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.
ETSI-BC Helps Build Economic Development Capacity in BC`s Southern Interior
May 20, 2021 | News
Nine recipients ranging from First Nations and municipalities to tourism associations and community-led societies throughout the Southern Interior of BC. have just been awarded a portion of $305,000 in funding for economic development projects from ETSI-BC – the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior. Funding ranged from $13K to the maximum of $50K. This tranche of funding was the first to be allocated as per ETSI-BC`s new Strategic Plan, which was launched on April 1, 2021.
“Our team and Board are delighted to share this news,” said Laurel Douglas, CEO, ETSI-BC. “Each project will contribute to our main Strategic Pillar, to build economic development capacity in our region. Approved projects are taking place in 7 of the 9 Regional Districts in the Southern Interior, including the Fraser Valley, Thompson-Nicola, Okanagan Similkameen, Central Okanagan, Central Kootenay, Kootenay Boundary, and the Columbia Shuswap.”
The 9 economic development projects cover a broad range including tourism and industrial development to value-added food processing and transportation development. The focus of this Funding Stream is to support smaller/rural communities to build economic development capacity and to support regional partnerships throughout the Southern Interior.
“ETSI-BC wants to serve as a catalyst for new economic development initiatives, knowing that sometimes a community needs a first-in funder to seed projects and encourage other funders,” said Douglas. “The outcomes from these nine projects will be as diverse as our region`s communities, but growing their local economy is a common goal for them all.”
ETSI-BC Building Economic Development Capacity Funding Stream approved projects:
City of Merritt – Industrial Park Development Plan
Town of Oliver – Downtown Beautification and Wayfinding Project
Boston Bar Indian Band – Fraser Canyon Tourism Signage Project
Boundary Community Ventures Association – Facilitating Meat Value-Added Production in the Boundary
Friends of Pulpit Rock Society – Whitewater Trails
Peachland Historic School – Accessible Plaza Society Historic School Plaza
Village of Salmo – Salmo Community Owned and Operated Bus Initiative (SCOOBI)
Tourism Golden Association – Tourism Golden 5-Year Strategic Planning
District of Lake Country – Scenic Sip Wine & Eats
On May 28, 2021, ETSI-BC will be opening its Spring Funding Intake which will be providing opportunities for First Nations, rural communities, and other non-profits to submit applications for economic development projects that build capacity within their communities. Application deadline will be June 18, 2021.
We’d love to hear from you!
201 – 460 Doyle Ave, Kelowna, BC V1Y 0C2
Phone: 236-420-3680 ext. 0
info@etsi-bc.ca
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