As the evening shadows lengthen across Kelowna’s once-vibrant downtown, Peter Babounas surveys the damaged exterior of his family restaurant. This isn’t the first time he’s faced vandalism, but something feels different now – a breaking point has been reached.
“It’s become untenable,” Babounas tells me, gesturing toward the freshly boarded window at Olympia Greek Taverna. “We’ve been here for decades, but the last few years? It’s like watching a completely different city emerge.”
Babounas isn’t alone in his frustration. A groundswell of local business owners has mobilized around a petition that’s rapidly gaining momentum across the Okanagan hub. The grassroots campaign calls for immediate action addressing what many describe as escalating property crime, open drug use, and aggressive behavior affecting their livelihoods.
The petition, organized by local restaurant owners following a recent string of break-ins, has already garnered over 4,000 signatures. Their demands include increased police presence, faster court processing, and more robust mental health and addiction services to address root causes.
“We’re not trying to criminalize poverty or addiction,” explains Kelly Black, who operates a downtown café and helped draft the petition. “But when my staff doesn’t feel safe walking to their cars after closing, when customers tell me they’re avoiding downtown – something fundamental is breaking down.”
Crime statistics from the Kelowna RCMP detachment show property crime increased 11% in the downtown core over the last year. More telling, however, is the 26% jump in calls related to public disorder and what police categorize as “street-level disturbances.”
Mayor Tom Dyas acknowledges the frustration behind the petition. “The business community is the backbone of our economy and their concerns deserve serious attention,” he stated during a council meeting addressing the petition. “We’re working to balance compassion with the need for public order.”
The petition arrives at a complex moment in Kelowna’s evolution. Tourism remains the city’s lifeblood, with nearly 2 million visitors annually according to Tourism Kelowna. Yet those same visitors increasingly encounter a downtown wrestling with visible homelessness and substance use.
Provincial data shows Kelowna’s homeless population grew by approximately 17% between 2020 and 2023, reflecting broader housing affordability challenges faced across British Columbia. Meanwhile, the toxic drug crisis continues unabated, with Interior Health reporting 76 overdose deaths in the Kelowna area last year.
Angelina Barker, who operates a clothing boutique near the cultural district, points to an abandoned shopping cart outside her store window. “Look, I understand these are complex issues. But we can’t pretend this isn’t affecting our ability to keep doors open. I’ve had three staff quit because they don’t feel safe opening or closing alone.”
The petition specifically calls for a “three-pronged approach” that businesses feel has been missing: immediate enforcement against criminal behavior, rapid intervention for those experiencing mental health crises, and sustainable housing solutions with integrated support services.
“What we’re seeing isn’t just about crime statistics,” says Dr. Carole James, a social policy researcher at UBC Okanagan who studies urban transformation. “It’s about a perceived breakdown in civic order that makes everyone – business owners, residents, and vulnerable populations themselves – feel increasingly unsafe.”
BC Housing has responded with plans to add 60 supportive housing units in Kelowna by early 2025, but many business owners argue the timeline doesn’t address immediate concerns. The province’s complex care housing initiative, designed for those with the most acute needs, has yet to reach full implementation in the Okanagan.
“We pay among the highest commercial property taxes in the province,” says Babounas, pointing to a 2023 BC Assessment report showing Kelowna’s commercial rates increased faster than residential properties. “Yet we feel abandoned when it comes to basic safety and security.”
The petition organizers have requested a meeting with Interior Health, RCMP leadership, and city officials for later this month. They hope to present not just grievances but potential solutions drawn from other communities facing similar challenges.
Sara Chen, who signed the petition after witnessing a violent altercation outside her coffee shop, expresses the emotional toll many business owners feel. “We chose Kelowna because it represented a certain quality of life. I don’t want to give up on this city, but some mornings I arrive to find someone sleeping in my doorway, surrounded by needles. How do I operate a business like this?”
The situation reflects tensions playing out in communities across Canada, where housing instability, mental health service gaps, and substance use intersect with the aspirations of businesses trying to recover from pandemic-related setbacks.
A provincial response may be forthcoming. BC’s Minister for Mental Health and Addictions, Jennifer Whiteside, acknowledged the Kelowna petition during a recent legislative session, noting the government is “actively reviewing approaches to complex care that address both individual needs and community impacts.”
For now, Kelowna’s business owners continue gathering signatures and documenting incidents, determined to convert frustration into action. As Babounas locks up his restaurant for the night, he pauses to chat with neighboring shop owners doing the same.
“This isn’t about politics,” he says. “It’s about whether we can maintain the community we’ve all invested in. We’re not giving up on Kelowna – we just need our leaders to meet us halfway.”
