Encouraging Responsible Development in West Kelowna
West Kelowna is a growing community, and thoughtful development can bring important benefits — more housing choices, new businesses, jobs and a stronger local economy.
But encouraging development does not have to mean the City writes developers a cheque or puts additional pressure on taxpayers. There are smarter ways to make West Kelowna an attractive place to build by reducing unnecessary delays, providing clear rules and connecting developers with provincial and federal programs.
Make the approval process more predictable
Use Density to Create Community Benefits
In the right places, such as the Westbank Town Centre, allowing a little more density can help us get more community benefits from development.
Here’s how it could work: A developer might normally be allowed to build four-storey apartments. If the City allows a six-storey apartment, the additional development could come with a requirement to provide something the community needs — such as sidewalks, public space, affordable or rental housing, or other infrastructure.
The principle is simple: More development should help provide more community benefits. This can help West Kelowna add needed amenities without putting the entire cost on taxpayers.
But there must be clear rules. Development needs to be responsible, protect the character of our community, and keep pace with roads, water, sewer and other infrastructure.
Bring outside money to West Kelowna
Be thoughtful with development charges
A practical approach
For a developer, time is money. Long and uncertain approval processes can add financing and carrying costs to a project.
West Kelowna needs to continue pre-reviewed building plans and development permit exemptions for high-priority projects such as affordable and accessible housing. The City continue looking for opportunities to make approvals faster and more predictable for projects that meet our planning and infrastructure requirements.
The City should continue to make better use of programs offered by senior governments.
By encouraging developers to access federal and provincial programs such as the CMHC’s Housing Accelerator Fund, providing developers loan insurance and lower down payments (LTV), and the BC Builds program, providing low-cost, low-interest and longer amortization, could help developers with low-cost financing and other support for eligible housing projects.
The more we can attract provincial and federal investment into West Kelowna, the less we need to rely on local taxpayers.
Development Cost Charges are an important tool because growth creates costs. Roads, water, sewer, drainage and parks all require investment, and DCCs help ensure that growth contributes toward that infrastructure. The goal should be fairness and balance: development should contribute its fair share, while the City's policies should not unnecessarily make good projects unviable.
The City should regularly review whether our fee structure unintentionally discourages the kinds of development we need — particularly smaller infill projects, rental housing and affordable rental housing.
Protecting what makes West Kelowna special
Encouraging development does not mean saying yes to every proposal.
We need to protect the character of West Kelowna while allowing our community to grow. Development should happen at a pace that our roads, water systems, sewer systems, parks, schools and other infrastructure can support. It also needs to be responsible development — development that follows our plans, respects surrounding neighbourhoods and provides appropriate community benefits.
Growth and community character don't have to be opposing goals. With good planning, clear expectations and responsible decision-making, we can achieve both.
As a council candidate, I believe West Kelowna should focus on making it easier to build the right projects, not simply more projects.
That means:
Faster, more predictable approvals for projects that meet City requirements.
Clear development rules so builders and residents know what to expect.
Density incentives where they make sense and provide tangible community benefits.
Better access to provincial and federal funding to reduce pressure on local taxpayers.
Fair and carefully structured DCCs that support infrastructure while not unnecessarily discouraging desirable development.
Infrastructure-first planning, so growth doesn't get ahead of the roads, water, sewer and other services needed to support it.
Responsible development that respects West Kelowna's character and the neighbourhoods where it occurs.
West Kelowna needs investment and new housing, but we should do it thoughtfully. Let's create an environment where responsible developers want to invest, while making sure residents see real benefits from that growth.
That is how we can build a stronger West Kelowna — together.
West Kelowna is a growing community, and thoughtful development can bring important benefits — more housing choices, new businesses, jobs and a stronger local economy.
But encouraging development does not have to mean the City writes developers a cheque or puts additional pressure on taxpayers. There are smarter ways to make West Kelowna an attractive place to build by reducing unnecessary delays, providing clear rules and connecting developers with provincial and federal programs.
Make the approval process more predictable
For a developer, time is money. Long and uncertain approval processes can add financing and carrying costs to a project.
West Kelowna needs to continue pre-reviewed building plans and development permit exemptions for high-priority projects such as affordable and accessible housing. The City continue looking for opportunities to make approvals faster and more predictable for projects that meet our planning and infrastructure requirements.
Use Density to Create Community Benefits
In the right places, such as the Westbank Town Centre, allowing a little more density can help us get more community benefits from development.
Here’s how it could work: A developer might normally be allowed to build four-storey apartments. If the City allows a six-storey apartment, the additional development could come with a requirement to provide something the community needs — such as sidewalks, public space, affordable or rental housing, or other infrastructure.
The principle is simple: More development should help provide more community benefits. This can help West Kelowna add needed amenities without putting the entire cost on taxpayers.
But there must be clear rules. Development needs to be responsible, protect the character of our community, and keep pace with roads, water, sewer and other infrastructure.
Bring outside money to West Kelowna
The City should continue to make better use of programs offered by senior governments.
By encouraging developers to access federal and provincial programs such as the CMHC’s Housing Accelerator Fund, providing developers loan insurance and lower down payments (LTV), and the BC Builds program, providing low-cost, low-interest and longer amortization, could help developers with low-cost financing and other support for eligible housing projects.
The more we can attract provincial and federal investment into West Kelowna, the less we need to rely on local taxpayers.
Be thoughtful with development charges
Development Cost Charges are an important tool because growth creates costs. Roads, water, sewer, drainage and parks all require investment, and DCCs help ensure that growth contributes toward that infrastructure. The goal should be fairness and balance: development should contribute its fair share, while the City's policies should not unnecessarily make good projects unviable.
The City should regularly review whether our fee structure unintentionally discourages the kinds of development we need — particularly smaller infill projects, rental housing and affordable rental housing.
Protecting what makes West Kelowna special
Encouraging development does not mean saying yes to every proposal.
We need to protect the character of West Kelowna while allowing our community to grow. Development should happen at a pace that our roads, water systems, sewer systems, parks, schools and other infrastructure can support. It also needs to be responsible development — development that follows our plans, respects surrounding neighbourhoods and provides appropriate community benefits.
Growth and community character don't have to be opposing goals. With good planning, clear expectations and responsible decision-making, we can achieve both.
A practical approach
As a council candidate, I believe West Kelowna should focus on making it easier to build the right projects, not simply more projects.
That means:
Faster, more predictable approvals for projects that meet City requirements.
Clear development rules so builders and residents know what to expect.
Density incentives where they make sense and provide tangible community benefits.
Better access to provincial and federal funding to reduce pressure on local taxpayers.
Fair and carefully structured DCCs that support infrastructure while not unnecessarily discouraging desirable development.
Infrastructure-first planning, so growth doesn't get ahead of the roads, water, sewer and other services needed to support it.
Responsible development that respects West Kelowna's character and the neighbourhoods where it occurs.
West Kelowna needs investment and new housing, but we should do it thoughtfully. Let's create an environment where responsible developers want to invest, while making sure residents see real benefits from that growth.
That is how we can build a stronger West Kelowna — together.
Strategy Comparison for West Kelowna
| Strategy | Developer Benefit | City Resource Required | Risk to Capital Reserve |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fast-Tracking Plans | Drastically lowers carrying costs | Staff time (optimized by pre-reviewed designs) | None |
| Density Bonusing | Higher revenue potential per plot | Zoning updates | None (Generates amenity funds) |
| BC Build Integration | Low-interest, long-term financing | Local project endorsement & advocacy | None (Provincially funded) |
| CMHC MLI Select | High leverage (up to 95% LTV) | Affordability verification paperwork | None (Federally insured) |
| DCC Installments | Improves upfront liquidity | Minor administrative tracking | Low (Delays infrastructure revenue) |
| Utility Rebates | Lowers mechanical/electrical capital costs | Educational handout integration | None (Utility funded) |
| Revitalization Tax Exemptions (RTE) 🆕 | Multi-year operational savings (exempt from municipal property tax increases on improvements) | Bylaw creation and administrative tracking | None (Foregoes a portion of future property tax growth, leaving current reserves intact) |
| Waiving DCCs for Supportive Housing 🆕 | Massive reduction in initial building capital requirements | Council adoption of a DCC Waiver Bylaw | None to Low (Legislate using federal grants like HAF to absorb the offset, or establish a dedicated grant pool) |
| Deferring Cash-in-Lieu Payments 🆕 | Shifts minor compliance costs (e.g., parkland fees) to the end of construction | Tracking legal agreements tied to titles | None (Fewer upfront administrative funds collected, but cash arrives later in the timeline) |
| Latecomer Agreements 🆕 | Guarantees recovery of excess infrastructure costs from future tying-in neighbors | Collection and handling fee administration | None (The city acts purely as a middleman collecting funds from Builder B and routing them to Builder A) |
| Front-Ending Infrastructure 🆕 | Speeds up the start of major projects via developer-led infrastructure delivery | Engineering reviews and construction standard approvals | None (The builder finances the public works expansion upfront under the local government framework) |