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Kelowna centre wins award for impact on economy

Innovation Group’s Okanagan Centre for Innovation earns kudos for its project
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Credit: Photo Contributed

The Kelowna Sustainable Innovation Group’s Okanagan Centre for Innovation is the winner of the Stan Rogers Memorial Award.

The award was announced at the British Columbia Economic Development Association Summit June 13 in Victoria.

The award recognizes a major project that has had the most significant impact on a local economy in B.C. each year. Successful projects demonstrate a mixture of public and private investment and create significant employment and community building opportunities.

“The tech scene in the Okanagan is thriving. By densifying the tech eco-system, the OCI provides a hub of strategic support that further boosts the region’s reputation as an attractive location for entrepreneurs and investors,” said IOC director Jeff Keen. “Helping entrepreneurs and technology companies succeed will help us attract and keep skilled workers in the region, something that’s good for the entire community.”

Previous winners include the City of Surrey’s Innovation Boulevard and Chilliwack’s Canada Education Park.

The Okanagan Centre for Innovation is located in the heart of Kelowna’s cultural district. Led by the Kelowna Sustainable Innovation Group with additional financial support from the City of Kelowna, and the provincial and federal governments, the OCI was designed to increase collaboration and drive growth in the region’s entrepreneurial, innovation and technology sectors.