Regional Housing Strategy focus at Housing Symposium

With the recent release of the draft Regional Housing Strategy (RHS), housing industry stakeholders from the Central Okanagan and across the province took part in the 2022 Housing Symposium.

Participants shared knowledge, collaborated and learned about new opportunities for funding to address the challenges of housing supply across the region.

“There is a growing urgency to housing conversations across the country and the region – and to address the challenges we are collectively facing, collaboration is critical,” says James Moore, City of Kelowna Infill and Housing Policy Manager. “The Regional Housing Strategy, and forums like the Symposium, bring partners together to work proactively on the issues affecting us region-wide and improve community wellbeing.”

Expert speakers from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, BC Housing, academia and private housing agencies provided symposium participants with insights and lessons from successful housing projects.

Sponsored by the RDCO, City of Kelowna, Urban Matters and FortisBC, symposium participants also learned more about the recommendations in the draft Regional Housing Strategy.

Brittany Nichols, Development Services Manager with the Regional District, says “The Housing Strategy follows up on the 2019 Regional Housing Needs Assessment and has been developed over the past year with extensive public and stakeholder participation. Its overall goal is to provide tools and actions that can address both market and non-market housing issues throughout the Central Okanagan.”

Nichols adds, “The strategy aims to develop a coordinated approach to address challenges across the region like affordability, supply, and supportive housing through shared commitments, pooling of resources for maximum impact, building momentum for collective action and advocacy, and the advancement of partnerships. By taking this collaborative, regional approach, individual communities can work in unison to improve the range of housing opportunities to meet the social and economic needs of the region.”

Residents from all areas of the region are invited to read the draft Housing Strategy and share their thoughts about the recommendations by June 12 by visiting yoursay.rdco.com.

The RHS covers the two electoral areas, District of Peachland, City of West Kelowna, City of Kelowna, District of Lake Country, Westbank First Nation, and Okanagan Indian Band.