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.
Armstrong’s Big Cheese Festival Gets Better with Age (and additional training)
(Photo credit Summer Broyden)
It’s all about cheese at the annual Big Cheese Festival in Armstrong, a two-day event for dairy and agriculture producers to showcase and sell their products while celebrating the community’s cheese-making history and agricultural heritage.
“Farming Comes First” claims the Armstrong Spallumcheen Chamber of Commerce (ASCC) on its website, highlighting the importance of agriculture to the North Okanagan economy. In 2025, the Big Cheese Festival, which is championed by the ASCC, reached a new level of success with the addition of business workshops and skills training to the agenda.
The Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC) first supported the Festival in 2021 to help showcase the area’s food, beverage and other agriculture producers to local businesses and consumers. In 2025, the Trust provided additional support that enabled specialized training and workshops to be added to this year’s festival agenda.
ETSI-BC spoke with Patti Noonan, Executive Director at the ASCC and Visitor Information Centre about how the Big Cheese Festival is helping to build a stronger agricultural economy in the region.
What inspired the addition of educational programming to the Festival?
Patti: In 2023, the Chamber received support from the provincial Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program (REDIP) to develop a producer’s network. A year later, we were ready to expand the opportunities identified through the project to help producers reach broader markets. The recent funding from ETSI-BC supported a continuation of this work, providing new opportunities for learning, networking, marketing and collaboration.
What distinguishes this project from other agri-business events?
The Big Cheese started out with a focus on dairy and cheese, and we thought it would be a one-time event. But our economy is so tied to agriculture of all types that the Festival has become a go-to place for information and connections beyond the cheese industry. The opportunities that are realized by the region’s agriculture sector often start through a conversation at the festival and those contacts contribute to region-wide economic growth.
How did you determine the kind of workshops to offer?
We collaborated with partners such as the Small-Scale Meat Producers Association, Organic BC and others to tailor the sessions to the specific needs of our agricultural community. Forproducers who were not yet processing and/or marketing their products, we provided sessions on market expansion, investing in new technologies, and resources for creating more efficient and productive businesses. Marketing workshops helped participants learn what it takes to make a great website, and trends to watch for such as AI. Other sessions addressed inclusion and equity, tips and strategies to attract and retain seasonal employees, and funding resources for agriculture infrastructure and development.
In addition to the educational sessions, a new page was created on the ASCC website to increase the profile of regional producers.
How do you measure the success of the project?
Since the 2025 festival to date, approximately $115,000 has been invested in the Armstrong/Spallumcheen community by local businesses that produce local products or use local products to create their own.
For example, the 27 Supper Club opened a storefront in Armstrong and started producing meals and grab and go products. The Village Dairy invested in a new ageing storage unit and cold storage unit for their cheese. Fresh Valley Farms invested in a new mobile, solar-powered chicken coop that allows fresh pasture grazing, promotes better soil health and reduces the need for manual labor. There are many other examples of businesses reevaluating their business models, embracing new technologies and employing new marketing strategies.
Of the 50 vendors that participated in the event, approximately half were local producers or local supporters of the agriculture industry such as restaurants and grocery stores. Twenty-five vendors reported sales between $2,500 and $4,000 each, injecting a minimum of $62,500 into the local economy. But we know that the impact was much higher as all local businesses reported increased product sales during the event.
In addition, our partnerships with Small-Scale Meat Producers Association, Organic BC and other agriculture organizations have been greatly strengthened by this collaboration.
The best indicator of success may be the feedback we received from participants at the event. “You did such a good job supporting local,” summarized one post-event survey respondent. “Keep up the good work, can’t wait until 2026!”
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
May 11, 2026 – ETSI-BC is inviting partners from across the Southern Interior to participate in a series of virtual focus groups as part of an Impact Assessment that will inform its next three-year Strategic Plan, covering the period from April 1, 2027 to March 31, 2030.
Similkameen Economic Vitality Plan Drives Growth and Resilience
Keremeos, one of the fastest growing rural communities in British Columbia, has evolved from its agricultural heritage to a business hub at the heart of the Similkameen region with a robust tourist sector and vast potential to develop new business opportunities. In 2024, the Similkameen Country Development Association initiated a comprehensive Economic Vitality Initiative to better address the pressing needs of local businesses. Collaboration by many stakeholders along with funding support from the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC) drove the plan to completion, and the strategies it contains are now being implemented.
Ktunaxa Business Showcase Links Indigenous Businesses to Procurement Opportunities
The Ktunaxa Business Showcase, led by the Ktunaxa Nation Council (KNC), is expanding, improving and helping members secure new business contracts in southeastern BC. The success of the most recent 2025 Showcase event reflects strategic changes to the program’s timeline and format, and was supported by funding from the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC).
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
March 30, 2026 – We are pleased to present the findings and recommendations of the 2026 ETSI-BC Legislative Review Committee. The Committee reviewed the Act that governs ETSI-BC and the proposed changes that the Province has put forward this year. A Legislative Review is conducted every 5 years by an independent committee. This year in particular, their report has several important recommendations of relevance to First Nations and local governments in the Southern Interior, and to the Province.
Stepping up the PACE of Inclusive Employment in Penticton
Creating flexible, part-time job opportunities for workers with barriers has been the driving force behind The Penticton & Area Cooperative Enterprise (PACE) for more than 20 years. Hundreds of employees have found sustainable jobs with local employers based on PACE’s job-sharing model to fill full-time positions.
With support from the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC), PACE has standardized and expanded its model to ensure more people can access paid work in the community and employers have access to labour market solutions, which are increasing economic growth in the Penticton area and beyond.
Columbia Valley on a Roll as Film Production Provides Region-Wide Benefits
With its spectacular landscapes and the small-town charm of communities like Radium, Invermere and Fairmont Hot Springs, the Columbia Valley in the East Kootenay region has been the backdrop of film productions for decades. In 2024, Columbia Valley Community Economic Development (CVCEDO) built on this momentum by hiring a Film Coordinator to ensure the Columbia Valley was the location of choice for two new productions and create a strategy for long-term growth of the film sector. The project was supported with a grant from the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC).
CF Central Okanagan Leadership Program Teaches Businesses Sustainability Practices
An innovative program to help new and expanding businesses build sustainable business practices (SD) into their ventures has resulted in a model for long-term business growth and economic capacity building in the Okanagan. The Sustainable Business Development Leadership Program created by Community Futures Central Okanagan was supported by the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC). It provides valuable insights into Sustainable Business Practices and the training serves as a model that could be shared with Community Futures clients in other regions.