Syilx Territory, Kelowna, B.C. – The Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) is pleased to release its newly-adopted 2026–2030 Strategic Direction, a five-year framework that sets out how the organization will support communities across the valley in tackling some of the most pressing water challenges of our time.
The Okanagan is one of the most water-stressed regions in Canada — facing accelerating climate variability and rapid population growth projected at 30–50% over the next two decades. The challenges cross every boundary, and so does the water itself. Water doesn’t belong to one community; it connects all of us. The list of challenges to water quality and quantity grows every day, and many are too large and complex for any one community to tackle alone.
For more than 55 years, the OBWB has earned trust as a local government organization focused on programs and projects that benefit the watershed as a whole.
The new Strategic Direction provides the OBWB with a flexible framework to support Okanagan communities as they meet the water challenges of the time. The document outlines three core priority areas: 1) advancing science, environmental monitoring, and information management, 2) building partnerships and capacity in the watershed, and 3) educating, advocating, and advising on good policy.
“This Strategic Direction reflects both the urgency of this moment and the deep responsibility we share to protect the Okanagan’s future. Water is the lifeblood of this valley. It connects every community, every ecosystem, and every part of our economy. As pressures from climate change and population growth intensify, collaboration across the watershed has never been more important,” says Chair Blair Ireland.
“I’m proud of the work our Board and staff have done to build a framework grounded in science, partnership, and long-term stewardship. The decisions we make today will shape the resilience and quality of life in the Okanagan for generations to come.”
The 2026–2030 Strategic Direction identifies water as key to life in the Okanagan, asking us all to imagine a future where every Okanagan resident understands that Okanagan water sustains every one of us and acts with care to protect it.
This plan reaffirms the OBWB’s long-standing commitments to caring for both the quantity and quality of our shared water, and advancing partnerships with the Syilx Okanagan people as the original protectors of siwɬkʷ water.
“The health of the watershed cannot be separated from the health of our communities. It underpins our economy, protects our communities from flood and fire, and shapes the beauty of the landscape that defines this valley. Decisions made in one part of the watershed affect conditions throughout the valley, reinforcing the need for coordination and collaboration. The choices we make today will determine the resilience of our valley tomorrow,” reads OBWB 2026-2030 Strategic Direction, page 3.
The full 2026–2030 Strategic Direction is available at obwb.ca.
Did you know?! The OBWB will be celebrating 20 years of this program on Sept. 11, 2026. Event details to come!
