Okanagan Advocacy Council calling on solutions to save downtowns

'Full court press on crime'
The Okanagan Business Advocacy Council (OBAC) is making downtown crime a focus of their advocacy in 2026.

Bowen Assman - Jan 21, 2026 / 11:11 am |

The OBAC consists of more than 2,000 business members in the Okanagan Valley through memberships in Chambers of Commerce/Boards from Penticton, Summerland, West Kelowna, Kelowna, and Vernon.

“We can work collectively on these issues,” said Bryan Fitzpatrick, president of the Greater Westside Board
of Trade. “We have common issues of emergency response, transportation, tourism, energy and crime. And
right now, crime is what we are hearing about, every single day.”

In their first meeting of the year on Tuesday, Jan. 20, OBAC members said crime was the number one issue that was brought up.

"There has to be a way,’ said Michael Magnusson of the Penticton & Wine Country Chamber. “Let’s make sure our voices are heard not only in our own cities, but in Victoria: clean up government regulations that work against our residents, be compassionate but get change underway. Once a downtown business loses customers due to public safety concerns, we risk seeing them close, relocate, or charge more. We to fix this now, for our residents and our tourists.”

According to Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce president Sonja Harkness, policies are currently being put together right now to ask for tax relief for businesses hit by crime, theft and vandalism.

"There has to be a way to shore up our businesses while they fight this scourge," said Harkness.

Derek Gratz, president of the Kelowna Chamber added that their advocacy to save freshwater bodies from invasive mussels worked, and there is "no reason why broader advocacy on other issues won’t work, too. We plan to canvass our MLAs, our Mayors, and get constructive conversations going, followed by action.”

In addition to tax relief, the four organizations are also preparing formal case studies for the 2026 policy cycle around energy infrastructure and emergency evacuation routes (paving Forest Road 201 to augment Hwy 97 when it is out of service).

OBAC is planning a "full court press on crime issues with Mayors and MLAs."