Doing Business in Vernon, BC: Market, Labour & Access

Market reach

44,519City of Vernon population, 2021 Census
~106,000people within 15 minutes
~280,000people within 1 hour

Vernon is the service centre of the North Okanagan. The City estimates about 106,000 people within 15 minutes, about 115,000 within 30 minutes and about 280,000 within an hour, with more than 360,000 in the Okanagan Valley as a whole. Greater Vernon had 67,086 residents in 2021, and the City itself grew 11% between 2016 and 2021.

Growth is expected to continue at about 1.9% a year to 2031, then 1.5% a year to 2041, reaching roughly 62,366 residents. The OCP plans for about 20,000 new residents by 2045. For retailers, that means a growing base; for landlords, a steady pipeline of new tenants. 2026 Census results are pending.

Sources: City of Vernon, moving to Vernon; OCP Chapter 2; OCP residents' summary.

Workforce and sectors

More than 20,000 Vernon residents are employed, a 56% employment rate. The largest sectors are administrative and professional services (18%), retail trade (17%), health care (15%) and construction (10%). The median age was 49 in 2021, up from 45 in 2006, so health care and services for older customers are long-term growth areas, while hiring young staff can be harder.

The City's economic development office targets agriculture and food processing, education, health and wellness, manufacturing, technology, tourism, professional and office, and retail. Its stated priorities include expanding the commercial and industrial tax base and promoting capital investment in the City Centre and Waterfront. In September 2026 Council approved a business retention and expansion partnership with Community Futures North Okanagan.

Sources: OCP Chapter 2; City of Vernon economic development; Council highlights, 8 Sept 2026.

Highways, airports and transit

Highway 97 runs north to Kamloops and the Shuswap and south to Kelowna. Highway 97A goes north to Armstrong and Enderby, and Highway 6 east through Coldstream to Lumby.
Kelowna International Airport is about 30 minutes south, by the City's figures, for scheduled flights. Vernon Regional Airport at Okanagan Landing serves general aviation.
Vancouver is about 4.5 hours by road and the US border about 3 hours.
BC Transit runs local service, with transit corridors on 25 Avenue, 27, 29, 30 and 33 Streets and 39, 43 and 48 Avenues; Ebus provides intercity coach service.

Commutes inside the city are short by big-city standards; the main pinch points are Highway 97 at peak times and construction zones. In 2026 the City is building a $6.9 million signalized intersection at Highway 6 and Pottery Road and upgrading Kalamalka Lake Road.

Sources: City of Vernon; Vernon, British Columbia; OCP Chapter 3.

Education and health care

Okanagan College has a Vernon campus, and UBC Okanagan is in Kelowna, both sources of trained staff and co-op students. Vernon Jubilee Hospital is one of the city's anchor employers and the reason the Jubilee Hill Village Centre exists as a planning area. The new $121 million Active Living Centre, expected to open in late 2026, adds recreation that helps with recruiting.

Sources: City of Vernon sector profiles; Active Living Centre update.

Staff housing: the constraint to plan for

The OCP reports a residential rental vacancy rate of 0.7%, against a 3% level considered healthy, and rents up 72% since 2014. The City estimates a need for 11,484 new homes over 20 years, 5,933 of them by 2031. For employers, that means recruiting from outside the region can stall on housing. Mixed-use zones (CMUN, CMUB and CMUC) allow apartments above commercial space, which gives owners of the right building a way to house staff or add rental income.

Sources: OCP Chapter 2; Let's Talk Vernon.

Seasons and the business calendar

Summer brings lake traffic to Okanagan Landing and Kalamalka Lake, festivals downtown (the Sunshine Festival in June and Downtown Sounds on July and August Thursdays), and tourism spending.
Fall and winter bring Frostival downtown in November and ski traffic to SilverStar Mountain Resort in the hills above the city. Snow clearing is a real cost in commercial operating budgets.
Wildfire season is part of Okanagan life. The Bradley Creek wildfire in August 2026 led to evacuations, with more than 2,600 people supported by Emergency Support Services, and Castanet reported it dented August real estate activity. Ask about insurance and business-interruption coverage before you commit.

Sources: Downtown Vernon Association; City of Vernon EOC update; Castanet.

Local business support

City of Vernon Economic Development: sector profiles, statistics and monthly building permit reports back to 2013. Resources and statistics
Downtown Vernon Association, the downtown business improvement area: #101-3334 30th Avenue, 250-542-5851. downtownvernon.com
Community Futures North Okanagan: the City's new business retention and expansion partner.
City Business Licensing: 250-550-3634. Licence steps and fees

Choosing the building, not just the city

Once Vernon is on your shortlist, the building decides whether the move works. Check the zone allows your use (zone finder), that the property is in the City rather than RDNO Electoral Area B, that there is enough power, loading and parking, and what the true monthly cost will be after additional rent and GST (NNN estimator). Allow about three weeks for a business licence, and months if you need a development permit or rezoning. The due diligence checklist covers the rest.

Living here

Many business owners move to Vernon for the lifestyle first and the business second. Sean did too: he started in commercial real estate and stayed in the Okanagan because of the lakes, trails and mountains. If you are relocating a business and a family, browse homes at realestatevernon.ca, and ask Sean about both sides of the move.

Doing business in Vernon