?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).
Solid Business Plan Key to Development of BC’s Largest Food Hub
Food producers in the Okanagan-Similkameen wanting to scale up their businesses through value-added processing are closer to having the resources they need. The Okanagan Food and Innovation Hub (OFIH) is scheduled to open in Summerland in 2024, making it the 13th food hub to open in BC since 2020.
“This project has been an area of focus for the Summerland Chamber of Commerce and our other partners since 2013 as we looked at opportunities to develop the value-added agriculture and agri-tech sectors in the region,” says Brad Dollevoet, Director of Development Services for the District of Summerland.
Approximately 260 food producers and processors operate in the region. Most of these began as hobby operations and many of the operators lack all the business skills and connections to market their products, access new markets and scale production.
“In addition, many government contracts, supermarket chains and export markets have strict standards for facilities that process food products,” says Charles Cornell, General Manager of Community Futures Okanagan Similkameen, a major partner in the project. “Moving into value-added processing is the low-hanging fruit for producers to compete in today’s economy.”
A Catalyst for Diversification and Increased Revenue
OFIH users will have access to a HACCP certified commercial kitchen, temperature-zoned storage space, packaging equipment and a food testing laboratory. The facility will also provide services around product development consulting and food testing, plus it will offer over 10,000 square feet of meeting and co-working space.
Summerland was picked as the location for the hub because of the area’s long history of agricultural research and innovation. It is close to the internationally recognized Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre, as well as UBC-Okanagan and Okanagan College, which provide complementary educational opportunities and research programs.
The District of Summerland created a business plan for the project in 2020, but soon after the plan was completed and potential locations identified, COVID brought the project to a halt. In the process, the buildings were no longer available and the needs of businesses in the region had changed.
Updating the Business Plan
With grant funding provided by the Economic Trust of Southern Interior (ETSI-BC), the District of Summerland hired Greenchain Consulting to update the business plan. The revised plan provides specific options for a location, and a five-year operational plan. It also includes letters of support from growers, processors, and organizations such as the Pacific Agri-Food and Research Centre, and the K’uL Group, the Development Corporation of the Penticton Indian Band.
The OFIH received a boost in March 2023 when the Government of BC announced it would invest $800,000 toward development of the hub.
Over 40 jobs will be created to establish the hub and more than 1,000 indirect jobs are expected over the longer term, says Dollevoet. The project is expected to generate $1,250,000 into the local economy and will also impact food waste recycling by finding new sources of income for food that is culled and lost to waste.
“Agriculture one of the key focus sectors for ETSI-BC and this project fits with our funding streams of helping build capacity and supporting business resilience and growth,” says Laurel Douglas, CEO of ETSI-BC.
“Having the revised, highly detailed business plan is essential to securing approximately $2 million from higher levels of government that is still needed to complete the hub,” says Dollevoet. “This work would not have happened without the support of ETSI-BC.”
More News & Stories
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.
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.