Photo: Travel Penticton

For those who've recently made the move to Penticton, the city has a free ‘Welcome Home’ package to help newcomers settle into the community.

Anthony Haddad, General Manager of Community Services, said the initiative gives the city an opportunity to provide a warm welcome to the newest residents.

"While also helping us learn more about where they have come from and how we can connect them with the resources they may need,” he added. “This may involve providing information about how to set up a business or simply pointing them in the right direction for accessing community or City-related services."

Anyone who has arrived in Penticton after July 1, 2022, is eligible to register for the pack at penticton.ca/welcome-home

These are designed as one per household, while supplies last.

The pack contains information about city services, free passes to ride transit and explore the Community Centre, plus information from Travel Penticton, the Penticton & Wine Country Chamber of Commerce, Okanagan College, Community Futures Okanagan-Similkameen, OneSky Community Resources, and South Okanagan Immigrant and Community Services (SOICS).

The city said the first 50 respondents will also get tickets to an upcoming Penticton Vees home game.

The initiative is back for a second round after the city said it saw a successful pilot project in 2022, in which 128 people filled out forms to receive the Welcome Home packs over a four-month period.

“Penticton is growing – and it’s wonderful to see the energy our newest residents bring to our community. We welcome you and hope you enjoy exploring this beautiful place we call home,” Penticton Mayor Julius Bloomfield said.

Visit penticton.ca/welcome-home to find out more and be sure to follow Start Here Penticton’s social media channels @StartHerePenticton.