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Global News
5 days ago
- Business
- Global News
City of Kelowna reaping the economic benefits brought on by the Brier Cup
Kelowna, B.C., is quickly gaining recognition for more than just its scenic landscapes and wineries. Following the success of the 2025 Montana's Brier, the city is proving it has the capacity and appeal to host major national events — and reap the economic rewards that come with them. Earlier this year, the Canadian men's curling championship brought over 89,000 spectators to Kelowna. The event delivered a direct economic impact of $15.2 million and a total impact of $22.7 million, far exceeding expectations. 'On that particular event, we were at the high end of our expectations — and actually a couple hundred thousand dollars beyond that,' said Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy For city leaders and tourism officials, the success of the Brier is about more than just impressive numbers. 'The numbers from the Brier really solidified that Kelowna can host these major events successfully,' said Lisanne Ballantyne, CEO of Tourism Kelowna. 'But it's not just about the numbers — it's about the legacy it leaves behind.' Story continues below advertisement That legacy continues to grow, with two more national events on the horizon. The Canadian Country Music Awards are set to take place in September, followed by the Memorial Cup in the spring of 2026. Kelowna is aiming to match or surpass the economic performance seen in other host cities. 'When the CCMAs were in Hamilton, the economic impact was $11 million and over 2,000 hotel room nights,' said Ballantyne. 'With Kelowna's destination appeal, we believe we'll match or even exceed that.' The city is also thinking long-term. A new Economic Prosperity Task Force has been launched to build on this momentum and explore other opportunities beyond events. 'It's not just from an event standpoint,' said Dyas. 'The task force is looking at what else we can bring to Kelowna — whether it's industry, manufacturing, or anything that creates lasting economic impact.' As Kelowna continues to attract attention, city leaders are working to ensure it's ready for what's ahead. 'We're considered a small city, and things like infrastructure, venues, and even how many volunteers we can mobilize become important factors in deciding what events we can host in the future,' said Ballantyne.
CBC
27-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
From the suburbs to the stage: 2 of this year's Juno nominees for best country album are rooted in B.C.
About five years ago, Tyler Joe Miller says he was "swinging a hammer," working as a carpenter and house painter, and just starting to break into the Canadian country music scene. On Christmas Day 2019, he released his first single, Pillow Talkin', and his first EP came out the following year later. Miller has since been nominated for several Canadian Country Music Awards (CCMAs), including Songwriter of the Year in 2023. Now, he's nominated for Country Album of the Year for his latest EP, Going Home, at the 2025 Juno Awards. "This stuff is crazy," he told Gloria Macarenko, the host of CBC's On The Coast. "It still blows my mind that this is something that I get to do for a living." WATCH | Tyler Joe Miller's What Good Is a Memory: Miller is on the shortlist with Alberta stars Brett Kissel and MacKenzie Porter, Ontario's Josh Ross — who is up for five awards this year — and fellow British Columbian Dallas Smith. While Miller grew up in Surrey, he and Smith both put down roots in Langley, B.C. — a community outside the hustle and bustle of Vancouver, where country-loving souls can enjoy the rural surroundings and, in Miller's case, raise some chickens. "[There's] something in the water," Smith told Stephen Quinn, the host of The Early Edition. "I mean, the city's motto was where city meets country, right?" His self-titled album, released in late 2023, is a Juno contender this spring and was already nominated for Album of the Year at the 2024 CCMAs. Smith hasn't always been a country king; in fact, his career started in 1999 as the frontman for Default, a Canadian rock group that released four albums over eight years and won a Juno for Best New Group in 2002. But he said he's always loved country music. "I'm a big believer in a good song is a good song." WATCH | Dallas Smith's How Do You Miss Me: Smith recently played the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tenn., a dream for any country musician. "It was incredible," he said. "To actually get the invite from the Opry … it's quite an amazing, humbling experience." Miller spent some time in Nashville himself recently, writing new songs and shooting a music video. Upon his arrival home, he went to Aldergrove to pick up some chicks — baby chickens, that is. "We moved to a property here [and] it had like a kind of an old chicken coop that needed some fixing up, so I spent the last little bit fixing her up, and we're putting the run in pretty soon here," Miller said. "We're kind of learning how to take care of chickens now, I guess." Now, the two Langley-based artists will face off on Sunday at the 2025 Juno Awards, where they're up against some stiff competition. "I'll just take an Uber down," Smith said with a laugh. "I'm looking forward to it. I mean, the Junos aren't here very often, so I'm going to enjoy that and enjoy it being in my backyard."
