News Influencing Thompson Okanagan Business
KELOWNA
Sheri Hamilton
Gurjit Chand
Sheri Hamilton and Gurjit Chand have been appointed to serve on the board of directors at Okanagan College for one-year terms.
Harpreet Badohal, an officer with WorkSafeBC, has been named the BC NDP candidate Kelowna-Mission.
Ian Paulson of VantageOne Financial Corp. took first place and Erin Pedro of the Royal Bank of Canada came in second on the Certified Financial Planner® exam in June 2024, as announced by FP Canada.
Kirsten Forsberg has joined Healthy Essentials Clinic as a Clinical Dietitian.
Riley Bandick has joined the team at Century 21 Assurance Realty Ltd.
Fahed Razick
Fahed Razick has been named the new Operations Manager at Genesis Kelowna.
A year after opening its official BC branch in Langley, DBI Transport is now establishing a second location in Kelowna.
KF Aerospace, which operates all over Canada and has been specializing in Boeing airframes for more than 35 years, was selected 2023 Boeing Supplier of the Year for Safety and Quality.
Spexi Geospatial Inc., a Vancouver-based company, has successfully created a network of crowd-sourced aerial imaging that covers 131 communities in British Columbia.
A development permit and rezoning have been submitted by NOW Canada Society for the property at 2160 Wilkinson St., to construct 29 rental units for families, the elderly, and women with children.
Crowe MacKay Kelowna has once again been recognized as the top accounting firm in Kelowna, an honour that reflects their commitment to delivering outstanding service and dependable financial solutions to their clients. Amrit Buttar, a partner at Crowe MacKay, has been recognized as the top accountant in Kelowna this year, earning the Gold title, while Lynn Wong has been recognized with the Silver award for the third time.
The reclamation project at Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery‘s (KMPC) Right of Interment is nearing completion.
This winter, Flair Airlines is celebrating its 19th birthday with 19 per cent off base fares, while Pacific Coastal Airlines is offering 35 per cent off all of its routes.
An amount of $136,700 was successfully raised for BGC Okanagan during the Golf 4 Kids fundraiser held on August 14th at the prestigious Harvest Golf Club.
The Kelowna Community Dialysis Unit (KCDU) is opening a new location at 102-1835 Gordon Drive, on August 26.
The aquatics centre and gymnasium at Parkinson Recreation Centre will be temporarily closed from Aug. 26 to Sept. 8 for its annual cleaning.
The inaugural Dress for Success Charity Gala will be held on September 27 at the Revelry Food + Drink Hub in downtown Kelowna, hosted by Pushor Mitchell LLP.
Momi Properties, a company that manages commercial properties and restaurants, has submitted a development permission request for 683 Dease Rd. The company’s objective is to modernize an old shell structure.
The Play Golf Kelowna group announced on Friday that Denciti Development, the owners of Kelowna Springs, has chosen to make the course a nine-hole layout starting in 2025.
Okanagan College School of Business has been acknowledged for its dedication to excellence, as it has been granted a second 10-year accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.
On August 13, 2024, BC Tree Fruits Cooperative (“BCTFC”), BC Tree Fruits Industries Limited and Growers Supply Company Limited were granted an initial order to commence proceedings under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-36, as amended. Pursuant to the Initial Order, Alvarez & Marsal Canada Inc. was appointed as monitor in the CCAA Proceedings. The Initial Order granted a stay of proceedings and provided that during the Stay Period, no proceedings may be commenced against or in respect of the Company
The BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund (BCMJF) contribution of up to $7 million (CAD) helped Mercer Mass Timber (MMT), a subsidiary of Mercer International, to invest in the future of their Okanagan Falls facilities, which MMT acquired one year ago. BCMJF funding will enable the procurement of new innovative manufacturing equipment and factory upgrades to modernize facilities, increase production efficiency, and manufacture more mass-timber items.
The government announced that the deadline for Securing Small Business Rebate applications for crime and vandalism incidents that happened in 2023 has been extended until January 31, 2025.
Tourism Kelowna, the District of Lake Country, and the City of West Kelowna have recently initiated a campaign in the Lower Mainland to promote tourism to the Central Okanagan this summer.
KAMLOOPS
Starting on September 3, BC Transit will expand its handyDART service in the Kamloops region to include Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc. An increase in provincial and local government funding has enabled the Kamloops Regional Transit System to expand its services.
Taco Time has made a successful return to the Tournament Capital at 3200 Valleyview Dr. in Orchards Walk, after an absence of over ten years. The business owner is thrilled with the overwhelmingly positive response from customers and is already considering opening a second location.
Reid Hamer-Jackson, the mayor of Kamloops, has put up his downtown property, where he runs Tru Market Auto, for $5.6 million.
Developing World Connections, a Kamloops-based organization that supports at-risk families, children, and women through its Global Village program, has launched its first door-to-door fundraiser.
The rural fire departments in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District have received 16 fire skid units, valued at $6,000 each, from the Canadian charity GlobalMedic.
The Canadian Brewhouse has recently opened in Kamloops, located in the parking lot of Aberdeen Mall. The new sports bar aims to provide late-night beverages and family-friendly dining options.
The City of Kamloops and the BC Wildfire Service have teamed up with Thompson Rivers University, University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), and UBC Okanagan to create a better early warning system for extreme weather and wildfire training materials. The project will receive $292,500 in funding from Mitacs’ Accelerate program, and it will help communities across the province and beyond.
Kamloops Fire Rescue is seeking motivated, physically fit individuals who are eager to serve their community as paid on-call firefighters for Fire Stations No. 5 and No. 6. Applications are due by September 20, 2024. Learn more: https://ow.ly/myBi50T4iEv
Kamloops Fire Rescue is celebrating 140 years of service.
PENTICTON
Joos Box, Penticton’s first full-service mocktail bar, has just opened at 283 Brunswick Street, off Westminster Avenue West.
Winners from all across the Okanagan region gathered this past weekend for Penticton’s renowned Peach Festival, which included the 8th annual Reel Peach Festival showcasing the films of local filmmakers. The Pit, directed by Bowen O’Brien of Vernon, won $1,000 first place. Shane Groot of Penticton won $500 for his song “Peach Police,” while Angela Quinn of Kelowna took third place with her song “Free,” while Quinn earned $250 for her work.
On Saturday, the Cannery Trade Centre parking lot, located at the intersection of Fairview Road and Duncan Avenue, is hosting the annual vinyl record and audio apparatus donation drive for Penticton’s Peach City Radio, 92.9 FM CFUZ.
The Penticton Academy of Music Society will hold a 30th anniversary open house at the historic Leir House at 220 Manor Park Avenue on Saturday, August 24.
OLIVER/OSOYOOS
The Osoyoos Indian Band, the Canadian government, and the British Columbia government are all working together on a 43-unit housing complex that is now being built on land owned by the Osoyoos Indian Band. The project is a member of the RCABC and comes with a 10-year RoofStar Guarantee.
SALMON ARM
Dairy Queen Grill & Chill Sicamous location recently held its grand opening at 907 Trans-Canada Hwy.
The Villains and Vittles Dinner Theatre Production is celebrating its 30th anniversary until August 26th, at R.J. Haney Heritage Village & Museum in Salmon Arm.
Pivot Point Family Growth Centre will be joining the Shuswap Family Expo as an exhibitor on September 28th at the Salmon Arm Fair Grounds.
The project at 1002 Seed Frontage Road will include 38 units spread across six buildings, with space designated for retail, a grocery store, an office/medical office, and a warehouse—all permissible uses under the C-2 zone—and will be subject to evaluation by the planning and development committee.
The BC Association of Community Health Centres has awarded the Sicamous Community Health Centre with a $115,000 grant to assist with operational expenses.
VERNON
Anna Warwick Sears, the executive director of the Okanagan Basin Water Board, has been chosen as the candidate for the Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream riding by the B.C. NDP.
Jack Borden, the co-owner of the retirement community Coldstream Meadows, is currently in search of investors to construct 383 new units to avoid a court-ordered sale of the property.
The B.C. On-Farm Technology Adoption Program, which aims to improve food security in the province by supporting farmers in acquiring and utilizing new technology to increase their profitability, productivity, and efficiency, is currently accepting applications from the provincial and federal governments. Up to $2 million in funding will be provided.
Doug Ross, the Manager of Project Program for the Active Living Centre in Vernon, mentioned that with construction progressing smoothly, the team can now focus on its design phase.
The District of Coldstream is soliciting input from local businesses and individuals to develop a new Official Community Plan (OCP) that will guide the community’s growth and development over the next 25 years.
The City of Vernon is submitting an application for the Housing Accelerator Fund from Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporations.
SUMMERLAND
The Summerland Council has authorized the advancement of a 35-unit residential housing project on Prairie Valley Road, located near the Summerland Eco Village project.
The proceeds from the Stop the Car Thrift Store, which opens on Summerland’s Main Street in support of the local non-profit Heart for Art, will go toward providing funds for Summerland and Penticton children and teenagers to attend dance, music and art classes.
A new development is being proposed for the Banks Crescent area of Summerland. The plan is to build a complex of 92 townhouses in the area.
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