Tourism

Penticton offers ideal work-life balance

BCBusiness + City of Penticton Picture it: two lakes, 200+ wineries, a vibrant craft beer and wine scene, Apex Mountain Ski Resort, Nickel Plate Nordic Centre, mountain biking trails, world-class rock climbing, a mild climate and much more. Penticton is about living the lifestyle dream while staying ahead in the business game. "While...

By Jessica Kirby / January 10, 2022

BCBusiness + City of Penticton

Credit: City of Penticton

Professionals seeking the perfect place to live, work, and play need to experience the Penticton advantage

Picture it: two lakes, 200+ wineries, a vibrant craft beer and wine scene, Apex Mountain Ski Resort, Nickel Plate Nordic Centre, mountain biking trails, world-class rock climbing, a mild climate and much more. Penticton is about living the lifestyle dream while staying ahead in the business game.

“While we’re known for our world-class wineries and agriculture, Penticton offers a diverse range of sectors with tremendous entrepreneurial spirit and a vibrant community of remote workers,” says Carly Lewis, economic development manager for the City of Penticton. “The local economy boasts a resilient economic ecosystem including a foundation of mature, multi-generational businesses as well as start-ups and newly relocated companies.”

In fact, Penticton is the business hub of British Columbia’s Okanagan-Similkameen region. More than 3,000 businesses in Penticton serve 100,000 people throughout the South Okanagan region. This success is in part because Penticton is connected: it is centrally located in BC with easy access to highways and the US border. Penticton Airport offers direct flights to Vancouver, Calgary and seasonally to Edmonton.

But business life is only the beginning. More and more, people are discovering that in Penticton, you can have it all.

“We are attracting some of the country’s brightest entrepreneurs and remote workers, drawn by the lifestyle and affordability,” Lewis says. “Who wouldn’t want to live somewhere that gets more than 2,000 hours of sunshine each year, with sandy beaches, world-class trails and mountains, and all kinds of adventures in your own backyard?”

Penticton is a mecca for endurance sports, events and training opportunities. As the birthplace of IRONMAN Canada, the city regularly hosts and attracts major international cycling, mountain bike, running and triathlon events. With a mild climate, early and late season training opportunities are plentiful.

With some of the most longstanding festivals and events in Western Canada, Penticton is buzzing throughout the year with music, arts and culture, sport, and unique festivals and events—including the Penticton Peach Festival, a longtime favourite since 1947.

It’s been a busy 2021, with record construction values and a hot housing market fuelling demand for a range of housing options. The number of building permits issued from January to October 2021 jumped 32% over the previous year, also doubling in value. The average price of a single-family home in the South Okanagan is currently $674,000.

Ready to live your best life? Leave the traffic jams behind and spend more time in the great outdoors. In Penticton, your commute is short, and your free time is long.