A larger, more central and more welcoming space was the goal for the new Work BC office in Penticton in the 1800 block of Main Street, officially open as of Wednesday.

"Looking for work sometimes can be a difficult circumstance where people sometimes feel alone or that they are on their own while looking for work," said Scott Sherwood, provincial director of employment services with Maximus Canada which operates the Work BC location. 

"Here we have a fantastic staff, they are really friendly, they know some of the ins and outs of how to answer interview questions, how to write a resume, but it goes far beyond that."

Provincial social development minister Shane Simpson was on hand for the opening.

"It's a critical part of our government's initiative to create employment opportunities, particularly for people who have some challenges getting back into the workforce," Simpson said. 

The new location will work with both the public and local businesses to help match employees with employers.

"It's not just a service for people who are looking for work, it's a service for the community in general," Sherwood pointed out. "Our current economy really has fairly low unemployment rates, which is a good thing. But it can prove challenging for businesses and employers throughout the province."

Minister Simpson will also be holding a community consultation session regarding planned new accessibility legislation at the Ooknakane Friendship Centre in Penticton from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday night, open to the public. 

"Today in British Columbia, there are 926,000 people identified as having a disability. That includes apparent disabilities, which we see all the time, and hidden disabilities," Simpson said. 

"It's a great opportunity because we're focusing this on bringing together people with lived experience, who are living with disability, and the opportunity for them to be heard."

The Penticton discussion will be the ninth on a ten-city tour for Simpson, working to gather information ahead of new legislation aimed at British Columbians with disabilities.