The City of Kelowna is getting national attention for the way it supports its employees.
At the 2025 Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA) national conference in Mont Tremblant, Quebec, Kelowna was presented with the CAMA Municipal Inspiring Workplace Award. The city won in the “Over 100,000 Population” category for its Leadership Development Mentorship Program.
The program is designed for staff who see themselves in future management roles. It pairs them with experienced city leaders for mentorship. Since its inception in 2018, 65 mentor-mentee pairs have completed the program. This year, 30 pairs are participating.
“The City of Kelowna leadership development mentoring program provides the opportunity for staff and leaders to engage in mentorship with another city leader or subject matter expert outside of an employee’s home department and in many cases, outside of their divisional unit,” said Doug Gilchrist, city manager. “The city has nine unique business areas, and this program allows for robust relationship and knowledge building across city departments that support our corporate value of One Team.”
Applicants are matched based on their goals, skills, and experience. The city makes sure to pair people from different departments to encourage broader learning and collaboration.
After the program ends, participants complete an evaluation to assess their experience and the impact of the mentorship.
To learn more about the awards and see videos of the winning projects, visit the CAMA website.
