The North Okanagan Regional Growth Strategy Bylaw No. 2500 (Consolidated) was adopted by the RDNO Board of Directors on September 21, 2011. The North Okanagan Regional Growth Strategy provides a common framework for regional and local planning in the North Okanagan and is intended as a strategic guide to future land uses and development. Official Community Plans, through Regional Context Statements, will be instrumental in implementing the Regional Growth Strategy.
In 2015 the Board decided to undertake a review of the Strategy to ensure it still reflects the vision and goals of area residents. During the review process, it was identified that new policies specific to: Housing; Active Transportation; Economic Development; Environment- Air Quality and Climate Change were required to address new challenges faced by the communities of the region. The Regional Growth Strategy Amendment Bylaw No. 2846, 2019 was Adopted by the Board of Directors on May 20, 2020.
The Regional District of North Okanagan continues to implement the Regional Growth Strategy and works collaboratively on regional priorities and identifies opportunities that will contribute to a better quality of life within the North Okanagan.
Regional Growth Strategy Bylaw No. 2500, 2011
Download the RGS ‘The Story So Far’ Poster to see how the strategy was created!
Regional Growth Strategy Implementation
The Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO) first adopted the Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) in 2011. It was noted that without a strong monitoring and evaluation component, it is difficult to determine whether the implementation of the RGS is having the desired effect for which it was developed. Monitoring the impacts of the RGS is not only informative, but also required under Section 452 of the Local Government Act, which states that a regional district that has adopted an RGS must:
- establish a program to monitor its implementation and the progress made towards its objectives and actions; and
- prepare an annual report on that implementation and progress.
In 2012, the RDNO, with the support of EcoPlan International, the University of British Columbia and the Real Estate Foundation of British Columbia (REFBC), began work on a program to monitor and evaluate the North Okanagan RGS. The resulting monitoring and evaluation framework included both quantitative and qualitative indicators selected to track the implementation of the RGS and assess its effect on the quality of life in the North Okanagan. The development of this framework was recognized by the Planning Institute of BC and awarded a gold medal for Excellence in Planning Practice.
State of the Region Report -2016
As part of the RGS 5-Year Review, the Board of Directors supported an update to the Monitoring and Evaluation Program, which included refining and identifying new data sources for the indicator’s framework. Most State of the Region Report indicators rely on Statistics Canada Census Profile data. This information was released in November 2023. The remainder of the indicators are populated from local data sources (e.g., the Interior Health Authority, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, and local government building permit information). Not all indicators can be compared from one census period to the next, as various aspects of the original indicators may have changed (e.g., the threshold for water quality advisories, as determined by Interior Health, has changed). Overall, the data provide a snapshot of how the region is performing in terms of livability and the nine policy areas of the RGS within a specific timeframe. The indicators addendum outlines each of the RGS's nine policy areas; however, the Environment and Natural Lands policy area combines Energy and Emissions as one infographic, given the inherent linkages between these topics.
State of the Region Report - 2025 Update