Kelowna announces billion dollar infrastructure budget

KELOWNA, B.C. – It’s the largest investment the City of Kelowna has ever made. They’re expected to spend $1-billion on infrastructure investment over the next 15 years.

“We are getting all the infrastructure cards on the table so that we can, and council can make an informed decision on infrastructure,” said Joel Shaw, Infrastructure Planning Department Manager for the City of Kelowna.

This new plan would include $6-million for a new fire hall in Glenmore, $13-million for an expansion of City Hall and $50-million to replace the Parkinson Recreation Centre.

This new budget will also be broken down into three different categories. Thirty-seven per cent of the overall budget will be used to renew or replace existing infrastructure. Fourty-four per cent will be used to accommodate growth in the city, and 19 per cent will be used to build new infrastructure.

The City is hoping their new interactive online tool will help. They’re encouraging residents to go online and have their say as to where the money should be spent. You can access the online tool here: Kelowna.ca/2030Kelowna.