Kelowna's Tallest Mass Timber Tower: 221 Affordable Rentals Coming to Downtown
Downtown Kelowna is about to gain one of Canada's most ambitious mass timber residential buildings — and it's designed to tackle the region's growing housing affordability crisis head-on.
The Housing Okanagan Foundation, in partnership with the City of Kelowna and the province's BC Builds program, has filed development permit and variance applications for an 18-story mass timber apartment building at 1428/1429 St. Paul Street. When completed, the tower will deliver 221 purpose-built rental homes, with a minimum of 30% of units priced at least 20% below current market rental rates.
A New Benchmark for Mass Timber Construction in B.C.
The building's design features a three-story podium that includes ground-level commercial space and two levels of underground parking — topped by 15 residential floors and a rooftop terrace with panoramic views of the Okanagan Valley.
The project is notable for its commitment to mass timber construction, a sustainable building method that uses engineered wood products to significantly reduce carbon emissions compared to traditional concrete and steel structures. Off-site prefabrication will be a central part of the construction strategy, which is expected to accelerate timelines and reduce disruption to the busy downtown core.
Traditional vs. Mass Timber Construction
| Factor | Concrete and Steel | Mass Timber |
|--------|-----------------|-------------|
| Carbon Footprint | High embodied carbon | Up to 75% lower |
| Construction Speed | Standard | 25% faster (prefab) |
| On-Site Disruption | Significant | Reduced |
| Weight | Heavy | Lighter foundations possible |
| Renewable Material | No | Yes |
Unit Mix and Community Impact
The 221 units will include a range of layouts — from studios and one-bedroom apartments to larger two- and three-bedroom family-sized homes — making the project one of the most diverse rental offerings currently planned for the Central Okanagan.
With Kelowna's rental vacancy rate remaining historically low and average rents continuing to climb, the project addresses a critical need for middle-income earners who earn too much for social housing but struggle to compete in the open market. The BC Builds program specifically targets this missing middle segment with subsidized financing and provincial support.
What It Means for Okanagan Construction Trades
For the Okanagan's construction industry, this project represents a significant milestone. Mass timber expertise is an increasingly valuable skill set, and projects of this scale create demand for specialized trades:
- Structural Timber Framers — Skilled in CLT and glulam beam installation
- Crane Operators — High-rise timber panel placement
- Finishing Carpenters — Interior fit-outs within timber structures
- Mechanical System Installers — HVAC and plumbing integration in timber frames
- Concrete Subtrades — Podium and foundation work
Local contractors and subtrades should take note: projects like this are reshaping the types of skills that B.C.'s construction workforce needs. The development permit application is currently under review by the City of Kelowna.
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