The City of Kelowna, BC has received national recognition from the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA) for its Leadership Development Mentorship Program. The municipality was presented with the 2025 CAMA Municipal Inspiring Workplace Award, in the Over 100,000 Population Category, during an awards ceremony held at CAMA’s national conference in Mont Tremblant, QC.
“CAMA is pleased to recognize Kelowna for the municipal excellence demonstrated by their mentorship program,” said Tony Kulbisky, CAMA President, CAMA Representative for Alberta and CAO for Westlock County, AB. “The program is a fundamental component of broader career development and succession planning strategy at the municipality. It has raised employee engagement and fostered professional growth.”
Kelowna’s mentorship program supports staff who have identified obtaining a management role is a future career goal. The program provides the opportunity to be mentored by an experienced City leader.
It fosters leadership growth across the organization, through cross functional relationship building. It aligns with the City’s corporate values of a one-team approach and leading responsibly. It recognizes that leadership and accountability happen at all levels.
Initiated as an Employee Engagement Corporate Goal the program started in January 2018. From 2018 to 2024, 65 pairs completed the program. In 2025, a record 30 pairs are actively mentoring. The program runs annually. Staff apply and are shortlisted against specific eligibility criteria to be approved for the program.
Once identified, applicant mentors and mentees are matched based on criteria they have provided. Care is taken to match staff across the organization. This includes matching mentor skills and experience against the learning needs of the mentees.
A “pairs orientation” starts the program each January. Pairs work together over an eight-month period, meeting monthly. Upon completion of the program, an evaluation is sent out to understand the experience, goal achievement, quality of the mentoring and overall satisfaction with the program.
Mentors are supported by the Human Resources department with a mentor orientation and coaching support as needed throughout the mentoring experience.
“The City of Kelowna leadership development mentoring program provides the opportunity for staff and leaders to engage in mentorship with another city leader or subject matter expert outside of an employee’s home department and in many cases, outside of their divisional unit,” said Kelowna City Manager Doug Gilchrist. “The city has nine unique business areas, and this program allows for robust relationship and knowledge building across City departments that support our corporate value of One Team.”
“CAMA’s Awards of Excellence Program celebrates the best in local government and recognizes the professional municipal administration needed to deliver creative and successful programs, projects or services,” said Bev Hendry, Chair of the 2025 CAMA Awards Committee and CAMA Past President. “Each year we are amazed at the calibre of submissions received. Congratulations to the winners and everyone who submitted an entry.”
A total of 54 submissions were received for this year’s awards program. To find out more about each award, and to see a video outlining each project, visit www.camacam.ca/awards and look for the award recipients’ link.
