Kelowna backs Okanagan summer hotel plan

Kelowna City Council has given initial approval to Okanagan College’s plan to operate one of its student residences as a hotel during the summer months. This initial rezoning approval builds on a text amendment submitted earlier this year to allow hotel-style use of residence buildings during low-enrolment periods. Under the plan, one residence will fully transition to hotel use in the summer, while the second will accommodate students early in the season before welcoming tourists. City staff noted that the model—already in use at UBC Okanagan—will support local tourism and help keep student rents below market rates.