Okanagan business leaders are calling for urgent action to address rising crime and its impact on downtown areas, with a specific push for tax relief for businesses hit hardest by theft and vandalism.
The Okanagan Business Advocacy Council (OBAC), representing nearly 2,000 businesses through local Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade, held its first meeting of 2026 on January 20. The group discussed a range of pressing issues, including crime, emergency response, infrastructure gaps, and fire evacuation routes.
“Right now, crime is what we are hearing about, every single day,” said Bryan Fitzpatrick, President of the Greater Westside Board of Trade.
The Council emphasized the need to “save our downtowns,” warning public safety concerns are driving customers away and putting businesses at risk of closure.
Michael Magnusson of the Penticton & Wine Country Chamber urged governments to act.
“Once a downtown business loses customers due to public safety concerns, we risk seeing them close, relocate, or charge more. We need to fix this now, for our residents and our tourists,” he said.
One of OBAC’s key proposals is tax relief for businesses struggling with the financial burden of crime.
“There has to be a way to shore up our businesses while they fight this scourge,” said Sonja Harkness, Executive Director of the Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce.
The council is also preparing formal case studies for the 2026 policy cycle, focusing on energy infrastructure, emergency evacuation routes, and crime-related tax relief.
OBAC plans to bring these issues to local mayors, MLAs, and provincial and national chambers of commerce.
“We’ve successfully advocated on issues like invasive mussels in the past,” Derek Gratz, the Kelowna Chamber president, said. “There’s no reason why broader advocacy on these issues won’t work, too.”
OBAC says it is just getting started and plans to ramp up its efforts in the coming months.
