Business

The progress of upgrades at the Grand Forks and Castlegar sawmills of International Forest Products Limited (Interfor) is one reason for optimism for as they enter a new fiscal year.

In their quarterly results announced today, president and chief executive officer Duncan Davies noted that the 2011 year ended with market improvements.

If you're concerned about local food security, you won't want to miss the Kettle Valley Food Co-op's (KVFC) free presentation Resilient Food Secure Communities with Jon Steinman, Thursday, Feb. 16.

The event is one of many to come for the KVFC this year in celebration of what has been declared by the United Nations as 2012, International Year of the Co-op.

British Columbia Premier Christy Clark made an unprecedented visit to the Midway Mill, Monday, Feb. 6 to appreciate and learn from what the community has done to keep their mill running.

She toured the facility, spoke to the more than 30 employees who came in to meet her and learned a lot about what it took to get the mill running again, after it's closure in 2007 by Pope and Talbot. She was accompained by two cabinet ministers, the Speaker of the House, local councillors and MLA Boundary Similkamean John Slater.

A project to review local businesses’ needs will be underway soon after funding was secured from the Southern Interior Beetle Action Coalition (SIBAC).

At their Jan. 30 meeting the SIBAC board voted in favour of supporting an application from Community Futures Boundary for $10,000.00 to complete a business retention and expansion project.