File photo by Liam Verster / Vernon Matters

By Liam Verster

Money matters

Preliminary approval given for RDNO budgets

Jan 26, 2026 | 6:00 AM

The Regional District of North Okanagan will be increasing its budget for a number of services.

The RDNO Board of Directors have given preliminary approval for a series of operational budgets relating to services and programming the regional district offers:

• Multi-Use Facility Expansion (Kal Tire Place North) – $989,235 (+1.8%)
• Community Theatre (Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre) – $1,225,401 (-1.5%)
• Greater Vernon Recreation & Programming Grant services- $1,515,187 (+1.9%)
• Greater Vernon Culture services- $43,095,184 (+313.5%)
• Greater Vernon Trails and Natural Spaces services – $9,092,905 (+6.3%)

There were no capital budgets considered for the Multi-Use Facility Expansion or for the Recreation & Programming Grant service, but there were for the others.

The proposed capital budget for the Community Theatre was $530,000, which would be used for roof replacement work, sound equipment and display board improvements, and a fire alarm system renewal.

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The capital budget for Greater Vernon Culture was proposed to be $38,224,134, with all of that going to cover the remaining costs of the Greater Vernon Cultural Centre project.

The proposed capital budget for the Trails and Natural Spaces service was set at $1,706,196, which would be used to complete a number of capital projects that were being carried over from the previous year, and cover the new projects that would start in 2026. The budget document also stated that $4-million of the operating budget total could be used towards the purchase of new parkland.

The budgets received preliminary approval by the RDNO Board of Directors at the meeting on January 21.

These documents will be included within the 2026 Financial Plan, which will be presented to the Board at the meeting on Feb. 25.