The first Southeastern BC Agriculture Forum, held in Creston in March 2025, brought farmers, policymakers, and community leaders together to tackle climate challenges and strengthen regional agriculture. Organized by Kootenay Employment Services with ETSI-BC support, the event focused on resilience, sustainability, and collaboration, setting the stage for ongoing partnerships and future forums.

Silver Star Resort has reimagined its conference centre with modern upgrades and dynamic spaces, creating a premier destination for meetings and events. This transformation positions the resort for year-round success and regional economic growth, thanks to the dedicated support and investment provided by ETSI-BC.

The West Kootenays is a vibrant rural area with plenty of opportunities for business, but workforce shortages have become a serious barrier business growth. An in-depth study done in 2024 showed 1,270 jobs needed to be filled annually due to vacancies and projected growth.
To address this need, the Lower Columbian Community Development Team Society, with support from Community Futures Central Kootenay created the first professional recruitment firm in the region. Funding support from the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC) enabled local human resources consultant Mia Gardiner to create a business plan for the West Kootenay Recruitment Agency (WKRA) and lead its operation for a one-year pilot.

MICE refers to the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions industry which brings thousands of business professionals, industry experts, and organization representatives to Penticton every year. The value of the MICE sector inspired the Meet in Penticton Convention Bureau (MIP) to conduct a comprehensive study to determine the precise impacts of MICE business and how to attract more MICE visitors throughout the year.

In 2024, the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen (RDOS) launched a Community Revitalization project to encourage people to spend more time in the village centre and to attract more permanent residents.

Across the East Kootenay region of BC, a number of non-profit organizations are learning to think like entrepreneurs as they consider building social enterprises into their operations. Through a pilot project run by Community Futures East Kootenay (with funding from ETSI-BC), local non-profits are learning how social enterprises work and they are being encouraged and supported in creating business plans for their social enterprise ventures. The goal is to become more sustainable while achieving social impact goals.

In the town of Sicamous in the Shuswap region of BC, staff at the community’s municipal hall and the Sicamous Chamber of Commerce receive frequent inquiries from developers, realtors and potential business investors about the community. With limited resources to respond professionally and efficiently, the need for a Community and Investment Profile and professional marketing materials was identified as a priority in the town’s 2021/2022 Community Economic Development Plan. The Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC) supported development of the profile which is already attracting new investment to the area.

The Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB), based in Oliver, BC, is considered one of the most progressive First Nations in Canada and they are continually expanding their investments. One of 13 businesses managed by the band, Nk’Mip Forestry was launched in 2014 to sustainably manage their forest lands while preserving the band’s cultural and environmental values. With the development of a new marketing and communication strategy, Nk’Mip Forestry has gained increased profile and attracted numerous deals to the table, helping it become an economic driver for the band.

Business Enhancement and Retention (BRE) activities are valuable economic development tools that helps identify and address local business trends and challenges. After years spent transitioning from a mining-based economy to a tourism destination, the Chamber of Commerce in the City of Kimberley recently conducted a BRE survey to guide and support local businesses in this time of exceptional growth and change. Funding for this BRE project was provided by the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC) through its Building Economic Development Capacity funding stream.

The face of tourism in the Creston Valley is changing significantly, and the Creston Valley Tourism Society (CVTS) is rolling out a new five-year strategic plan, to respond and take advantage of new opportunities. The area’s residents, local governments, First Nations and other tourism stakeholders are aligned in their efforts to build a more diverse and resilient tourism economy, guided by the strategies jointly developed in the plan. The new strategy also helped secure renewed funding for the CVTS through the Municipal and Regional District Tax (MRDT). The Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC) supported the project through its Building Economic Development Capacity funding stream.