About Kootenay Talent + Recruitment
Your Partner in Building Great Teams
At Kootenay Talent+ Recruitment, we help businesses and organizations find, hire, and build strong teams. We provide full-service recruitment, and talent strategies -onboarding, team development, leadership development, and employee engagement.
Our mission is simple: do our part to grow the economy through talent acquisition and development—while staying true to the values that make our communities special: integrity, trust, transparency, and a strong local connection.
Our Story
Kootenay Talent + Recruitment was founded by Mia Gardiner, a Kootenay local with nearly thirty years of experience in people leadership, team building, and community engagement.
After over a decade of working remotely with provincial and national scope — structuring teams, managing engagement strategies, and leading major volunteer and staffing initiatives — Mia felt a pull back to her roots.
When a regional economic development initiative commissioned a feasibility study and pilot project for a recruitment agency, having highlighted workforce gaps, Mia answered the call and saw her opportunity to make a real difference right here in the Kootenays.
Mia’s oldest son Jordan joined the business soon after. A lifelong trades professional, Jordan brought his own experience in welding, construction, concrete work, and business and advertising skills to the table. Together, they launched Kootenay Talent + Recruitment as a locally owned, family-run business dedicated to helping businesses increase their success through investing in their people.
Who We Help
Our services are designed for businesses of all shapes and sizes. From providing HR support for smaller businesses to leadership development for medium and growing businesses, we specialize in team design and people strategies.
Our recruitment services are best suited to leadership, management, and specialized positions across a variety of industries- our method allows us to understand your industry, learn your business, learn your people and culture, and find just the right person for you.
We like a challenge and we are here for the hard jobs. Whether you’re a new business looking for your next great hire or an established company building out a team, we’re here to make the process simple, transparent, and effective.
- Recruitment and hiring
- Team building strategies
- Employee engagement solutions
- HR supports
Our Values
- Integrity & Trust
- Transparency
- Local Connection
- High-Quality Service
- Reliability & Follow-Through
Our work is guided by the belief that people drive business success and synergistic teams get powerful results.
Meet Our Team
Mia Gardiner
Founder & Executive Lead
Mia has built a successful career in leadership, talent development, and community engagement. Her background includes building and leading teams and large-scale programs across British Columbia and Canada. Mia has worked with hundreds of partners, and thousands of individuals across the country. Her superpower is understanding individual strengths and developing complimentary teams and groups. Mia succeeds through fostering positive relationships, building structures and systems that help teams work better together, and applying a strengths based approach with a commitment to fairness and equity. At heart, she believes in great possibilities and cares about helping businesses and communities grow stronger.
Mia lives with her three children in the Kootenays, enjoying hiking, skiing, paddle boarding, gardening and practicing yoga while creating strong connections and helping businesses succeed.
Jordan Ostrikoff
Associate Recruitment Specialist
Jordan grew up in the Kootenays and has spent most of his career working in the trades—welding, concrete, and construction. Over the years, he’s also put serious time into studying marketing, business strategy, and team building, bringing both real-world experience and self-taught business knowledge to the table. His practical background helps him relate directly to the kinds of candidates and businesses Kootenay Talent + Recruitment serves, especially in trades and hands-on industries. Jordan made the jump from the job site to the recruitment world to help local businesses grow while staying rooted in the values and work ethic that define the region.
Jordan takes advantage of the Kootenay life, enjoying the mountains, lakes and rivers, focussing on health and fitness, and building knowledge.
Explore our services and see how Kootenay Talent + Recruitment can help your business grow
Local Connections
