BRITISH COLUMBIA – Community Futures North Okanagan will receive $485,410 in PacifiCan funding to expand the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot in the Southern Interior of BC. This initiative has already helped fill skill shortages in a variety of sectors, including health care, trades, childcare, and hospitality.
Finding qualified employees can be challenging, especially for employers in communities outside large cities. In 2020, the Government of Canada launched the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot to help smaller communities attract newcomers.
PacifiCan funding will help Community Futures North Okanagan continue the Pilot in the North Okanagan and West Kootenays, while also expanding to include businesses in the Shuswap region. This investment will support training, marketing, and outreach activities to match local businesses with skilled foreign workers.
Funding will also help newcomers access settlement services and mentoring opportunities in their new communities. To date, Community Futures North Okanagan has already helped hundreds of local businesses meet their workforce needs, while supporting newcomers as they establish roots in the region.
This announcement builds on the recent opening of PacifiCan offices in Kelowna and Cranbrook. With new officers living and providing service locally, PacifiCan is more accessible to all communities in the region.
Community Future North Okanagan’s Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot has already supported nearly 400 employers to attract and retain skilled workers in the Southern Interior of BC.
Business Examiner Staff