News Influencing Thompson Okanagan Business
KELOWNA
Tyler Dolan
Tyler Dolan has been announced as Colliers new Head of Valuations and Advisory Services, effective September 1.
Dr. Melissa McHale at UBC Vancouver and Dr. Lisa Tobber at UBC Okanagan have been granted $1-million Wall Fellowships, the university’s most valuable internal research awards.
Mike Penninga is celebrating one year work anniversary at Canadian Blood Services.
Dr. Ying Zhu has been appointed Academic Advisor on Artificial Intelligence at UBC Okanagan.
Fire+ has been chosen to supply the Fire Alarm system for the expansion at the Okanagan College new OC Don Folk and Family Recreation and Wellness Centre.
The District of Lake Country has appointed Staff Sergeant Jon Collins as its first RCMP detachment commander.
The ticket sales for the 2025–26 preseason games and the home opener at Prospera Place for the Kelowna Rockets are currently underway.
Parkinson Recreation Centre (PRC) will be closed from September 2 until September 14, for annual maintenance and cleansing. This includes the aquatics centre and gymnasium.
The MRG Group will be taking over operations at Kelowna’s Revelry Food + Music Hub this September.
The Village at Gallaghers Canyon is celebrating its 32nd anniversary.
Smitty’s Family Restaurant has officially opened its newest location at 2115 Louie Drive in West Kelowna.
Venture Commercial has officially move into its new office at 401 – 540 Lawrence Avenue, Kelowna.
Nationwide Natural Foods has teamed up with Lakeview Market, a favourite local spot located at 3033 Pandosy St, Kelowna.
HoneyBadger Charging location in the Okanagan is now live at the Hyatt Place Hotel.
Okanagan Woman Angel Funds (OKGN WMAN) Funds has announced the acquisition of two new investments in Canadian, women-led innovation companies: FemTherapeutics, headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, and Mastrius, headquartered in Calgary, Alberta.
A new partnership agreement has been announced between the BC Chamber of Commerce and the Chambers of Commerce Insurance Corporation of Canada (CCICC). This agreement will establish the Chambers Plan as the exclusive employee benefits insurance provider available through chambers of commerce and boards of trade across Canada. Additionally, the agreement will provide the BC Chamber of Commerce with an additional source of consistent revenue.
KAMLOOPS
Houle has been selected as the electrical and technology contractor for the new BC Cancer centre at the Royal Inland Hospital campus in Kamloops
Miniso is opening a store on the lower level, next to the centre court, in Aberdeen Mall.
WSP in Canada is collaborating with Thinkspace Architecture Planning Interior Design Ltd. as the electrical compliance consultants for the new $386M Kamloops Cancer Centre, which is currently under construction.
Starting in September, Kamloops Transit passengers will see new rates and an expanded handyDART service. The single-use pass, which includes handyDART, will increase from $2 to $2.25. This autumn, the price of a day pass will increase from $4 to $4.50, and the expense of an adult monthly pass will increase from $50 to $55.
An agri-sport complex is being planned by the Kamloops Exhibition Association as a possible Build Kamloops project.
Protexkamloops celebrated 20 years in business with a customer appreciation celebration Monday August 18.
Bailey of TAF Ventures is the new Lesson Coordinator at Lee’s Music.
During regular meetings throughout the summer, the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board of directors approved funding several items in various ways, such as: TNRD borrowing for Merritt, buying four solid waste B-trains from Ocean Trailer Ltd., and a bottle station for Loon Lake.
After conducting a tour of over a dozen facilities in British Columbia, the City of Kamloops is seeking council approval to establish an arms-length non-profit society and board of directors to oversee the prospective Kamloops Centre for the Arts. This governance structure has been favourably received.
A council committee of the City of Kamloops has suggested both short-term and long-term modifications to a bylaw that specifies the amount of money the municipality can collect from developers to assist in funding infrastructure connected to expansion.
The Regional Grant-in-Aid program intake for autumn 2025 will open on September 1, 2025, as advised by the Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) to non-profit organizations. The deadline for applications is September 30, 2025.
PENTICTON/OLIVER/OSOYOOS
The School’s Out after-school program, which is facilitated by the Splatsin Tsm7aksaltn Society near Enderby, the Desert Sun Counselling and Resource Centre Society in Oliver, and the Okanagan Similkameen School District, is being expanded by United Way BC to include Enderby, Oliver/Osoyoos, and Kelowna.
The Osoyoos Indian Band Health Centre in Oliver has recently inaugurated a new walk-in health centre.
TwinCon Enterprises Ltd. is currently working on the new Highway 97 Skaha Hills Intersection in the City of Penticton for the BC Ministry of Transportation and Transit.
Oktoberfest will be held at the Penticton Seniors’ Drop-In Centre on September 20.
The new school “ntámłqən snm’a?máya?tn” was officially inaugurated by the Lower Similkameen Indian Band. Yellowridge Construction served as the primary contractor, and Iredale Architecture designed the structure.
The new beverage “Fruit Stand Peach Sour,” a peach-flavored beer made with Osoyoos peaches, is unveiled by Backroads Brewing Company, which has locations in Osoyoos and Nelson.
SALMON ARM
LineStar Utility Supply Inc., a portfolio company of CAI Capital Partners, has effectively completed the acquisition of Okanagan Test Rite Liveline Tool Services Ltd.
Up to $3 million will be borrowed from the Columbia Shuswap Regional District’s capital reserves to assist in rebuilding the Scotch Creek Fire Hall, which was burned in the Bush Creek East wildfire in 2023.
The District of Sicamous intends to submit an application for a $7 million grant to fund the construction of an outdoor ice arena and improvements to Finlayson Park.
VERNON
Dump Runz, a junk removal business owned by MP Scott Anderson, has been acquired by Elephant Services, a storage service in Vernon.
A new housing target has been formed by the province for Vernon, which is to construct 1,829 new houses within the next five years.
Inspire Consignment Boutique has officially opened its doors in Vernon’s downtown core, located at #104, 2800 29th Street.
In collaboration with the Canadian Mental Health Association, Sabrina Boulay is one of the primary instructors in a new pilot program at the Vernon Community Arts Centre that uses ceramics as a means of fostering mental wellness, connection, and creativity.
Construction has officially begun on the Great Vernon Cultural Centre, located at 2917 31 Avenue, as of August 26.
The services of Bee’s Knees Plumbing, Heating, Cooling are being expanded to provide a more comprehensive variety of services to both residential and commercial clients. Bee’s Knees Plumbing aims to become the go-to source for essential home and business maintenance tasks.
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