Economic Activities
Kelowna's Natural Resources
The Cordillera has resources and industries like coal and natural gas. Because of the mountains covered in trees, forestry and lumber are big industries. The jobs in Kelowna are primarily resource and manufacturing based.
AgricultureKelowna has a big tree fruit industry. The industry generates $130 million with 800 growers. 15,00 people are directly employed because of the industry. The industry creates $900 million in economic activity. Specifically Sun-Ripe Products, a fruit processing operation is in Kelowna. It is very efficient and high tech and they are also environmentally friendly in the way they package the fruit. Kelowna also has a big wine industry. The city has a lot of wine country. Agriculture is a primary industry because of the extraction of resources but also a these are also secondary industry because it is manufacturing of the products as well.
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ForestryForestry provides major employment in Kelowna with thousands of jobs, specifically 145,00 people rely on the forestry industry for employment. The industry generates $12 million annually to the provincial GDP. The industry produces 52% of Canada's softwood lumber. They focus on sustainable stewardship. Kelowna manages their forest's very sustainably. Annually, less then 1% of the trees in B.C. are harvested. This is a primary industry because it is extraction of natural resources.
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TechnologyThe tech industry in Kelowna is on the rise. This industry has created approximately $1.02 billion dollars for the economy. With the expansion of the Kelowna airport needing more employees and the Okanagan campus in University of British Columbia and Okanagan college the tech business is growing. The Okanagan center for innovation (to be finished in late 2016) is bringing tech entrepreneurs to Kelowna. The tech industry is attracting investors into Kelowna. From 2010-2015 the tech business increased by 13%. This industry is a Quaternary industry. The tech industry is sustainable in the sense that there are no extraction of natural resources but it can also be unsustainable. If the industry is using eco-friendly material, produsts, and choosing eco-friendly supply chain management that is sustainable. The industry also needs to reuse and recycle properly. When all of these things are done, the industry is sustainable.
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Increasing Sustainability in the Community
Currently cars are the main way of transportation in the city of Kelowna with 82%. Walking and biking are at a combined 11.1% while public transit is 6.2%. By getting more citizens using and shifting towards more environmentally friendly forms of transport that could increase sustainability in the community.