On October 24, 2025, the City of Penticton and the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs, in partnership with BC Housing, announced their intention to secure the property at 616 Okanagan Avenue East as the proposed location for up to 50 transitional homes to help address homelessness in Penticton.

City Council is scheduled to vote on Temporary Use Permit (TUP PL2025-10079) for this purpose on November 4, 2025, prior to undertaking consultation with affected residents and businesses. The six-business-day notification period provided for this proposal was extremely limited and seemingly reached only those residences and businesses within the provincially mandated 100-meter radius of the site. As a result, many potentially affected parties may not receive notification in sufficient time to review the proposal or prepare informed feedback, particularly if they were absent during the brief notification window.

In response, concerned residents have proactively circulated information and delivered notices within the community to raise awareness ahead of the November 4, 2025, 9:30 a.m. feedback deadline and Council vote.

While there is broad recognition of the urgent need to address homelessness in Penticton, the absence of meaningful consultation and community engagement regarding this proposal are matters of serious concern. Decisions that significantly alter the character and function of a neighborhood should be made with transparent processes and adequate public participation to ensure that all voices, feedback and concerns are heard and considered.

Businesses in the industrial area have expressed deep concern regarding the lack of consultation surrounding the proposed Temporary Use Permit. They cite potential increases in theft, property damage, biohazard waste, and insurance costs as serious risks to their operations. Penticton’s industrial zone is limited in size and already accommodates the existing temporary winter shelter, located approximately 550 meters from the proposed site. Concentrating multiple homelessness response facilities within this small area places disproportionate pressure on nearby businesses and does not represent a balanced or sustainable approach to addressing this complex issue.

Local businesses are vital to Penticton’s economy and provide essential employment for residents. It is therefore imperative that they be meaningfully consulted on initiatives that may directly affect their operations and community safety. A six-business-day notification period is wholly inadequate to allow for informed review and feedback.

The Wiltse community, located above the proposed site at 616 Okanagan Avenue East, is home to many residents who have expressed significant concerns regarding the current proposal. Key issues identified include:

• Lack of community consultation and the expedited process, with a Council vote scheduled only six business days after the announcement.
• Uncertainty regarding facility operations, including whether the site will operate as a dry or wet facility.
• Proximity to childcare and educational facilities, including a daycare within approximately 1,100 meters, and both Wiltse Elementary School and the OneSky Wiltse Childcare Centre within 1,500 meters.
  Potential increases in crime, theft, and safety concerns affecting nearby residences.
• Absence of detailed safety and security plans, including clarity on operator selection and community input in safety planning.
• Impacts on public transit, which is regularly used by high school students and seniors commuting from the Wiltse area.
• Traffic, cyclist and pedestrian safety risks due to increased foot traffic at the four-way stop at Okanagan Avenue East and Dartmouth Drive.
• Emergency access and evacuation concerns, as the Wiltse community has only two entry and exit points. Additional traffic and congestion at Dartmouth Drive and Okanagan Avenue East could create serious risks during emergencies such as wildfires.
• Inadequate traffic impact analysis, as prior assessments for planned future housing developments in the area did not account for the proposed temporary housing site.

At a minimum, given these concerns, it is respectfully recommended that Council defer the vote on Temporary Use Permit PL2025-10079 until comprehensive consultation with affected businesses and residents has been completed.

• Please sign this petition if you believe that addressing housing and homelessness requires careful planning, transparency, and meaningful community engagement.

Proper consultation with affected community members and taxpayers is essential to ensure that solutions are effective, equitable, and supported by those who live and work in Penticton.

**If you would like your voice heard ahead of the City of Penticton vote on this issue do not forget to express your unique feedback about the proposal officially to the City of Penticton in written form by 9:30am Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025. Reply to:

Corporate Officer, City of Penticton

171 Main Street, Penticton, B.C. V2A 5A9

Email both addresses: council@penticton.ca & corpadmin@penticton.ca

Subject: TUP PL2025-10079