KAMLOOPS – The City of Kamloops has announced the kickoff of a new partnership with local business organizations to draw attention to opportunities in Kamloops. The City has committed $100,000 to the new initiative, which will support the partners in their efforts to attract new businesses, development investment, and skilled workers from the Lower Mainland.
The City has partnered with Venture Kamloops, Kamloops Innovation, and the Kamloops Chamber of Commerce to provide funding for campaigns that raise the profile of Kamloops as an ideal location to consider.
“No question, our cost of living is very appealing. When you combine the affordability factor with our transportation network and extensive outdoor recreation opportunities, Kamloops offers many relocation advantages,” says Mayor Peter Milobar. “The goal of this program is to make sure companies and skilled workers are aware of Kamloops when considering where to do business and find employment.”
As the business and real estate climates change in the Lower Mainland, Kamloops is well-positioned to attract companies and employees from a variety of sectors.
“Many factors affect where a company decides to invest,” says Jim Anderson, Executive Director of Venture Kamloops. “The funding from this partnership will help us create new support resources to showcase Kamloops as a premier location for development.”
The first initiative of the program was a partnership with Kamloops Innovation to provide a significant Kamloops presence at the Startup Canada Awards in Vancouver on October 24, 2016. A delegation, including Mayor Milobar and several local businesspeople, attended the awards in Vancouver to showcase Kamloops as a hub of entrepreneurship.
The combination of the Mayor’s presence, two award recipients from Kamloops, and the sponsorship of the post-event celebration made Kamloops a prominent topic of conversation among the event attendees.
“The Kamloops technology sector has experienced phenomenal growth in the last three years, and it is important that these companies have the skilled workforce to allow the sector’s growth to continue,” says Dr. Lincoln Smith of Kamloops Innovation. “There is a real gravity and interest building around our technology community. Now is the time to raise the profile of what is happening here.”
The new partnership will continue with several more initiatives, including:
- A Winter Fellowship program through Kamloops Innovation, where founders of start-up companies from the Lower Mainland are invited to live and work in Kamloops at no charge while they experience and evaluate Kamloops as a potential expansion location.
- Support for local tech companies that are attending the 2017 #BCTECH Summit and representing Kamloops on a provincial stage.
The City and its partners are currently developing several other projects to support this initiative, which will be announced over the coming months.