Kelowna Construction

[giallo]

From the Bertram Park area




From Trader's Cove

[kanuck94]

Wow, the angle from Trader's Cove makes everything look so much more condensed! Like an actual skyline and not just a bunch of tall buildings.

[giallo]

I managed to take some video while I was in Kelowna, but it was so windy that I didn't keep the drone up for very long. Still, I did get some UBCO footage.

• Video Link

[drto]

Nicely done! Thanks for posting that.

[giallo]

^ Thanks.

Some more skyline photos from Trader's Cover

[valid and not in use]

Originally Posted by giallo

From the Bertram Park area




From Trader's Cove

OMG THAT SECOND SHOT'S SO BEAUTIFUL
I've been dreaming of Kelowna of looking like that for so damn long and it's finally coming together

[Crows86]

I was born in Vancouver, moved to kelowna as a 5 year old and lived there until 2001 as a teenager.. man... that city has grown up. IT's growing to what i always wanted. Beautiful photos

[valid and not in use]

UBCO TOWER UPDATE: https://www.flickr.com/photos/203992527@N08/55348112720/in/dateposted-public/

Headed there earlier today, looks like they're starting work on floor 6 now by the looks of it

[2009]

An anonymous poster on Develop Kelowna has said that Bertram BC Housing project has been cancelled:

https://developkelowna.ca/projects/bertram-bc-housing

Anyone got any insight into if this is true?

[Homerbush]

Looks like they are on about the 6th level above ground now.

[Crows86]

Originally Posted by Homerbush

Looks like they are on about the 6th level above ground now.

IS this building 500 feet when completed?

[giallo]

^ It'll be 150m, I believe, so it'll be just a hair under 500ft.

Great update, Homerbush!

[valid and not in use]

https://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/news/...m,%2C%202026%2C%20BC%20Statistics%20says
Damn I thought it was just the metro area... that hurts to see, ouch

[Bcasey25raptor]

Originally Posted by valid and not in use

https://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/news/...m,%2C%202026%2C%20BC%20Statistics%20says
Damn I thought it was just the metro area... that hurts to see, ouch

I mean so much of the population growth came from students at UBCO so to see some shrinking makes sense.

still said to see tho

[Repthe250]

I mean, maybe I’m beating a rotted corpse of a horse here, but maybe if the provincial
government did some much needed infrastructure upgrades, more industry would plant roots here. Highway 97 being the only thoroughfare, doesn’t really invite much economic growth. Kelowna will never see its full potential unless we build a new bridge and FULL FREEWAY bypass from the Westside to the Airport area, and upgrade highway 97 thru WK to full freeway status. But that’ll never happen because our city planners keep building right up to the damn highway shoulder leaving no room for on/off ramps.

Why should industries invest in Kelowna, if the government won’t even? More industry = more truck traffic. The city can’t handle any more. People need jobs. Kelowna doesn’t have any.

[RHINO]

Well said, and you are absolutely correct.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Repthe250

I mean, maybe I’m beating a rotted corpse of a horse here, but maybe if the provincial
government did some much needed infrastructure upgrades, more industry would plant roots here. Highway 97 being the only thoroughfare, doesn’t really invite much economic growth. Kelowna will never see its full potential unless we build a new bridge and FULL FREEWAY bypass from the Westside to the Airport area, and upgrade highway 97 thru WK to full freeway status. But that’ll never happen because our city planners keep building right up to the damn highway shoulder leaving no room for on/off ramps.

Why should industries invest in Kelowna, if the government won’t even? More industry = more truck traffic. The city can’t handle any more. People need jobs. Kelowna doesn’t have any.

The population estimates were published in May by BC Stats. Kelowa was the same as almost all the municipalities in BC - thought to be (temporarily) losing population. Over 150 locations in the province had lower population projections, and only 15 had an increase (and two of those were Tahsis and Uclulet, who each added one person). The reduced immigration, and gradual reduction in overseas students and temporary workers is the explanation, just as it is across the whole of the country.

The 2027 projections from the same data set show an increase in many municipalities next year, including for Kelowna.

[Repthe250]

So let me ask you this, ChangingCity, (by the way, very ironic name) do you think Kelowna is on the right track for economic prosperity the way things are now? You’re willing to debate my point above that our lack of infrastructure isn’t hindering opportunity? For a city that doesn’t even have a CN or CP terminal, we should at least have a full functioning freeway that doesn’t funnel ALL traffic including trucks, onto city streets, or relies on one absolute nightmare of a bridge, to import or export goods.

I’m curious to know when the last big employer opened up in Kelowna? I know BC Tree Fruits just shut down production costing hundreds of people their jobs and I bet the majority of them left town because there. Are. No. Jobs. Here. There isn’t even an Amazon fulfillment centre. Why? Because Kelowna is a logistical nightmare. Change needs to happen, otherwise nothing is going to change, ChangingCity.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Repthe250

So let me ask you this, ChangingCity, (by the way, very ironic name) do you think Kelowna is on the right track for economic prosperity the way things are now? You’re willing to debate my point above that our lack of infrastructure isn’t hindering opportunity? For a city that doesn’t even have a CN or CP terminal, we should at least have a full functioning freeway that doesn’t funnel ALL traffic including trucks, onto city streets, or relies on one absolute nightmare of a bridge, to import or export goods.

I’m curious to know when the last big employer opened up in Kelowna? I know BC Tree Fruits just shut down production costing hundreds of people their jobs and I bet the majority of them left town because there. Are. No. Jobs. Here. There isn’t even an Amazon fulfillment centre. Why? Because Kelowna is a logistical nightmare. Change needs to happen, otherwise nothing is going to change, ChangingCity.

My knowledge of Kelowna's economy or population is based purely on published data - and what I can read.

As I noted - the population across almost the entire province has been falling because of new immigration rules, and the large number of temporary workers and students that is currently being reduced. Widening roads, or adding a bridge wouldn't make any difference.

Amazon doesn't have a fulfillment centre on Vancouver Island either - and Victoria is a much bigger market. Neither location warrants that sort of investment - the company operate very few of those mega-sized facilities (which increasingly don't offer many jobs either, as they automate the warehouse processing).

In terms of the economy - it doesn't seem to be doing as badly as you seem to believe. Here's May 2025 to May 2026 employment change for BC CMAs. Kelowna was the only CMA to see more people working.

Abbotsford-Mission - 1,700
Chilliwack -2,600
Kamloops -16,500
Kelowna +9,800
Nanaimo -1,100
Vancouver -29,600
Victoria -15,400

And in terms of unemployment in BC CMAs, Kelowna is the only CMA to show an improvement this year.

Abbotsford-Mission +1.7%
Chilliwack +0.9%
Kamloops +2.9%
Kelowna -0.3%
Nanaimo +1.4%
Vancouver +1.1%
Victoria +0.7%