For a community with a population of nearly 145,000 people, Kelowna is one of the fastest growing cities in the country. And with a booming population, comes a need for more housing.
In a report being presented to council on Monday, city staff draw comparisons between Surrey and Kelowna. Although Surrey is nearly five times bigger than Kelowna, the two cities’ permit values are strikingly similar.
Kelowna exceeded $1 billion in gross building permit values for the first time last year and 2,841 building permits were issued, compared to the 2,201 issued in 2020.
Surrey, with a population of over 568,000 people, saw a building permit value of $1.9 billion.
Nearly 3,200 homes were constructed last year including 1,716 apartment units, 504 single detached homes and 320 secondary suites.
Staff from the City of Kelowna’s planning and development services expect that “planning application and building application volumes will remain near record levels through 2022.”
Additionally, city staff anticipate a continued interest in constructing rental housing alongside a strong development interest in Kelowna’s core areas and urban centres.
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