Early in 2023, we learned from newly published census data that Kamloops was among the 5 fastest growing communities in the country. To some, this may have come as a surprise, but not to us at Venture Kamloops. Despite the monumental distraction of the pandemic and all the uncertainty it brought, business has been ticking along in the city. Growth is robust – a reversal of the days when Kamloops routinely posted “steady, but unspectacular growth.”
2023 was the first post-pandemic year that did not see any COVID-related restrictions. While most things seem to have returned to normal – or as normal as they can be now – it appears things will never be the same for Venture Kamloops. We continue to see clients in numbers that are roughly double those of pre-pandemic years. The good news is that the vast majority of these clients are seeking support for new or expanding businesses. But the pandemic still casts its shadow over Kamloops businesses. The staff at VK have been diligent in their support for those that have encountered difficulties. The important thing for us is that any business, regardless of their situation knows that they can turn to Venture Kamloops for help.
Our roster of business support programs remains the cornerstone of our local economic development mission. We continue to work on, tweak and improve the programs and add to them when new needs are identified. 2023 saw the development of a spin-off of the successful VK Accelerate program and we’ll celebrate the first graduate of the new VK Pivot+ program early in 2024.
Staff worked closely with the Venture Kamloops Board of Directors to prepare for the implementation of the 2024-2028 Strategic Plan. The Board’s direction is the key component of staffs work for the coming year. The plan reflects the boards concentration on delivering the key pillars of economic development with substantial collaboration with strategic partners in the city, region and province. The plan can be reviewed here.
Looking ahead to 2024, Kamloops is poised for continued growth. With a strong plan in place and our dedicated team of professionals, we at Venture Kamloops are confident that we will contribute to the momentum of the past year and support local businesses as they continue to grow and thrive. We remain committed to supporting local businesses, attracting new investment, and we look forward to working with our community partners to make Kamloops a thriving hub of economic activity.
Jim Anderson
Executive Director