City of Kelowna

What City of Kelowna does

The City of Kelowna is the municipal government for Kelowna, British Columbia, serving a population that exceeds 200,000 in the Central Okanagan and operating one of the lowest property tax rates in the province. The City delivers the full spectrum of local-government services including property tax billing and collection (with a July 2 deadline to avoid a 10% late fee), business licensing (10,771 active licences across retail, commercial, home-based, and mobile categories), bylaw enforcement (covering noise, parking, and property maintenance with fines scaling from $500 minor to $50,000 long-form), transit, parks and recreation, water and wastewater utilities, waste management, and cemetery services. Kelowna International Airport, the Kelowna Community Theatre, and the Glenmore Landfill operate within the municipal portfolio, and the City directly maintains 1,600+ km of roadways and 1,111 hectares of green space across 200+ parks, beaches, and recreation facilities.

The core operational platform combines a physical service network (City Hall at 1435 Water Street, Bylaw Services on Ellis Street, transit exchanges at Mission, Rutland, and Okanagan College, plus distributed parks and recreation assets) with a digital channel stack: a 100+ online services portal for payments, service requests, and permits; an Open Data Catalogue; an interactive Parks & Beaches map; a Minecraft City of Kelowna world; and an e-Subscribe notification system with topic-specific RSS feeds. A Zammo.ai chat widget handles resident inquiries on service pages. Transit is delivered via the Kelowna Regional Transit System, a 28-route, 100-bus operation funded jointly by the City, the Regional District of Central Okanagan, the District of Lake Country, the City of West Kelowna, the District of Peachland, Westbank First Nation, and BC Transit, with bus operations contracted to Transdev.

Revenue mechanics are tax-and-fee based rather than commercial. Property taxes are the primary funding source, supplemented by subscription-recurring streams (water, wastewater, and stormwater utility billing for approximately 60,000 customers; business licence fees scaled by category), usage-based transit fares across more than 5 million annual trips, and transaction-fee revenue from bylaw tickets and parking fines. The City has secured material intergovernmental funding, including $22 million from the federal Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund in 2019 for the Mill Creek Flood Protection Project (2021-2027) and over $4.5 million from the Canada Water Agency across 39 freshwater projects, with active partnerships alongside the Okanagan Nation Alliance and Westbank First Nation on Indigenous-integrated infrastructure.

Name

City of Kelowna

Legal name

City of Kelowna

Website

https://kelowna.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1905

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The City of Kelowna is a British Columbia municipal government providing property taxation, utilities, transit, parks, recreation, bylaw enforcement, and business licensing to residents, businesses, and visitors across the Central Okanagan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Government Services

NAICS

Executive Offices (92111), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Waste Collection (56211), Utilities (221), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241)

SIC

Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900), Water Supply (4941), Refuse Systems (4953), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Mayor/City Manager & General Administration (BPAIACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities) (BPAIACAF), Municipal Tax & Revenue Administration (Local) (BPAIACAD), Public Works / In-House Municipal Collection Operations (EUAIAAAF), Municipal Wastewater Collection (Sewer Networks) (BPALAMAA)

Keywords

• Municipal government services
• Public transit operations
• Property tax administration
• Parks and recreation
• Water utility services

Headquarters

HQ city

Kelowna

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Property Taxes: Property taxes are the primary revenue source for municipal operations. The city advertises having one of the lowest property tax rates in British Columbia. Tax bills are issued annually with payments due July 2 to avoid a 10% late fee. BC Assessment valuations are received in January, tax notices appear in May, and tax sales are advertised in September for delinquent properties.
2. Public Transit Fares: Fares are established by all regional transit partners including City of Kelowna, Regional District of Central Okanagan, District of Lake Country, City of West Kelowna, District of Peachland, Westbank First Nation, and BC Transit. Over five million transit trips are taken annually across the 28-route system.
3. Business Licenses: All businesses operating in Kelowna must obtain an annual business license. Fees vary according to business category as defined in the Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw. The city issued 10,771 business licenses. The mobile business licence program enables businesses to operate in participating communities outside Kelowna for an annual fee of $150.
4. Utility Billing: The City Water Utility serves approximately 60,000 customers as one of four major water providers within municipal boundaries. Additional revenue from wastewater, stormwater, and garbage/recycling services managed through regional partnerships.
5. Bylaw Enforcement Fees and Fines: Revenue from bylaw offence notices, parking tickets, and various compliance fees. Bylaw offences can result in fines up to $500 per offence for minor infractions, $1,000 for Municipal Ticket Information, and up to $50,000 for serious long-form information charges.
6. Transit Operating Agreement: Funding for the Kelowna Regional Transit System is shared between the City of Kelowna, Regional District of Central Okanagan, District of Lake Country, City of West Kelowna, District of Peachland, Westbank First Nation and BC Transit. Buses are operated by Transdev under contract.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The City of Kelowna is a municipal government that delivers essential local-government services to residents, businesses, and visitors within its boundaries. Core offerings include property tax billing and collection, business licensing, water and wastewater utility service, regional public transit, parks and recreation facilities and programs, bylaw enforcement, waste management, and cemetery services, all accessible via City Hall walk-in counters and a comprehensive online service portal.

Product overview

The City of Kelowna operates a comprehensive digital municipal services platform offering over 100 online services through its website. The primary offerings include public transit (Kelowna Regional Transit System in partnership with BC Transit), parks and recreation (including Parkinson Recreation Centre, 200+ parks with an interactive mapping system, and various sports programs), property and utility billing services (Property Account portal), business licensing, bylaw enforcement, water utilities serving 60,000 customers, waste management (Glenmore Landfill), cemetery services, and community engagement tools (e-Subscribe notifications, RSS feeds, and an Open Data Catalogue). The city also hosts major events including Touchdown Kelowna and provides interactive tools like a Minecraft-based city exploration world. All services are accessible through an integrated Online Service Request system that allows 24/7 reporting and requests.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kelowna Regional Transit System
• Property Tax Services
• Business Licence Services
• Water Utility Services
• Bylaw Enforcement Services
• Recreation Programs & Registration
• Glenmore Landfill & Waste Management
• Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery
• Parkinson Recreation Centre
• Kelowna Community Theatre
• Touchdown Kelowna
• Online Service Request System

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Okanagan Basin Water BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Approved $380,000 in Water Conservation and Quality Improvement (WCQI) grants for 19 projects across Okanagan watershed including algae monitoring by City of Kelowna. Program in its 20th year with record competitive applications totalling $882,293.
• Okanagan Nation AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Collaboration on Mill Creek Flood Protection Project (2021-2027) backed by $22 million in federal funding. Indigenous plant species incorporated throughout restoration work, with dedicated gathering area planned to honour cultural practices. Active partnership in water conservation initiatives.
• Westbank First NationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Co-collaborator on Mill Creek Flood Protection Project with Indigenous cultural integration. Also partner in habitat mapping initiatives and regional water board projects. Regional transit partner in Kelowna Regional Transit System.
• BC TransitcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial transit authority partnering on Kelowna Regional Transit System. Provides funding, route planning, and operational oversight. Manages the Kelowna Exchanges program worth up to $16.5 million including Mission, Rutland, and Okanagan College transit exchanges.
• Regional District of Central OkanagancoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional partner for transit funding sharing and garbage/recycling/yard waste collection. Joint funding of Kelowna Regional Transit System. Part of the Southern Interior Bylaw Notice Dispute Adjudication system.
• TransdevcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPrivate operating company contracted to operate buses on behalf of regional partners and BC Transit for the Kelowna Regional Transit System.
• RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFederal police service providing local police services in Kelowna. Currently investigating vandalism incidents and fraudulent QR code parking meter scam.
• District of Lake CountrymajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional transit partner in the Kelowna Regional Transit System, sharing funding and service delivery responsibilities.
• City of West KelownamajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional transit partner in the Kelowna Regional Transit System, sharing funding and service delivery responsibilities.
• District of PeachlandmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional transit partner in the Kelowna Regional Transit System, sharing funding and service delivery responsibilities.
• BC LionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProfessional CFL football team featured in Touchdown Kelowna major event bringing CFL fans, families and visitors together for concerts, free community events, and football games from June 26 - July 4, 2026.
• TELUSminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting partner for Fan Fest at Touchdown Kelowna, providing high-energy welcome zones and fan activities at Waterfront Park.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• City of Burnaby: BC municipality with parallel service portfolio including property tax administration, parks and recreation, bylaw enforcement, and regional transit partnerships through TransLink.
• City of Surrey: Fast-growing BC municipality operating its own policing, utilities, recreation, and bylaw enforcement services; comparable in growth trajectory and provincial regulatory framework to Kelowna.
• City of Kamloops: BC interior city of similar scale operating transit, water utility, parks, recreation, and bylaw services — geographically and demographically analogous to Kelowna.
• City of Victoria: BC capital city with comparable municipal functions including water utility, transit, parks, business licensing, and tourism-driven services.
• City of Winnipeg: Western Canadian municipality operating water utility, transit, parks, business licensing, and property tax services — comparable as a regional service hub.
• City of Saskatoon: Mid-sized Canadian city with comparable municipal service portfolio including water/wastewater, transit, parks and recreation, and bylaw enforcement at similar population scale.
• City of Edmonton: Large Canadian municipality with municipal water/wastewater utilities, regional transit, parks and recreation, property taxation, and bylaw enforcement — directly comparable operational scope.
• City of Vancouver: British Columbia's largest municipal government providing property taxation, water utility, transit, parks, and business licensing — directly comparable municipal services model in the same province.
• City of Calgary: Major Canadian city operating full municipal service stack including water utility, transit, parks, business licensing, and property taxation with comparable governance structure.

Regional players

• Regional District of Central Okanagan: Direct regional partner and service coordinator for transit funding, waste collection, and water board activities — overlapping mandate and shared customers in the same geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cityofkelowna
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/cityofkelowna
• Facebookfacebook.com/cityofkelowna
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/city-of-kelowna
• Instagraminstagram.com/cityofkelowna

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about City of Kelowna