Downtown Kelowna Member Centre
Downtown Kelowna Membership
Whether you are a new business or an established Downtown business, there is lots of important information in the Members Centre for your review. To learn about the benefits of membership, please visit the Services, Programs & Events page.
If you are a new business in Downtown Kelowna … we want to extend a warm welcome to you, your business and employees. We are happy that you have decided to locate your business in Downtown Kelowna, a dynamic centre of commerce, entertainment, recreation and parks, and look forward to working with you!
The Downtown Kelowna Association (DKA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring the Downtown is a safe and desirable place to conduct business, live, work, play and enjoy through the cooperative efforts of its members and local government. The BIA, officially registered in 1989, is funded by a commercial taxation assessment levy paid to The City of Kelowna, by the property owners within the BIA. You are automatically a member of the Downtown Kelowna Association when located within the BIA – click here to view a map of the boundary. There is no membership fee.
You will receive monthly e-newsletters, information on Downtown Kelowna events, emails of pertinent information (i.e. DKA notices, City of Kelowna notices, RCMP & Downtown On Call Security notices), and other Downtown related material throughout the year. We are always happy to hear from our members. Please contact us us with any comments and concerns, or come visit us at #200-287 Bernard Ave.
* To view the Downtown Kelowna Business Improvement Area Bylaw (Bylaw No. 10010), please click here.
Business & Property Owner Information
The Downtown Kelowna Association does our best to keep our database of over 1,200 Downtown members as up to date as possible. However, errors and omissions may occur and information does become out of date. We want to promote Downtown Kelowna and your business through accurate information in our online business directory and Downtown Kelowna Guide. More importantly, we want to be able to communicate pertinent information and opportunities with our members. We would greatly appreciate your help in keeping our database up to date and as free from errors as possible.
Please submit the Business Information Form (click here) as soon as possible. The sooner we receive your information, the sooner we can start showcasing your business to the public. If you ever need to update or add information to your business profile, please re-submit this Business Information Form (click here) with your new information.
If you own property in the Downtown Kelowna BIA area, please complete the Property Owner Information Form (click here).
How Are We Doing?
The Downtown Kelowna Association wants your feedback as we move forward into another year. As a result, Kettle Valley Research (KVR) is conducting an anonymous survey to establish priorities and collect your attitudes towards the many services and programs provided by Downtown Kelowna Association.
The data collected from this survey will be analyzed and prepared in a report by KVR for Downtown Kelowna by late spring. All information you provide will be kept confidential through an online survey link and destroyed at the end of this project. Completion of the survey will communicate consent of the participant in the research.
Please complete the survey by 11:59 PM on Friday, May 10, 2013. The survey takes approximately 8-10 minutes to complete. We sincerely thank you for your time and feedback! Together, with your support and participation, we can continue to improve Downtown Kelowna.
CLICK HERE TO COMPLETE THE SURVEY
Questions regarding this survey can be directed to Peggy Athans at peggy@downtownkelowna.com.
Opportunities for Members
Government Funding for Business Training
Are you a micro-business owner? Do you not have a University degree or industry certification? Are there skills that you could develop that would help your business?
The Micro-Business Training Pilot Program (“MBT Program”) offers eligible small business owners funded training programs in general business skills such as bookkeeping, marketing, social media, management, and other areas with the goal of improving productivity, decreasing costs and generating new revenue. Eligible micro-business owners can receive up to $1500 as funding support for courses in a variety of formats (online, classroom and/or on-site). Training is offered by institutions across the province including universities, colleges, PCTIA accredited institutions, and Private Trainers.
The MBT Program will complete on March 31, 2014 with the last applications being accepted December 31, 2013 depending on funding availability. Apply online here. Funding is available to eligible applicants on a first come, first served basis. Learn more about this opportunity by watching this video, learn if you are eligible here, or download the information sheet and FAQ sheet.