The School Works Program pilot, which began its successful run in February, is being offered again this fall to Basin-based businesses and organizations. School Works provides an $8/hour wage subsidy to encourage small businesses and non-profit, First Nation and public sector organizations in the Basin to provide part-time employment for full-time high school and post-secondary […]

Have you developed a  new or innovative product or service?  Implemented an innovative process or system?  Turned your idea into a new venture? Tell us all about it in your nomination for the Spirit of Innovation Awards. Join KAST in celebrating Regional Heroes of Innovation by nominating yourself, your company, or another,...

With recent celebrations during Canadian Environmental week, Tire Stewardship B.C. (TSBC) is proud to announce that it has reached a milestone of 60 million tires recycled in British Columbia as part of the province’s progressive environmental platform. TSBC is the not-for-profit society that in 2007 took responsibility for B.C.’s scrap tire recycling program, first introduced […]

It’s been just over a month since the new personal exemption limits changed at the border and it’s just one more thing putting local businesses at a disadvantage, said Nelson and District Chamber of Commerce executive director Tom Thomson. “There’s no question that when you make it easier to bring goods across the line it […]

Proposed environmental and safety precautions are not enough for residents along the Granby River north of Grand Forks to believe that a granite mine, whose products are heading to China, should proceed. “The negative impacts far outweigh the benefits to this community or to Canada,” said Dana Riester who lives near the bluff....

Police are reporting … well, not much of anything, after inclement weather washed out most of the activity normally expected during the summer’s first long weekend. Castlegar RCMP Cpl. Deb Postnikoff said people were out and about, and roadblocks saw a great deal of activity, but otherwise there wasn’t a ton of stuff going on. […]

Meet little How-Cute-Am-I, a baby alpaca who was born in a vicious thunderstorm and still doesn’t have a name of her own. This baby’s soon to become the best-adored face of our local exhibition society, which puts on the Bule Grass Jamborie as well as the Pass Creek Fall fair, not to mention hosting a […]

The Trail Regional Airport (TRA) is fundamental to affordable and reliable air transportation in the Lower Columbia, and that is central to the area’s economic prospects, argued the airport’s chief volunteer Don Nutini and Mike Martin, the chair of the LCCDT—Lower Columbia Community Development Team—in recent interviews with the Rossland Telegraph. TRA is owned and […]

When it comes to jobs and the economy we often get conflicting messages as to how many jobs were actually created.  I thought it would be interesting to share some figures that Statistics Canada released for the month of May. THE BASICS The Canadian economy as a whole added just 7,700 jobs in May – a relatively weak showing. ...

More than 1,300 small businesses in the Okanagan and Kootenays are reaping big savings on their electricity bills thanks to a $6.85 million lighting installation program sponsored by the Province of British Columbia and FortisBC.  “Small businesses in the Okanagan and Kootenays wanted a program that would make saving energy...