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).
Selkirk College Inspires Entrepreneurs and Helps Manufacturers Grow
Selkirk College is innovating with two programs that support rural communities in the Columbia Basin-Boundary region, with funding support from the ETSI-BC. One of the programs helps participants of the college’s tech programs to develop employable skills and explore entrepreneurship. The other project provides research students to help local outdoor recreational gear manufacturers solve problems and increase efficiencies.
Classroom Skills to Entrepreneurship
The Classroom Skills to Entrepreneurship: How to Create a Career from your Education program, delivered at the Applied Research and Innovation Centre in Castlegar, targets students in Digital Fabrication and Design, Web Development, Digital Arts, Computer Science, and Geographic Information Systems.
“These students have amazing skill sets,” says Dr. Sarah-Patricia Breen, BC Regional Innovation Chair in Rural Economic Development. “They already gain some experience in the business world through their studies, but we wanted to amp this up with an intensive, short course about how to turn their skills into a job.”
The program kicked off in March 2022 with two half-day seminars. Experienced Kootenay entrepreneurs shared what being an entrepreneur means to them, the lessons they’ve learned along the way, and some key tips and pointers. At the end of that first seminar, students were assigned entrepreneurial scenarios to work on.
During the second seminar, students discussed their assignments as a group and identified the tools they would need to implement them. To highlight local resources, the Kootenay Association for Science and Technology (KAST) also gave a presentation on its programs and services for entrepreneurs.
Since the seminars took place on two consecutive Saturdays, each student received a stipend of $175 towards the cost of daycare and/or time off work that might otherwise prevent them from attending. A student intern was hired to coordinate the seminars, and presenting speakers received an honorarium.
Project Coordinator Jenna Annett, a recent Selkirk graduate in Environmental Planning, says the program quickly filled up to its 15-student capacity. Several registered students said they already had an interest in starting their own businesses after graduating but didn’t know where to start. “Another 14 students, all from business programs, formed a wait list,” notes Jenna. “This suggests there is potential for a second set of entrepreneurship seminars geared to business students.”
Developing Local Talent for the Outdoor Recreation Sector
The second program takes advantage of the resources available through the Selkirk Technology Access Centre (STAC) in Castlegar to support prototype design and the commercialization of products and services.
The Building the Outdoor Recreation Sector project focuses on the region’s burgeoning outdoor gear manufacturing industry. Most of these manufacturers are members of KORE, the Kootenay Outdoor Recreation Enterprise Society. This emerging industry group already has over 40 member companies, which collectively design, develop, and make products for skiers, snowboarders, cyclists, climbers and more.
STAC was already working with KORE members on numerous projects through an Interactive Visit Program delivered in collaboration with Tech-Access Canada. Companies participating in this program normally receive 20 hours of access to equipment, facilities, and expertise within STAC for a $200 fee.
The funding from ETSI-BC enabled STAC to help more companies in the KORE network, by covering the cost of materials and supporting two interns to assist the students as they work on real-world business solutions under the supervision of faculty researchers. “Access to talent is essential to creating long-term economic growth and development in our region,” says Breen. “With the support of ETSI-BC on these two new programs, Selkirk College is able to contribute even more to prepare students to graduate with the diverse skills needed in today’s workforce.”
More News & Stories
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.
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.