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Lake Country
Small Town Feel, Big Possibilities.
Business Opportunities: Where Every Current Finds Its Course
From Startup Dreams to Legacy Enterprises
Lake Country’s strength lies in supporting investment opportunities of every scale, from major developments to local farms and everything in between, creating a resilient economy where diverse ventures thrive together. With flexible zoning, strong municipal partnerships, and favorable market conditions, the community enables visions – whether industrial, residential, commercial, hospitality, or specialized businesses – to become profitable realities. By aligning investor goals with community direction, Lake Country offers the insight and connections needed to bring concepts to life.
As per a recent Retail & Hotels Analysis Report, current gaps in offering vs. demand position Lake Country for hotel, dining, and retail development, with a focus on large-box, lifestyle, and personal health retail.
Lake Country Business Park
As of August 2026, additional 200 acres of commercial and industrial zoned land will be available for development near Highway 97, Kelowna International Airport, and UBCO. You can find out more details about the Lake Country Business Park below:
Bubna & Copperhill Industrial & Commercial Areas
Watch this page for exciting details on the Bubna and Copperhill Industrial
& Commercial Areas soon to be developed.
Lake Country at a Glance
Where Stories Begin – Where the Current Carries You Forward
There's something about Lake Country that calls to those who understand the rhythm of opportunity. The way it moves quietly at first, then builds into something undeniable. This isn't just another beautiful corner of British Columbia where the mountains meet the lakes.
Lake Country offers an environment where ideas move efficiently from concept to development. For over thirty years, the community has focused on thoughtful, sustainable growth, anticipating future needs rather than pursuing rapid, unchecked expansion. And that focus paid off: in 2026, BC Business ranked Lake Country as one of the most resilient communities in BC.
Population estimated to grow by 87% by 2046
250 acres available land for development
11 minutes to Kelowna International Airport
1,000 issued business licenses
Household incomes rank
22-27% above BC and Canada averages
7 world class wineries
The Lake Country Current
Where the Flow Carries You Home
The Lake Country Current
Where the Flow
Carries You Home
Population Growth
Housing Demand & Supply
Infrastructure
Available Land for Development
Business Eco-System
Thriving Sector or Industries
Quality of Life
Income Levels
Community Investment
Weather
Population Tide: The Wave You Want to Ride
Something remarkable is happening in Lake Country. The kind of organic growth that comes when people choose a place, not when they're pushed there by circumstance. There's a substantial workforce currently making the daily pilgrimage to Kelowna, carrying with them the quiet wish to work closer to where they've chosen to build their lives. This isn't just demographic data; it's the foundation of your future market.
Rapid current growth: from 12,922 in 2016 to estimated 17,857 in 2024.
Estimated to grow by 87% by 2046 – the fastest growth rate in the Central Okanagan.
Many people from Lake Country commute to Kelowna would love to work closer to home.
Housing Market: More Demand Needs More Supply
As the population grows, housing demand creates significant opportunities for developers. The municipality prioritizes affordable housing applications, resulting in faster permitting, quicker project timelines, and a more efficient path from concept to completion.
To keep up with the population growth housing stock is being increased
Multiple affordable housing developments are underway
Affordable housing applications take permitting priority
Infrastructure: The Bones That Bear Weight
Lake Country offers both scenic beauty and strategic connectivity. It is 11 minutes from Kelowna International Airport and the University of BC Okanagan, and within driving distance of Vancouver, Kamloops, and Calgary. This accessibility supports efficient movement of people, goods, and ideas for modern businesses.
Land: Where Vision Finds Its Canvas
As industrial space becomes limited in Kelowna, Lake Country offers 200 acres in the upcoming Business Park by mid-2026 and additional Commercial Areas by 2030. These sites are planned, zoned, and almost ready for a range of development projects. In addition to a variety of areas throughout Lake Country that redevelopment is just waiting for a developer with vision and passion.
Business Ecosystem: Where Entrepreneurs Can Find
Their Own Current
Lake Country’s business community spans more than 1,000 licenses in sectors from technology to tourism, including 150 short-term vacation rentals that highlight a strong visitor market. Its smaller scale means streamlined processes, quicker approvals, and less bureaucracy, delivering time and cost savings for developers from start to finish. Lake Country offers a “concierge” service to help developers and new business owners navigate the processes, in an effort to get you up and running faster.
Thriving Economy: Where Multiple Streams Converge
Like a river branching into many streams, Lake Country’s diverse industries flow through multiple channels, weaving together the resilience that savvy investors value. The agricultural foundation is deep-rooted, supporting thriving orchards and vineyards that feed seven world-class wineries and three cideries. Tourism and agri-tourism surge year-round, with experiences like goat yoga and farm-stay accommodations attracting visitors who return regularly.
Sports tourism represents another rising tide, centred around an ice arena that operates 11 months annually, the R.I.N.K. high-performance hockey academy, and youth hockey camps that bring families and their spending power throughout the seasons. There are a number of new and exciting community amenities that will be launched soon bringing even more visitors to the community. Each sector supports the others, creating an economic web that continues to strengthen the community.
Quality of Life: The Current That Keeps Talent
The smartest investors know that sustainable growth depends on attracting and keeping the right people. Lake Country delivers a lifestyle story that writes itself: crime rates 42% below the BC average, cost of living approximately 17% lower than provincial standards, and educational excellence through three elementary schools, one middle school, one high school, and French immersion programs from K-12.
The natural setting provides more than just scenery. It offers the work-life integration that today's talent is often seeking. Hiking trails that clear the mind, biking paths that connect communities, farms and vineyards that feed the body and soul. The Okanagan, Kalamalka, and Wood lakes create recreational opportunities that turn residents into community ambassadors.
Crime rates 42% below BC average
Cost of living ~17% lower than BC average
3 elementary schools (grades k-5),
1 middle school (grades 6-8),
1 high school (grades 9-12),
French immersion available from k-12
Proximity to medical care: 30km to Vernon Jubilee Hospital and 21km to Kelowna General Hospital
Income Levels: The Financial Current
In Lake Country, residents thrive. Household incomes sit well above provincial and national averages, and with single-family homes averaging in the high $900,000, the community carries real spending power. That strength drives a healthy retail, service, and hospitality sector, creating opportunities across the commercial market. For more up to date information, please check out Housing Profile - Economic Development Data Platform.
Community Investment: Building Tomorrow's Foundation
Lake Country fosters an active, engaged community where residents contribute through volunteerism and youth programs that build long-term community investment. The area's civic infrastructure includes the 150-seat Creekside Theatre, while 2027 will bring completion of both a major community complex, new sport fields and an Indigenous cultural centre, all set among three pristine lakes: Okanagan, Kalamalka, and Wood Lake.
Creekside theatre – performances that acoommodate up to 150
Community
complex with
over 100,000 SF
Indigenous cultural centre scheduled completion date 2027
3 lakes – Okanagan Lake, Kalamalka Lake, Wood Lake
Sunny and Dry: A Forecast for Living Well
Lake Country’s abundant sunshine and dry conditions are an open invitation to spend more time outdoors. The influences of nearby lakes and surrounding mountains combine to create a moderate climate that is warmer and drier than most of the rest of the province. Each season brings its own beauty, with reliable weather that supports outdoor living, agriculture and tourism.
An average of 300+ days of sunshine annually
Fall is the most enjoyable season with clear skies and crisp nights
Lake moderated temperatures and drier conditions than most of BC
Local Government Support:
Partnership That Flows Like Water
Where Red Tape Dissolves
Lake Country has a municipal approach that centres on providing concierge-level service to help you navigate the path toward responsible development with the efficiency that your vision deserves. This isn't bureaucratic theatre. It is a business-focused philosophy that recognizes your time and capital have choices.
For development projects along Main Street or in the downtown core, you might qualify for up to a 10-year taxation exemption, a significant financial incentive that directly improves your project's economics. But beyond incentives, our streamlined processes flow from a smaller municipal structure where decisions happen with clarity and speed rather than getting lost in endless committee cycles.
To help guide successful development, a 2025 Business Needs Assessment shares key insights to help guide your investment with the community’s changing needs.
“The community wants to see different offerings and services, and there's no shortage of opportunity or space to grow.”
- Mackenzie Maunder, Owner of Beat Patisserie
Useful Links
Here’s some additional background information to support development and investment opportunities in Lake Country. This context highlights the region’s key strengths, emerging potential, and strategic advantages for investors and developers alike.