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CTV News
26-06-2025
- CTV News
B.C. sees drop in American visitors amid cross-border tension
It may not feel like summer in parts of B.C., but make no mistake: Tourism season is underway. With summer vacation season set to get into full swing, newly released data shows Americans and Canadians alike seem to be avoiding cross-border travel. Statistics Canada released figures showing that the country's number of U.S. and overseas visitors dropped again in April. The data shows that the number of north-of-the-border trips by Americans was down 8.9 per cent year-over-year, and travellers from overseas were down 0.6 per cent. In B.C., the numbers show a decline of 18,009 Americans in April. These figures were the third consecutive month of declining visits by U.S. residents and the seventh consecutive month of declining trips by visitors from overseas. But officials in popular tourist destinations say there's reason to be optimistic despite the recently reported decline in cross-border travel. Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas says the area has seen more than 200,000 visitors and is on track to welcome far more at the airport. 'Our airport is seeing record numbers of over 2.1 million visitors,' said Dyas. 'The hotel room bookings that we have for Canada Day, which is coming up this weekend, and going into the summer months is still very strong.' It remains unclear if these are foreign or domestic travellers but data from stats Canada also reveled that the number of Canadians returning from trips to the U.S. dropped by 29.1 per cent – suggesting the possibility that people are choosing domestic destinations. TransLink is looking to capitalize on the domestic travel itch and announce its Transit-Friendly Summer Tours throughout Metro Vancouver. The Lower Mainland transit service is offering 50 curated tours throughout the summer highlighting local businesses, attractions and other hidden regional gems. A passport will be available next week that will allow travellers to get it stamped at different locations for a chance to win a cash prize. 'You hop on a bus, you hop on a SkyTrain, and that's going to take you to wherever you need to go,' said Anita Bathe, a TransLink spokesperson. 'There's a fun contest involved, and it's really exciting to make sure that we are encouraging people to support local businesses.' While initiatives roll out to keep Lower Mainlanders and other British Columbians in the province, popular destinations south of the border are already seeing a drop in interest. Steve Wright, the mayor of Seaside, Oregon, told CTV News on Wednesday that traffic to the website from Canadians is down 57 per cent year over year. 'We haven't changed. We're still accepting, we view you all as friends we haven't met yet, and we want you to come and enjoy our town,' said Wright.
Global News
17-06-2025
- Business
- Global News
City of Kelowna reaping the economic benefits brought on by the Brier Cup
Kelowna, B.C., is quickly gaining recognition for more than just its scenic landscapes and wineries. Following the success of the 2025 Montana's Brier, the city is proving it has the capacity and appeal to host major national events — and reap the economic rewards that come with them. Earlier this year, the Canadian men's curling championship brought over 89,000 spectators to Kelowna. The event delivered a direct economic impact of $15.2 million and a total impact of $22.7 million, far exceeding expectations. 'On that particular event, we were at the high end of our expectations — and actually a couple hundred thousand dollars beyond that,' said Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy For city leaders and tourism officials, the success of the Brier is about more than just impressive numbers. 'The numbers from the Brier really solidified that Kelowna can host these major events successfully,' said Lisanne Ballantyne, CEO of Tourism Kelowna. 'But it's not just about the numbers — it's about the legacy it leaves behind.' Story continues below advertisement That legacy continues to grow, with two more national events on the horizon. The Canadian Country Music Awards are set to take place in September, followed by the Memorial Cup in the spring of 2026. Kelowna is aiming to match or surpass the economic performance seen in other host cities. 'When the CCMAs were in Hamilton, the economic impact was $11 million and over 2,000 hotel room nights,' said Ballantyne. 'With Kelowna's destination appeal, we believe we'll match or even exceed that.' The city is also thinking long-term. A new Economic Prosperity Task Force has been launched to build on this momentum and explore other opportunities beyond events. 'It's not just from an event standpoint,' said Dyas. 'The task force is looking at what else we can bring to Kelowna — whether it's industry, manufacturing, or anything that creates lasting economic impact.' As Kelowna continues to attract attention, city leaders are working to ensure it's ready for what's ahead. 'We're considered a small city, and things like infrastructure, venues, and even how many volunteers we can mobilize become important factors in deciding what events we can host in the future,' said Ballantyne.
Global News
11-06-2025
- Business
- Global News
Kelowna city council turns down curbside food waste pickup program
Plans for curbside food waste collection in Kelowna, B.C., have been put on hold — for now. City council decided not to move forward with the proposal, which would have allowed single-family homes to add food scraps to their existing yard waste bins. The organic material would then be separated at a transfer station that still needs to be built. 'We recognize that there is a need for such a program,' said Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas. 'It was just the way that it was packaged and delivered at this time that wasn't appropriate for council.' Concerns raised by council included unclear costs, potential odour issues from the new facility, and the plan's limited scope. Dyas pointed out that the proposal focused only on single-family homes, leaving out multi-family residences. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Only one councilor, Gord Lovegrove, supported the program, citing its environmental benefits. Story continues below advertisement 'Food waste makes up about 25 per cent of what we send to the landfill,' said Lovegrove. 'By separating it out, we're cutting a big chunk of our waste stream and extending the landfill's life — even if only by a few years.' The Regional District of Central Okanagan (RDCO), which is spearheading the initiative, estimated the cost would be around $63 per household per year with full participation across the region. Without Kelowna, that number is expected to climb significantly. 'That removes about 40,000 service residents from the program,' said Travis Kendel with the RDCO. 'We don't have an exact number, but we expect it to be beyond $150 per household per year.' The RDCO is now seeking feedback from other local governments and will be meeting with councils in Peachland and West Kelowna to gauge interest. Kelowna's mayor and council plan to revisit the food waste program in 2030, hoping for a solution that better fits the city's needs — especially as other municipalities have seen success with similar programs.
Global News
21-05-2025
- Business
- Global News
Kelowna to study potential switch from RCMP to municipal policing
The City of Kelowna, B.C., is hiring a consultant to review the pros and cons of transitioning from the RCMP to a municipal police force. 'As Kelowna continues to grow rapidly, and with the RCMP policing contract for municipalities set to expire in 2032, this review is a responsible step to ensure we are delivering the best value to taxpayers and planning effectively for the future needs of our city,' said Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas. The city has allocated $250,000 for a Police Services Model review that will begin this summer. 'Crime and safety remain top priorities for this council,' Dyas said. 'We continue to have full confidence in, and deep respect for, the dedicated members of the RCMP who serve our community.' The city's policing costs have grown substantially in the last decade with the budget more than doubling to $57 million for 2025. Story continues below advertisement Kelowna RCMP would not comment on the study and potential switch to a municipal police force. Kelowna residents Global News spoke to seemed open to at least exploring the idea. 'I know people are concerned about community safety, so I suspect the city wants to do the best it can to figure out the best way to provide that,' said resident Debbie Hubbard. 'I just think hiring a consultant, doing a good analysis is a good idea.' 'I think all ideas are usually worth exploring,' said Nolan Gamble. 'Even if it doesn't go through, hopefully we will find the best solution for us specifically. But yeah, can't hurt looking into it at least.' Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Crime has been at the forefront for many Kelowna residents and business owners for years. While past reports have shown crime increasing in the Central Okanagan city, Kelowna RCMP have recently reported the overall crime rating in 2024 dropped compared to 2023. 1:57 Property crime rate dropping in Kelowna In March, the force presented its annual statistics to city council, which showed property crime went down by two per cent with the crime severity index dropping by seven per cent. Story continues below advertisement According to the RCMP report, the decrease in property crime is attributed to fewer break and enters and bike thefts. Police stated business break-ins were down by 55 per cent in 2024 compared to the year before. However, organizations that represent local businesses reported a bit of a different story. 'The anecdotal reports from members haven't varied much in the past two years,' stated the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce in an email to Global News. The Downtown Kelowna Association (DKA) said that it has seen somewhat of an improvement but added that businesses continue being plagued by vandalism, such as graffiti and smashed windows, shoplifting and break-ins. 'There's been an issue the whole time I have been sitting in this chair,' said DKA executive director Mark Burley, who has been in his role for ten years. 'It's not overly prevalent but it's happening almost daily.' Michael Neill owns Mosaic Books and said crime is so frequent, he has started keeping a log of repeat offenders and the crime incidents. 'It's an ongoing issue,' Neill said. 'We have broken windows that keep being replaced, very expensive. We had a fire at the back in February that cost us a few thousand bucks to straighten out.' Story continues below advertisement If Kelowna did decide to switch to municipal policing, it would follow in the path of the City of Surrey, where the controversial process dragged on for years before it was finalized last year. 'There's benefits and there's going to be also detriments to that happening and that is why a study needs to be done,' Burley said. According to the city, the study should be completed early 2026.
