Mayor’s Message

I am very pleased to present the 2022 Annual Report. The report actually does much more than highlight what happened last year. It shows you our current strategic priorities and our plans for the future. It presents information on capital projects that will be underway for years and highlights relationships that we have fostered for decades and plan to continue forever.

I believe strongly in community and feel blessed to live in Lake Country. My wife and I bought our first home in Okanagan Centre in 1987 and raised our two children in what we consider the best community in Canada. I have seen it grow and change immensely in that time. I am honoured to follow in the footsteps of James Baker who served as Mayor for 17 years.

With change, however, comes opportunity, and Lake Country’s Council has changed. While I am new to the mayor’s role, I have served two terms on council, but I bring fresh ideas to the table. Two fellow members of past council, Councillor Cara Reed and Councillor Todd McKenzie, join me in welcoming four new faces to Lake Country Council: Councillor Tricia Brett, Councillor Michael Lewis, Councillor Heather Irvine and Councillor Bib Patel. With the new energy and ideas from first-time councillors, joining the tremendous experience brought by returning members, I look forward to making the changes that our community needs, and face new challenges and incredible growth as we tackle the governance of Lake Country. We will work to address the pressures that come from the rate of growth Lake Country has experienced (Lake Country has grown 28.5% since 2016). Our infrastructure, roads, drinking water, sewer treatment, parks, amenities and much more, must keep up with the pace of growth. We will need to think about the impact climate change is having on our environment. We will engage with the public on the stra- tegic, long-term goals for this great community. We will also seek help from other levels of government to achieve some of our goals, including affordable housing. We are not alone in providing important services to our community, and we will work to ensure our voice is heard at the provincial and federal government level.

I am prioritizing building relationships with our neighbours, large and small, provincial ministries and the federal government. We need partners to grow our infrastructure to keep pace with the demands of housing and growth. I am also building relationships with the development community to attract the best to help that growth move in a positive direction and to bring businesses and light industry to Lake Country to provide jobs and services in our own town. Communication with the public will always be a high priority during this term. I want to help our residents understand the challenges Council faces, and the opportunities that may reveal themselves. I encourage members of the Lake Country community to connect with Council, get involved and answer our calls for input. Visit www.lakecountry.bc.ca/subscribe or find us at www.lakecountry.bc.ca/mayorandcouncil.

Blair Ireland,

Airport Advisory Committee

Central Okanagan Development Commission

Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee

Public Art Advisory Commission

Regional District of Central Okanagan Board

UBCO Regional Leadership Table Water Services Advisory Committee

Airport Advisory Committee (Alternate)

Lake Country Health Society (Alternate)

Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee (Alternate)

Tourism Kelowna Water Services Advisory Committee