Kelowna

Kelowna (2007 population 123,456, metropolitan population of 165,596) is a city on Okanagan Lake in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, Canada. Its name derives from a native term for "female grizzly bear."

Kelowna is the seat of the Regional District of the Central Okanagan, the third-largest metropolitan area in British Columbia (after the Vancouver and Victoria), and the largest in the British Columbia Interior. With scenic lake vistas and a dry, mild Canadian climate, Kelowna has become one of the fastest growing cities in North America. The appropriate management of such rapid development (and its attendant consequences) is a source of significant debate within the community. Kelowna is the second most expensive housing market in Canada (behind Vancouver).[1] Because of the Okanagan's climate and vineyard-filled scenery, it has sometimes been compared to California.

Kelowna also ranks as the 22nd largest metropolitan area in Canada.