The community of Okanagan Falls is asking the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen for a study assessing the costs and benefits of incorporating the small community south of Penticton.
The unincorporated community had a population of 2,230, according to the 2016 Canadian census.
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At present, Okanagan Falls is unincorporated and has a representative on the regional district board. If the incorporation bid is successful, the community would have its own mayor and council to provide local representation.
Most of the larger communities in the regional district are incorporated, although Okanagan Falls and Naramata are unincorporated.
Residents of Okanagan Falls have been interested in incorporation for many years. A study was completed in 1989, and requests for incorporation have been made numerous times over the past decade.
In September, 2014 an incorporation study project was approved and $50,000 was committed to the project.
In October, 2016, the regional district received the governance report from the committee and recommended that Electoral Area D be split into two segments.
In October, 2018, Electoral Area I, around the community, was severed from Electoral Area D, which represents much of the area surrounding the community.
A letter from the Okanagan Falls Community Association to the regional district, dated Nov. 3, requested an incorporation study.
A resolution to support an incorporation study for Okanagan Falls received the support of the regional district board.
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