News Influencing Thompson Okanagan Business
KELOWNA
Mark Brade
The Mark Anthony Group has acquired the 26-acre St. Hubertus & Oak Bay Vineyard from Andy Gebert of St. Hubertus Vineyards.
Pushor Mitchell‘s Mark Brade has been named Vice Chair of the Central Okanagan Foundation.
Paul Tonita, a partner at Pushor Mitchell, was named to the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce‘s Top 40 Under 40 for the year 2024.
Chef Jugraj Singh celebrates his one-year anniversary at 2121 Harvey Avenue’s Milestones Grill + Bar.
Sinead Scanlon, CPA, CA, has been appointed as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Leader by BDO Canada LLP.
Harjit and Kamaljit Toora’s Manohar Vegetarian Bakery has taken over the space formerly occupied by Whisk Bakery at 203 Rutland Road N.
Tara Gerald
Tara Gerald has been appointed as the new General Manager of The Delta Grand Okanagan Resort.
The BC Chamber of Commerce AGM and Conference 2024 will take place from May 28 to 30 at the Coast Capri Hotel located at 1171 Harvey Ave in Kelowna.
Rocio Zelinski, General Manager of Stó:lō Community Futures received the Community Futures Excellence and Innovation Award in February, for the Amplify Voices with Digital Literacy Project presented at the Community Futures Pan West Network Conference – Focus On The Future in Kelowna.
James Elliott‘s ABC Hobby, which has been in operation for 25 years, has recently relocated to a larger location at 2065 Enterprise Way.
Urban Fare in Mission Park Shopping Centre has hired Jeremy Chevry as their new store manager.
On February 17, Kelly O’Bryan‘s Neighbourhood Restaurant, located at 262 Bernard Avenue in downtown Kelowna, celebrated its 37th year of operation.
Cineplex Inc. announced that it has closed its previously announced private placement offering of $575 million aggregate principal amount of 7.625 per cent senior secured notes due March 31, 2029, as well as the other aspects of its comprehensive refinancing originally announced on February 8, 2024.
A $10,000 donation has been made to the Cops for Kids Charitable Foundation by the Grant Thornton Foundation.
A recent Charity Art Auction at Grizzli Winery raised $150,000.00 for Kelowna’s Gospel Mission (KGM), which provides vital programs and services to those in need in the city.
Studio on Water, founded by wood crafter Josh Perrault of J.P. Crafted and artist and author Cherie Rousson, recently opened at 1302 Water Street.
With the help of Business Finders Canada as their Presenting Sponsor, the Rotary Club of Kelowna Sunrise was able to raise more than $134,000.00 during their Third Annual Season of Giving calendar – 12 Days of Prizes.
The Hayfield Horizon Community Garden Association will oversee the management of a new 830 square meter community garden that will be constructed at 259 Glenmore Rd N.
The City of Kelowna and BC Transit are funding the launch of the OnDemand service in the Crawford neighbourhood of Kelowna, which starts on April 28.
ProducKIDvity, the innovative childcare coworking facility based in the heart of the Okanagan, has made history by becoming the first childcare facility in the Southern Interior to achieve Living Wage Certification. This certification reflects ProducKIDvity’s commitment to providing fair and sustainable wages to its employees, including Early Childhood Educators (ECEs).
The Kelowna Yacht Club is excited to announce the second date of their Eco Speaker Series for 2024. The next session will take place on Wednesday, March 20, at the Kelowna Yacht Club. The series delves into pivotal topics such as energy efficiency, invasive species, ‘’Green Boating’’, water conservation & more! The March session, ‘Keeping Invasive Mussels out of the Okanagan, will be presented by Lisa Scott, Executive Director of OASSIS (Okanagan and Similkameen Invasive Species Society), and Jesse Zeman, Executive Director of BC Wildlife Federation.
Real estate sales in British Columbia will be subject to a new tax, as announced in the provincial budget for 2024, which will take effect on January 1, 2025, and will affect income from the sale of relevant property that has been owned for less than two years. This tax is going to be applied to purchases made before it was even implemented. So, people who buy land before January 1, 2025, will have to pay it.
KAMLOOPS
Kam Tech Quality Management Inc. is now a Corporate Member of the Canadian Council of Independent Laboratories, or Conseil Canadien des Laboratoiresi Idependants (CCIL). Kam Tech Quality Management Inc. runs an asphalt and aggregate laboratory that is certified by CCIL in Kamloops.
The Royal BC Museum, the Secweʓpemc Museum and Heritage Park, and the Kamloops Museum and Archives will be hosting an interactive workshop and discussion on Thursday, March 14, that will reconsider the museum’s place in the community and its function within it.
The TRU Day of Giving campaign, which took place on February 29 and March 1, raised $81,000, which was almost twice its goal, to support student services.
The council has given the green light to a mixed-use building on Lorne Street, close to CN Rail Station, as well as the development variance permits.
The City of Kamloops has consented to submit a grant application to the Local Government Development Approvals Program in the amount of $150,000 (to be eligible for funding) to support the employment of a Development Clerk and a Development Approvals Process Manager.
The 28th annual Kamloops Film Society film festival will run until March 9, marking the organization’s 50th anniversary at the Paramount Theatre in Downtown Kamloops.
The City of Kamloops has declared operational for the season its Bunker Road and Barnhartvale yard waste sites, which are situated at 1455 Bunker Rd. and 970 Eliza Rd., respectively.
From March 8 to March 15, the Kamloops CanGo Grannies will exhibit the 20th Anniversary Quilt of the Stephen Lewis Foundation at multiple locations throughout the city. Guests will have the opportunity to learn more about this itinerant work of art that was meticulously stitched by grandmothers spanning both Canada and Africa in an effort to unite efforts against HIV/AIDS in African nations.
The BC Lottery Corporation has allocated over $19,000 to two charitable organizations via its employee-giving committee. In total, $19,444 in donations were presented to the Kamloops Food Bank and the Y Women’s Shelter.
A new 30,000 square foot manufacturing facility with additional manufacturing space, a warehouse, and the new corporate headquarters for Paradigm Building Solutions is set to be built in Louis Creek Industrial Park.
The City of Kamloops is seeking input from residents of Barnhartvale, Campbell Creek, and Dallas for the East Kamloops Watershed Project. This initiative aims to collect important feedback from residents to influence the region’s environmental and water management plans.
PENTICTON/OLIVER/OSOYOOS
Official approval has been granted for the 52-room expansion of the 35-suite Coast Hotel, now called Hotel Penticton, on Westminster Avenue.
The Penticton council has approved the next steps in developing a mixed-use mega-complex at 1704 Government Street, which will include apartments and businesses.
The 17-unit rental building at 952 Dynes Ave. sold for $2.67 million at closing on February 1st, matching its assessed value. The buyer’s representatives were Dan Chatfield and Trevor Buchan of Colliers, while the seller’s representatives were Marcus & Millichap.
Cannabis-friendly spaces and public patio consumption have been made legal in BC, which means licensees are now authorized to promote a location where cannabis can be consumed or where individuals can socialize after using cannabis.
A meet-and-greet with the Penticton city council will take place at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre on March 20.
The Penticton council is thinking about providing funding for the Affordable Housing Pilot Funding Program through the Affordable Housing Amenity Contribution Reserve to start affordable housing projects.
The Centre for Epilepsy & Seizure Education in British Columbia (ESEBC) and a small-batch artisan distillery at Summerland’s northern end are teaming up to support Purple Day throughout the entire month of March.
The South Okanagan Chapter of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA) will host its 28th annual Home and Reno Show at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre from March 9th to the 10th.
SALMON ARM
Walt McIlhone is starting a new position as General Manager at the Shuswap Lake Golf Course.
Salmon Arm Chamber of Commerce welcomes its newest members, Arcade Accounting and Tyler Vandenberghe Mortgages.
KDB Excavating, located at 1141 17th St. SE, Salmon Arm, has recently joined Shuswap Construction Industry Professionals.
More than $70,000 was raised for RJ Haney Heritage Village and Museum during an auction of a pie made by Bonnie Peterson at the Mall at Piccadilly on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
VERNON
The Body Shop Canada Limited, the Canadian subsidiary of the global beauty brand with 105 stores across the country, announced that it has commenced restructuring proceedings by filing a Notice of Intention to Make a Proposal pursuant to the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act. As part of the NOI process, The Body Shop Canada is immediately commencing liquidation sales at 33 closing stores. Those located in BC are Semiahmoo– White Rock, Hillside Shopping Centre-Victoria and Village Green Vernon.
The 10th annual BC Care Awards recognized Creekside Landing (Kaigo Senior Living) as the 2023 Workplace of the Year, presented by the BC Care Providers Association and EngAge BC.
Kal Tire‘s new president, Corey Parks, will take over from Robert Foord, who is stepping down after 15 years as president to become executive vice-chair.
Bill 44, which the Regional District of North Okanagan is considering submitting in a joint effort, mandates that, every two years, municipalities must compile housing needs assessments outlining their plans for meeting projected population growth over the next two decades.
Braden Kipp at Easthill Physiotherapy & Acupuncture has been presented the People’s Choice Award at the 39th Annual Business Excellence Awards.
The Vernon Amateur Athletics Association, BC Athletics, Tourism Vernon, and the Sport & Culture Society of the North Okanagan have all announced that Vernon will be the site of the British Columbia Cross Country Running Championships. The first one will be on October 26, 2024, and the second one will be on October 25, 2025. The DND grounds will host both events.
Culture Days’ Top Participating Community List for 2023 recognized the North Okanagan as the fourth most active community in Canada.
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