iN NUMBERS: Expensive city projects in Kamloops, Okanagan in the works for 2026

Shiny new projects often have jaw-dropping price tags. Taxpayers ought to know what local governments are doing with their money, so we made a quick list to keep you up-to-date on what big projects are on the go this year. 

Some of these projects are still in the early phases and these dollar amounts could go up, they could go down too, but that’s a rare case when it comes to government spending.

Here are the numbers: 

• 135: Million dollars. That’s the price tag on the Active Living Centre in Vernon. 
• 256: Days until fall, when the city plans on opening the Active Living Centre in Vernon.
• 250: Million dollars. That’s the budget for the new Parkinson Recreation Centre in Kelowna.
• 220: Million dollars. That’s the high-end estimate for the budget for a new performing arts centre in Kelowna. 
• 70: Million dollars. That’s the estimated cost for a twin-pad arena being designed this year for Penticton.
• 38: Million dollars. That’s the estimated cost for the fire hall renewal project in Penticton. 
• 170: Million dollars. That’s how much it could cost Kamloops to build the new RCMP detachment. 
• 211: Million dollars. That’s the rough cost estimate for the new performing arts centre in Kamloops. 
• 135: Million dollar loan. That’s the borrowing the City of Kamloops approved for its new multiplex.
• 3: Civic projects in Kamloops have a total budget of $516 million.
• 1.48: As in billions, as in dollars. That’s a low-side estimate of how much Kamloops, Vernon, Penticton and Kelowna will spend or commit to spend on civic projects this year.