Penticton’s federal representative, Helena Konanz, has formally asked Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald to reverse the decision to end the federal lease on the Penticton shooting range. The site, run by the Penticton Shooting Sports Association, will lose its lease on December 31, 2025. The nonprofit group was told of this change in a letter dated May 2024.
Konanz argues that the range has served the community for decades. She notes it offers safe, family-friendly facilities for target shooting. The site also helps train regular citizens, Scouts Canada, Air Cadets and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
In a public post on social media, Konanz said she urged Ottawa to keep the lease in place. She wrote that ending it would harm essential training for federal law enforcement agencies in British Columbia’s Southern Interior.
The Penticton Shooting Sports Association relies on every dollar raised to keep the indoor and outdoor ranges running. In her letter, Konanz explained that the group lacks the time and money to build a new facility within five months. She called on the minister to grant more time on the current federal land.
Local leaders and sport enthusiasts have voiced concern over the lease cancellation. They fear losing one of the few safe shooting sites in the region. The association has hosted community events, beginner clinics and youth programs. Many say that without the range, shooting sports in the area would suffer.
Police training at the site covers basic firearms handling, safety protocols and live-fire drills. Konanz stressed that federal officers use the range for regular practice. She said that closing it could force them to travel long distances for training. That would add cost and reduce on-duty hours.
Regular users of the range include hunters, sport shooters and first-time gun owners. The local scavenger hunts and charity shoots held there have raised money for food banks and youth groups. The site’s volunteers manage all tasks, from line marking to safety checks.
In her appeal, Konanz highlighted that the association’s nonprofit status means it turns all income back into the facility. She argued this arrangement benefits taxpayers by avoiding private-sector fees. Moving the range would require purchasing new land, securing permits and building new structures. That process could take years and millions of dollars.
The letter urged the minister to consider the economic impact on the community. The range brings visitors from across the province. Those visitors spend on fuel, food and local services. Closing the site could hurt small businesses in the Penticton area.
Industry experts note that firearms ranges near urban centres are rare. Most are located in remote areas with limited access. Penticton’s site is unique because it offers both indoor and outdoor options within minutes of the city. Its cancellation would leave a training gap for groups that cannot travel far.
Community members have also asked local MP Konanz to explore alternative funding. Some have proposed a joint public-private partnership to keep the site open. Others suggest moving to Crown land outside the immediate area. All agree that five months is too short to complete any major project.
Konanz closed her letter by asking the minister to extend the lease by at least two years. She wrote that this would give the association time to plan and build a permanent home. She said the federal department should see value in supporting a safe, low-cost venue for skills training.
As of this week, the minister’s office has not publicly responded. Local supporters remain hopeful that Ottawa will act. They point to the range’s long record of safe operations and its role in community outreach. For now, the fate of the Penticton shooting range hangs on a ministerial decision.
