A Kelowna-based business has more than doubled its size and it was able to showcase its renovation in a big way on Thursday afternoon (May 1).

Vitalis Extraction Technology, an equipment manufacturer (OEM) of CO2-based technologies opened its new 25,000-square-foot expansion with a ribbon-cutting ceremony to a crowd of about 100 people, which included B.C.'s 31st Lieutenant Governor Wendy Cocchia, who was there with representatives from 23 other countries as part of a B.C. business showcase.

"I'm so proud to celebrate this new home for Vitalis," said Cocchia. "Vitalis has customers in five continents and is very proud to support global decarbonization through cleantech."

The expansion to the facility at 3348 Velocity Road allows Vitalis to meet growing demand around the world for high-efficiency chillers, heat pumps, and refrigeration systems that use the natural refrigerant (R744) that carries no risk of polluting the environment with 'forever chemicals.' It also adds 70 new jobs to the community.

Vitalis president and registered professional engineer in B.C. James Seabrook said it was an honour to be able to celebrate his company's expansion with Cocchia and the many other visitors. 

"It's a bit of a surprise, to be honest," said Seabrook about getting to celebrate Thursday's event with so many people. "You know, I was invited to give the presentation and I went to the welcoming session last night for the Lieutenant Governor and I went 'Oh, wow, this is really powerful,' and I feel very honoured."

Seabrook added he doesn't just want to help the environment for right now, he wants to set goals for the future.

"I feel very positive," said Seabrook. "We build a variety of different products in many industries. One of them that we're very excited about is decarbonization and the ability to help communities or facilities adopt technology that is better for the environment. And that, I think, helps all of us in the future."

During a welcoming session Wednesday night, Seabrook explained he met a member of the Westbank First Nation who said something that really resonated with the Vitalis president, she said, "We're here for a pretty short time and everything that we consume, our lands, our air, our water, is borrowed from our future generations."

"For a long time we've seen negative impacts on that, and I think the whole team is excited about the ability to help reverse some of those things and deliver solutions that prevent, you know, future destruction of our environment," said Seabrook.

Thursday's event also highlighted something very important to Seabrook - his company's relationship with UBC Okanagan, where he graduated from in 2011. The two sides have been working together on a "groundbreaking campus decarbonization project," which is a 1.5 MW R744 air-source heat pump (ASHP), currently the largest of its kind in North America. The project aligns with both provincial and regional objectives outlined by the province and the Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission including lowering climate-changing emissions by 40 per cent by 2030, promoting innovation, and growing a strong, resilient economy with good jobs and a skilled workforce.

Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas was in attendance, calling Vitalis an "incredible facility."

"I want to thank president James Seabrook and the entire Vitalis team for building innovation and world-class technology here in Kelowna while also showing climate action and economic growth can and must go hand-in-hand," said Dyas.

As well Lake Country Mayor Blair Ireland, Kelowna Member of Parliament elect Stephen Fuhr, city councillor and chair of the Regional District of Central Okanagan Loyal Wooldridge, and Kelowna City Councillor Maxine DeHart attended the event.