Enterprise Opportunities
The Shuswap offers strategic opportunities across multiple sectors.
Construction benefits from abundant land and proximity to Shuswap and Okanagan markets. Agrifood and forestry value-add leverage fertile farmland, sustainable timber, and artisanal processing.
Private tourism thrives on lakes, trails, and experiential agritourism. Creative industries and professional services can relocate for lifestyle appeal while remaining connected to clients.
Retail capitalizes on the urban hub of Sorrento/Blind Bay, and tech enterprises benefit from growing digital infrastructure and remote-work viability. Together, these sectors provide a diverse, investable ecosystem that balances natural assets, market access, and lifestyle-driven business growth.
Key Industry Sectors
Columbia Shuswap Regional District Areas C, D, F, G are seeking investment in key industry sectors that reflect current strengths and value proposition:
- Agrifood processors (food and beverage, dairy value-add).
- Construction (housing).
- Retail & Services.
- Tourism Attractions (private sector).
- Tech.
- Forestry (craft-scale manufacturing, housing – modular, pre-fabricated systems/components).
Doctors Welcomed
Specific Opportunities
Columbia Shuswap Regional District Areas C, D, F, G are actively seeking:
Retail and Services Gaps
Sorrento/Blind Bay offers the vast majority of current and potential retail and services space within Columbia Shuswap Regional District Areas C, D, F, G.
Identified Retail & Services gaps (Src: SEDS Investment Attraction Business Survey, 2024 (32 responses) + Investment Summit Polling, 2024):
- Medical/dental services.
- Banking.
- Restaurants.
- Clothing.
- Sports rentals.
- Local/natural/artisan/craft food.
- Home essentials.
- Hardware.
- Artisan wares.
Mixed-used development opportunities in Sorrento offer the investment community a means to enable a business model with diversification of market offering in built form.
General community focus areas:
- Experiential – community – placemaking/village centre.
- Health and wellness services.
- Professional services.
- Unique – e.g. French bakery, restaurant, entertainment/recreation.
- Market.
- Consumer staples (basic services): grocery, convenience, pharmacy/drugstore, discount, warehouse club, health food, bulk food, health & wellness services, professional services (e.g. legal, accounting).
Commercial Land
Commercial opportunities tend to be spot-zoned (e.g. gas station) in Columbia Shuswap Regional District Areas C, D, F, G; commercial activity is concentrated in Sorrento, with modest additional commercial development in Blind Bay, Scotch Creek, and Falkland. There is vision-based opportunity to infill/redevelop/rezone commercial and/or mixed-use lands in Sorrento to provide retail and services to the growing North and South Shuswap communities. Scotch Creek is experiencing a rebuild after a recent fire; commercial space is being built and there are growing business opportunities.
Industrial Land
The Shuswap region has a relatively constrained stock of industrial land compared to larger centres like Salmon Arm, Vernon, Kelowna, and Kamloops. A typical development pattern is to work through OCP/Zoning Bylaw amendment to create new small-scale industrial parcels. There is vision-based potential to consolidate/infill 3.5 quarter sections of currently-zoned industrial land north of Tappen.
There are two primary industrial land locations:
1) Scotch Creek (Area F North Shuswap)
5-10 parcels at 2-3 acres mostly vacant, and 8-9, 1-acre parcels partially occupied/largely under-utilized.
Scotch Creek I2 Zoning: PDF page 7
Principal Uses – fuel storage, general trade contracting office and works yard, indoor storage, manufacturing, mini storage, outdoor sales, outdoor storage, plant nursery and services, recycling drop-off facility, rental and repair of tools, small equipment, vehicle repair, welding and mechanical repair shop. Secondary Uses – accessory upper floor dwelling unit, accessory use, accessory retail store.
Src: Area F Zoning Bylaw
2) “Tappen Area” (Area C South Shuswap)
There is vision-based potential to consolidate/infill/expand 3.5 quarter sections of currently-zoned industrial land in north of Tappen.
Current companies: Zappone Aggregate Processors, Baywest Manufacturing (custom log and timber-frame homes), Kuemper Bros (sand and gravel), Triple G Windows, Rust Bros Restorations, Van Duersen Diesel (truck repair)
Industrial (ID) Zoning:
Planning regulation is guided by the Area C Official Community Plan and Industrial (ID) Zoning Development Permit Area (page 72/73).
Scotch Creek I2 Zoning: PDF page 7
Principal Uses – fuel storage, general trade contracting office and works yard, indoor storage, manufacturing, mini storage, outdoor sales, outdoor storage, plant nursery and services, recycling drop-off facility, rental and repair of tools, small equipment, vehicle repair, welding and mechanical repair shop. Secondary Uses – accessory upper floor dwelling unit, accessory use, accessory retail store.
Src: Area F Zoning Bylaw
3) Other Large Parcel Industrial
There is an addition ¼ section with Industrial (ID) zoning in Area C South Shuswap. See PDF Page 14.
Commercial/Industrial Listings
As of January 2026, large parcel or commercial/industrial opportunities in Columbia Shuswap Regional District Areas C, D, F, G are as follows (Src: Realtor.ca):
INDUSTRIAL LAND 0.99 acres Scotch Creek.
LAND 34.5 acres Blind Bay. Current zoning up to 12 estate residential lots. Columbia Shuswap Regional District is open to alternative uses, including multi-use, commercial, or residential development.
MOTEL, PUB & DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL 5.11 acres Blind Bay.
LAND 35 acres Sorrento. One minute off Trans Canada Highway 1. Natural spring 25,000 gallons/day with water rights. Gravel seams provide potential for business use. Development potential includes commercial venture.
COMMERCIAL BUILDING 13000 sq. ft. Scotch Creek. Steel-frame commercial building on a fenced lot. Three existing tenants. 3,500 sq. ft. of unleased space.
COMMERCIAL BUILDING/LAND 1.8 acres Scotch Creek. Former public works yard. 2700 sq. ft. workshop features two bays, lunch room, bathroom, and office area.
GAS STATION 1.24 acres Tappen. Long-term lease secured. Includes private 3 Bed & 2 Bath suite with lakeview and a large backyard.
(search by Regional District Areas – e.g. Columbia Shuswap F)
