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As the region's population grows older, the Central Okanagan, along with all of Canada, will require new immigrants to maintain a strong workforce to grow the economy.

A new report published by the Central Okanagan Foundation, called Vital Signs, outlines the Okanagan's changing demographics, and shows a greying future with low fertility rates.

"Today, statistically, the Central Okanagan is predominantly a Euro-American, greying, and increasingly exclusive place, the latter at least in terms of escalating real estate values and rental costs," the report reads. 

Statistics from 2013 show B.C. having the lowest fertility rate in Canada and in 2015, the Central Okanagan was among the lowest fertility rates in the province.

Along with a low fertility rate, the region's older population is growing. Between 2006 and 2016, the populaton of those 65 and older grew by 35.1 per cent in the Central Okanagan and now make up 21 per cent of the region's population.

Older people weren't the only population to increase in the Okanagan though. Between 2011 and 2016, the total population grew by more than 25,000 people, making it the fastest growing metropolitan area in Canada.

And with less births than deaths in that time, the increase in population came primarily from new residents moving to the region.

During 2015 to 2016, 2,802 new residents came from elsewhere in B.C., 1,393 came from other provinces and 388 were international immigrants. Among these new residents, 72.2 per cent were between age 20 and 64, the workforce age.

“One out of two people who will be living in the Central Okanagan in 2042 has not yet arrived, and if we look forward fifty years, to 2067, the ratio could be three out of four,” the Vital Signs report reads. “Therefore, whatever 'creating community' means, it is a long-term, intergenerational and intercultural project.”