Ag centre moves forward
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An agricultural innovation centre located in Summerland is becoming more of a possibility.
Plans to develop an agricultural innovation centre in Summerland are moving ahead, thanks to a recent feasibility study that found overwhelming support for the concept.
The idea, which is being pushed by the Summerland Chamber of Commerce, is to create a centre that would help young businesses and entrepreneurs in the agriculture and agri-tech industries launch their products.
The centre would act as an accelerator of sorts, providing mentorship and expertise for early-stage businesses in the industry.
That support would help drive innovation, economic development and job creation in the Okanagan-Similkameen by providing resources that have until now been largely inaccessible to local innovators.
Jane Campardo recently completed the feasibility study into the proposed project, and said people were overwhelmingly in favour of the idea.
More than 90 per cent of the people she talked to thought the agricultural innovation centre was a good idea, and just as many thought Summerland—which sits in the geographical middle of much of the agricultural industry in the region—was the perfect place for it.
According to Compardo, the centre would cost about $1.5 million to run over a three-year period.
She put together an initial budget that sees 75 per cent of the centre funded through government programs, and 25 per cent from industry partners. That would mean industry would have to pony up about $375,000 to get the project off the ground.
“If the centre has the services that are needed by the industry, then there is potential to secure that support,” she said.
When Compardo presented her report to Summerland council last month, there seemed to be strong unofficial support for the idea.
However, she stressed the district won’t officially decide whether to move forward with the project until it takes a look at the full report and council votes to continue.
Should that happen, the next step in the process will be to develop a business plan that will outline the way forward.
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