green Spaces and Wetlands to Grow Canadian Business
• Pressing the Re-Set Button on BC's Speculation Tax
• The Grapes of Wrath - Interprovincial Trade Barrier Reform Still an Issue
• Time for Government to Flex Its Mussels to Protect Our Fresh Waterways

2023

• Addressing The Costs Businesses Face Due To Crime & Consequences Of Illicit Drug Decriminalization
• Grow Labour Market Size Through Increased Employment Of Seniors
• Transport Canada Civil Aviation: Addressing The Need To Speed Up STCs & TSOs
• Providing Certainty for Business Through the Timely Administration of Justice
• Leveling the Playing Field for Liquor Distribution in B.C.
• Increasing Accountability & Transparency with the Spec Tax
• Enforcing Residential Rental Tenure Zoning 
• ​Enabling B.C.'s Cannabis Economy

2022

• Accelerating Transportation Infrastructure
• Share a Handshake: Move People & Cargo Across Borders
• Improving Primary Care with Physician Extenders
• When we Build It: Aviation Innovation Cluster

2021

• Giving a value to Natural Assets
• Digital Media Policy
• Interprovincial Trade

2020

• Increase Focus on BC Government-Funded Training Programs for Fruit Growers to Increase Productivity, Get People Back to Work
• Implementation of BC’s Energy STEP Code – A More Collaborative and Incentive-Based Approach
• Natural Assets: Giving a Dollar Value to Forests, Green Spaces and Wetlands on Government Finance Reports
• Agricultural Land Commission Regulation Reform: Creating Principles-Based Farmland Use Policy
• BC Digital Media Industry: A Continuing Growth Engine for BC & Canada
• Interprovincial Trade Barrier Reform: Beer, Wine & Distillery Industries Still an Unresolved Issue
• Pressing the Pause Button on BC’s Speculation Tax
• Property Transfer Tax Reform – Addressing BC’s Housing Affordability Challenge
• Urban Mayors Caucus Blueprint for BC’s Urban Future: A Business Perspective 

2019

• Support a Prosperous, Sustainable and Innovative Tree Fruit Sector in BC
• Crush & Credit: Put Control of Recyclables Management into the hands of the Private Sector
• Stop & Rewind: End the Speculation Tax Now
• Getting More Rental Housing onto the Market – Now
• Accelerating Transportation Infrastructure to Serve One of the Fastest Growing Regional Economies in Canada
• When we Build it, they will Come: Why an Aerospace Innovation Cluster Creates New Business for BC & Canada
• Share a Handshake: Move People & Cargo Across Borders and Reduce Redundant Paperwork
• Improving Primary Care & Saving Healthcare Dollars with Physician Extenders-Physician Assistants

2018 

• Growth Engine BC Digital Media Industry
• Inter-provincial Trade Barrier Reform 
• Agricultural Land Commission Regulation Reform
• Engaging Business & Community on Electoral Reform
• Anti-Canadian Tariff: Pressing the Pause Button on BC's Speculation Tax
• Property Transfer Tax Reform - Addressing BC Housing Affordability Challenge

2017 

• Moving Forward with the Strong Business Case for a South Okanagan Similkameen National Park
• Competitive Tax Environment for Credit Unions
• Safe Communities and Strong Economies - Mental Health and Addictions in B.C.

 

NATIONAL

The Kelowna Chamber is a member of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, whose membersship includes chambers and boards of trade from all the provinces and territories, and is based in Ottawa. Our Policy Advisory Committee creates two policies of national importance annually and presents them to the body of delegates in a fall policy conference, to be adopted only by a super-majority. Adopted policies are then taken to government by the Canadian Chamber representatives by sector interest.  

2025 Adopted

• Address Food Sovereignty in Canada through Support of Young Farmers
• Growing Canada's Aerospace Sector Through Strategic Investment, Regional Expansion, and Defence Procurement

2024 

• Interprovincial Trade Barriers Need to Fall More Quickly to Realize $200 Billion in GDP Growth for Canada this Decade

2023

• Grow Labour Market Size through Increased Employment of Seniors
• Transport Canada Civil Aviation: Addressing the Need to Speed up STCs & TSOs

2022

• Natural Assets: Giving A Dollar Value To Forests, Green Spaces And  Wetlands On Government Finance Reports And Creating A New Normal
• Fostering Aerospace Innovation Clusters To Create New Business For Canada
• Share A Handshake: A Renewed Vision For The Future Of Canada-us Border Cooperation
• Accelerating Transportation Infrastructure To Serve One Of The Fastest Growing Regional Economies In Canada

2019

• Fostering Aerospace Innovation Clusters in Canada 
• Support of Federal Excise Tax Review for Alcohol & Eliminate the Automatic Escalator
• Share a Handshake: Beyond Preclearance
• Accelerating Transportation Infrastructure
• Getting More Rental Housing on the Market Now

2018

• Growth Engine - Digital Media 
• Interprovincial Trade Barriers an Impediment to Business

2017 

• Protecting Western Canada’s Fresh Waters from Zebra and Quagga Mussels
• Canadian Chamber of Commerce Policy Resolution Manual - 2018 (2018 Resolution Manual)

 

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Southern Interior Regional Economic Summit

 

Elevating our Potential Together

 

The Kelowna Chamber hosted delegates from across broad economic sectors in the southern interior of B.C. in October 2022. For a full report, scroll to the bottom of this page.

 

The Summit kicked off with addresses from Andrew Ramlo, Vice President, Advisory, rennie group; Susan Mowbray, Chief Economist, MNP; and Stephen Tapp, Chief Economist, Canadian Chamber of Commerce. These three recognized thought leaders delivered strategic management, economic demand forecasts, and recent work from the newly established Business Data Lab of Canada. 

 

A central focus of the Summit was Indigenous reconciliation, and Kelly Lendsay, President & CEO, Indigenous Works, spoke to Indigenous inclusion and advantage. He spoke to the passion within the Indigenous business community for innovation and economic inclusion.

 

A key focus of the Summit was post-pandemic economic recovery. The Panel, Recovery through Tourism & Hospitality was moderated by Ellen Walker-Matthew, CEO, Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association. Her passion for responsible, sustainable tourism and her leadership in this role set the tone for the panelists, who included: Paula Amos, Chief Marketing & Development Officer, Indigenous Tourism BC; Kelsey Millman, Communications Manager, BC Hotel Association; and Richard Porges, President & CEO, Destination BC. Their key message was 'build back better.'

 

The Labour Force Recovery panel followed, facilitated by Nicole Kleemaier-Raaijen, Red Moose Immigration, who led panelists through the minefield that post-pandemic labour markets demonstrate. Leigha Horsfield, Executive Director of Community Futures North Okanagan; Julien Picault, Professor Teaching, Economics, UBC Okanagan; and Tanja Halsell, Potentia Human Resources brought insightful strategies for navigating the challenges of labour markets in a market that is growing exponentially.

 

As the Summit entered Day 2, the panel "Recovery through Collaboration" led by Krista Mallory, Manager, Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission kicked off lively discussions around how to work with partners. While Joel McKay, CEO, Northern Development was unable to travel to Kelowna due to last minute issues, the panel was ably filled by Laurel Douglas, CEO, ETSI-BC (a major seed funder of the Summit), and Dale Wheeldon, President & CEO, BC Economic Development Association. The connections among economic development providers at the Summit were writ large in this leadership panel which gave ample proof of theory becoming reality as it fuels growth in the southern interior.

 

The centrepiece of Day 2 was the blockbuster panel "Economic Recovery through Reconciliation", giving life to the Truth & Reconciliation Commission's call to action Number 92, “to adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a reconciliation framework and to apply its principles, norms, and standards to corporate policy and core operational activities involving Indigenous peoples and their lands and resources.” Ably moderated by Greg Hopf, Moccasin Trails, the panel comprised Jordan Coble, Councillor, Westbank First Nation; Devin Gambier, Business & Economic Development, Tk'emlups te Secwepemc, Danalee Baker, Assistant Manager, Economic Development, Tk'emlups te Secwepemc, Hugh Moore, CEO, Ka-kin Resource Corporation, and Mike J. Campol, COO, Osoyoos Indian Band. 

 

Their far-ranging interaction, and experiential story telling was an enriching experience for all the delegates, who were given a deeper understanding of innovative, sustainable Indigenous economic development and environmental stewardship.

 

"What We Heard" is a record of the proceedings of the two-day Summit and can be accessed here.