News Influencing Thompson Okanagan Business
KELOWNA
Julia Fraser
The Central Okanagan School Board has elected Julia Fraser as its new chairman and Lisa Guderyan as its vice-chair.
Allison Young, the director of the KGH Foundation, has been named the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce‘s 2024 Business Leader of the Year. Young will receive the award on November 15 at the 37th annual Business Excellence Awards.
Pacific Economic Development Canada (Pacifican) has announced approximately $725,000 in financing for four Thompson Okanagan projects under its Tourism Growth Program. This grant will help improve outdoor recreation, attract more visitors to smaller towns, and promote sustainable tourism in British Columbia’s southern interior.
Cooper Medical Supplies, 101-1953 Baron Road, has joined the Nightingale Medical and Pacific Surgical family.
The second annual Free Dentistry Day at Orchard Smiles, located at 150-235 Hollywood Road N, is accepting applications until November 8 from uninsured individuals who are over 16, in financial need, and experiencing either acute or chronic tooth discomfort.
Jeff Christie
Jeff Christie will be appointed as the new Chief Operating Officer at Harris Auto Group.
Nineteen helicopters will be acquired from Airbus by SkyAlyne and KF Aerospace of Kelowna to aid in the training of pilots for the Royal Canadian Air Force.
350 Bakehouse and Cafe is set to relocate from Bernard Avenue to Spall Road, aiming for a February 2025 opening.
The Delta Grand Hotel will host a star-studded event on Saturday, November 9, to commemorate Mamas for Mamas‘ tenth anniversary.
Streats Kitchens is opening a new location in Kelowna.
Prospera Place, owned and operated by GSL Group, marks 25 years in Kelowna.
Freedom’s Door, a Kelowna rehabilitation house, is expanding again as needs increase. The occupancy permit for its latest building was approved on October 21.
Sunset Drive’s Waterfront Restaurant & Wine Bar is commemorating 20 years of operation.
Following council’s approval of a one-time grant of $100,000 to the Uptown Rutland Business Association in February to assist in the launch of an on-call program similar to that run by the Downtown Kelowna Association, the City of Kelowna is putting forward a new model to fund ambassador programs in both the downtown and Rutland business improvement areas.
Launch Okanagan is hosting four online sessions on Thursdays throughout November that will cover debt, RESPs, RDSPs, and budgeting. The workshops are sponsored by MNP.
The proposed Sutton Place Hotel near Kelowna International Airport will have 245 rooms and six stories, with authorized development and development variance permits from the Kelowna Council.
KAMLOOPS
Dr. Laura Doan, a professor at Thompson Rivers University, has been promoted to full professor in the school of education. She will be delivering a lecture on a peer-mentoring program designed to assist early childhood educators at the Scratch Café in the Culinary Arts Centre on TRU’s campus on November 19.
BC Housing‘s proposal to convert the former Butler Auto & RV office at 142 Tranquille Road into a new emergency shelter with 44 beds will be presented to the Kamloops city council on Tuesday for approval.
Kamloops Curling Club marks its 75th anniversary.
The application to replace the ice plant at the 51-year-old Brock Arena has been approved by Council. The target amount of the award, which would pay up to $3,507,700 (or 80% of the total qualifying expenses), would come from the Government of Canada‘s Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program.
The Kamloops-Thompson School District and Thompson Rivers University have formed a collaboration to increase student transition rates between the two institutions.
With the implementation of a new paperless system on November 1st, the building division of the City of Kamloops is turning digital in an effort to speed the application process for construction permits.
The Thompson-Nicola Regional Library (TNRL) has introduced their newest electronic resource – Kanopy! As the premier video streaming service for libraries in North America, Kanopy gives library patrons access to a vast collection of films, documentaries, online lectures, TV series, and children’s content, which are all free to watch with your library card.
PENTICTON/OLIVER/OSOYOOS
The “Riordan House,” which is located at 689 Winnipeg Street, is planned to be transformed into a bakery and café.
Penticton’s Dream Café is kicking off its second annual “Keep the Dream Alive” Fundraising Auction on November 23, featuring host Paul Crawford, the Curator of the Penticton Art Gallery Museum.
The Kids Feeding Kids program, which was started by the Kiwanis Club of Penticton in partnership with Penticton’s branch of Foundry, will be supported by Sprott Shaw College’s Lunch with Santa in Penticton on November 30. The college is seeking community partners to make sure the event’s success.
The Cleland Theatre in Penticton will host a classic ski movie on November 15th, presented by Apex Ski Club.
The Penticton Youth Center’s second Halloween Haunted House and Block Party raised $5.6K to support the elevator project, which aims to increase accessibility, and the local high school leadership classes.
SALMON ARM
A new McDonald’s is opening this week at 2991 Ninth Ave. SW in Salmon Arm.
Salmon Arm Chamber of Commerce is pleased to welcome Marta Bukmeier, a Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®) and an advisor with Edward Jones.
On November 12th, Salmon Arm ROOTSandBLUES will host the Business After Business event, organized by the Salmon Arm Chamber of Commerce and will take place at 541 3rd St. SW, Salmon Arm.
The Sawdust & Thread Studio‘s online store is officially open.
The federal government is buying a wheelchair-accessible bus for $94,000. This donation will allow Shuswap Association for Community Living to expand its disability services in Salmon Arm and nearby areas.
VERNON
Shanda Hill of Vernon earns a spot in the Ultra Triathlon Association’s esteemed Hall of Fame 100.
Myles Johnson of Vernon Golf & Country Club won the Alvie Thompson Teacher of the Year award at the 2024 PGA of British Columbia, while Adam Blair of the same club received the Cec Ferguson Executive Professional of the Year award.
The City of Vernon is updating its Official Community and Transportation Plans and is seeking for input from the public.
A new, larger permanent children’s area will be situated in a different section of the Okanagan Regional Library branch in Lake Country, which is also getting its first professional librarian.
ClaimsPro LP is pleased to announce the appointment of Chelsea Goulding as branch manager in Vernon.
Askew’s Foods has completed the installation of 260 solar panels at its Armstrong facility in collaboration with Sunward Solar and T and B Electric.
With 21 total proposals from independent power producers throughout the province, one North Okanagan solar company is vying for the opportunity to be chosen as a clean-energy supplier as part of BC Hydro‘s 2024 Call For Power.
SUMMERLAND
Coun. Erin Trainer has been nominated by Mayor Doug Holmes to serve as deputy mayor for the 2022–2026 council term, with the appointment being reviewed in two years.
The “Vital Conversations: UnCharitable Screening and Discussion” series, which brought hundreds of members together to discuss non-profit issues, was a success, according to the Community Foundation of the South Okanagan Similkameen.
The Critteraid Charity Shoppe in Summerland is requesting donations from high-end boutiques or apparel owners in order to spruce up their shelves for the festive throng this season.
On November 30, December 6, and 7, the Light Up Summerland beverage, located at the junction of Henry and Wharton in downtown Summerland, will host the fourteenth annual Light Up the Vines, put on by the Bottleneck Drive Association.
The proposed overall 6.51 per cent rate increase for the district’s electrical, water, and sewer services will be discussed by the Summerland Council at its regular meeting on December 17 before final decisions are made.
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