Regional District of North Okanagan, British Columbia

In summing up the best attributes of the RD, Acton reflects, “The great thing about our area that makes people want to stay is that not only does it have four distinct seasons and lots of wonderful outdoor activities, but we also have very diverse economic drivers - everything from forestry to high tech. We have a film industry we work hard to maintain, with some outfits out of California. There are apple orchards, cherry orchards, ginseng farms, and a new sector is the growth of cannabis; also wineries, so agriculture is a big part of the economy. But we also have a world-famous ski resort – the Silver Star Mountain is a 20-minute drive from Vernon. And an international airport is nearby. After a 45-minute drive in one direction, you can be heli-skiing or fly fishing on your choice of 100 different lakes. Or 45 minutes in the other direction and you could be on a flight to England. We have a mix of everything here.” PREFERRED VENDORS n Opus International Consultants -WSP www.wsp.com WSP is one of the world’s leading engineering professional services consulting firms, bringing together approximately 50,000 talented people globally. We are technical experts who design and provide strategic advice on sustainable solutions, engineering projects that will help societies grow for lifetimes to come. n Cabin Resource Management www.cabinworks.ca View from Middleton Mountain, Courtesy of Ashley Gregerson