The Economic Profile is one of the most widely used sources of statistics and information specific to the Central Okanagan. The document provides a wide range of information on the economy of the Central Okanagan including demographics, population growth projections and sector-specific information on the Region which extends from Peachland to Lake Country. It is a valuable research tool for business planning and source of information for those new to the Okanagan.

The 2009 Central Okanagan Regional Economic Profile can be viewed and/or downloaded in its entirety or specific sections.

· 2009 Complete Regional Economic Profile	· Intro to Central Okanagan
· Population	· Infrastructure
· Labour Force	· Life in the Central Okanagan

Quick Stats:
· Size of Labour Force
· Population Distribution
· Employment by Industry

ECONOMIC SECTORS
Diversification remains the Kelowna area’s greatest economic strengths. Agriculture, forestry and tourism are all important industries in the region. The Kelowna International Airport and UBC Okanagan (University of British Columbia – Okanagan campus) have emerged as key growth drivers. UBC Okanagan has been a major economic driver since its creation in 2005, bringing to Kelowna direct and spin-off employment, significant capital expenditure, industry partnerships, research dollars, profile and demand for housing.

MAJOR EMPLOYERS
The majority (more than 80%) of companies in the Central Okanagan have fewer than 20 employees. The major employers by number of full-time employees in the region are listed below. Many of these companies also employ workers outside of the Central Okanagan.

· Major Employers Table
· Household Income
· Proximity to Markets

The City of Kelowna is the largest city in the Central Okanagan and the major centre for trade and commerce. Convenient access from the valley to strategic markets is essential to the area’s diverse industrial base, tourism, agriculture and forestry industries. A number of highways lead to and from the area and extensive air access is available through Kelowna International Airport.

INFASTRUCTURE
As the gateway for B.C.’s Southern Interior, Kelowna International Airport is vital to the region’s economic prosperity. Along with aerospace businesses and world class education facilities, Kelowna International Airport represents an employment cluster of nearly 2,000 jobs and $310 million in economic activity annually.

The Kelowna International Airport is investing $36 million to expand facilities to meet the growing demand as passenger numbers are forecast to grow to 1.6 million passengers in 2015. These include a new international arrivals concourse capable of handling 250 passengers per hour and a runway extension from 7300 feet to 8900 feet by November 2008.

Highway 97 is the Okanagan Valley’s key north-south highway with connections to several east-west highways, including the Trans Canada Highway and Highways 3 (Crowsnest or Southern Trans Provincial Highway), 3A, 6 and 97C (Okanagan Connector). Highways 97A, 97B and 33 are north-south routes that parallel various sections along the Highway 97 spine.

The Okanagan Valley is well served by state-of-the-art telecommunications facilities and high-speed networks. Firms moving to the area have a choice of competing suppliers of fibre optic networks at virtually any desired bandwidth. High-speed connectivity is also available from cable suppliers, DSL services, or wireless connections from local ISP’s.

COMMUNITY PROFILES
The community profiles provide local government contacts and statistical information on geography, population, demography, household characteristics, labour force characteristics, land taxation rates, construction and business activity.

· Kelowna Community Profile 2009
· Lake Country Community Profile 2009
· Peachland Community Profile 2009
· West Kelowna Community Profile 2009

· Central Okanagan East 2009