South Okanagan Regional Growth Strategy- Update

Date: 2015-2016

EcoPlan (working with the Arlington Group), was retained to conduct a review to determine whether a “minor” or “major” update of the South Okanagan Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) was required for the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS). The RGS applies to the southern portion of the Okanagan Valley and includes the municipalities of Osoyoos, Oliver, Penticton and Summerland, and RDOS Electoral Areas “A”, “C”, “D”, “E”, and “F.” Following a comprehensive preliminary review in 2015, a recommendation to undertake a minor update was made and EcoPlan was again brought in to conduct the process. The project was launched in June 2016 and completed in October 2016. While the updated South Okanagan RGS does not include any new policies or policy directions, it was substantially reformatted and refined to improve its organization, improve the clarity of policies, and reduce redundancies. As part of the project, EcoPlan also developed a more effective annual and five-year monitoring program for the RGS with more refined and effective RGS indicators.