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.
ETSI-BC Presents Fall Webinar Series: Empowering Economic Growth in the Southern Interior
We are proud to announce a new webinar series launching this fall. These free learning opportunities are designed to support our community partners to address key challenges in our region. The sessions will provide valuable insights and tools for local governments, economic development practitioners, businesses, and community leaders.
Webinars are free to attend, but registration is required. Don’t miss these opportunities to build your toolbox which will help you strengthen and diversify your community and the region.
Introducing EDD – the Economic Dependencies Dashboard
Date: September 18, 1:30 -2:30 pm Pacific time
Discover the power of data-driven decision-making with your new best friend – EDD! EDD is a new Economic Dependencies Dashboard. Using EDD will enable users to gather a better understanding of the regional economy of the Southern Interior, at both the regional district and local levels. It is intended to provide all residents, including economic development practitioners and local governments with a tool to understand the impact of economic changes and industry transitions in their communities, to help them respond and adapt.
You can use the Dashboard by clicking here https://edd.etsi-bc.ca/ . Here is a link to more information including the User Guide.
Speakers:
- Laurel Douglas, CEO, ETSI-BC
- Mike Stolte, President, Centre for Innovative & Entrepreneurial Leadership (CIEL)
- Sasha Bogdanovic, CEO, CityViz
Click here for the presentation.
Regional Transportation Initiatives & Updates
Date: October 9, 2024, 1:30 -2:30 pm Pacific time
Regional transportation and connectivity between our communities has been a long-standing challenge in the Southern Interior of BC. ETSI-BC has been proud to help address gaps and bolster existing transportation services through its Regional Transportation Enhancement (RTE) Funding Program, offered with financial support from the Province of BC.
Join us for a webinar to hear about innovative transportation initiatives that have helped fill gaps in our region. Hear about key RTE-funded projects and gain connections to support your community as we work together to implement transportation solutions throughout the Southern Interior.
There will be an opportunity for discussion, and all participants will be encouraged to connect and share about regional transportation opportunities, solutions and ideas.
- Laurel Douglas, CEO, ETSI-BC
- Erin Toop, Principal, Toop Consulting Ltd.
- Community Futures Central Kootenay: Rural Ride-Hailing Feasibility Study
- Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association: Thompson Okanagan Transportation Connectivity Engagement
- Okanagan College: Okanagan College Transportation Review
- RTE Funding Recipients
Click here for the presentation.
Bringing Natural Assets into the Balance Sheet
Date: December 11, 1:30 -2:30 pm Pacific Time
This will be an opportunity for ETSI-BC communities to learn about natural asset management and how accounting for nature in our financial decision making can improve environmental and economic outcome for communities. This sessions provides valuable information on how municipal, First Nations and provincial governments can undertake natural asset management planning and the resource needed to make it happen.
This webinar will bring the latest in economics and policy as it relates to natural asset management and allow community members to ask questions of some of Canada’s leading experts in the field.
Key features of the webinar include:
- Introduction to natural asset management
- Overview of the data, processes and methods used in natural asset management.
- A summary of perspectives from communities who have undertaken or are undertaking natural asset management.
- Overview of the resources available to communities who want to develop a natural asset management plan for their land base
Speakers:
- Roy Brooke, Executive Director, Natural Assets Initiative
- Mike Kennedy, PhD, Founder & Chief Technology Officer, Green Analytics Corp.
- Mike Kennedy, CPA, CA, Chief Financial Officer, City of Rossland
More News & Stories
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.
Five-Year Plan Strengthens ?aq’am Community Enterprises
?aq’am Community Enterprises (ACE) is the economic development arm of the ?aq’am First Nation, the largest member of Ktunaxa Nation. Known for its progressive business development goals, ACE undertook a comprehensive review of its strategic priorities. The result is a dynamic new five-year strategic plan that will guide more efficient, tactical, and resilient delivery of ACE’s programs and services. The project was supported by the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC).
Thompson-Okanagan Launches New Economic Development Practitioners Network
After a year of work connecting economic development practitioners across the Thompson-Okanagan, the region’s first Economic Development Practitioners Network (EDPN) is now in place. Modelled after the Kootenay Boundary EDPN created in 2014, the Thompson Okanagan EDPN includes community and municipal and First Nations economic development practitioners, Chambers of Commerce, Community Futures and other stakeholders. The group came together for the first time on April 8, 2026, where they learned, shared ideas and information, and further planned future activities. The Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC) is committed to supporting both the Kootenay Boundary and Thompson-Okanagan networks of economic development practitioners.
2027-30 Strategic Planning and DAAP 4.39 Updates
June 25, 2026 – The Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC) is grateful for the input from partners, funding recipients, committee members and other regional stakeholders who have taken the time to help inform our next three-year Strategic Plan for 2027-30. We are also pleased to provide an update on the status of the DAAP 4.39 action item.
ETSI-BC Fall 2026 Funding Intake: Up to $1M Available for Projects
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.
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).