In recent years Kelowna has grown far from where we started. What was once a budding retirement haven has quickly become a blooming city. We’ve seen new parks and amenities, shopping and recreation options, housing and condo development growth, and everything in between – there are no signs of slowing down! The question about if Kelowna will grow has been answered. Now, the question becomes where that growth might continue. 

How do we make room for the next generation calling the Okanagan home? The conversation about where that growth should happen, what it should look like, and what will come out of it, is an ever-evolving discussion amongst locals, developers, business owners, and policy makers alike. While there’s been significant efforts to make the most of the neighbourhoods we already know and love, it’s worth asking if and where we’ll continue to expand the city of Kelowna. Are there opportunities for new neighbourhoods and communities to develop?

If we consider growth from this perspective – less about filling in the gaps and more about imagining what’s next – there’s already a great conversation happening that hopes to answer these questions. The most interesting example? North Glenmore.

In 2025, the City of Kelowna unanimously voted to initiate the aptly named North Glenmore Sector Study to explore the potential for a new community as the City looks to the horizon for what Kelowna might look like in 2040 and beyond. The study was completed and reviewed in June earlier this year, sharing unique insights after taking a close look at nearly 4,000 acres in the North Glenmore area. While it’s important to make clear that the study should not be considered a plan, it evaluated the area to provide insights where a possible community of up to 13,000 homes for nearly 30,000 residents may develop, along with commercial services, parks and schools, civic amenities and transportation connections.

To continue exploring the possibilities shared in the North Glenmore Sector Study, the City Council has asked staff to move forward with proposing a direction for future planning of the area. Keeping affordable housing, transportation, agriculture and environment, and economic development in mind as they navigate these possibilities, the Council is actively trying to answer the question we all have in mind – where will we grow next? It’s not without its challenges, and it’s far too early to know whether this will come to fruition, but the ongoing effort to explore future communities in Kelowna is certainly exciting!