By Pete McIntyre

Vernon continues to grow

Feb 11, 2020 | 5:16 PM

Vernon saw population growth of 1.6 per cent last year.

The city’s economic development manager Kevin Poole says according to B.C Stats, the city had 43,315 residents as of July 1, 2019.

“The growth rate that we experienced last year was 1.6 per cent,” Poole told city council. “The North Okanagan, as a whole, was 1.1 per cent, but all of the communities in the region experienced some growth, which is good compared to 2018 when Vernon and Coldstream had stronger growth compared to the other areas.”

Poole says the Central Okanagan had “rapid growth” of 1.9 per cent in 2019, with Kelowna at 2 per cent, and population of over 142,000.

B.C.’s growth rate was 1.4 per cent.

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As for Vernon development, Poole says the city saw $126.5 million worth of building permit value in 2019, which was down 15 per cent from the year before, but there was a city-record of 574 new residential units.

“In terms of residential itself, it was $97 million [in permit value] compared to $118 in 2018,” said Poole.

Commercial building permits hit $25 million.

One of Poole’s business highlights was the former Liquidation World on 30th Avenue downtown which has Service Canada leasing space, and Anytime Fitness opening soon, along with a cannabis shop, with a couple of spaces still available.

The new Starbucks on Anderson Way was a $1.2 million building permit, with extra lease space.

“Four units were available, now there is only one. There is a new hair cutting place I believe, and a restaurant, so one unit is remaining,” said Poole.

Sobeys was issued a $3 million building permit for its new 30,000-square-foot FreshCo grocery store in the former downtown Safeway, which will open this spring.

by Pete McIntyre

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