FortisBC Contributes $42,000 to Okanagan College’s New Trades Training Centre

Okanagan

 

Apr 15, 2018

FortisBC’s $42,000 gift for the new Vernon campus Trades Training Centre will support the facility, provide students with state-of-the-art equipment, and help the college deliver training on the latest techniques in energy efficient construction.

An additional $10,000 gift-in-kind of gas meters will provide electrician and plumbing students with opportunities to train using equipment they’ll encounter out in the industry.

FortisBC’s Conservation and Energy Management group is also contributing $12,000 to support curriculum development that will allow the College to deliver training on energy-efficient construction techniques.

“The demand for skilled tradespeople is increasing at FortisBC and in the energy industry, so having this high level of training in Vernon is good for our organization and for the region in general,” says Gary Fillingham, Fortis BC Operations Manager, Interior South.

Construction is well underway on the 13,450 square-foot training complex and on track to complete in early summer. Trades students currently train in a leased facility off-campus and will begin programs in the new facility in August.

The $6.2 million state-of-the-art building will have the capacity to train approximately 150 students per year.

The project is being supported through the federal government’s Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund. The province of B.C. is investing $2.9 million and the government of Canada has provided $2.7 million. Okanagan College and the Okanagan College Foundation is fundraising for the remainder of the project cost and to provide program and student bursaries and scholarships that will help increase access to training.

For more information on the new training hub visit okanagan.bc.ca/brighthorizons.

Related Articles


Latest Articles


Changing Scene

  • Toronto Hydro Introduces Opportunity to Fast‑Track EV Charging Projects Across the City

    Toronto Hydro Introduces Opportunity to Fast‑Track EV Charging Projects Across the City

    April 13, 2026 Toronto Hydro is charging ahead with a new pilot program designed to give local electric vehicle (EV) charging providers direct access to 480‑volt power, simplifying grid connections and making it faster and easier to expand public EV fast charging stations across the city. This new pilot is designed to help expedite the Read More…

  • SATCO Celebrates 60 Years of Excellence in Lighting, NUVO Marks 20 Years of Design Innovation

    SATCO Celebrates 60 Years of Excellence in Lighting, NUVO Marks 20 Years of Design Innovation

    April 10, 2026 SATCO proudly announces the celebration of its 60th anniversary, marking six decades of sustained growth, innovation, and service excellence. Concurrently, NUVO, a prominent lighting brand under the SATCO umbrella, celebrates its 20th anniversary, highlighting two decades of cutting-edge design and creative solutions for residential and commercial spaces. Founded in 1966, SATCO has Read More…

  • D.A.D. Sales Welcomes New Team Members

    D.A.D. Sales Welcomes New Team Members

    April 10, 2026 D.A.D. Sales announced the addition of Bradey Cameron as an Application Specialist on the D.A.D. Sales Solutions team, Katherine Dickson as an Account Manager on the D.A.D. Sales team, supporting Northern Alberta, and Wendy Dyble as an Account Manager / Inside Sales on the D.A.D. Customer Service Team. “Bradey brings a strong Read More…

  • Liteline Introduce New Regional Sales Manager for GTA

    Liteline Introduce New Regional Sales Manager for GTA

    April 10, 2026 Liteline announced on LinkedIn that Peter McCumber has joined their team as Regional Sales Manager for the GTA. “We are excited to welcome Peter as Liteline’s Regional Sales Manager-GTA! Peter brings more than two decades of experience in the electrical manufacturing and wholesale industry, where he has established himself as a dynamic Read More…