Penticton starts planning to give downtown a glow-up

A new long-term plan to guide the future growth and development of downtown Penticton is moving ahead. Housing and policy initiatives manager Steven Collyer told council Tuesday that downtown is the city's cultural and economic heart and that a new...

A new long-term plan to guide the future growth and development of downtown Penticton is moving ahead. Housing and policy initiatives manager Steven Collyer told council Tuesday that downtown is the city’s cultural and economic heart and that a new comprehensive plan is needed to guide future investment and decision-making. The city’s last downtown plan was completed in 2013 and led to projects such as the Main Street revitalization, Penticton Creek naturalization and other public space improvements.

Its policies were later incorporated into the city’s 2019 Official Community Plan. Since then, numerous initiatives have been proposed or launched downtown, including land-use changes, infrastructure projects, new developments and community safety measures, without an overarching plan to guide them, Collyer said. The new Downtown Plan will establish a long-term community vision based on extensive public engagement.

“Later this year, we will report back to council on the findings of that first round of engagement to help guide the next steps of the project,” Collyer said. “At that point, key technical reports and data will also be shared.” A second round of public consultation will follow before a final draft of the Downtown Plan is prepared.

Council is expected to consider adopting the completed plan by the end of 2027. The Downtown Penticton Business Improvement Association will serve as a key partner throughout the process. Other stakeholders will include the Penticton and Wine Country Chamber of Commerce, Travel Penticton, 100 More Homes, Interior Health, the Penticton Indian Band and other community organizations.

Residents, downtown businesses and property owners will be invited to share their vision for the area, including what they believe is needed to make downtown more vibrant and attractive. “The responses we receive will guide the next steps of the project,” Collyer said. “Downtown is great and downtown is changing.

The goal of this project is to help shape that change and create something the community can be proud of for decades to come.” Council directed staff in May 2025 to include funding for a new downtown plan in the budget. Funding was approved later that year as part of the city’s 2026-2030 Financial Plan.

Staff are recommending the first round of community engagement begin in the third quarter of this year. Launching consultation this summer will allow feedback to be gathered during August events and into early September, when many residents return to their regular routines, while keeping the project on schedule for completion by the end of 2027. Feedback collected during the first phase will help shape future working groups, technical studies, data analysis and policy recommendations.

Staff expect to present the results of the initial engagement to council in late fall, with those findings informing the next stages of the planning process over the following 18 months.