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.
New Funding for 26 Economic Development Projects
Communities in the Southern Interior of BC have something to celebrate this season. ETSI-BC, the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior, has just announced the successful applicants of its Fall Funding Intake, and awarded over $543,800 in funding to support 26 projects that will help build and diversify the region’s economy. Project partners include local governments, First Nations and non-profit organizations in BC’s Southern Interior.
“With this latest batch of approved projects, ETSI-BC continues to help grow local economies. Since re-launching as ETSI-BC, we have approved more than $4.5 million in grant funding in support of our 5 Strategic Pillars. These projects have a total value of over $11 million in the region, and they have helped create or maintain more than 7,500 jobs ,” notes Laurel Douglas, CEO of ETSI-BC.
| ETSI-BC Fall Funding Intake Approvals by Region | ||
|---|---|---|
| Columbia-Kootenay | $249,800 | 46% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | $254,000 | 47% |
| Both Regions | $40,000 | 7% |
| $543,800 | 100% |
The impact of ETSI-BC funding can be felt in all corners of the BC Southern Interior. Projects approved in this Funding Intake alone are taking place in three First Nations and all Regional Districts in the Southern Interior, including the Thompson-Nicola, Okanagan Similkameen, Central Okanagan, North Okanagan, Central Kootenay, Kootenay Boundary, East Kootenay, the Columbia Shuswap, and the Fraser Valley.
“On behalf of the ETSI-BC Board, I am delighted to share this news,” said Sharon Shepherd, ETSI-BC Board Chair. “These projects will help build economic development capacity in our communities, support innovation and help advance key sectors of our region’s economy.”
Laurel Douglas added, “We are so proud of the difference we are making all over the Southern Interior and look forward to seeing these exciting projects come to fruition.” Here is a list of projects approved in the ETSI-BC Fall Funding Intake:
| PROJECT PARTNER | PROJECT NAME |
|---|---|
| BC Association of Abattoirs (dba BC Meats) | Building the Meat Cluster in the North Okanagan |
| Boston Bar Community Charities Association | Boston Bar Economic Opportunities Analysis |
| Castlegar and District Chamber of Commerce | Castlegar and District Business Retention and Expansion Data Collection and Implementation Project |
| Chawathil First Nation | Economic Opportunity Analysis |
| City of Armstrong | Coordinated Downtown Revitalization Plan |
| City of Revelstoke | Business Retention, Innovation and Transition Tool (BRITT) |
| Columbia Valley Housing Society | Workforce Housing Project Manager |
| Community Futures Greater Trail | Beyond the River Campaign |
| Community Futures North Okanagan | REACH |
| Cranbrook, City of | Canadian Rockies International Airport Regional Employment Lands |
| District of Clearwater | Clearwater Wayfinding & Signage |
| Kakin Resource Corporation | qukin amakis Property |
| Kamloops Indian Band Development Corporation (KIBDC) | Branding for New Economic Development Entity |
| Kimberley & District Chamber of Commerce | Kimberley Health Centre Investment Opportunities Analysis |
| Kootenay Association for Science and Technology | Kootenay Net-Zero Innovation Action Plan |
| Lumby & District Chamber of Commerce | Lumby Youth – Local Workforce Development |
| Nakusp and Area Development Board | Grow Arrow Lakes |
| Naramata Centre Society | Naramata Centre Hospitality & Viticulture Residency Program |
| Nelson & District Chamber of Commerce | Nelson & Area Cleantech Feasibility Study |
| Okanagan Falls Winery Association | Digital Marketing Strategy Implementation |
| Salmon Arm and District Chamber of Commerce | Building the Workforce in Salmon Arm |
| Small-Scale Meat Producers Association | Southern Interior Butcher Hub Network |
| South Okanagan Chamber of Commerce | Business Retention Expansion & Relocation Program |
| South Shuswap Chamber of Commerce | Collaborative Strategic Planning |
| The Corporation of the City of Vernon | Community Economic Development Service Mapping |
| Venture Kamloops Economic Development | Collaborative/Regional Workforce Development |
For More Information, please contact:
Laurel Douglas, CEO | 236.420.3680 | laurel@etsi-bc.ca
About ETSI-BC
ETSI-BC, the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior, was created in 2006 with a $50 million endowment to assist in the growth and diversification of the economy of the Southern Interior of BC. The Trust is governed by a 13-member Board of Directors, receiving input from Regional Advisory Committees made up of elected officials from both the Thompson-Okanagan and Columbia-Kootenay regions. We add value to the economic development ecosystem and provide funding for projects in four key funding streams:
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