B.C.’s newest municipality of Okanagan Falls to be incorporated in November

VICTORIA — Residents of British Columbia’s first new municipality in 16 years will soon be voting for a mayor and council.

The B.C. government says Okanagan Falls residents will vote for a mayor and four councillors in the October local elections before becoming an municipality in November.

The government says it has issued the legal document, creating the District of Okanagan Falls, south of Penticton, B.C., and setting out key details, including its boundaries, council size and incorporation date.

The community with just under 2,300 people in British Columbia’s southern Interior voted to become a full municipality in March 2025.

The Ministry of Municipal Affairs says in a statement that it will assist incorporation with $1.8 million in funding to help pay for the election and other administrative costs.

It says it has been spending about $6.6 million in total to support the transition, which it says was done in close co-operation with the Osoyoos Indian Band.

The ministry says it will continue to work with the First Nation and the regional district to ensure a smooth transition for the new municipality.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 24, 2026.

Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press