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.
Lower Columbia Initiatives Corporation Addresses Supply Chain Resiliency in the Kootenays
As supply chain issues become paramount for companies world-wide, the Lower Columbia Initiatives Corporation (LCIC) is driving a regional initiative to ensure a comeback from the economic slowdown and greater resiliency of supply chain networks in the future.
Efficient supply chain management is essential to a company’s success and customer satisfaction. The process starts with the harvesting of raw materials such as crops, timber, minerals, or other natural resources and extends through the flow of production to the sale of products to customers.
The LCIC supports economic development in the rural communities of Trail, Fruitvale, Montrose, Rossland and Warfield (aka the “Lower Columbia”). In 2021, it conducted a small-scale project to explore supply chain challenges and opportunities in the Lower Columbia region. The project collected hard supply chain data around inputs, outputs, by-products and waste streams within the forestry and metallurgical sectors. The primary goal was to achieve a better understanding of the value chain in the Lower Columbia and where improvements could be made. The second goal was to identify gaps in the value chain which would provide Metal Tech Alley – LCIC’s investment attraction initiative – with opportunities to promote the region as a good place to invest.
Initial Research Leads to Larger Study
“We could see from that first project how interconnected Kootenay communities are and the importance of a regional approach to supply chain development,” says Rebecca Richards, LCIC Co-Director.
The Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC) saw the value of a larger project with greater geographic scope to provide a deeper understanding of West Kootenay regional supply chains, including additional sectors. The initiative also aligns with the Trust’s strategic pillars of supporting business resilience and growth and building economic development capacity through regional partnerships. With grant funding from ETSI-BC, the LCIC partnered with Community Futures organizations in the Central Kootenay and Boundary regions, and Selkirk College to conduct the large-scale project.
The funding enabled the hiring of research consultant, Jaspreet Kaur of Fly High Consulting to interview another 19 companies about their supply chain issues and needs. In the second phase of the project, consultants from Blue Monarch Management were engaged to assist interested companies in developing their supply chain strategies. “We were surprised at how few companies were interested in developing these strategies, so we redirected our efforts to address what we learned from the research,” says Richards.
Need for Skilled Workers and Entrepreneurial Training
Lack of skilled labor including workers with entrepreneurial skills was identified as a major barrier to economic growth. “There is a lack of training in the region that inspires potential entrepreneurs to start their own businesses and prepares them to work through issues that impede business growth including supply chain management,” adds Richards.
To address this, the LCIC and the Kootenay Association for Science and Technology (KAST) are working together to create an “Entrepreneurial Training for Youth” course intended to run in 2023. In addition, KAST is working with both Selkirk College and College of the Rockies on a regional entrepreneurship initiative that addresses gaps and complements existing programs in the three organizations.
The research also showed that Kootenay businesses struggle to find carriers, especially when they have less than full truckloads of goods.
“There may be an opportunity for a tool called a load board which helps shippers make available loads in the Kootenays more visible,” explains Richards. Load boards are an online platform to match shippers with carriers. Using a load board can also help a company improve their logistics and procurement planning as relationships with carriers are established and data on shipping success is captured. Currently, the LCIC is bringing together a group of Kootenay based shippers to trial a load board for six months.
“It is more important than ever to evaluate and understand supply chain activities,” says Laurel Douglas, CEO of ETSI-BC. “This project is demonstrating the value of strategic partnerships in tackling a major economic development issue and working directly with industry to achieve meaningful change.”
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.