Back

Thompson-Okanagan

Table of contents

Regional overview Population distribution Employment statistics

This region's industries and sectors B.C. Labour Market Outlook (2019-2029) for this region

View full profile

Latest numbers for this region in December 2021

Total regional population (age 15+): 511,500

Total regional employment: 301,900

Regional unemployment rate: 4.6 %
- In Kelowna 5.1 %

Total regional employment: 301,900

Source: Monthly Labour Force Survey, 3-month moving average, seasonally unadjusted

Regional overview

The Thompson-Okanagan economic region is located in the interior of the province. It stretches from Princeton in the west to Golden and the Alberta border in the east, to Osoyoos and the Washington state border in the south. Kelowna and Kamloops are the largest cities in the region.

Regional district	Key cities
Regional district Central Okanagan	Key cities Kelowna
Regional district Columbia-Shuswap	Key cities Salmon-Arm, Revelstoke
Regional district North Okanagan	Key cities Vernon, Coldstream
Regional district Okanagan-Similkameen	Key cities Penticton, Summerland
Regional district Thompson-Nicola	Key cities Kamloops, Merritt, Clearwater

Key facts

Thompson-Okanagan is the third most populated region in the province.
Most of the region’s population is of working age (15–64 years old), the lowest share in the province.
The median age of the region’s population is higher than the provincial median age.
The region’s unemployment rate is consistently higher than the provincial rate.
A large share of B.C.’s Agriculture employment is located in this region.

Population distribution

Regional district	Population
Central Okanagan	179,800
Columbia-Shuswap	50,500
North Okanagan	81,200
Okanagan-Similkameen	80,700
Thompson-Nicola	128,500
Regional district total	520,800

Note:Regional district numbers may not add up to regional district total due to rounding.

Source: 2015 BC Stats (population)

Age distribution

Age
% by age for Thompson-Okanagan
% by age for B.C.

0 - 14
15 - 24
25 - 54
55 - 64
65 - 90+

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

Employment statistics

Full-time employment rate by region

Region

Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland / Southwest
North Coast & Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island / Coast

Full-time employment rate

B.C. average: 79%

Thompson-Okanagan employment (2020):

222,700

Total B.C. employment (2020):

1,965,700

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

Unemployment rate

10-year unemployment rate in Thompson-Okanagan compared to B.C. rate (2010-2020)

British Columbia

Low:

4.7 %

High:

8.9 %

Unemployment rate (2020):

8.9 %

10-year average:

6.4 %

Thompson-Okanagan

Low:

4.9 %

High:

9.0 %

Unemployment rate (2020):

8.6 %

10-year average:

7.1 %

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

This region's industries and sectors

Industry	Share of this region's employment	Share of B.C. employment	Sector
Accommodation and Food Services	Share of this region's employment 6.4 %	Share of B.C. employment 10.9 %	Sector Services
Agriculture and Fishing	Share of this region's employment 5.2 %	Share of B.C. employment 23.6 %	Sector Goods
Business, Building and Other Support Services	Share of this region's employment 4.0 %	Share of B.C. employment 11.8 %	Sector Services
Construction	Share of this region's employment 10.1 %	Share of B.C. employment 13.1 %	Sector Goods
Educational Services	Share of this region's employment 6.1 %	Share of B.C. employment 9.7 %	Sector Services
Finance, Insurance and Real Estate	Share of this region's employment 6.1 %	Share of B.C. employment 10.6 %	Sector Services
Forestry and Logging with Support Activities	Share of this region's employment 1.9 %	Share of B.C. employment 16.2 %	Sector Goods
Health Care and Social Assistance	Share of this region's employment 15.8 %	Share of B.C. employment 13.9 %	Sector Services
Information, Culture and Recreation	Share of this region's employment 3.0 %	Share of B.C. employment 7.8 %	Sector Services
Manufacturing	Share of this region's employment 6.9 %	Share of B.C. employment 11.7 %	Sector Goods
Mining and Oil and Gas Extraction	Share of this region's employment 3.4 %	Share of B.C. employment 21.0 %	Sector Goods
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	Share of this region's employment 6.3 %	Share of B.C. employment 7.8 %	Sector Services
Public Administration	Share of this region's employment 3.7 %	Share of B.C. employment 8.9 %	Sector Services
Repair, Personal and Non-Profit Services	Share of this region's employment 5.3 %	Share of B.C. employment 14.5 %	Sector Services
Retail Trade	Share of this region's employment 25.2 %	Share of B.C. employment 12.8 %	Sector Services
Transportation and Warehousing	Share of this region's employment 4.1 %	Share of B.C. employment 8.7 %	Sector Services
Utilities	Share of this region's employment 1.0 %	Share of B.C. employment 16.1 %	Sector Goods
Wholesale Trade	Share of this region's employment 5.7 %	Share of B.C. employment 9.5 %	Sector Services

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

Goods and Services sectors

Share of employment in Goods and Service sectors (2020)

Goods Services

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

The Thompson-Okanagan region accounts for the third largest percentage of provincial employment.

Service sector

With its hot, dry summers, Thompson-Okanagan is popular as both a vacation destination and a place for retirees to live. These factors play a role in the region’s relatively large share of provincial employment in some Service sector industries.

Goods sector

Thompson-Okanagan has some of the best agricultural land in the province and is a prime location for vineyards and orchards. There are also some cattle ranches in the region. Thompson-Okanagan accounts for a moderate proportion of provincial employment in the Goods-producing sector (agriculture, forestry, mining, oil and gas, fishing, hunting and trapping, utilities, construction and manufacturing). Agricultural employment in high in this region.

B.C. Labour Market Outlook (2019-2029) for this region

Composition of job openings

New jobs due to economic growth:
28.5%
27,300 openings

Replacement of retiring workers:
71.5%
68,300 openings

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Employment outlook

2019
2024
2029

Forecasted 10-year total employment growth:	95,600
Forecasted average annual employment growth rate:	1.0%

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Top Ten occupations	Job openings	Employment growth
Top Ten occupations
Retail salespersons (NOC 6421)	Job openings 3,800	Employment growth 1.3%
Retail and wholesale trade managers (NOC 0621)	Job openings 2,720	Employment growth 1.2%
Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates (NOC 3413)	Job openings 2,260	Employment growth 1.5%
Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses (NOC 3012)	Job openings 2,220	Employment growth 0.9%
Administrative officers (NOC 1221)	Job openings 2,100	Employment growth 1.1%
Elementary school and kindergarten teachers (NOC 4032)	Job openings 1,710	Employment growth 1.2%
Transport truck drivers (NOC 7511)	Job openings 1,610	Employment growth 0.4%
Janitors, caretakers and building superintendents (NOC 6733)	Job openings 1,570	Employment growth 1.2%
Cashiers (NOC 6611)	Job openings 1,520	Employment growth 1.4%
Accounting technicians and bookkeepers (NOC 1311)	Job openings 1,470	Employment growth 1.3%

View all high opportunity occupations

Top Ten industries	Job openings	Employment growth
Top Ten industries
Health Care and Social Assistance	Job openings 17,300	Employment growth 1.7%
Retail Trade	Job openings 12,600	Employment growth 0.8%
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	Job openings 9,600	Employment growth 1.9%
Accommodation and Food Services	Job openings 8,100	Employment growth 1.5%
Educational Services	Job openings 7,100	Employment growth 0.9%
Construction	Job openings 6,900	Employment growth 0.2%
Information, Culture and Recreation	Job openings 6,500	Employment growth 1.6%
Finance, Insurance and Real Estate	Job openings 5,800	Employment growth 0.5%
Business, Building and Other Support Services	Job openings 5,400	Employment growth 1.1%
Transportation and Warehousing	Job openings 5,100	Employment growth 1.0%

Top Industries for this region

Thompson-Okanagan

Latest numbers for this region in December 2021

Regional overview

Key facts

Population distribution

Age distribution

Employment statistics

Full-time employment rate by region

Region

Unemployment rate

This region's industries and sectors

Goods and Services sectors

Share of employment in Goods and Service sectors (2020)

Service sector

Goods sector

B.C. Labour Market Outlook (2019-2029) for this region

Composition of job openings

Employment outlook

Top Ten occupations