Selkirk Innovates

03/09/2026

Climate action can feel like one more thing on a to-do list that is already full. For businesses and non-profit organizations juggling budgets, staffing, customers, programs and other competing priorities, knowing where to start can be a challenge. The new Business and Non-Profit Hub on the Columbia Basin Climate Source is designed to make that first step easier.

Learn more: https://basinclimatesource.ca/august-2026-newsletter

Explore the Business and Non-Profit Hub: https://basinclimatesource.ca/hub



Columbia Basin Climate Source, a project of Columbia Basin Trust, is developed and managed in partnership with Selkirk Innovates. is the applied research arm of Selkirk College.

01/09/2026

01/09/2026

As students head back into classrooms and campuses this fall, how is education changing across the Columbia Basin-Boundary Region? Enrolment trends can offer important clues about shifting demographics and the demand for educational services.

Read the latest State of the Basin feature article for more: https://stateofthebasin.ca/feature/back-to-school-enrolment-trends

Get regional data insights to your inbox. Sign up for the State of the Basin newsletter: https://www.selkirk.ca/focus-newsletter

research is conducted by Selkirk College faculty and students, with funding support from Columbia Basin Trust.

Photo: Province of British Columbia / flickr.com

31/08/2026

Meet Seth!

Seth Whitehead is a graduate of the Digital Fabrication and Design (DFAB) Program at Selkirk College, who works as a research assistant with the Selkirk Technology Access Centre's Advanced Manufacturing team.

We agree with Seth - we're grateful to work with small businesses, community organizations and industry partners from across the Kootenays!
Develop practical, sought-after skills with the DFAB Program: https://selkirk.ca/programs/arts-technology/digital-fabrication-and-design-diploma

Learn more about the Selkirk Technology Access Centre: https://selkirk.ca/research-innovation/selkirk-technology-access-centre

is the applied research department of .

Tech-Access Canada

19/08/2026

Meet Julianna!

Julianna Austen is a graduate of the Rural Pre-Medicine Program at Selkirk College. This summer, she has a paid research internship with Dr. Tracey Harvey and team, supporting the Innovating within the Regional Cannabis Sector project.

We wish Julianna all the best in her preparation for the MCAT and her upcoming studies at Dalhousie University.

Take the first steps toward a fulfilling career in the health sciences with the Rural Pre-Medicine Program: https://selkirk.ca/programs/university-arts-sciences/rural-pre-medicine

Learn more about the regional cannabis sector project: https://selkirk.ca/research-innovation/social-innovation-lab/innovating-within-regional-cannabis-sector

As summer winds down and we're looking forward to welcoming students back to campus in a few weeks, we're excited to spotlight one of our recent RPM graduates.

🌟 Summer Student Spotlight: Julianna Austen

Congratulations to RPM graduate Julianna Austen on her summer work study position with Selkirk Innovates!

This summer, Julianna is contributing to the Cannabis Development Project, exploring rural identity and the economic development of cannabis in the Kootenays through research, data analysis, and community-based project support.

Building on the research skills she developed in the Rural Pre-Medicine (RPM) program, Julianna is gaining valuable experience while balancing preparation for the MCAT. This fall, she'll continue her journey at Dalhousie University, where she'll study Microbiology and Immunology as she works toward her goal of a career in medicine.

Congratulations, Julianna! We look forward to seeing all you'll accomplish.


Selkirk College

18/08/2026

There is a new posting for a research internship with Selkirk Innovates this fall.

Research Intern: Outdoor Recreation Economy

Support a project called Trails, Towns, Talent: Building BC’s Rural Outdoor Economy. This is a one-time initiative to help rural BC communities examine how outdoor recreation can be used more intentionally as an economic and community development strategy. The partner organization for this project is the Outdoor Recreation Council of BC.

Apply by September 10, 2026.

Get more information and apply here: https://selkirk.ca/research-innovation/skills-training-internships/intern-postings

is the applied research department of Selkirk College.

10/08/2026

Students and recent graduates, come work with us! There are two new job postings for research internships this fall.

Research Intern: State of the Basin
Support the State of the Basin program – an ongoing initiative that monitors and reports on indicators of social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being in the Columbia Basin-Boundary Region. Apply by August 27, 2026, 4:00 p.m.

Research Intern: Regional Sport Economy
Support the State of the Regional Sport Economy project – a one-time effort to gather and assess datasets that collectively tell the story of how sport contributes to the local economy while generating wider community development benefits. Apply by September 8, 2026, 4:00 p.m.

Get more information and apply here: https://selkirk.ca/research-innovation/skills-training-internships/intern-postings

is the applied research department of Selkirk College.

28/07/2026

Climate change is already affecting agriculture across the Columbia Basin. While changing weather patterns can create challenges for farmers, longer growing seasons may open new opportunities. Change drives innovation, so it’s no surprise many agricultural businesses are adapting operations while strengthening their business.

Learn about how Pippin Point Farms in Wynndel is investing in projects that both reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance their ability to thrive in the uncertain years ahead:
https://basinclimatesource.ca/july-2026-newsletter



Columbia Basin Climate Source, a project of Columbia Basin Trust, is developed and managed in partnership with Selkirk Innovates. is the applied research arm of Selkirk College.

Photo: Pippin Point

24/07/2026

Student job posting: Research Intern: TechEdge – Advancing Digital Adoption. Apply by August 17, 2026.

Support the Kootenay Association for Science and Technology (KAST) with the design and implementation of their TechEdge program. The TechEdge program aims to provide a practical pathway to innovative technology and AI integration curated to the reality of regional businesses and organizations.

Get more info and apply here: https://selkirk.ca/research-innovation/skills-training-internships/intern-postings

is the applied research department of Selkirk College.

22/07/2026

Summer brings two inevitable shifts on roads in the Columbia Basin-Boundary Region: tourism and roadwork. Both tend to raise traffic as a top-of-mind issue for drivers, cyclists, and others travelling throughout the region.

It seems like our roads are getting busier every year, but is that really the case? Traffic data available through the State of the Basin helps us understand seasonal patterns and year-over-year changes in the regional transportation network.

Read more in the latest State of the Basin feature article: https://stateofthebasin.ca/feature/tracking-basin-traffic-trends

Get regional data insights to your inbox. Sign up for the State of the Basin newsletter: https://www.selkirk.ca/focus-newsletter

research is conducted by Selkirk College faculty and students, with funding support from Columbia Basin Trust.