Here are some opportunities for eligible businesses to take advantage of in the new year for support, expertise, and to learn new skills.


Canada Summer Jobs Program

The Canada Summer Jobs program is a federal initiative to provide eligible small businesses, non-profits, and other employers with funding to hire youth, aged 15-30, for summer work experience. Applications for the program are being accepted until 11:59 a.m. PST on January 12, 2023. 


Destination BC Tourism Digital Academy

Destination BC (DBC) offers numerous free learning resources for tourism-based businesses, including the Tourism Digital Academy, which was launched in 2020 and designed for business owners or marketing team members who are looking to build their digital marketing knowledge and skills to an intermediate level. 

There are two winter 2023 intakes, each running for 8 weeks, beginning the week of January 24 and the week of January 31. Companies can learn more and apply now on the DBC website—the program has filled up quickly in the past, and space is limited. 

For questions about the program, email industrydevelopment@destinationbc.ca. Additional resources for tourism businesses are also available through DBC's Learning Centre. 


OKGN Angel Summit

Accelerate Okanagan’s OKGN Angel Summit is back for 2023. The 10-week program is designed to train startup entrepreneurs and accredited investors in the capital-raising process. During the program, participating Western Canadian businesses and Okanagan-based investors will go through a structured process which culminates in a public pitch event by the Top 6 companies; the winner is awarded an investment of up to $250,000.

Those interested in participating can learn more here.

The final deadline for applications is December 31, 2021. For any questions about the summit, connect with Accelerate Okanagan’s Acting CEO, Thuy Tran, at thuy@accelerateokanagan.com. 


Propel Student Work Placement Program

In 2021, Tourism HR Canada launched Propel, a work placement program designed specifically for the tourism and hospitality sector to work with post-secondary students as they prepare for careers in the industry. The program is funded by the Government of Canada's Student Work Placement Program; it allows eligible employers to hire qualifying students, in turn receiving a wage subsidy. 

Register through Zoom to join Tourism HR Canada at 10 a.m. PST on Thursday, January 26, for a one-hour information session to learn more about Propel. 


Small Business BC (SBBC) Education

SBBC's ongoing live webinars offer an array of useful information for entrepreneurs and small businesses in all industries, including tourism. Sessions cover a wide range of topics, with past webinars covering how to create a website, how to choose the right apps for your business, and how to create engaging video content with your phone. A list of upcoming webinars can be found on the SBBC website.

Thanks to a partnership between DBC and SBBC, BC-based tourism industry members can access these business education resources free of charge—learn more on DBC's website.