36 INVEST in BC 2 0 2 4
T H O M P S O N O K A N A G A N
MIDDLE:
TROIKA
MANAGEMENT
CORP.;
BOT
TOM:
4AG
ROBOTICS
seven-acre commercial property designed
to bring improved amenities including
restaurants and electric vehicle charging to
travellers on the Coquihalla Highway.
ONE-OF-A-KIND DEVELOPMENTS
Agriculture is a major focus of the
technology scene in the Thompson
Okanagan. Last year 4AG Robotics
received $17.5 million in venture capital
funding to accelerate its development
and deployment of robotic systems for
mushroom harvesting. With the help of
the funding, the Salmon Arm company
aims to nearly double its team to around 70
positions.
Since 2016, Restoration Lands has
attracted a mushroom farm, vegan food
factory and natural beauty product
manufacturer to the site of an old glass
plant in Coldstream it calls the Okanagan
Industrial Eco Park. Next it plans to install
B.C.'s largest solar energy array on the
REGIONAL
POPULATION
657,450
UNEMPLOYMENT
RATE (MAY 2024)
5.1%
TOP EMPLOYERS BY
INDUSTRY (2023)
Health care &
social assistance
13.7%
Retail trade
13.4%
Construction
11.1%
FORECAST
EMPLOYMENT
GROWTH, 2023-33
40,700
BUILDING PERMIT
VALUES (2023)
$3.2
BILLION
HOUSING STARTS
(2023)
4,042
VALUE OF MAJOR
PROJECTS PLANNED
OR UNDER
CONSTRUCTION
(Q4 2023)
$17.8
BILLION
BUSINESS
INCORPORATIONS
(2023)
4,586
SOURCES: B.C. L ABOUR
MARKET OUTLOOK , STATISTICS
CANADA AND B.C. STATS.
serves to improve food security on the
reserve while providing jobs for members.
In addition to winning the Community
Project of the Year Award for communities
with less than 20,000 population, Sweláps
Market took home the People's Choice
Award at this year's BCEDA convention.
In Merritt, Troika Management and
partner Spayum Holdings, owned by the
Lower Nicola Indian Band, have applied
for a permit to build Gateway 286, a
FROM PAGE 33
INDIGENOUS
ENTERPRISE:
Swelaps Market
in Kamloops (top)
earned two awards
at this year's BCEDA
convention; the
Lower Nicola Band
is improving traveler
amenities along the
Coquihalla Highway
in Merritt (right); 4AG
Robotics of Salmon
Arm is developing
automated mush-
room harvesting
systems (bottom)
CONTINUED ON PAGE 38
Official Publication of the BC Economic Development Association in special partnership with BCBusiness.
