COEDC Newsletter

Dec. 7

Written By COEDC RDCO

Central Okanagan Economic News

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Economic Development News

December 7, 2023

Was your business affected by the wildfires?

The British Columbia Economic Development Association (BCEDA) is measuring the economic impacts of the 2023 BC wildfires. This provincial survey has been distributed throughout BC’s business communities and results will be shared to help distinguish businesses and communities’ short and long-term needs. Please complete this short survey if your business has been impacted by the 2023 BC wildfires.

Take survey

Receive recovery support

In September 2022, Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan) announced relief funding for businesses and select not-for-profits in BC, delivered through Community Futures. This funding will provide grants and workshops to businesses, enterprising-not-for-profits and First-Nations-Band-owned businesses to strengthen and recover from challenging economic conditions.

Join now

Help researchers develop resources

Young people with disabilities want to work, yet they remain an under-utilized part of the labour force due to barriers faced in their job search. CanAssist (at UVic) is developing resources, specifically for employers, to help them address the barriers and tap into this large pool of eager job seekers and needs employers’ help to determine which resources would be most valuable. If you're an employer, please complete this short survey through the BC Chamber.

Take survey

Apply for tourism funding

PacifiCan’s Tourism Growth Program (TGP) will provide up to $250,000 in funding to businesses, tourism organizations, and local communities to develop tourism products and experiences that create lasting prosperity in BC communities. Eligible businesses can apply for interest-free repayable funding to support the growth of tourism operations by February 20, 2024.

Apply now

Learn about food safety

The Investment Agriculture Foundation is offering The Food Safety Program (FSP) which seeks to increase adoption of new or improving existing food safety practices and systems by BC on-farm and BC post-farm businesses to enable the BC agrifood sector to meet existing and new national and international food safety regulatory requirements.

The cost-shared funding will be provided to increase the number of eligible BC on-farm and post-farm businesses that will identify and mitigate risk, implement best practices and achieve third party certification.

Learn more

Looking for data about the Central Okanagan?

Check-out our user-friendly data portal!

Decision-makers can search our online database of community information while simultaneously analyzing demographic, labour force, housing development, business and talent data at the district or city, and regional levels.

Explore data portal