The provincial government is doling out $10M to 14 communities around BC who qualify under the ‘Resort Municipality’ banner.

Ironically, Osoyoos is the only Okanagan community with such a designation.

Osoyoos will receive $282,900 from the $10M pool while Whistler will garner more than half the pool at $6.35M.

Okanagan communities such as Kelowna, Vernon, Penticton, Oliver and others do not qualify under the program.

Kelowna Mayor, Walter Gray says the province uses a bed to population ratio in the hospitality industry to determine which communities can qualify.

Comparing Whistler and Kelowna, Gray says Whistler has about 6,000 accommodation beds and a smaller population (10,531) compared with 4,000 beds and a much larger population in Kelowna.

From Castanet