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Introduction

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The Thompson-Okanagan Development Region (TODR) has a total land area of 94,308 km2, and stretches from the US border in the south to just north of Blue River and Mica Creek, and from the Cascade mountains in the west to the Rocky Mountains and Monashee mountains in the east. In 2009, the region had 528,416 residents,[1] or 12% of BC’s total population. The TODR’s largest centres are Kelowna, Kamloops, Vernon, and Penticton .

The TODR’s economy has diversified from a historic dependence on resources—especially forestry and mining—to a mix of industries. The Development Region is known for agriculture/viticulture, tourism and trade/services, and has recently become a centre of post-secondary education and manufacturing. Its attractive climate has also made the TODR a popular retirement destination, which has fostered substantial investment in development and construction activity in recent years. 

In 2009, the TODR’s population increased by 1.6%, or 8,362 residents. This was the third-highest rate of growth after the Mainland/Southwest (1.9%) and Northeast (1.8%) Development Regions. Population growth was positive in all Regional Districts in the TODR, with almost half of this growth occurring in the Central Okanagan (3,492).  

The TODR’s economy, like the rest of the province, was affected by the economic recession in 2009. Tourism room revenues were down by 10.5% last year compared to 2008.[2] Building permits and housing starts were 25.2% and 43.6% lower.[3] The forest industry, which was already struggling with the pine beetle infestation, was hit by major fires and record low lumber sales to the US, its principal market. These factors resulted in job losses in both the goods and service sectors that pushed unemployment to a six year high (8.7%). One of 2009’s few bright spots was a recovery in house sales in the second half of the year, due to low mortgage rates, pent up demand, and lower house prices,[4] that resulted in a 1.3% sales increase by year end compared to 2008.

Footnotes

1. Statistics Canada, Estimates of Population, by Sex and Age Group: Census Divisions and Census Metropolitan Areas - 2001 Census boundaries, Annual, CANSIM, Table 051-0036.
2. BC Stats, Tourism Indicators, March 2010.
3. BC Stats, Quarterly Regional Statistics.
4. BC Real Estate Association.