Image: Okanagan Edge
Okanagan Edge This Week is our look back at the past week in business in the Okanagan Valley, and beyond.
Local business news
93% against spec tax
Image: Wayne Moore
West Kelowna council agreed to petition Minister of Finance Carol James (in person, if possible) to leave the city out of her government’s planned tax on out-of-province homeowners.
Housing market to moderate?
Home prices in Kelowna will continue to rise over the next couple of years, but not as fast as they did in 2016 and 2017.
Taylor Pardy, a senior marketing analyst with the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation predicted prices for single-detached homes, which have spiked the hardest over the past few years, will move “back towards balance” in 2018 and 2019, but that the cost of townhomes and apartments will continue to see “strong’ growth.”
Image: Contributed
One word nixes RV bylaw
A B.C. Supreme Court ruling this week says a City of Kelowna bylaw restricting tourist RV accommodations on agricultural land is invalid.
In his decision, Justice Dev Dley ruled the word “housekeeping” in the notice did not properly state the magnitude of the changes being proposed.
Development a ‘nuisance’
A major housing development planned for the hillside directly south of the Glenmore landfill could be a nuisance.
That’s the conclusion of city planning staff in recommending Kelowna council not consider an area structure plan for the development known as Diamond Mountain.
The applicant, Troika Developments, is proposing a full build-out of about 1,000 residential units on the 88.8-hectare site.
Image: Facebook
Local businesses feeling good
The Penticton business community is feeling optimistic about the future and believes negative conversations have grown to dominate too much of the local public discourse recently.
Penticton’s director of development services, Anthony Haddad, said this is the first time the city has gone out to take the pulse of the business community at this scale, “which is exciting to see, and certainly a conversation that’s not going to be stopping.”
Issues
Council taking heat over tax
Image: Trevor Nichols
Comments Kelowna’s mayor made last week opposing the provincial government’s proposed new speculation tax has drawn the ire of some of his constituents.
Sparg talks priorities and pot
The new president of the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce says more advocacy and a better connection to members will be among her top priorities in her new position.
BC business news
BC airline shut down
Image: Contributed
Transport Canada says it has suspended B.C.-based Orca Airways Ltd.’s air operator certificate, a move that prohibits the company from providing commercial air services.
Passing on beautiful game
Reaction has been mixed to the decision to pull out of a joint World Cup bid for 2026.
Feature profile
Family takes business mobile
Image: Facebook
A West Kelowna family are going commercial this summer, with the Okanagan’s first-of-its-kind mobile food truck.
People in business
Faces of #OKGNTech
Image: Accelerate Okanagan
Top 40: Michael Buffett
Image: Kicksterter
Featured column
Who’s in and who’s out?
Image: Contributed
Continuing our series in honour of International Women’s Day, Okanagan Edge presents the latest in a series of blogs examining the place of British Columbian women in the workplace.
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