Kelowna Becomes Canada's First UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy

Kelowna has been designated as Canada's first UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, joining San Antonio, Texas, and Merida, Mexico, as the only North American cities with this honor. This recognition highlights Kelowna as a world-class center for agriculture, culinary arts, and beverages, which significantly contribute to the local economy and tourism by attracting millions of visitors and supporting thousands of jobs. The designation acknowledges the important role of the Westbank First Nation and Syilx people's traditional knowledge in guiding sustainable land, water stewardship, and equitable food systems development. Kelowna plans to form a working committee involving private, public, and non-profit sectors to implement a multi-year action plan that leverages this status to drive sustainable tourism and local development. The UNESCO recognition is expected to elevate existing initiatives and foster collaborative efforts aimed at sustainable and inclusive economic growth. Local leaders emphasize this as a global opportunity to protect traditional foods and medicines and to share economic benefits with the community.