A wide variety of new housing has been built in Vernon since 2018 (2,300 units) and more than 600 of these were non-market social and supportive housing -- a huge success. More than 1,500 more units have been approved in the core areas of the city, and the recently approved Via District development should contribute at least 500 more. In addition, 6,500 lots are approved and available in existing hillside neighbourhoods like Predator Ridge and Foothills. In-fill is occurring throughout the inner core, matching our goal of “Housing [being] diverse, affordable, sustainable, and guided by inclusive policies that address the needs of residents at every stage of life.” (a quote from the Official Community Plan). New non-market housing is under construction - limited only by the availability of Provincial funding. Market housing is currently experiencing downward market pressures that are being felt throughout B.C. As the market improves, we will see the construction of many housing projects that have already been approved. Our housing focus must continue to be on the core areas of the city, on livability and accessibility, and on filling our established hillside neighbourhoods. Our Official Community Plan has plenty of room for all the housing we need, without resorting to new sprawl development.

For many decades Greater Vernon has had sufficient water at relatively low cost from three main sources (Kalamalka Lake, reservoirs on the Aberdeen Plateau east of Vernon, and deep wells in the Coldstream Valley). In 2026, in the face of extreme drought, Vernon created a fourth source - using highly treated effluent for agriculture, which significantly reduced pressure on the other sources. Beginning next year, a fifth source (Okanagan Lake) will provide water to farms along the Bella Vista – Swan Lake corridor. If 2027 is another dry year as predicted, the community could again face significant water shortages. The Greater Vernon water utility is governed by elected members from the region, and the Vernon members made significant contributions to minimizing the impacts of drought in 2026. We also learned some lessons from this unprecedented drought and have already begun to work to improve the security of long-term water supply to residents, farmers, and industry. Managing water from our various sources, and meeting the needs of all water users, is complex and requires competent, experienced decision-makers.

Protecting homes, protecting watersheds, always improving response.

Wildfires are becoming more frequent and more intense over time - trends which are mainly driven by the legacy of historic forest management practices and more recently by the changing climate. Nearly every year the Okanagan experiences one or more significant wildfires – which cause significant disruption and loss. In 2026 the Vernon community came together to assist those affected by the Bradley Creek fire, in which over 230 homes were lost. Looking ahead to 2027 and beyond, we are likely to continue to experience increasing fire risk in spring, summer, and fall.

In the past three years, working with Okanagan Indian Band, the Regional District of North Okanagan, and the District of Lake Country, we have obtained significant provincial funding to reduce the wildfire risk on the Aberdeen Plateau – one of our main water sources - to improve the security of that water supply. We are also working with the province to reduce fire risk on Vernon Hill adjacent to the eastern boundary of the city. We have established an early fire warning system, SenseNet, in the western sections of the City, and continue to invest in the FireSmart initiative – providing over 1000 Firesmart home assessments in 2026 alone.

Vernon needs to continue to enhance Fire & Rescue services with focused expansion to match our growth, while ensuring wildfire risk on surrounding provincial lands are addressed quickly.

Like everyone, I’m concerned about community safety related to the ongoing complex health crises with mental health and addiction, and vandalism in our downtown – as well as gaps in the justice system. While overall, on average, Vernon’s crime rate has held flat over the last decade (even as the community has grown), we need to directly address these challenges at the street-level. We are continually adding dedicated resources for keeping the community safe (RCMP, Bylaw Officers, Community Safety personnel, and firefighters) to keep pace with growth. Although the criminal justice system falls under Provincial jurisdiction, communities like ours are still directly experiencing the impacts of gaps in the system. We must therefore continue to do what we can to minimize the disruptive influences of anti-social behaviour while continuing to advocate to the Provincial Government to fulfill its responsibilities for the criminal justice system, mental health, housing, and social development. In addition, I will continue to work, as I have, with other Okanagan mayors to address these issues, including complex care, on a regional basis.

Although we’ve seen some tough economic conditions over the past few years, Vernon has fared better than many communities because we are diversified and have a strong base of business professionals. Although the City can’t directly fund specific businesses, we continue to focus on providing and enhancing the many features that make the City attractive for business. We’ve upgraded our roads, sidewalks, drinking water, wastewater and storm water systems. Tourism has reached exciting new levels, and our light industrial activity has grown as confident entrepreneurs and investors have expanded activities, e.g. Silver Star Gateway and Wesmont industrial parks. Our downtown remains vibrant, with new public and private investment. Vernon’s public investment in amenities like the Active Living Centre, the Greater Vernon Cultural Centre, new parks, the Lakeview Pool, and expanded trail systems provide the affordable quality of life that attracts and retains creative, energetic and entrepreneurial people. A very successful Rural Community Immigration Program (RCIP) has brought significant numbers of skilled workers directly to our local businesses. Substantial new private commercial investment, (e.g. Predator Ridge, Frind Vinyards, Okanagan Gondola, and the Via District) builds directly on our public investments. Going forward, we need to focus on retention and expansion of existing businesses, as well as continuing to attract new businesses. In collaboration with partners, we need to assist the Tourism and Recreation sectors by establishing a public bus system to link the city with Silver Star and the Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre, as well as other provincial parks, mountain bike areas, trail heads and lake accesses.

The new Active Living Centre (ALC) is opening this fall, and will be a cherished amenity for residents young and old. Trails and multi-use paths have been added in many neighbourhoods over the last 8 years. Parks have been expanded and upgraded (e.g. Lakeview Pool, Deer Park, Pottery Ravine Park, Marshall Fields, DND and more) to meet the needs of all age groups and abilities in all parts of the city. In downtown, the Greater Vernon Cultural Centre (GVCC) is poised to open in Spring 2028, adding to the growing cultural scene. We are in the midst of planning for new and enhanced parks and public spaces (e.g. Polson, Kin Race Track, Kin Beach, Girouard, and Sawicki). Balancing desires with affordability, these projects will be completed as money becomes available.