$22.4M funding to develop land at Kelowna Airport

The federal government has announced up to $22.4 million for infrastructure at Kelowna International Airport that will open 165 acres of land for industrial and aerospace development. The money will support water, sewer, electrical, communications and stormwater work on the east side of the runway, where much of the new development is planned. Airport officials say the project builds on YLW’s current economic role, which they estimate supports about 9,000 jobs and about $2 billion in annual output. They expect those figures to rise as the East Lands are developed, with the airport projecting as many as 12,000 jobs and $3 billion in yearly economic output over time. The first phase will cover about onethird of the available land. Construction is expected to start next spring and finish by the end of 2028. Aerospace companies including De Havilland Aircraft, Wildcat Helicopters and Fire Swarm are already in talks about possible opportunities, and Okanagan College is also expanding aerospace training nearby.