Crews working at the site of the new Canoe Bay Pump Station at the end of Kin Beach Tuesday, July 22 (photo by Liam Verster / Vernon Matters)

By Liam Verster

Pump Station Project Update

Canoe Bay Pump Station construction on schedule, though road closure extended

Jul 22, 2025 | 1:44 PM

Construction of the new pump station at the north end of Okanagan Lake is moving along as planned.

The Regional District of North Okanagan says the Canoe Bay Pump Station, located at the north end of Kin Beach near Tronson Road, is on schedule. The pipe installation, instream works, and cultural heritage monitoring was underway as of Tuesday, July 22.

The instream work, which began Tuesday, includes initial environmental work and mussel salvage for the Rocky Mountain Ridge Mussel, a species native to Okanagan Lake.

This work will require divers working along the shoreline and up to three metres deep within the lake, and a 150 metre buffer zone will be established around the area to keep boaters out of the work site so that the divers are safe. There will also be a no-wake zone implemented, and signage indicating both restrictions will be installed around the area. Signage will also be installed along the beach and in the park to remind swimmers not to enter the construction zone.

The cultural heritage monitoring work is being done in partnership with the Okanagan Indian Band. This work will ensure that Indigenous cultural sites, ancestral remains, artifacts, traditional knowledge and the natural environment are safeguarded during the construction of the pump station.

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The RDNO says the new pump station is expected to be completed by March of 2026, at which point it will be able to provide untreated water to the agricultural properties in the Bella Vista and Swan Lake areas.

The City of Vernon closed a section of Tronson Road between Kin Beach and Bella Vista Road on July 2 to accomodate the first phase of this project.

The road was initially set to reopen on July 30, but signage in the area has been changed to say the road will remain closed until August 8.

The City of Vernon told Vernon Matters the extension was granted to accomodate the completion of the work. The city added the RDNO is in charge of the project but they were working together to ensure the work and road closure “is handled safely and efficiently.”

The Tronson Road closure for the Canoe Bay Pump Station project has been extended to August 8 (photo by Liam Verster / Vernon Matters)