The 2016 Southern Interior Local Government Association convention is underway in Kelowna, bringing 250 delegates to town.
The annual meeting of representatives from municipal governments across the southern Interior will run until Friday and this year will focus on the issue of water.
In addition to an address by B.C. Community Minister Peter Fassbender scheduled for Friday morning, NDP leader John Horgan will speak at the convention, as will local MLAs Norm Letnick,B.C.'s agriculture minister, and Steve Thomson, B.C.'s minster of forests, lands and natural resource operations.
Former provincial health minister turned mediator George Abbott, currently trying to mediate the impasse between the City of Kelowna and the four other independent water providers in the city over the issue of one integrated water system for all city residents, will speak to delegates Thursday night.