In 30 seconds
- Kelowna's council, with five new members, met for the first time on November 9 and raised waiving development cost charges for non-profit housing.
- Council deliberates the preliminary 2027 budget on Thursday, December 3, starting at 9 a.m.
- The city's capital plan puts 2027 at about $550 million of capital spending, the peak year of a $2.9 billion plan.
| Figure | Value |
|---|---|
| new members on Kelowna council | 5 |
| current two-year cut to development cost charges | 25% |
| planned capital spending in 2027 | $550M |
| in the city's capital plan | $2.9B |
What was raised
Near the end of the first meeting on November 9, new councillors put forward changes they want staff to look at: more openness with the public, an internal review of how the city operates, and waiving development cost charges for non-market housing built by non-profits that do not get provincial subsidies, as reported by Kelowna Capital News.
Development cost charges pay for the roads, pipes and parks that new homes need. Kelowna already cut them by 25 per cent for two years, offers grants that offset them for non-market rental homes, and gives tax exemptions to non-market rentals. The open question in the discussion was fairness: a waiver for one kind of home means someone else pays for that infrastructure.
Nothing was decided. A waiver would need a staff report and a council vote.
The dates to know
Council deliberates the preliminary 2027 budget on Thursday, December 3, beginning at 9 a.m., according to the city's meetings page. Last year the draft budget went online about a week before deliberations, so residents can expect to see the 2027 draft in late November.
Why it matters for the trades
Two things at city hall reach trade businesses directly. The capital plan, adopted in October, sets which roads, pipes and buildings get built, and it peaks in 2027 at about $550 million; the December 3 budget funds that first year. Fees and charges decide whether the next housing project goes ahead, and the waiver idea is the first sign this council may revisit them.
The building record shows what the city has been permitting this year.
| New homes | Declared value | |
|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | 25 | $19,648,834 |
| February 2026 | 187 | $46,929,972 |
| March 2026 | 198 | $92,979,630 |
| April 2026 | 24 | $15,009,973 |
| May 2026 | 37 | $50,752,528 |
| June 2026 | 135 | $69,356,500 |
| July 2026 | 29 | $42,874,216 |
| August 2026 | 38 | $52,823,215 |
| September 2026 | 20 | $19,338,997 |
City of Kelowna building and occupancy permit open data, January to September 23, 2026 (the latest record published). Analysis: Okanagan Trade Directory.
How we did this
The first meeting is reported by Kelowna Capital News. The budget date is from the City of Kelowna's council meetings page. The capital plan figures are from Kelowna Capital News, October 6, 2026. The 25 per cent cut is from Castanet.
Permit figures are from the City of Kelowna's published permit data, read November 14, 2026, newest permit September 23, 2026.