05/02/2025
Big news! Yesterday, we officially opened our new cleantech manufacturing facility—doubling our capacity—which will help support shorter lead times for customers and create 50+ skilled jobs in Kelowna, B.C. With James Seabrook, President of Vitalis, leading the ribbon-cutting ceremony, we were proud to celebrate this milestone alongside:
— Her Honour, The Honourable Wendy Cocchia, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, and her delegation
— Stephen Fuhr, Member of Parliament (Elect) for Kelowna
— Tom Dyas, Mayor of Kelowna
— Loyal Wooldridge, Chair of the Regional District of Central Okanagan
— Many other industry and community leaders, including Blair Ireland, Mayor of Lake Country
This 25,000 sq. ft. expansion reflects growing momentum in B.C.'s cleantech sector. The organizations that adopt our natural refrigerant R744 (CO2) chillers, heat pumps, or refrigeration systems are North American leaders in the transition to environmentally responsible heating and cooling solutions.
One highlight of the day: a spotlight on our collaboration with UBC Okanagan on a major campus decarbonization project for one of its two district energy systems. Their new Vitalis Coolshift™ 1.5 MW R744 air-source heat pump—currently the largest of its kind in North America—is being commissioned now.
"This will displace gas boiler heating for base load and reduce GHG emissions by over 815 metric tons annually,” says Colin Richardson, Associate Director of the Energy Team at UBCO. “The UBCO climate action plan has a target of reducing emissions by 65% by 2030 from our 2013 baseline. This project will achieve more than 50% of our GHG reduction targets and will accelerate our journey to our 2030 targets.”
From supermarkets and cold storage facilities to industrial processing plants and university campuses, R744 systems are enabling organizations to take practical, future-proof climate action—without risk of PFAS ("forever chemicals") pollution—for a wide variety of commercial, industrial, and district energy projects.
Thank you to everyone who joined us to mark this exciting chapter! We're energized for what's ahead—for Vitalis, for our communities, and for Canadian cleantech manufacturing.
