A Warm Welcome to the South Okanagan Chapter

On Sunday, April 28, Pacific Regional Organizer David Ravensbergen travelled to Penticton to host a founding meeting for a new South Okanagan chapter. The chapter brings together Council of Canadians supporters from communities across BC’s southern interior, including Peachland, Summerland, Penticton, Okanagan Falls, Oliver, and Osoyoos.

The meeting was well attended, with twenty-five people coming out to meet other local residents with shared interests and concerns, and to learn more about the Council of Canadians’ national campaigns on issues including climate policy, freshwater protection, and universal public pharmacare. Some people who weren’t able to make the meeting in person joined remotely via Zoom.

Participants worked in small groups to compile a list of the features that make the South Okanagan such a special place to live. For many of the meeting attendees, a strong connection to the community they call home is a key motivating factor for joining together with other residents to protect ecosystems, strengthen public services and deepen the practice of local democracy.

One participant shared that the name Penticton is an anglicized version of snpintktn, a word in the nsyilxcən language spoken by the syilx peoples of the Okanagan Valley that means “the always place,” “a place where people live year-round,” or “a place to stay forever.” These meanings resonate with the discussion at the chapter founding meeting, where people reflected on their sense of home in this beautiful region.

Looking ahead, several members of the chapter will be meeting this week to determine roles and responsibilities in the new group, including contact person, treasurer and outreach coordinator. So far eight people have stepped forward to take on a role in the chapter, and an additional thirty-four have joined the chapter’s local contact list.