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.
Ktunaxa Business Showcase Links Indigenous Businesses to Procurement Opportunities
From strategic business networking sessions to a public open house and artisan market, the fourth Ktunaxa Business Showcase in Cranbrook was the most successful yet, says Travis Towsley, Business Development Officer for the Ktunaxa Nation Council (KNC).
ETSI-BC spoke to Travis about this initiative, which received a $42K grant from ETSI-BC in FY2026.
Tell us a bit about why Ktunaxa Nation Council hosts this event
Indigenous businesses may be challenged by a lack of information and/or capacity to participate and compete in the procurement and tendering processes used by industry and government. We launched the Showcase in 2020 as a way to connect our businesses with potential contractors that want to use Indigenous products and services.
This is the fourth year of the Business Showcase event, with growing awareness and participation from new Ktunaxa businesses each year. With support from the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC), strategic improvements were made to the 2025 timeline and format.
What happens over the two days of the Showcase?
The program has evolved from a very small event in 2020 to the much larger one in 2025. It was held at St. Eugene’s Mission which is owned by the four Ktunaxa First Nations and the Shuswap Band.
The first day was a networking and tradeshow with 27 Ktunaxa businesses registered, and 25 teams representing 19 different industry partners including municipalities, private companies, public sector organizations and utilities in the region. We provided a “speed-dating” type of networking environment with private 10-minute meetings taking place between Ktunaxa businesses and government/industry to explore projects and procurement opportunities.
The second day was a public open house and artisan market where attendees could see and purchase Indigenous art and goods.
What did you do differently this year than in the past?
Past attendees told us the networking event on the first day was too short, so we extended it from a half day to a full day.
Day two was also extended from a half to a full day. While the number of artisans attending was greater than previous years, public attendance was down, likely due to the location (St. Eugene’s Mission) being 10 minutes out of Cranbrook and the fact it was held on a workday. Moving forward, we decided to host one event for industry networking and a separate event for artisan sales. We started this last December with a Christmas market to provide another opportunity for Ktunaxa artisans and makers to sell their products.
The ETSI-BC funding was invaluable. It supported the cost of the venue rental, accommodation, advertising, and booth kits for Ktunaxa businesses valued at approximately $900 for each business. We are in the design stages of upgrading the Ktunaxa Ready Business Directory to include a dedicated artist portfolio section in addition to the existing 67 directory listings..
Based on the work required to hold the Showcase every year and the time it can take for relationships to turn into contracts, the Showcase will now be held every two years with the next one taking place in 2027.
How do you measure the success of the event?
Financial outcomes are hard to quantify until a significant number of short and long-term contracts are realized, but strong connections are being made. Post-event surveys and comments from 2025 highlighted working relationships that started or evolved, and potential procurement opportunities are expected by Ktunaxa businesses.
Multiple contracts have taken place between Ktunaxa businesses and large organizations such as Elk Valley Resources (EVR) and BC Hydro. Various new partnership discussions between Ktunaxa businesses and external entities are also underway. In addition, EVR made a significant Ktunaxa artwork purchases to display in their Sparwood and Vancouver Headquarters, and we are looking forward to similar projects in 2026/27.
Showcasing the diverse capabilities of Ktunaxa companies in civil construction, environmental work, mining, transportation, and other industries is providing a valuable resource for contract fulfillment and new jobs will be created as the projects get underway.
Perhaps the greatest value is the resiliency realized by Ktunaxa businesses as they develop their own personal relationships with potential contractors. We expect the Showcase will be a powerful driver of the Ktunaxa economy for years to come.
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
The Southern Interior community of Grand Forks has completed a major rebuild and relaunch of its original tourism strategy, shifting the community from being a quick stopping point on Highway 3 to a tourism destination. With support from the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC), the strategy served to develop new tourism assets attracting more visitors and generating increased revenue for local businesses.
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.