Invest Kootenay, a free online listing service that has partnered with the Kootenay-region community to seek new business investment for the region, reached a milestone last month, with over 1,000 investors registering for the service.
The service has welcomed three additional partners since the beginning of 2014.
An Invest Kootenay press release from June 26 states that the service is currently partnered with 19 municipalities and several regional district rural areas including Nelson, Castlegar, Revelstoke, Kimberley, Fernie, Sparwood, Kootenay Lake, the Lower Columbia Region and most recently, the Columbia Valley, Boundary region and Nakusp.
“Invest Kootenay is one of the best examples of community collaboration for economic development in the Kootenays,” Chair of Invest Kootenay and RDCK Area A director Garry Jackman said in the press release.
“Not only does Invest Kootenay promote the Kootenay region for new investment, it also supports succession of existing business by connecting them to potential investors.”
Over the past five years, there have been 28 confirmed Invest Kootenay investments, representing $5.8 million in direct investment in the region. Five of these have happened since January 2014, the press release states.
And The Columbian Basin Trust recently announced a two-year, $275,000 commitment to Invest Kootenay in support of the services efforts in achieving further economic development in the region.
“The contribution from the Trust makes it possible for Invest Kootenay to expand the presence of the Kootenays on the investment stage,” Jackman said.
“Invest Kootenay gives our local business owners a significant platform that enables investors from near and far to see what the Kootenays have to offer.”