A new 200-acre business park is taking shape in the District of Lake Country. The development will create space for new types of businesses, attract investment, support local jobs, and provide housing options close to where people work. With support from the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC), the project is helping one of BC’s fastest-growing communities prepare for the future.
UBC Okanagan Expands Entrepreneurial Training
To date, more than 250 innovators, risk-takers and problem-solvers have developed their entrepreneurial skills through the e@UBCO program. Through this “dedicated incubator,” UBCO students, faculty, staff and alumni learn how to test their startup ideas, build connections and develop the skills needed to create successful ventures.
Sandra Spencer joined UBCO in mid-2022 as Innovation Manager to help take e@UBCO to a new level. Spencer worked in the innovation environment for over 10 years in Alberta and BC. She is past Senior Innovation Advisor with Innovation Canada, and has operated her own consultancy for several years, working directly with startups on raising capital, commercialization and business modelling.
One of the e@UBCO foundational courses is eDiscovery, a five-part workshop series combined with self-directed online training provided by Impact Toolbox. Delivered in partnership with Accelerate Okanagan which focuses on technology driven ventures, eDiscovery helps individuals develop entrepreneurial thinking, whether or not they plan to launch a new business.
Another core program, Mentor2Market provides access to resources that help participants build and validate their concepts by working in teams with experienced mentors. Over 65 hours of mentoring will be provided by 20 mentors in the community during the current 2023 cohort.
New Programming Focuses on Experiential Learning
In 2022, e@UBCO applied to the Economic Trust of Southern Interior (ETSI-BC) for funding to expand its already successful program. The project was a good fit with ETSI-BC and its strategic pillars, including Supporting Business Resilience and Growth, and Developing Human Capital. The ETSI-BC funding has enabled e@UBCO to tweak its existing programming and introduce more experiential, hands-on training. Experiential learning helps to develop an entrepreneurial mindset by bridging the gap between theory learned in the classroom and active participation.
The Geminator for example, is a series of meetups where participants explore ideas about commercialization, entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship (when employees innovate within a business or organization). The e@UBCO Venture Spotlight and Social, first held in November 2022 and again this past March, brings together e@UBCO students, community members and mentors to network while showcasing projects that have evolved out of the Mentor2Market program.
The program also piloted its Startup Sprint event in January, a hands-on weekend that walks participants through the steps and tools of starting a company.. The 3 day program is a “living lab on campus” says Spencer, where participants are supported by a broad range of disciplines and backgrounds from first year students to PhDs. They learn to collaborate and brainstorm, and develop leadership and decision-making skills under intense time constraints. The January workshop received 80 applicants and was delivered at full capacity to 30 people.
Community Outreach Grows
“The last several months have been a transition stage as we created, marketed and delivered new training options and monitored their value to aspiring entrepreneurs,” says Spencer. Two new staff have been hired to support the growing program: Kayla Cartlidge, e@UBCO Program Manager, and a Community Coordinator set to start in April 2023. Entrepreneur in Residence, Ty Summach is on the e@UBCO team part-time.
“We are exploring ways of incorporating entrepreneurial content into other UBCO programs and with clubs and organizations that also promote entrepreneurial development,” adds Spencer. Speaker events have also been held to engage more women in entrepreneurship.
“Entrepreneurs drive the development of new products and services, creating jobs and accelerating economic growth in a region,” points out Laurel Douglas, CEO of ETSI-BC. “The Trust is proud to support e@UBCO in providing timely, relevant training for our future entrepreneurs.”
More News & Stories
How One Region Overcame the Tourism Impacts of a 5-Month Ferry Strike
When the Central Kootenay communities of Balfour and the East Shore of Kootenay Lake were hit with a lengthy ferry strike in late 2024, economic development and tourism partners worked closely with businesses on both sides of Kootenay Lake to address the impacts of a significant loss of visitors to the area. With support from the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior, (ETSI-BC), the area’s Destination Marketing Organization, Nelson Kootenay Lake Tourism (NKLT), quickly launched the “No Better Time, No Better Place” marketing campaign as soon as the strike ended, encouraging visitors to return to the communities most affected.
ETSI-BC in the Spotlight
October 14, 2026 – The Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC) ) was featured today in BC Business Magazine, alongside our fellow regional trusts, Northern Development Initiative Trust (NDIT) and Island Coastal Economic Trust (ICET).
ETSI-BC Fall Funding Intake Draws Impressive Regional Interest
October 8, 2026 – The Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC) received an impressive response to its 2026 Fall Funding Intake from communities and organizations across the region. The intake closed on October 8, 2026, with 43 applications requesting nearly $1.9 million in funding for projects with a combined project value of over $3.8 million.
Township of Spallumcheen Digs Deep in Planning New Agriculture Business Hub
Since 2021, the Township of Spallumcheen has been exploring the development of a regional Agri-Hub to strengthen local food distribution and support agricultural growth. With support from ETSI-BC, the Township is developing a phased business plan to help build a resilient and profitable agricultural sector for the future.
New Tourism Strategy Transforms Grand Forks from a Highway Stop to a Destination
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Sicamous Tourism Strategy Builds a Path for Sustainable Growth
From houseboating to sledding, hiking, biking, and birding, Sicamous is the tourism hub of the Shuswap region. While summer visitors fill Sicamous with activity, off-season visitations drop sharply, prompting the community to pursue a more diversified and sustainable year-round tourism future. The Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC) supported the District of Sicamous Development Corporation in revitalizing the community’s tourism sector with a dynamic, five-year tourism strategy to 2030.
Forestry Strategy Positions ?aq’am First Nation for New Opportunities
Increased timber harvest allocations for BC’s First Nations are opening the door to new business opportunities for enterprising First Nations communities such as ?aq’am in the East Kootenays. With funding support from the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC), ?aq’am developed a forestry business scan, a strategy to build capacity for projects made possible by the expanded forest tenure. The scan is guiding ?aq’am to increase its role in forestry as it pursues a resilient and sustainable future.
ETSI-BC Welcomes Krista Mallory as Regional Project and Strategic Initiatives Manager
July 29, 2026 – The Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC)) is pleased to announce that Krista Mallory will be joining the organization as its new Regional Project and Strategic Initiatives Manager effective October 1, 2026.
Wayfinding in Barriere for Economic Resilience and Growth
When a major fire destroyed the Tolko sawmill in the North Thompson region near Barriere in 2003, residents and stakeholders rallied to rebuild and redefine the community’s economic future. As the community has evolved, so have the systems that help residents and visitors navigate in and around Barriere, including a multi-phase Wayfinding Strategy launched in 2024. The project, supported by the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC) is aimed at boosting visitor traffic and attracting more business investment, ensuring a strong and resilient future.