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.
Metal Tech Alley Reaching Out to the World
Metal Tech Alley Reaching Out to the World
Kootenay based companies building global industrial supply chains
Metal Tech Alley, a project of the Lower Columbia Initiatives Corporation (LCIC) has brought together Kootenay based companies and professionals to facilitate a transition towards a circular economy. Building the local economy while driving environmentally sustainability is the basis of the circular economy movement which strives to reduce, reuse, recycle and recover, thereby eliminating waste and optimizing value from resources.
Early in the Metal Tech Alley initiative, $50,000 of grant funding from ETSI-BC (formerly Southern Interior Development Trust – SIDIT) and $500,000 from the Province’s, Rural Dividend Program, was combined with $347,700 from partner contributions to focus on connecting local metallurgical companies with those in the emerging tech industry to increase environmental sustainability.
Funding was provided to create professional sales and marketing tools including website creation, digital collateral pieces, an influential social media campaign, blogs, articles and visual entity creation in photo and video formats. Additionally, financial strategies were created through the consortium to assist partner companies in their growth, attraction of additional IIOT companies, and global commercialization efforts. Success was realized as extractive industries were able to close the loop between mineral extraction, production, and recycling efforts involving the latest technologies.
Over the short duration of the inaugural program, partner organizations were able to make capital investments for facility improvement and equipment totaling $587,000. Economic revenue of $893,000 was generated in the region through the addition of five IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) partners (four of them local companies, one from out of region). The initiative created sixteen new full-time, part-time, or temporary positions to assist in carrying out program objectives and assist in the creation of the $500,000 venture capital company fund. ETSI-BC`s strategic focus to advance key sectors, support innovative research and stimulate commercialization was certainly realized in the development of the Metal Tech Alley initiative.
The success of the inaugural program generated national interest and has continued to grow and evolve to the international stage today. Metal Tech Alley has been the catalyst for a shared vision in the region and provided opportunities for program partners, including Fenix Advanced Materials, KAST, Selkirk College, STAC, and Teck Metals, to work together to build and expand their client base through focused commercialization.
Metal Tech Alley is effectively diversifying the “boom and bust” resource-based Kootenay economy by leading the circular economy movement and creating local opportunities in a global market.
To date, the program has realized over $13,643,000 in investment to the region. Metal Tech Alley has put the Kootenay region of British Columbia on the global map in bringing together specialized professionals and entrepreneurs in the metallurgy and advanced materials, digital fabrication, industrial recycling, cleantech and industrial IoT industries.
More News & Stories
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.
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.