News Influencing Thompson Okanagan Business
KELOWNA
Blair Ireland
Blair Ireland has been named the new chair of the Regional District of Central Okanagan.
Ashley Ramsay, a tech entrepreneur and the founder of Yeti Farm Creative, has announced her candidature for BC United in the Kelowna-Mission riding in the upcoming B.C. election.
Dr. Mahmudur Fatmi, an Assistant Professor at UBC Okanagan School of Engineering, has recently been appointed to the province’s Climate Solutions Council.
Jonathan Zaleski has joined Ashdown Capital as the newest Commercial Capital Advisor in Kelowna.
Frank Fabian has been named one of the new Clinical Services Managers at Health Data Coalition of BC.
Dr. Kyleen Myrah, a business professor at Okanagan College, has been honoured as the 2024 Business Woman of the Year by the Kelowna Women In Business (KWIB) organisation.
Bill Tucker, Korey Roberts, Pablo Yuste, Hank Sam, and George Sawatzky, the principals of Omicron Canada, have restructured Nexii Building Materials, a firm that is under creditor protection, and have purchased the business back.
The general minimum wage in British Columbia will increase from $16.75 to $17.40 per hour effective June 1.
The newly constructed West Kelowna city hall at 3731 Old Okanagan Highway is now officially open for business.
The BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration Regional Pilot is officially a permanent stream for permanent residency as of May 27! This initiative is geared towards entrepreneurs eager to launch businesses that contribute to the growth of BC’s interior, coastal, and rural communities.
Parlour Ice Cream will soon open a new location at Gyro Beach.
An 85-unit apartment complex spanning five properties on Coronation Avenue was approved for development by the Kelowna Council. The structure will be six stories tall.
Marriott Bonvoy Traveler recently featured the Delta Grand Okanagan Resort and the City of Kelowna in their most recent article “Adventure and Relaxation Await: 9 Hotels for a Weekend Getaway in Canada”.
A report detailing construction and development data for the first three months of 2024 was presented to council by staff. There was a small reduction in the value of building permits and the amount of permits was slightly lower than in 2023.
Staff gave the Council an update on the Urban Tree Canopy Enhancement Strategy‘s implementation, outlining work that has been finished or is scheduled for 2024. Staff was also instructed to draft amendments to Bylaw No. 10425 before July 2024 in order to harmonize standards for street tree care and boulevard maintenance with other City bylaws.
The Chief Tomat Elementary School expansion, which will have seven classrooms connected by student corridors, is receiving $10.5 million from the Province for the addition of 165 student places. Prefabricated designs are a speedier approach for the Province to provide additional services, like schools, to expanding areas in light of the province’s historic population boom. In addition, North Glenmore Elementary School is building five new prefabricated classrooms that will be operational for the fall of 2024.
The City is looking for local artists who would like to start in the winter of 2024 and have their original works of art with a winter theme displayed on street banners in Kelowna’s Cultural District. For as long as 10 years, banners will be hung up every winter! Applications can be sent by email to culture@kelowna.ca and are accepted until June 28.
Until September 13, local artists and organizations are encouraged to apply for a Community Art Grant in order to bring life to public places through public art initiatives.
KAMLOOPS
Kamloops, the Tournament Capital will host the BC Winter Games for the third time, in celebration of its 50th anniversary.
At the Rockin’ Rocks event held at Aberdeen Mall on May 25th, the Kamloops Exploration Group honoured Mining Month.
A development permit for a thirty-unit strata on bare ground in Aberdeen, to be built west of Pacific Way Elementary School, will be considered by the Kamloops Council.
In collaboration with the Kamloops Francophone Association, the Kamloops Film Society will host its second annual French film festival at the Paramount Theatre.
The Mustard Seed, which presently occupies a parking lot on West Victoria Street, is actively searching for a new location for its outdoor day space.
A groundbreaking event was held in Kamloops on May 29, 2024, by Comet Industries Ltd. (Comet) to add a large amount of extra light industrial land to the local supply. The event took place on the 190-acre Iron Mask Industrial Park and highlighted the project’s significance to the local economy.
There will be two future gatherings where Loon Lake locals may celebrate the community milestone with the public and discuss what comes next now that the firehall rebuild has been completed. The TNRD will have a virtual community meeting on May 30, and the Loon Lake Fire Hall No. 1 (2501 Loon Lake Rd.) will host the grand opening and community barbecue on June 8.
PENTICTON/OLIVER/OSOYOOS
The Penticton Chamber of Commerce names Jamie Lloyd-Smith and Tracy Van Raes as the latest Top 40 award recipients.
The 45th Annual Okanagan Spring Wine Festival will commence on June 7 with the British Columbia Wine Awards – BC Top 50.
A fundraiser for the TransMan docu-series, created by the filmmaking side of Tempest Theatre & Film Society and set to air on Telus OptikTV in the fall of 2024, will be held at The Dream Cafe. The event is being organised by the South Okanagan Similkameen Pride Society.
On June 1st, the Leir House will play home to the annual group pottery display put on by the Penticton & District Community Arts Council.
The IRONMAN Dine Around Program is being held by the City of Penticton, and the city is urging restaurants to take part. Registration for the program closes on July 2, 2024.
The Penticton City Council has approved the construction permit for a five-story residential building located on Front Street.
The Grand re-oping and ribbon cutting for Eskala Mountain Sports will take place Friday May 31st at 10:30 am at 210 Main Street.
The Penticton Chamber‘s Business After Business will take place June 20th from 5-7 pm at Andre’s Electronics.
Penticton will be hosting the 2028 BC Games for the games society’s 50th anniversary.
SALMON ARM
Following council’s decision on Wednesday to grant the required construction permits, plans for a new food court and petrol bar at Sicamous’ Main Street roundabout—which will feature a KFC, Pizza Hut and Burger King—are ready to get underway. Drive-through windows will also be available at Burger King and KFC.
Following the city’s receipt of a $411,000 active transportation grant, the Salmon Arm council voted on Monday to approve an extra $165,000 for the uptown-downtown link project’s first phase. Lawson Engineering was hired to handle the project’s design.
VERNON
Danielle DeVries
Danielle DeVries has taken on the role of Manager, Transportation at the City of Vernon.
Rachel Enns, the owner of Landing Nursery, a forestry seedling nursery business, has announced her bid for the Conservative Party of Canada nomination in the Vernon-Lake Country-Monashee federal riding.
The Rotary Club of Vernon Silver Star‘s Annual Garage Sale is taking place on June 8 and 9 at 6061 Okanagan Avenue.
The 26-unit Sunrise Gardens affordable housing property, situated at 3806 24th Ave., was acquired by the Vernon and District Branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA Vernon) with the assistance of the province.
An open house and ceremonial ribbon cutting for the Murphy’s Landing workforce housing project, which is located at 4408 25th Street, a few blocks north-east of Seaton Secondary, was held on May 29th.
A new park, the Civic Memorial Park, has recently been unveiled, showcasing features inspired by the Civic Arena. The park received partial funding from the federal government, with a generous contribution of $639,000 through Pacific Economic Development Canada, and additional funding from various sources, including Vernon’s Infrastructure Levy, Casino Funding, the Regional District of North Okanagan‘s Parks Development Cost Charges, a Fortis B.C. Legacy Reserve, and other outside funding sources and donations.
The Regional District of North Okanagan has granted approval for staff to explore possibilities of subletting an exclusive-use area at the Greater Vernon Athletics Park. This would allow the Vernon and District Minor Football Association to construct a storage building.
A $31.5 million loan from the Municipal Finance Authority of B.C. was authorised by the Vernon City Council during their regular meeting on Monday, May 27, to fund the Active Living Centre (ALC) construction.
PayByPhone will be replaced by HotSpot Parking at all Vernon’s parking metres and select city parking lots, offering hourly and daily parking options, effective June 3.
SUMMERLAND
Douglas Justice, a dendrologist and professor at the University of British Columbia, will be leading tours of Summerland Ornamental Gardens on June 1.
The District has installed 10 temporary traffic counting machines around town at key intersections to count vehicle, pedestrian and bike volumes. This information will assist in the completion of the District’s Transportation Plan.
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