June 18, 2026 – The Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC) is pleased to announce that its next Funding Intake will launch on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 and close on Thursday, October 1, 2026.
Fostering Entrepreneurship at Post-Secondary Institutions in 2024
Public post-secondary institutions are an important part of a region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. The Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC) has supported the 6 public post-secondary institutions (PSIs) in the Southern Interior of BC since 2008 with funding of over $7.3 million. That funding has helped support trades programming, co-op education, a medical school, bursaries and scholarship for students from around the region to build their skills and help them get employed locally.
More recently, ETSI-BC funding is provided to encourage entrepreneurship, support work-integrated learning initiatives and promote research partnerships and technology transfer.
For the current fiscal year ending March 31, 2024, ETSI-BC has approved funding of $105,000 to support each of the 6 public post-secondary institutions in our region to deliver projects which will help students to become better employees or entrepreneurs. These projects were funded as part of ETSI-BC’s Strategic Pillar of Developing Human Capital. Below are the details of the projects supported in FY2024:
| Institution | Project | ETSI-BC Funding | Project Summary |
| College of the Rockies & Selkirk College | Kootenay Youth Entrepreneurship | $32,500 | Provide business creation and development resources for students, staff and local entrepreneurs, in partnership with KAST, the local tech accelerator. |
| Nicola Valley Institute of Technology | Co-op Employment Preparation | $12,500 | Help students to develop pre-employability skills and participate in a 4-month work placement with employers, who will receive a wage subsidy through the co-op program. |
| Okanagan College | Work-Integrated Learning Preparation Workshops | $20,000 | The Okanagan College Careers Hub will develop a series of online workshops for Co-op students and employers that will prepare both students and employers for Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) Co-op education opportunities. |
| Thompson Rivers University | Tourism Innovation Lab | $20,000 | Students will develop an innovative tourism venture based on their research and with the support of industry mentorship. |
| UBC Okanagan | e@UBC Support | $20,000 | Students, staff and recent graduates will benefit from training and mentorship support as they explore start-up ideas and build connections within the Okanagan innovation ecosystem. |
“We’re thrilled to support these projects and convene the region’s public post-secondary institutions around these themes. Our mission at ETSI-BC is to support economic development projects that will have long-lasting and measurable impacts throughout the Southern Interior region,” says ETSI-BC CEO Laurel Douglas. “These post-secondary initiatives will help strengthen economic development ecosystem by helping grow the local skilled talent pool and supporting innovative new ventures in our region.”
More News & Stories
ETSI-BC Spring Funding Intake Invests Over $1 Million to Strengthen the Southern Interior Economy
June 8, 2026 – Communities across British Columbia’s Southern Interior are set to benefit from a new round of investment through the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior. On June 5, 2026, ETSI-BC approved $1,011,000 in funding for 33 projects, representing a combined project value of $3 million. The funded initiatives will help communities diversify their local economies, support innovation, and respond to regional opportunities
Helping Shape the Future of ETSI-BC Support in the Southern Interior
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Similkameen Economic Vitality Plan Drives Growth and Resilience
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Strong Demand for ETSI-BC Spring Funding Intake
April 15, 2026 – The Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC) closed its 2026 Spring Funding Intake, with a strong response from communities and organizations across the region. The intake closed on April 9, 2026, with 48 applications requesting nearly $1.7 million in funding, representing a combined project value of almost $4 million.
2026 ETSI-BC Legislative Review
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Stepping up the PACE of Inclusive Employment in Penticton
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Columbia Valley on a Roll as Film Production Provides Region-Wide Benefits
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CF Central Okanagan Leadership Program Teaches Businesses Sustainability Practices
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