Watch meetings live or via the webcast archive
Council meetings are livestreamed at westkelownacity.ca/webcasts and archived within one business day
To view the Feb. 11 webcast archive, please visit pub-westkelowna.escribemeetings.com.
King Charles III Coronation Medals presented for community service
West Kelowna Mayor and Council and Central Okanagan – Similkameen – Nicola MP Dan Albas proudly presented King Charles III Coronation medals to eight citizens for contributions to Canada and our community. MP Albas, West Kelowna – Peachland MLA Macklin McCall, who sent regrets at being unable to attend due to commitments in Victoria, Mayor and Council, staff and a full audience of family and friends in attendance, extended heartfelt congratulations to honourees for their dedication, hard work and positive impacts in our community:
· Tina Bisson
· Melissa Anne Grassmick
· Al Hildebrandt
· Joe Houben
· Adrian Marr
· Dr. Hua Meng
· Ricki Morin
· Carl Zanon
A full list of biographies is provided below. Congratulations also to other award recipients who are receiving honours in other ceremonies. Watch the presentation via the webcast archive.
Appointment of Corporate Officer
Council appointed Legislative and Legal Services Director Mark Panneton as the City of West Kelowna’s new Corporate Officer, effective Feb. 18. For more information, please read staff’s report to Council.
Green Bay dredging project approved
Council adopted the Green Bay Dredging Project – Phase 2 Establishment Bylaw after property owners supported creating a Local Area Service to fund and complete improvements to the channel for safe boat access. Phase 1 evaluated environmental, financial and construction considerations. Phase 2 will involve the engineering, environmental and dredging components.
Council Housing Infrastructure Fund
Council directed staff to apply to the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF) seeking 40 percent federal contributions for the Westbank Centre PRV Improvement Project, which would improve flows for firefighting and drinking water in the urban centre. The project aligns with CHIF criteria by supporting water infrastructure improvements that would allow for denser development of more affordable, missing middle housing in an area already well served by municipal infrastructure.
Active Transportation Fund
Council directed staff to apply to the federal Active Transportation Fund (ATF) requesting 60 per cent federal funding contributions for Elliott Road improvements between Smith Creek and Reece Roads. The project is currently in the design stage and is listed in the 10-Year-Capital Plan for construction as early as 2026. The Elliott Road project meets objectives of the ATF program by providing cycling lanes and sidewalks, creating pedestrian connections between transit stops and improving safety.
Cemetery fee increases to be considered for final adoption
Council gave first, second and third readings to a new West Kelowna Cemetery Bylaw which, if adopted, will raise fees to create a self-funded service, to be covered primarily through user rates rather than taxation, much like the way in which utilities are funded. Staff’s report to Council shows that current cemetery operations use 2.0 FTEs for operations and maintenance and administration, but fees cover 0.5 FTEs. Taxes subsidize 1.5 FTEs. Council supports increasing fees to provide greater user-funded service levels that would address requests for improved maintenance and would plan and design for future, sustainable improvements.
Rose Valley source water improvements update
Council received the Rose Valley source water improvements report following a presentation from staff, which can be viewed via the webcast archive. Improvements will help mitigate increasingly challenging conditions in Rose Valley Reservoir and be completed in phases, starting with the installation of a potassium permanganate system, in late spring or early summer 2025. Aeration improvements are scheduled to occur in Spring 2026. The provincial government is planning to replant around the reservoir in 2026 and, longer-term, the intake screen will need to be replaced. Staff is also planning to resume the flushing program in the Rose Valley Water Service Area in 2025 to help remove accumulated sediment from the distribution system to prevent water discoloration that occurs when unanticipated events such as watermain breaks cause high velocity flows in the pipes.
