Invest in BC 2015 by Business in Vancouver Media Group

RAINCOAST GUARDIANS Designed-in-British Columbia super tugboats protect busy shipping lanes | 12

INVEST IN BC

2015

BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT ACROSS BRITISH COLUMB IA OFFICIAL PUBLICATION

BC Economic Development Association

PUBLISHED BY | BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

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TERRIFIC TOURISM

RICE QUAKE

REGIONAL ROUNDUP

2015-03-05 10:37 AM

PROUDLY CONNECTING BC TO THE WORLD 53 airlines serve YVR, connecting people & businesses to 110 non-stop destinations worldwide.

yvr.ca

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Stepping Up for BC’s Economy

“ASTTBC

CERTIFIES AND REGISTERS applied science and engineering technologists, technicians and technical specialists in British Columbia. The 10,000+ Technology Professionals registered with ASTTBC take pride in serving and protecting their communities. Technology Professionals are an integral part of the teams that design, construct, inspect, test, maintain and manage much of our built and natural environment. ASTTBC registration is recognized as best practice and provides professional reliance on the part of these Technology Professionals. ASTTBC certification and registration ensure Technology Professionals are competent and can be held professionally accountable. ASTTBC regulates and supports the commitment of Technology Professionals to a safe, healthy and sustainable society and environment.

”

John Leech, AScT, CAE Chief Executive Officer, ASTTBC

For more info:

Applied Science Technologists & Technicians of British Columbia 10767 – 148th Street, Surrey, BC V3R 0S4 T 604.585.2788 F 604.585.2790 techinfo@asttbc.org

www.ASTTBC.org

ASTTBC values its ongoing partnership with the BC Economic Development Association.

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CONTENTS BCEDA PARTNERS

GUARDING the raincoast

PLATINUM CN Legacy Pacific Land Corporation Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel Westin Bayshore Vancouver GOLD FortisBC

SILVER Kwantlen Polytechnic University Northern Gateway

Super tugs and pipeline safety advances ensure safe shipping

BRONZE AdvantageBC ASTTBC Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers Community Futures BC Futurpreneur Canada International Council of Shopping Centers Millier Dickinson Blais Pacific Coastal Airlines Port of Prince Rupert Small Business BC Vancouver Airport Authority

INDEX LETTERS

6–8

INFOGRAPHICS Population Exports from B.C. Average home price Construction investments

9–10

COLUMNS

Colin Hansen—11

Bryan Yu—19

Tech icons swing into B.C.

FEATURES Foreign investment in B.C. Guarding the raincoast Native routes Tech icons swing into B.C. Brave new world Fashion forward Terrific tourism Rice quake Dam powerful BCEDA MEMBERS

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11 12 15 17 19 20 22 26 28 104

Sector on track to reach $30 billion in revenues as Amazon, Microsoft and Sony Pictures Imageworks set up shop

FASHION FORWARD Clothing design and manufacturing entrepreneurs prove “B.C. made” matches international standards

2015-03-05 10:37 AM

RAINCOAST GUARDIANS Designed-in-British Columbia these super tugboats protect busy shipping lanes | 11

INVEST IN BC

2015

BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT ACROSS BRITISH COLUMB IA OFFICIAL PUBLICATION

BC Economic Development Association

PUBLISHED BY | BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

Rice QUAKE 26

TERRIFIC TOURISM

RICE QUAKE

REGIONAL ROUNDUP

PUBLISHER: Paul Harris EDITOR-IN-CHIEF : Fiona Anderson EDITOR : Frank O’Brien GRAPHIC DESIGN: Randy Pearsall PROOFREADER: Meg Yamamoto WRITERS : Nelson Bennett, Darah Hansen,

Rice farming had been virtually unheard of in B.C. Until now. Innovators are harvesting the first crops – and clean B.C. air and water provide a global advantage

Peter Mitham, Noa Nichol, Frank O’Brien, Scott Simpson, Brian Yu PRODUCTION: Rob Benac, Soraya Romao VP SALES & MARKETING: Sue Belisle SALES MANAGER: Joan McGrogan ADVERTISING SALES : Lori Borden, Corinne Tkachuk ADMINISTRATOR: Katherine Butler CONTROLLER: Marlita Hodgens PRESIDENT, BIV MEDIA GROUP: Paul Harris Invest in BC 2015 is published by BIV Magazines, a division of BIV Media Group, 303 Fifth Avenue West, Vancouver, B.C. V5Y 1J6, 604-688-2398, fax: 604-688-1963, www.biv.com.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT REGIONS Lower Mainland/Southwest 31 Vancouver Island/Coast 50 Thompson Okanagan 59 Kootenay 68 Cariboo 76 North Coast 82 Northeast 89 Nechako 100

Copyright 2015 Business in Vancouver Magazines. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or incorporated into any information retrieval system without permission of BIV Magazines. The list of services provided in this publication is not necessarily a complete list of all such services available in Vancouver, B.C. The publishers are not responsible in whole or in part for any errors or omissions in this publication. ISSN 1205-5662 Publications Mail Agreement No: 40051199. Registration No: 8876. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Circulation Department: 303 Fifth Avenue West, Vancouver, B.C. V5Y 1J6 Email: subscribe@biv.com

Cover: Robert Allan of Robert Allan Ltd., Vancouver. Photo: Richard Lam

North Coast Kootenay

PUBLISHED BY

B.C. OWNED AND OPERATED

76 Cariboo

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6 | INVEST IN BC 2015 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

ȱ ȱ ȱ The Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper, P.C., M.P., Prime ȱ Minister of Canada ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Iȱamȱpleasedȱtoȱextendȱmyȱwarmestȱgreetingsȱtoȱreadersȱofȱȱ ȱȱ,ȱtheȱofficialȱpublicationȱofȱtheȱBritishȱColumbiaȱEconomicȱ DevelopmentȱAssociation.ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ TheȱGovernmentȱofȱCanadaȱisȱpleasedȱtoȱhaveȱprovidedȱfundingȱforȱ BCEDAȱprojects,ȱthroughȱtheȱInvestȱCanadaȬCommunityȱInitiativesȱ(ICCI)ȱ program.ȱTheseȱinitiativesȱwillȱhelpȱtoȱattract,ȱretainȱandȱexpandȱforeignȱ investmentȱinȱcommunitiesȱacrossȱtheȱprovince.ȱȱȱȱ,ȱ theȱmagazineȱresultingȱfromȱthisȱpublicȬprivateȱsectorȱpartnership,ȱhelpsȱtoȱraiseȱ theȱprofileȱofȱBCEDAȱmembersȱtoȱdecisionȱmakersȱatȱtheȱlocal,ȱnationalȱandȱ internationalȱlevels.ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Iȱwouldȱlikeȱtoȱcommendȱtheȱpublishersȱforȱtheirȱentrepreneurialȱ spiritȱonȱtheȱ10thȱanniversaryȱissueȱofȱtheȱmagazine.ȱBCEDAȱhasȱadvancedȱtheȱ professionȱandȱsupportedȱallȱlevelsȱofȱgovernmentȱinȱfosteringȱeconomicȱ prosperityȱacrossȱBC.ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Pleaseȱacceptȱmyȱbestȱwishesȱforȱcontinuedȱsuccess.ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ

ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ OTTAWAȱ 2015

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ȱ ȱ

ȱ TheȱRt.ȱHon.ȱStephenȱHarper,ȱP.C.,ȱM.P.ȱ

2015-03-05 10:37 AM

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A Message from the Premier British Columbia is on the move. Across our many distinct regions, diverse economic sectors, and unique geography, our province is full of opportunity and promise. The British Columbia Economic Development Association’s 2015 edition of the ,QYHVWLQ%& Magazine highlights just some of the impressive economic development initiatives happening in British Columbia. BC has one of Canada’s strongest economies today, and we’re on track to make an ever greater contribution to this country. Part of that is thanks to geography – our Pacific coastline with its direct access to Asian markets and our abundant natural resources. But our growing prosperity is made possible by our many creative entrepreneurs, our highly skilled and educated workforce, and a competitive investment climate sustained by a fiscally responsible government. By the time you’ve read this magazine, I think you’ll appreciate the unparalleled opportunities British Columbia offers for businesses and investors to thrive and grow. On behalf of the Province of British Columbia, I would like to thank the British Columbia Economic Development Association for working with us to raise awareness of those opportunities – and sharing our commitment to build an even stronger economy and brighter future for BC. Sincerely,

Christy Clark Premier

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8 | INVEST IN BC 2015 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

Letter from president and CEO, BC Economic Development Association

Welcome to Invest in BC 2015 his is the 10th annual publication for Invest in BC, a magazine that is designed to give you a brief overview of the various attributes of British Columbia and to encourage you to consider investing in our amazing and diverse province. As the official publication of the British Columbia Economic Development Association (BCEDA), the magazine strives to provide valuable information on the eight economic regions of British Columbia, as well as timely trends in our ever-changing economy. I hope that you find this information of value to you, and take the time to consider what an investment in British Columbia could do for you, or your business. BCEDA is the leading professional association of economic development practitioners in the province of B.C. BCEDA currently has over 450 members from communities throughout the province. BCEDA provides services that help member communities grow and expand new and existing businesses, attract new business investments and work towards strategic infrastructure investment, land use planning and community enhancement. Our members represent a range of communities, First Nations, businesses, chambers of commerce, Crown corporations,

T Dale Wheeldon

tourism groups, financial institutions, government agencies, NGOs and educational institutions. They are a diverse group committed to helping build British Columbia and its communities. They make it their agenda to bring the right people together at the right time to create valuable partnerships and build prosperity for all those involved. It is widely known that British Columbia’s quality of life is second to none. If you have never had the opportunity to experience all that British Columbia has to offer, we invite you to pack your bags and take in one of the endless recreational possibilities. Snowboarding on a snow-capped mountain can be done on the same day as a sunbathing excursion to a pristine sandy beach. British Columbia’s only limits are your imagination. Please feel free to contact me, my staff or any of our members to discuss anything about economic developments in British Columbia. British Columbia communities are equipped to undertake investment, and offer competitive tax advantages to help you maximize your profitability. Dale Wheeldon President and CEO British Columbia Economic Development Association

Letter from the chair, BC Economic Development Association

‘Investment-friendly’ defines B.C. elcome to the 2015 edition of Invest in BC – our 10th annual. The British Columbia Economic Development Association (BCEDA) is pleased to once again partner with Business in Vancouver to produce this excellent publication. BCEDA represents more than 450 economic development professionals located in every region of the province, and its mandate is to assist them in making their communities and regions economically vibrant places to live and invest. Inside the pages of this magazine you will find great information on the communities that comprise BCEDA’s membership and the many and varied opportunities that they have to offer. Whether it’s natural resources, energy, technology, food production, tourism, international education or transportation and shipping, B.C. has a multitude of investment opportunities. The province’s many other advantages include a highly skilled workforce, low corporate tax rates, world-class infrastructure and services, as well as welcoming and inclusive communities. Although many say it, British Columbia is truly “open for business.” The provincial government has worked diligently to create an investment-friendly environment by dispensing with red tape and streamlining regulatory processes. It has two ministries dedicated to developing B.C.’s economy. The Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training has many departments that assist investors in being successful as well as working to help communities

W Scott Randolph

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reach their economic goals. The Ministry of International Trade is the first stop for foreign companies and investors looking for opportunities in the province, and operates offices all over the world. BCEDA is proud to work closely with both ministries to help leverage the approximately $60 million that communities across B.C. invest annually in economic development and tourism services. Besides professional development and investment attraction programs, the BCEDA is proud to deliver BC Business Counts, one of North America’s top business retention and expansion programs. More than 85 communities across British Columbia participate in the program in order to ensure the tools and supports are in place to assist businesses that have invested in them to be successful. These communities understand that a strong and stable business community produces growth and further investment. In closing, I want to encourage all who read this publication to use it as a primer to further explore the investment opportunities that abound in all regions of the great province of British Columbia. The BC Economic Development Association stands at the ready to provide you with the information and direction you need to be a success. Scott Randolph Chair British Columbia Economic Development Association

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REGIONAL POPULAT POPULATION A ION Biggest cities in each region

Northeast 70,700 FORT ST. JOHN

Nechako 39,200 SMITHERS

21,523

5,103

Change from 2013: È+4.7%

Change from 2013: Ê-2.7%

North Coast 58,000 PRINCE RUPERT

Cariboo 157,500 PRINCE GEORGE

11,918

73,590

Change from 2013:Ê-2.9%

Change from 2013 : Ê-0.9%

Thompson Okanagan 532,000 KELOWNA

121,422

Change from 2013: È+1.0%

Vancouver Island/Coast 789,000 SAANICH

110,767

Change from 2013: Ê-0.4%

B.C. .C. POPULAT POPULATION A ION Lower Mainland/ Southwest 2,826,000 VANCOUVER

2011 011 2012

640,469

2013 2014 4.40

Kootenay 150,000 CRANBROOK

19,785

Change from 2013: È+0.4%

Change from 2013: È+0.8% 4.45

4.50 4.55 Millions

4.60

4.65

SOURCE: BC STATS

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SOURCE: BC STATS DEMOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS, 2014

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10 | INVEST IN BC 2015 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

EXPORTS FROM B.C. IN 2014 SOUTH KOREA

$2 BILLION

JAPAN

$3.6 BILLION UNITED STATES

$18 BILLION

CHINA

$6.3 BILLION INDIA

$517 MILLION

SOURCE: BC STATS

B.C. CONSTRUCTION INVESTMENTS

B.C. AVERAGE HOME PRICE Resale residential homes of all types sold through Multiple Listing Service

$20

800,000

Billions of dollars

$900,000

700,000 600,000 500,000

19 18 17 16

400,000

Non-residential 2013 2014

300,000

Residential 2015 projected

200,000 100,000 er

o nc

e at

ria

a rV

lle

c Vi

t ou

2014

a an

r he

u ol

SOURCE: CENTRAL 1 CREDIT UNION, ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

iti

2015 projected

SOURCE: BC REAL ESTATE ASSOCIATION

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FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN B.C. Colin Hansen | AdvantageBC’s International Business Activity program tax incentive helps to put B.C. on the radar of international investors

few yea rs a go, H a r mony Distribution, a private U.S.based film financing and distribution company with media programming seen in more than 150 countries around the world, re l o c a te d to Va n c o u v e r, B r i tish Columbia. A few months ago, Guangfa Securities (GF Securities), China’s sixth-largest brokerage firm, opened its Canadian head office location in Richmond, BC. Increasingly, companies from both Canada and around the world are seeking out the best location to do business; and British Columbia plays a key role in attracting foreign investment for the Canadian economy as a whole. With four office locations in Asia, Japanese game developer gumi Inc., which opened an office in Burnaby last year, was attracted to B.C.’s strategic location on Canada’s West Coast, allowing it to do business with colleagues around the world. There are many other organizations that are becoming aware of the tax advantages B.C. offers for international investors, a unique tax benefit for companies engaged in qualifying international business through B.C.’s International Business Activity (IBA) program. Registered companies could be eligible for a refund of up to 100 per cent on B.C. corporate taxes (75 per cent for patent activities). The program is focused on international business conducted from B.C. and is well suited for businesses including large exporters, banking and financial services, wealth and asset management, as well as life sciences and film and television distribution. A number of Canadian and

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mu lti nationa l compa n ies have established operations in British Columbia specifically to carry out eligible activities under the IBA program, such as international treasury business, factoring international receivables, international financial activities and investment management for the benefit of a non-resident. We are seeing foreign financial institutions such as the Agricultural Bank of China and Mizuho Financial Group join HSBC and State Bank of India (Canada) in locating their Canadian headquarters in B.C. In 2013, the Bank of China announced the consolidation of its Canadian trade finance services at its International Business Centre in Vancouver and cited B.C.’s tax competitiveness as a key factor in the decision. In June 2014, the B.C. government announced an expansion of the IBA program to allow foreign bank branches (or Schedule III banks) to register with the IBA program, giving these institutions additional incentives to make Vancouver their North American location of choice. In October 2014, the Korea Exchange Bank of Canada (KEB) announced the opening of its fourth British Columbia branch, located in the city of Richmond. Although KEB had already opened branches in B.C., it had previously not participated in the IBA program. Learning about the benefits of the program was an additional incentive for KEB to expand operations in the province. In addition to the corporate tax incentive under the IBA program, a registered company can also apply to register an employee as an international business specialist or as

an executive specialist and benefit from a refund of B.C. provincial income tax (100 per cent for years 1 and 2; 75 per cent for year 3, 50 per cent for year 4, and 25 per cent for year 5). Over the past eight years, more than 100 tax cuts have been introduced in B.C. As a result, the province now has some of the lowest tax rates in North America. Vancouver was ranked best among major cities for its low-cost corporate services in KPMG’s Competi tive Alternatives 2014 Special Report: Focus on Tax. Vancouver is also rapidly climbing the ranks of the world’s financial centres – from 33rd on the Global Financial Centres Index in 2008 to 14th in 2014. With the announcement in November 2014 that Canada has been designated as a Renminbi Settlement Cent re, i nternat iona l i nvestment from China into B.C. is expected to increase dramatically. T he potential impact on ChinaCanada trade from the currency exchange savings associated with eliminating the need to use U.S. dollars as an intermediate currency is estimated to produce an additional $480 million in Canada-China trade, including up to $120 million in additional B.C.-China trade. É Colin Hansen is formerly B.C.’s Minister of Finance and Deputy Premier. In his current capacity as president and CEO of AdvantageBC, he works to attract global business to British Columbia. AdvantageBC International Business Centre Vancouver is a nonprofit organization solely funded and governed by its 165 members conducting or supporting international business activities in B.C.

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GUARDING

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THE RAINCOAST Super tugs and pipeline safety protect the West Coast PETER MITHAM

ritish Columbia’s pristine environment is a natural source of pride for its residents, one that’s won the province top rankings in quality of life surveys. Small wonder, then, that the prospect of increased shipments of oil and gas through the province fill many with dread. Many still remember the Exxon Valdez disaster of 1989, and the fireball that engulfed the community of Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, when a tanker train plowed into the town centre killing 42 people in 2013. Yet transportation, and specifically the transportation of oil and gas, is far safer – or less prone to accidents – than it was even a few years ago. Transportation Safety Board of Canada statistics record 250 marine shipping accidents in 2013, down 18 per cent from the previous five-year average of 305. Similarly, total rail accidents dropped 9.8 per cent over the course of the previous decade – even for Montreal, Maine & Atlantic, which operated the train involved at Lac-Mégantic. RAstar super tugboats such as the Ajax shown here – the most advanced in the world and developed in Vancouver – are used to keep tankers safe around the world. First-oftheir-kind 10,000-horsepower RAstar tugs will deploy along the B.C. coast to protect oil and liquefied natural gas shipments | ROBERT ALLAN LTD. Tugboat engineer Robert Allan, principal of Robert Allan Ltd. of Vancouver has designed the most powerful tugs in the world specifically for B.C.’s coast | RICHARD LAM

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Guarding the raincoast

Monster Raincoast Guardian tugboat The proposed RAstar Raincoast Guardian tugboats, being developed exclusively for the Northern Gateway pipeline project by Vancouver-based engineer Robert Allan, “will dwarf any existing tugs on the B.C. coast,” the company says. The Raincoast Guardians are designed at 50 metres (164 feet) long with more than 10,000 horsepower, nearly three times as powerful as conventional coastal tugs. Two such RAStar tugs would escort every laden tanker en route from terminals on the northeast B.C. coast, and empty tankers will also be escorted. Each Raincoast Guardian tug is estimated to cost about $30 million, or nearly three times the price of a normal tugboat. These agile RAstars are also designed to perform rescue towing, should an unescorted tanker be disabled anywhere within the 320-kilometre (200mile) limit of Canadian waters.

Advanced pipeline safety is being developed by Enbridge Inc. for its proposed Northern Gateway pipeline project | ENBRIDGE INC.

KENNETH GREEN |

Some of the most significant improvements have been in the pipeline sector, thanks to new regulations and technology adopted in response to public concerns. “If you simply look at history, we’ve seen a tremendous improvement in performance since the wake-up call that was the Exxon Valdez,” says Kenneth Green, a senior director with the Fraser Institute covering the energy and natural resources sectors. “We see this dramatic fall-off in oil being spilled or otherwise leaked at the same time as oil transport by tanker has doubled.” Public concern following the spill in Alaska saw the U.S. pass the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, which in turn prompted industry to develop new technologies and equipment. “The technologies that are being adopted are not so much coming out of academia; they’re coming out of field research or the development of technology that are used in others kinds of related maritime uses,” Green

says – and indeed, in the oil and gas industry as a whole. Enbridge Inc.’s proposed Northern Gateway pipeline that will ship bitumen from Bruderheim, Alberta, to ocean-going tankers in Kitimat has unique considerations, but will incorporate and adapt existing equipment and technologies to ensure safety. BC Coast Pilots (BCCP), the private company employing 105 licensed marine pilots serving the Pacific Pilotage Authority (the federal Crown corporation mandated with ensuring a safe and efficient pilotage system on the B.C. coast), was consulted regarding the project (as well as liquefied natural gas plants proposed for the coast), and sees nothing unusual. “There is nothing new or novel about this project,” Paul Devries, general manager of BCCP, says. “The same tug procedures that would be used up north are already used down in Vancouver harbour when we bring tankers through the Second Narrows.” The tugs the pilots captain are not just any tugs, thanks to novel designs by Vancouver naval architect and marine engineering firm Robert Allan Ltd. “What an escort has to be able to do is take control of a disabled tanker in an extreme situation and exercise both steering and braking controls over that tanker so, ideally, it doesn’t go aground,” explains Robert Allan, principal of the firm founded by his grandfather in 1930. Allan’s firm set about testing various hull models at the University of British Columbia and devised various forms that met the technical specifications and economic demands of tug operators. The result was RAstar, an agile tug with a form that could generate the significant forces needed to take control of distressed tankers. “It’s got a strong outward slope on the upper portion of the hull, so when the tug leans over to exert these big corrective forces, the stability of the tug actually increases. It’s been hugely successful,” Allan says. Since 1996, the firm has built approximately 100 of the tugs – approximately three-quarters of the global market – serving oil and LNG terminals around the world. “His tugs are obviously part of our plans and will be some of the largest and most technologically advanced tugs operating in Canada,” says Ivan Giesbrecht, communications manager for Northern Gateway. Meanwhile, Enbridge has committed to building pipelines to the tankers with steel that’s 20 per cent thicker than required, and advanced safety monitoring with a human touch. While the use of unmanned drones has been discussed for pipeline monitoring in the U.S., Enbridge has rejected the idea in favour of technology and 24-hour staffing at remote pumping stations. “Our safety plans submitted to the regulators don’t include drones,” Giesbrecht says. É

SENIOR DIRECTOR, FRASER INSTITUTE

We’ve seen a tremendous improvement in performance since the wake-up call that was the Exxon Valdez

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NATIVE ROUTES First Nations in B.C. open roads to prosperity with smart and aggressive moves into the economic mainstream

SCOTT SIMPSON

t’s approaching noon, and a lunchtime crowd has Lelem Arts and Cultural Café buzzing. Even among the funky aggregation of cafés, restaurants and retail shops that makes Fort Langley one of the most distinctive communities in British Columbia,

Lelem stands out. It boasts an organic West Coast fusion menu, jazz nights and, on the walls, paintings, carvings and other artwork celebrating the heritage of the café’s owners – the Kwantlen First Nation.

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Seyem’ Qwantlen Business Group president Tumia Knott (left) and director of opperations Brenda Fernie in the kitchen at Lelem Arts and Cultural Café , which operates on city-owned property in Fort Langley | SEYEM’ QWANTLEN BUSINESS GROUP

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Native routes

Brenda Fernie and Tumia Knott arrive together, shake the rain from their overcoats, sit down and present business cards to a first-time customer at Lelem. Fernie, a former operations director for Coast Mountain Bus Company, is director of operations for Seyem’ Qwantlen Business Group, a for-profit enterprise of the 250-member Kwantlen First Nation. Knott, who has a law degree, is president, as well as a 20-year band councillor. These women are part of a new generation of First Nations entrepreneurs who are moving their communities into the economic mainstream. In the resource sector, the Supreme Court of Canada’s recognition of aboriginal title in the Tsilhqot’in decision has created an uncertain climate for investment in activities such as forestry and mineral exploration. But for communities such as Kwantlen seeking partners for economic development, the climate is up-tempo. Lelem operates in a building owned by the Township of Langley, which selected Seyem’ Qwantlen’s innovative proposal from a range of suggestions from businesses and community groups for best use of the property. The lease includes sharing a portion of the café with Langley Township for 1,000 hours per year of recreation programming, Fernie explains. “It’s an opportunity for people to learn about our culture. I don’t think it could have turned out any better.” Knott says the partnership with the township reflects Kwantlen’s willingness, dating back to the establishment of Fort Langley as B.C.’s first mainland colony, to form mutually beneficial business relationships.

Tsawwassen Mills – at 1.2 million square feet the largest enclosed shopping centre being built in Western Canada – is the result of a unique lease agreement with the Tsawwassen First Nation Economic Development Corp., which is also proceeding with a substantial industrial development nearby | IVANHOÉ CAMBRIDGE

TUMIA KNOTT |

“If you look at many of our past chiefs, there always seems to have been a relationship that was broader than the reserve. The legacy has been passed down,” Knott says. Last year, Seyem’ Qwantlen was recognized with business awards from the Industry Council for Aboriginal Business and the BC Economic Development Association. Closer to home, the Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce shortlisted it for Entrepreneur of the Year. Seyem’ Qwantlen also operates a gift shop in the Fort Langley National Historic Site as well as companies for forestry, construction, environmental services and archaeology, an IT company called Coast Salish Technologies, security services, and site and building rentals. Land development is also a priority, such as a proposal for residential, commercial and light industrial development on Kwantlen reserve property in Maple Ridge. There’s potential for conflict where aboriginal property development clashes with local growth targets and infrastructure spending. To avoid that, Seyem’ Qwantlen recently played host to a regional summit involving Kwantlen band council and local government members from Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge and Mission. “It’s important to keep the dialogue open and find synergies in planning,” Fernie says. “What benefits us should also benefit Maple Ridge. We’re going to be dependent on them for services so it only makes sense that we nurture that relationship. Nobody wants to live beside a neighbour that they’re not getting along with.” Land is also central in economic development projects involving other First Nations around the province. T hrough the federal government, the Squamish, Musqueam and Ts-Waututh First Nations in 2014 created a partnership for a $307 million land acquisition deal that will lead to development of Metro Vancouver properties including the Jericho Lands in Point Grey. The Osoyoos Indian Band, one of Canada’s leaders in aboriginal entrepreneurship, recently signed a 120-year lease with the South Okanagan Motrosports Corp. for Area 27, a multi-purpose “motorsports country club” on 277 acres of Osoyoos band property. Two retail mega-malls are already under construction on Tsawwassen First Nation property in South Delta, and the First Nation’s TFN Economic Development Corp. recently announced development deals creating 1.5 million square feet of warehousing space on an 80-acre parcel of its industrial land reserve, close to Deltaport container port. That makes the Tsawwassen a cornerstone in efforts to expand the Pacific Gateway trade corridor in the years and decades ahead. “Essentially we are mile zero for the rest of Canada in terms of logistics and distribution,” says Chris Hartman, TFN Economic Development Corp. CEO.“ É

PRESIDENT, SEYEM’ QWANTLEN BUSINESS GROUP

If you look at many of our past chiefs, there always seems to have been a relationship that was broader than the reserve

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TECH ICONS

SWING INTO B.C.

Sector on track to reach $30 billion in revenues as Amazon, Microsoft and Sony Pictures Imageworks set up shop PETER MITHAM

uring the late 1990s, a brain drain gripped the Vancouver tech sector. A weak dollar had sent skilled workers south to wellpaying U.S. jobs in the run-up to what became known as the tech bust. The best made their fortunes, the rest gained experience, and when the party was over, many returned to B.C.

The economic fallout of what happened – the good and the bad – saw a new approach emerge to courting companies. An overhaul of the province’s prevailing tech strategy occurred. The province developed a host of new programs, not to mention incentives, tailored to attracting capital and talent. Older companies were joined by new companies, even though exchange rates had put the U.S.

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The Amazing SpiderMan is among the film creations by Sony Pictures Imageworks, which relocates its head office from California to downtown Vancouver in 2015 | SONY PICTURES IMAGEWORKS

and Canadian currencies on almost equal footing. Today, approximately 84,000 people work in the tech sector, and an additional 10,000 are on track to arrive by 2018. By then, the tech sector’s revenues are projected to top $30 billion, anchored by the handful of companies that have become industry leaders, with more than 750 employees – companies such as Avigilon Corp., Vision

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Tech icons swing into B.C.

High-tech wonders B.C. tech companies have set staggering revenue growth rates over the past five years. Here are examples from Deloitte’s Technology Fast 50 listings for 2014

256,514 % 12,332 % 5,499 % 956 % 865 % 654 % 259 % 220 %

Hootsuite

QuickMobile

Clio

Avigilon Corp.

Zafin

Appnovation Technologies

Clevest

Photon Control Inc.

SOURCE: DELOITTE TECHNOLOGY FAST 50, 2014. FIVE-YEAR REVENUE PERFORMANCE Hootsuite Media Inc.’s hip headquarters in Vancouver: company revenues have increased an astounding 256,514 per cent – over the past five years | INTERIOR DESIGN INSTITUTE

Bill Tam, president and CEO of the BC Technology Industry Association: “the play around big data and cloud will be very pronounced in Vancouver” | BC TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION

Critical and Hootsuite Media Inc. The sector, according to Bill Tam, president and CEO, BC Technology Industry Association, is robust, cultivating a host of niche sectors that defy clichéd comparisons with Silicon Valley. “More and more global companies will look to place a regional office or regional headquarters here in Vancouver simply because this is the ecosystem of choice,” Tam says. By 2018, he wants to see a dozen more companies in the province added to the list of major players (there are no more than 50 right now). The past two years have seen giants including Amazon and Facebook commit to taking space in the city; Microsoft has expanded its presence as has Sony Pictures Imageworks, which last year announced its relocation from Los Angeles to Vancouver. Amazon is taking at least two floors in the new Telus tower. What changed? B.C. has talent, but it also had an increasingly diversified workforce suited to the global reach many companies sought. Moreover, the studios that supported film

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production in the 1990s and 2000s had equipped workers with the skills digital media companies needed; gaming companies needed similar skills, and the two sectors fed off each other. Then social media and mobile platforms came along. Canada, with one of the highest rates of Internet penetration in the world, had workers savvy to what the world wanted and how it wanted it. The path blazed by AbeBooks Inc. and Flickr was broadened by Hootsuite Media Inc., Plentyoffish Media Inc. and other companies. Cloud computing attracted yet others, who saw where a mobile population – who cut their teeth on locally developed games – was going to connect, shop and play. Basic economics helped, too: while shifts in exchange rates cut Canada’s cost advantage, low payroll taxes, health-care benefits, and the quality of life made B.C. an attractive destination. Some companies were purchased, such as AbeBooks and Kelowna’s Club Penguin, while others continued to grow into the large-scale firms of 750 people or more that the industry wants to cultivate. But if a solid foundation is in place, what’s next? The expansion of Hootsuite and development of the Great Northern Way campus in Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighbourhood are positive signs of what’s to come. Tam is envisioning steady growth from existing firms and from the big-brand arrivals. “We’ve started to break through in a few key sectors,” he says. “The play around big data and cloud will be very pronounced in Vancouver because we’ve had some great DNA from companies like Crystal Decisions.” Growth isn’t the challenge; it’s where to find the 10,000 additional workers the technology sector expects. “The No. 1 issue for our company in our community over the last year and a half has been the availability of talent,” Tam says. “Companies will start to hire incrementally from other places.” É

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BRAVE NEW WORLD Bryan Yu | British Columbia’s economy will weather the storm of lower oil prices and a lower loonie

his time last year, if one had called for a barrel of oil below $50 and a Bank of Canada interest rate cut, it would likely have been met by a few chuckles and maybe ridicule. Of course that call would be considered nearly prophetic today. The global economy has seen remarkable changes since late 2014. Oil has fallen more than half since the middle of last year due to a supply glut. While expected to lift global growth, low oil prices will slice into Canada’s growth this year, despite gains to the household budgets through lower gasoline prices, as capital spending in Alberta’s oil sands will be slashed and oil-related incomes will drop. The Bank of Canada has already responded, surprising the market with a cut in January to, in Governor Stephen Poloz’s words, “take out some insurance.” The cut, and speculation of others to come, has added to pressure on the Canadian dollar, which has plunged below 80 cents U.S. and is expected to head lower. The broader outlook for Canada is gloomy; but just as there are global winners and losers from the oil fallout, the same can be said domestically. Alberta may very well fall into recession this year, but Central Canada and, to a lesser extent B.C, are expected to be net beneficiaries. While there remains significant uncertainty in the outlook, B.C.’s economy is anticipated to grow by 2.7 per cent this year, up from an estimated 2.5 per cent in 2014. Hiring momentum will improve slightly and drive employment growth of one per cent. The direct impact of lower oil prices is mild for B.C., given limited production here. However, with significant

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natural gas production flowing to the oilsands, a sector slowdown could weigh on drilling activity here. B.C. residents who have been commuting to Fort McMurray will likely find work drying up, keeping them closer to home with lower incomes. Nonetheless, growth will be underpinned by rising international exports. Exporters benefit from low oil prices through lower input costs and an increasingly competitive exchange rate, especially with the backdrop of an accelerating U.S. economy. For goods priced in U.S. dollars, producer revenues climb after dollar conversion, while costs generally hold steady which improves profitability, though rising import costs pose some challenges. Forestry and lumber manufacturing is expected to be a stronger sector this year as it gears off a 20 per cent increase in U.S. housing starts. Agriculture and general manufacturing should also perform well. Gains could provide a needed lift to non-residential investment. Additionally, tourism from the U.S. and China is anticipated to rise due to the low Canadian dollar, while B.C.’s film industry could also receive a boost. Domestically, housing will add moderately to growth. Mortgage rate cuts will not be a game-changer, but will improve affordability and should provide a lift in B.C.’s urban areas. Declining inventory levels and higher sales volume will lift housing starts modestly by about three per cent. Low oil prices pose a risk to recreational markets reliant on Albertans’ discretionary incomes, but overall demand is anticipated to rise. Meanwhile, consumer spending is anticipated to hold steady as

some gasoline savings are allocated to other goods and services, while low interest rates promote spending on durable goods. On the flip side, B.C.’s mining sector faces another disappointing year. Despite increased mining output related to higher investment during the 2000s and favourable exchange rate, the sector is weighed down by low commodity prices and global demand. Exploration spending tumbled 29 per cent last year to the lowest level since 2010. We will be waiting for good news on the liquefied natural gas (LNG) front and anticipate a positive final investment decision for at least one major development. LNG investments are required for stronger medium- to long-term growth. That said, we would not be surprised by a delay, given the drop in oil prices. The economy is in flux, and things can change seemingly in an instant. But as it stands, we expect a moderate performance in B.C. this year, which isn’t bad given the state of the Canadian economy. After all, it could be worse. We could have oil. É

B.C. Economic Forecast Annual per cent change 5 4 3 2 1 0 -1 -2 -3

7 3 t 1 05 00 009 01 01 cas 2 2 re 2 2 fo 15 20

GDP Employment SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA, CENTRAL 1 CREDIT UNION FORECAST

Bryan Yu is a senior economist with Central 1 Credit Union, based in Vancouver.

Growth will be underpinned by rising international exports

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FASHION

FORWARD

Clothing design and manufacturing industry proves “B.C. made” can compete as a global standard NOA NICHOL

n 2011, Vancouver was named among the worst-dressed cities in the world. Editors at MSN Travel, who compiled the list, stated, “There is one reason, and one reason only, why we’ve decided to include Vancouver on this list … yoga pants.” This far-from-flattering label, however, hasn’t hampered the success of local clothiers, particularly those in the business of creating functional, fashionable active wear suited to a variety of heart-pumping pursuits: biking, hiking, running, skiing and, yes, yoga. According to a Vancouver Economic Commission report, more than three dozen of these “performance apparel businesses” operate in Greater Vancouver, ranging from small “hand made” manufacturers to globally recognized brands with sales of hundreds of millions of dollars annually. The most famous of these may be Lululemon Athletica Inc., launched in 1998 in a tiny, shared space on Vancouver’s West Fourth Avenue. Today, from its Kitsilano headquarters, the yoga-wear giant oversees approximately 200 stores worldwide, while continuing to call its manufacturing base in Vancouver “vital for security and speed to market of our core designs.” Another key player in the Lower Mainland’s apparelmanufacturing sector is Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC). Founded in Vancouver in 1971, this consumer co-operative and supplier of outdoor gear – including its own brand of technical performance clothing – has Chikum Advanced Athletic Wear encourages the pursuit of a sustainable, “slow” fashion brand by supporting local manufacturing companies | CHIKUM ADVANCED ATHLETIC WEAR

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Yoga-wear from Lululemon Athletica – launched in 1998 – has become a defining fashion statement in Vancouver, where the global giant continues to operate its manufacturing base | LULULEMON ATHLETICA

grown from a mere six members to four million members worldwide without losing sight of its roots. Among 10 MEC factory suppliers across the country, nine are in Metro Vancouver. A third homegrown success story, Arc’teryx Equipment Inc., has gone from humble beginnings as an outdoor technical apparel maker on Vancouver’s North Shore to a globally recognized brand owned by Finnish sportinggoods heavyweight Amer Sports Corp. – but that doesn’t mean many of its goods aren’t still produced locally. “Arc’teryx is … committed to Canadian, Vancouverbased manufacturing,” says Jen Rapp, who recently joined the company’s global communications team. “We have a local HQ, design centre and full-scale manufacturing facilities in Vancouver, where some of our most technical products are made.” The company is so intent on keeping operations local, it’s even designed a strategy to recruit and employ Lower Mainlanders with the manufacturing, sewing, patternmaking skills necessary to create its high-tech garments. “Arc’teryx is willing to recruit and train from scratch people who are eager to learn these skills and be gainfully employed in Vancouver,” says Rapp. Smaller firms and entrepreneurs are also making an economic impact. Kim Ellis-Durity, president and co-owner of South Surrey-based Go Figure – a maker of active/fitness

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wear for women size 10 and over – says she started her company in her kitchen in 2002 “with one serger and three designs, pumping out product.” Since then, Go Figure has evolved into a clothing line worn by thousands of women across the globe. With her top-selling designs manufactured by a “very reliable factory in Richmond,” Ellis-Durity’s reasons for staying local are simple. “It really comes down to my core values,” she says. “I know there are people here eager to work, and I like to employ them. I also like having real control over the quality of my products, and I can do that when they’re made close by. Finally, I know that my clients share my values. I like to buy North American-made, and they do, too.” Moni El Batrik, founder of Chikum Advanced Athletic Wear – comfortable, easy-to-wear, sweatshop-free and locally made yoga and CrossFit apparel – couldn’t agree more. “We encourage the pursuit of a sustainable, ‘slow’ fashion brand by supporting North American factories, which are shrinking to overseas production,” says El Batrik, who employs a staff of four. “It’s important to stand by our company ethics and, beyond that, it’s really nice knowing that we’re supporting and helping to keep the clothingmanufacturing industry here in Vancouver alive.” É

Despite global success, Arc’teryx chooses to keep its manufacturing operations local and is looking to expand its B.C. production | ARC’TERYX EQUIPMENT INC.

Kim Ellis-Durity, founder and partner of Go Figure: made in Richmond, the popular activewear line specializes in women’s fashion size 10 or better | GO FIGURE

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TERRIFIC TOURISM

B.C. proves more than super, naturally, for the millions of tourists now pumping more than $7 billion into the economy each year DARAH HANSEN

or more than 30 years, people around the world have been introduced to Canada’s western-most province through the marketing tag line “Super, Natural British Columbia.” The brand, inspired in the 1980s, was intended to conjure up visions of impossibly high mountain ranges, whitetrimmed waves crashing up on pebbled beaches, and fleeting glimpses of grizzly bears, wolves and moose moving quietly in the shadows of ancient forests. Decades later, those simple words still hold magic for millions of adventure-seeking globetrotters. International visitors to B.C. grew by nearly five per cent in 2014 from the previous year, a rate that continues to steadily outperform the rest of Canada. It’s a sense of optimism that few other industries enjoy, and speaks to B.C.’s enduring promise as the gloriously wild West, albeit a decidedly 21st-century version, says Marsha Walden, head of DestinationBC, the provincial body that oversees the industry. “The Canadian Rockies are still very powerful – that and this notion that we have beautiful cities just perched on the edge of this vast wilderness,” she says. Walden has the data to back up that bold statement.

In 2014, approximately 246,000 Chinese visitors arrived in B.C., a year-over-year increase of more than 26 per cent

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The new $22 million Sea to Sky Gondola opened last spring at Squamish, and first year visitors were estimated at more than 300,000. The gondola was instrumental in Squamish being named “best mountain town to visit in North America” by CNNmoney. com | SEA TO SKY GONDOLA

B.C. tourism by the numbers

$13.9b $4.5b

Total annual revenue

$7.3b

GDP contribution

19,254

Tourismrelated businesses

Total wages and salaries

SOURCE: DESTINATION BC, 2013

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Terrific tourism

The Rocky Mountaineer is the world-renowned, luxurious train that travels by daylight through the wild beauty of Canada’s West from the Rockies to the Pacific. Rocky Mountaineer is North America’s largest privately owned passenger rail service and has welcomed more than one million guests from around the world | ROCKY MOUNTAINEER

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Indeed, global tourism is such a lucrative and highly competitive industry these days there is no room for guess work among those tasked with marketing a destination. Buoyed by a fast-growing middle class in emerging economies, revenue derived from international tourism is expected to more than double over the next 20 years, with average annual growth in the range of 3.3 per cent, according to a 2014 report by the United Nations World Tourism Organization. By 2020, it’s estimated that nearly one in five people on the planet will have the means to travel abroad, with an estimated 1.4 billion people arriving at destinations outside their own country in five years’ time. By 2030, the UN tourism report forecasts the number of global travellers to grow to 1.8 billion. In British Columbia, grabbing a bigger slice of the industry has become an economic priority. Tourism currently supports about 132,000 jobs in the province and contributed, in 2013, an estimated $7.3

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billion to B.C.’s gross domestic product. Foreign visits to Canada have historically hovered around 20 per cent of the total tourism industry. B.C. has traditionally fared better than other provinces in its ability to attract foreign visitors. Last year, international travel accounted for about 26 per cent of overall visits to the province, according to DestinationBC. That number increases to about 40 per cent in high-demand regions, including Vancouver, Whistler and Victoria, while more remote areas such as the Kootenays saw the number dip to about 17 per cent. Americans account for B.C.’s largest share of foreign visits,with more than 4.5 million Americans arriving by air and by car in the province in 2014. Market research has shown that U.S. travellers tend to stick close to the urban centres in the southern half of the province, but attractions outside the cities, such as the newly opened Sea to Sky Gondola in Squamish, Kettle Valley mountain bike trail outside Kelowna and rugged surfing beaches in Tofino, have been rapidly gaining a favourable reputation. For years, visitors from the United Kingdom made up the second most important foreign visitor group. In recent years, however, travellers from China have eclipsed that space. In 2014, Canada welcomed more than 426,000 Chinese visitors across its borders – a figure up 30 per cent over the previous year. More than half that total – an estimated 246,000 Chinese visitors – arrived in B.C., a

year-over-year increase of more than 26 per cent. Walden says tourism operators across the province are benefiting from the growing independence among Asian visitors. In 2010, the year Canada was granted official destination status by the Chinese government, the vast majority of tourists from China preferred to travel in large tour groups, following a preplanned itinerary scheduled months in advance. Since then, says Walden, Chinese visitors are striking out on their own or in small groups to take in the sights all around the province. “We see the visitors taking more interest in wine country in the Okanagan, for instance, and in the Rocky Mountaineer (a privately owned train tour) through the mountains,” she says. By contrast, the U.K. accounted for about 190,000 visits to the province in 2014, followed by Australia at about 170,000. The common theme among all visitors, no matter where they come from, says Walden, is a strong appetite for that “super, natural” beauty they’ve long heard about. For many world travellers, it’s not so much about sightseeing or checking off a certain location on the bucket list. They crave genuine experience and connection with the local people and the land above all else – elements Walden is confident B.C. has in abundance. Call it B.C.’s not-so-secret weapon in a world of choice. “I can tell you that the forecast for tourism is very good,” says Walden. É

COMMUNITY FUTURES OF B.C.

ommunity Futures is a network of 34 community based organizations throughout rural BC that deliver financing and services to entrepreneurs in their communities. For 30 years, Community Futures has been helping rural British Columbians create jobs and opportunities. That’s a long time and a long track record of success across our great province. If you are just starting out and need business planning tips, or are a business owner looking to grow to the next level, our experts can assist. Community Futures provides financing alternatives to small and medium sized enterprises, as well as business support services and business planning advice. This combination of the business support services and flexible lending criteria, helps entrepreneurs and small business owners achieve their goals. The June 2014 Evaluation of the Community Futures program completed by the federal government, showed that businesses assisted by Community Futures outperformed a comparable group of businesses that did not receive help. Community Futures’ clients showed higher employment growth and revenue growth – with 76% still in business five years after start-up compared to just 60% for other businesses. In BC, the 34 locally and strategically positioned offices share a common goal of creating diverse, sustainable communities by supporting local, community based economic development. In 2013, these offices gave out more than 600 loans totalling $32 million dollars, which helped to create or maintain 2,800 jobs. To locate the office that provides services for your rural community, please visit www.communityfutures.ca/ location-finder. Contact: Tel: 1-888-303-2232 info@communityfutures.ca

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1.888.303.2232 Community Futures offer a wide range of services to small businesses in rural communities, including small business loans, counselling and training. www.communityfutures.ca Supported by:

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RICE

QUAKE Rice farming had been virtually unheard of in B.C. Until now. DARAH HANSEN

alph Gough has been farming in and around British Columbia’s Fraser Valley long enough to know what crops will grow, what won’t and when it’s time to try something new. It was that last point that was foremost in his mind when he first read about Masa Shiroki.

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Shiroki, a businessman and sought-after sake maker in Vancouver, had been featured in a local agricultural magazine talking about his improbable, one-man mission to turn some of the region’s soggiest farmland into a haven for organic rice. Gough was intrigued. “You see it in the movies; these watery fields where they are planting rice on a mountainside, and I thought, ‘I have fields with lots of water. I should get into the rice business’,” he says. “So I got on to Masa and he said, ‘Sure. I’ll come have a look at what you’ve got.’” This year marks the second season of collaboration between the entrepreneurial pair. Their first crop of table rice, a Japanese variety known as “Seven Stars”, was grown without pesticides on two acres of former pasture land leased by Gough in Panorama Ridge. After five months of hard work, the total yield amounted to a modest harvest of approximately 2,000 kilograms. By comparison, rice farmers in California, the secondlargest American producer of commercial rice, average about 4,000 kilograms per acre. Gough says the goal is to realize about 2,000 kilograms per acre – enough to supply local field-to-table restaurants and grocery stores with organic rice and for the farmers themselves to earn a living off the land. “Special local crops are what farmers need. They need options, so when one crop goes off they can swing to the other one. If we can do that with rice, that will be a big thing for the Fraser Valley,” he says. Rice farming remains virtually unheard of in Canada, never mind the B.C. West Coast. Indeed, until Gough got involved, Shiroki– whom Gough called a “great innovator, developer and promoter”– had quietly been toiling away on his own to create a local industry from scratch. For the past six years, he’s been growing Japanese Junmai rice on four acres of farmland in Abbotsford. The crop now yields enough bounty to allow Shiroki to make his high-end, organic sake, a Japanese rice wine, which he bottles and sells through his Granville Island company, Artisan SakeMaker. The trend has a long way to go to catch up with more traditional crops in the region, however. There are more than 4,300 acres of potatoes in production, according to the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture. Other important field crops are carrots, sweet corn, lettuce, squash, pumpkin, red and green cabbage, broccoli and green and wax beans. The province is the largest producer of blueberries in Canada with a yield of about nine million kilograms per year – 99 per cent grown in the Fraser Valley and Lower Mainland region. Local cranberry farmers, meanwhile, produce in excess of 750,000 barrels of cranberries every year, accounting for about 12 per cent of cranberry production in North America, according to the BC Cranberry Growers’ Association. Recently, winemakers have been experimenting with grapes in the region. There are 32 vineyards in the Fraser Valley, with a total of 200 acres planted (about 1.9 per cent of B.C. total wine grape acreage), says Tracy Clark at BC Wine Institute.

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Fraser Valley farmer Ralph Gough has teamed with Abbotsford sake producer Masa Shiroki (left) to develop the first commercially viable rice farms in British Columbia | RICHARD LAM

Gough, who owns 73 acres in Boundary Bay and leases another 200 acres in the Fraser Valley, is excited about adding rice to his operation. Rice is the world’s biggest crop, but controversy continues to dog its top producers, including Thailand, China and the United States. Toxicologists have warned of dangerous mercury levels found in rice grown in polluted regions of the world. In the U.S., drought-stricken states like California are also struggling to keep up with the heavy water demand of the crops. Gough sees room for B.C. farmers to take a piece of the market. “If we could get those yields up … then [rice] could be as good or better than potatoes or cranberries.” É

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DAM

POWERFUL

Construction industry experts expect that BC Hydro’s $8.3 billion Site C hydroelectric project will be a once-in-a-generation catalyst for economic activity throughout British Columbia SCOTT SIMPSON

Hydro’s labour requirements for Site C, announced in December 2014, indicate that heavy equipment operators, trades, contractors and supervisors will

be in strong demand over the course of the eight-year project to build

Manley McLachlan, president and CEO, BC Construction Association: Site C is a way for the industry to get “organized, to get contractors used to doing business on these large projects” | BC

a 1,100-megawatt facility with an estimated 100-year lifespan. BC Hydro has estimated that the project will generate 10,000 direct jobs and 23,000 indirect jobs over an eight-year construction phase, con-

CONSTRUCTION ASSOCIATION

tributing $3.2 billion to B.C.’s GDP.

Keith Sashaw, president and CEO, Association of Consulting Engineering Companies:BC. “[It] is a generational project. It represents a huge opportunity for the consulting engineering sector” | ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERING COMPANIES:BC

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“A project of this scale is an economic engine for the province as a whole,” says Philip Hochstein, president of the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association of B.C. “Hydro has done a wonderful job trying to engage the industry, bringing in the bigger contractors who are bidding some of the large projects in contact with some of the smaller contractors who may be able to provide help with a portion of the work. “The tender for the temporary camp where workers will stay during construction, for example, involves opportunities for construction companies, modular building manufacturers and caterers as well as contractors to build more permanent buildings that will be needed as part of the package,” Hochstein says. BC Construction Association president and CEO Manley

McLachlan says the eight-year lifespan of the project will significantly expand B.C.’s blue-collar workforce. With tens of thousands of skilled tradespeople expected to retire in the next five years, Site C can create sustainable opportunities for young ones to step in – and build B.C.’s trades workforce for the long term. It will also get the province ready to take on even larger infrastructure projects needed for LNG export, he adds. “Site C is a way for the industry in many ways to get itself organized, to get contractors used to doing business on these large projects. I think it’s going to have a beneficial impact on the industry – through Site C it will structure itself to take on these $25 billion to $30 billion LNG projects — or at least to figure out to participate in some of them,” McLachlan says. The project was announced by Premier Christy Clark

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Rendering of the Site C Clean Energy Project, the third dam on B.C.’s Peace River. It will generate 10,000 direct jobs during its eight-years of construction | BC HYDRO

Jack Davidson, president of the BC Road Builders & Heavy Construction Association: “there will be spinoffs all over the place. It’s a big workforce and it all stirs more work” | BC ROAD BUILDERS & HEAVY CONSTRUCTION ASSOCIATION

in December 2014. By January 2015, Hydro was already working to procure the first wave of on-site construction activities. Engineering planning began several years ago, as did BC Hydro’s effort to work with government, industry and educators to ensure that workers would have the right skills to participate in British Columbia’s first major hydro dam project since Revelstoke in the early 1980s. “I think the first thing people will see is site preparation – clearing the site, site power supply and telecom, construction of some access roads, a bridge. We anticipate the main civil works contractor coming on site, and the significant construction beginning, in the fall of this year”, says BC Hydro executive vice-president Susan Yurkovich, responsible for the Site C Clean Energy Project. She says Hydro is hoping the project will attract B.C. residents who’ve been affected by the slowdown in oil sands development in Alberta, and a slowdown in coal mining in northeast B.C. There have been business liaison sessions to connect prime contractors with local and regional businesses, and there’s a website – sitecproject. com — providing information about job and contracting opportunities.

MANLEY MCLACHLAN |

The single largest portion of work, 27 per cent, will go to heavy equipment operators. “We’ve never advocated for any particular job. But Site C is one of those projects that will be more than just a construction project,” says Jack Davidson, president of the BC Road Builders & Heavy Construction Association. “There will be spinoffs all over the place. The equipment dealers, equipment repairs, the truck mechanics, even tire suppliers. Everybody gets a piece of it somewhere along the line. It’s a big workforce and it all stirs more work. “I think also that seeing B.C. go ahead with Site C gives investors more confidence in this province, and that’s important for the rest of the province as well.” Keith Sashaw, president and CEO, Association of Consulting Engineering Companies British Columbia, says Site C “pretty well touches on every aspect of engineering.” “Site C dam is a generational project. It represents a huge opportunity for the consulting engineering sector, one that doesn’t come along that often. We’re confident that the consulting engineering industry in B.C. can rise to the challenge,” Sashaw says.É

Susan Yurkovich, BC Hydro executive vice-president: “we anticipate the main civil works contractor coming on site, and the significant construction beginning, in the fall of this year” | BC HYDRO

PRESIDENT AND CEO, BC CONSTRUCTION ASSOCIATION

I think it’s going to have a beneficial impact on the industry – through Site C it will structure itself to take on these $25 billion to $30 billion LNG projects

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Lower Mainland/Southwest

GLOBAL HOT SPOT Talent and technology combine to fuel a full spectrum of opportunities

3.9%

Share of B.C. land area

■Abbotsford ■Burnaby ■Chilliwack ■Coquitlam ■Delta ■Gibsons ■Hope ■Langley ■Lillooet ■Maple Ridge ■Mission ■New Westminster ■North Vancouver ■Pitt Meadows ■Port Moody ■Richmond ■Sechelt ■Squamish ■Surrey ■Vancouver The city of Vancouver is a world city: a trade conduit between Asia and North America with a multicultural backbeat that reverberates through the investment environment | SHANGRI-LA INTERNATIONAL HOTEL MANAGEMENT

■West Vancouver ■Whistler

PETER MITHAM

outhwestern British Columbia offers one of the most diverse economies in Canada, with a constrained land base that places finance and farming, transportation and tourism, research, development and dimensioned timber alongside one another in a seamless blend of talent and technology. The region is home to the province’s largest number of major development projects, from residential towers to

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critical infrastructure needed to keep goods and people moving. Port Metro Vancouver and Vancouver International Airport sit perched on the Pacific coast, welcoming ships and planes from around the world but particularly Asia – which is nearer to Vancouver than to any other major city in North America. The strategic location is good not only for in-bound traffic but also outward movements; commodities from coal to grain leave local docks for the 10-day trip west

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32 | INVEST IN BC 2015 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

Lower Mainland/Southwest

EGRT Construction is the consortium completing the 11-kilometre Evergreen Line rapidt ransit project that extends the existing SkyTrain system to Coquitlam and Port Moody in the northeast quadrant of Metro Vancouver. It opens in 2016 | EGRT CONSTRUCTION BC Place stadium is the newly-roofed anchor for downtown Vancouver, hosting major events like the closing games of the Womenâ€™s World Cup soccer final in 2015 | TOURISM VANCOUVER/CLAYTON PERRY

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Innovation Boulevard hits stride in Surrey

across the Pacific. The region is also a strategic location for tech firms, which enjoy the benefit of being in the same time zone as firms in Los Angeles and along the U.S. West Coast, and midway between Asia and Europe. Business can be done with Europe in the morning and Asia in the afternoon. Similarly, a diverse geography offers unparalleled lifestyle opportunities. When work’s done, residents have the choice of summer or winter sports, with cycling along the beach in the morning followed by skiing at night on the slopes of Cypress, Grouse or Seymour mountains. Whistler, Squamish and the backcountry north of Pemberton offer their own delights, supporting a host of outfitting companies and wilderness adventure operators. To the east, the Fraser Valley offers a lush expanse for both farming and development. Fed by the Fraser River, from which it takes its name, the valley offers both prime farmland as well as convenient access to the railways and riverfront that have been the historical transportation routes into the province’s interior. Today, these routes are joined by highways that connect vehicles to U.S. Interstate 5, running the length of the Pacific coast to Mexico. Within a 30-minute drive of the truck crossing in South Surrey are projects such as the Golden Ears Business Park in Pitt Meadows that provide high-performing new light industrial space and convenient access to the U.S. border. The region’s fertile berry and vegetable fields are also ideally located to ship produce south to markets in Seattle and California as well as to the Okanagan, Alberta and points east via Highway 1. Growing talent to meet the needs of these and emerging industries is the job of the region’s many post-secondary institutions, including the province’s key research universities, the University of British Columbia (UBC) and Simon Fraser University. The British Columbia Institute of Technology, Kwantlen Polytechnic University and University of the Fraser Valley equip students with the latest technical training in areas from agriculture to software.

Total units sold

January-September 1,400 1,200 1,000 800 600 400 200 2013

2014

SOURCES: REAL ESTATE BOARD OF GREATER VANCOUVER/ COMMERCIAL EDGE

Benchmark price for a detached house Selected Lower Mainland municipalities, 2014 $2.00 1.80 1.60 1.40

Millions of dollars

The Vancouver Convention Centre on the Vancouver waterfront helped lure the world-famous TED Talks from California | TOURISM VANCOUVER/VANCOUVER CONVENTION CENTRE

Lower Mainland commercial real estate investments

The city of Surrey has been named one of the top seven intelligent communities of 2015 by New York-based think-tank Intelligent Community Forum – and the city’s Innovation Boulevard could be a key reason. Donna Jones, Surrey’s manager of economic development, worked with Simon Fraser University professor Ryan D’Arcy, who heads health sciences and innovation at Surrey Memorial Hospital, and other supporters to establish Innovation Boulevard, which is now a hub of 10 private companies working within a square mile of the city centre. The location is already home to a Simon Fraser University campus and development is underway for a Kwantlen Polytechnic University nursing campus. Though the hub is a Surrey initiative, Jones says it is global in scope. This was evident last year as India-based uber Diagnostics leased space in the hub for a spring 2015 opening and Retirement Concepts has opened its Innovation Centre for Healthy Aging that combines seniors’ residences with a scientific research lab on site. Jones notes that no civic tax breaks or other incentives are being used to attract private companies. “Businesses are coming because of the connections and the attitude,” Jones says. “Surrey is an entrepreneurial city.”

1.20 1.00 0.80 0.60 0.40 0.20 r r d y d ve ve on re or ou cou hm Sur tsf c n n ic bo Va t Va R Ab es W SOURCE: BC REAL ESTATE ASSOCIATION

Donna Jones, Surrey’s manager of economic development, helped establish Innovation Boulevard, a medical technology hub that has attracted international investment | CITY OF SURREY

Economic activity Top 10 industries by number of employees Retail & wholesale trade

Health care & social assistance Professional, scientific & technical services Construction Educational services Manufacturing Real estate, finance, insurance

Business can be done with Europe in the morning and Asia in the afternoon

00 000 000 000 000 0, 50, 00, 50, 1 2 10 2

SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA, LABOUR FORCE SURVEY

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Rendering shows the proposed $1.7 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant on a former pulp mill site at Squamish. The project, by Singapore-based Pacific Oil and Gas, would see up to 2.1 million tonnes of LNG shipped from the facility beginning as early as 2017. It is undergoing a blended federalprovincial environmental review and a decision is expected in the first half of 2015 | PACIFIC OIL AND GAS

Pitt Meadows Regional Airport Interested in commercial opportunities with aviation?

Continuing growth for the coming years! YPKoīersextremelyvaluableexpansionpotenƟal via300Ͳplusacresavailablefordevelopment,which oīersbusinessdevelopmentandgrowthpotenƟal forbothaviaƟonspeciĮcandsupportbusinesses: x x Commercialleasing opportuniƟesavailable! x x x EasyAccessibility& CentrallocaƟontovarious x desƟnaƟonsinBCand x x beyond x LotͲsizesnot x predetermined x Over40aviaƟon businessesalreadyhere! x x Easyaccesstoandfrom theNo.1Hwy

AirTaxiandCharter JetA1Ͳ100LLͲPRIST(r) FloatDockandRamp Flightschools SightseeingandSkydiving LicensedRestaurantwith paƟo AircraŌAvionics, MaintenanceandRepair ScheduledŇightsfrom harbourtoharbour(PiƩ MeadowstoDowntown Victoria)

WithourcurrentinfrastructureandamulƟtudeof investmentopportuniƟes,YPKistheulƟmate candidateforaviaƟondevelopment!

100-18799 Airport Way, Pitt Meadows Tel: 604-465-8977 www.pittmeadowsairport.com

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The Future of business is here. emerging • growth • innovation • success • development potential • progress • opportunity • venture

www.surreycitycentre.ca

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Lower Mainland/Southwest

The region is also home to three private universities, Langley’s Trinity Western University, Capilano University and Quest University Canada in Squamish, as well as centres of excellence in the fields of mathematics, neurology and new media. More than 160 companies have been spawned by research at UBC alone, especially in the life science and high-tech sectors. The emergence of new areas of activity, such as the proposed Woodfibre LNG plant in Squamish, the nascent viticulture sector in Lillooet, and cloud-based tech development for use anywhere, are also creating opportunities for partnerships between graduates old and new. A crossroads for immigrants and capital from around the world, combined with competitive tax rates and supportive initiatives including the AdvantageBC International Financial Centre, make the Lower Mainland/ Southwest region a place of opportunity for new ideas with global impact. É

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Containers to – and from – around the world move through Port Metro Vancouver, the closest North American port from Asia | PORT METRO VANCOUVER

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MISSION Mission on the move The District of Mission continues to be one of the faster growing communities in the province. With a current population of approximately 38,117, experts predict that Mission could exceed 45,000 within the next ten years. This tremendous growth is creating a wealth of opportunities within the community. Downtown revitalization A priority focus for Mission is on Downtown revitalization. The broad intent of the MissionCity Downtown Action Plan is to facilitate revitalization of Downtown through practical improvements to the social, economic and environmental dimensions of the Downtown core. It is an innovative, practical and action oriented vision. “Downtown has several buildings that serve as good examples of what we would like to see in our redevelopment efforts, while others may need to be completely rebuilt,” explains Mayor Hawes. “It was a very comprehensive planning exercise so we will be looking at infrastructure, traffic flow, parking, redevelopment of property. Mayor and Council also purchased a strategically located 11,000sf building on one acre of land in December of 2013 for $1.925M. This strategic downtown location is a catalyst project to instill investment confidence and demonstrate the commitment of the municipality. Mission Interpretive Forest The Stave West Forest is an area of 12,000 acres on the western shore of Stave Lake. Development of the area will transform it into a family-friendly destination for outdoor recreation, tourism and discovery. The project will create jobs and economic development through precedent-setting redevelopment of underutilized Crown land. In short, the area will become a recreational playground with distinct areas for

motorized activity, horseback riding, hiking and cross-country skiing, as well as providing venues for people to use the many lakes. Furthermore, the municipality is exploring the possibility of private development, including RV sites, private resorts and zipline facilities. Additionally, Mission is working with the Tim Horton’s Children’s Foundation to explore the possibility of the foundation’s next camp—the eighth in Canada—being built in the forest. Economic environment Mission was recently designated as one of the top 25 most business friendly communities in Western Canada and has committed itself to becoming the most business friendly city in the lower mainland. Mission is working hard to be open and accommodating to business and investment interests. Mission is achieving this through significant business and development services improvements. Quality of life In terms of drawing residents and visitors alike, Mission is blessed with a multitude of interesting recreational and cultural activities. The first Friday of December welcomes the annual Candlelight Parade, drawing about 15,000 people. This is the largest nighttime parade in Western Canada with 80 floats. Father’s Day at Fraser River Heritage Park includes Old Car Sunday with up to 1,500 vintage cars on display. The Mission Folk Music Festival draws close to 7,000 each year. The Envision Twilight Concert Series is put on every summer on Wednesdays and Fridays at the Fraser River Heritage Park. With many exciting prospects for the community on the horizon, we invite you to learn more about Mission.

www.mission.ca

Hawes

activities

B – 7337 Welton Street Mission, BC V2V 3X1 Tel: 604.820.5375 Fax. 604.820.6738 Toll Free. 1.866.814.1222 edc@mission.ca

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CITY OF ABBOTSFORD

bbotsford is a quickly growing complete city. Our city’s potential is widely recognized for its strategic advantages. This makes Abbotsford the best place to invest and grow enterprise. Abbotsford is home to affordable real estate, close proximity to transportation networks, and a diverse economy: a prime position to be the new hub for investment opportunities across the region. Exciting facts you may not have known about Abbotsford: Business-Friendly City with Room for New Investors: • Abbotsford has seen consistent growth in issuances of business licenses • In 2014, Abbotsford was one of 5 cities with the lowest commercial to residential property tax (NAIOP) • Abbotsford has a vast land supply : 389km2 (83% rural and 17% urban)

Young, Skilled & Growing Workforce: • 65% of our citizens live and work in Abbotsford • The median age is below the provincial average at 37.8 years (2011) • From 1991-2011 the population has grown by 51% • 16,000 students take courses at the University of the Fraser Valley each year Safe, Livable, Affordable Community: • 2584 ha of park and 98km of trail managed by the City of Abbotsford • 84% of residents live within 500m of a park • Benchmark single family housing values aver-

aged $429,000 in 2013 • In 2012, the property crime rate in Abbotsford was 25.2% below the provincial average. Abbotsford is a complete city with a diverse demography, availability of land, affordability benefits, and an economy set to grow. Contact us to find a place for your business in the hub of the Fraser Valley. Economic Development +1 604-864-5586 econdev@abbotsford.ca www.abbotsford.ca

INVEST

Integrated Transit Links to Markets: • 2 US international border crossings (one of which has 24 hour access) • Abbotsford International Airport with connecting flights world-wide (YXX) • Access to Metro Vancouver (via Hwy #1): 45 minute drive • CP and Southern Railway (SRY) • 1,056 km of roads (10% of those of provincial highways, and 42% of urban area roads) • BC interior corridor (3-4 hours) Key growth engines: Agri-foods Industry • Gross farm receipts in Abbotsford are $20,441/ ha, 3x times greater than those found in the next most productive agricultural region in Canada, the Niagara Regional District of Ontario. • Capital investment from the agri-foods industry in farming assets now totals $3.8 billion • Abbotsford is the regional hub for agricultural goods and services in the Fraser Valley, with 40% of the agri-business sector supported by farms outside Abbotsford. Aerospace • The Abbotsford International Airport (YXX) is owned and operated by the City of Abbotsford and is one of the community’s most significant assets and icons. • YXX sees over 500,000 passengers annually • Major private sector corporations such as Conair Aviation and Cascade Aerospace are located at the YXX • Approximately 215 acres of land is immediately available for airside and groundside development • YXX has competitive lease rates, flexible lease terms, and City tax incentives

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Explore the opportunites in a complete city. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 604-864-5586 econdev@abbotsford.ca

www.abbotsford.ca

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HOPE Embrace the Journey Is your daily commute less than 10 minutes? Is it by bike? Is your office on the edge of a pristine mountain lake? Do you take your meetings on the banks of the Fraser River? No? Why not? If you serve a client base in the Fraser Valley, but work primarily from home, Hope, British Columbia is where you need to be. We are within easy driving distance of Vancouver and our lifestyle opportunities are unparalleled in the region. Our community offers affordable housing, excellent recreation facilities, and a backyard worth exploring by foot, bike, boat, or skis. It is time to get out of the rat race and embrace the journey of your life in a small-town with big opportunities! A Lifestyle Worth Investing In Hope is in a strategic location for both work and play. We sit at the cusp of the ever-growing Fraser Valley which makes our community an obvious market for expanding business in 2015 and beyond. All commercial and passenger highway traffic in southern British Columbia flows through Hope on highways 1, 3, 5, and 7. Our superb highway access and proximity to the U.S. border (not to mention Vancouver) makes Hope an ideal location for new and expanding businesses, along with virtual commuters. What sets Hope apart from our neighbouring communities, however, is our strategic location for play. We sit at the junction of four major highways which means we are the base camp for regional adventures. Our recreational opportunities are endless and include mountain biking,

road riding, skiing, hiking, climbing, and paddling. Living and working in Hope means that you can have the best of all worlds: access to consumers and clients, fibre-optic telecommunications, time for family that would otherwise be spent commuting, and access to wild spaces worth exploring. Opportunities Abound There are excellent commercial opportunities available in Hope’s beautiful downtown core and on the higher traffic arterials and highway exits. Hope offers new retailers affordable start-up costs with access to a large travelling market and a primary domestic trade area of over 10,000 people. Existing industrial and commercial land is available with quick highway access and municipal servicing in place. Retail-commercial lands are also available for development and redevelopment at attractive price levels compared to neighbouring municipalities. A Revitalization Tax Exemption Program Bylaw offers a development/ redevelopment incentive through graduated tax abatement to allow property owners to maximize the benefit of Hope’s low-entry costs and to encourage newer, high-quality development in the community. Housing costs in Hope are still among the lowest in the Fraser Valley. Now is the time to take advantage of our amenities and opportunities as you invest in not only your business, but your life. For more information on opportunities in Hope, contact AdvantageHOPE – Hope’s Economic Development and Tourism Agency – at the Hope Visitor Centre (919 Water Avenue), by email (info@advantagehope.ca), by phone (604-860-0930), or on the web at hopebc.ca

Embrace the journey

#EmbraceHopeBC www.hopebc.ca

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MAPLE RIDGE (POPULATION 82,861) Discover why a move to Maple Ridge might just be the best move you’ll ever make

t’s no wonder that Maple Ridge is becoming known as the new investment centre of the Lower Mainland. Our available and affordable commercial and industrial land, access to markets, lower taxes and affordable housing for employees is attracting the attention of businesses, developers and investors from across Canada and around the world. In fact, the Real Estate Investment Network (REIN) named Maple Ridge the 2010-2015 #5 Top Canadian Investment City citing our rapid population growth, under-valued real estate, improved accessibility and high quality of life in determining their rankings. Population and income growth lead to opportunities Maple Ridge is not only one of the fastest growing regions in Metro Vancouver, our residents also have growing spending power. Our average annual household income is over $93,000 and we’ve seen average incomes grow by 13% over the past five years1. A growing population with an increasing disposable income presents great opportunities for savvy entrepreneurs and investors focused on value. To keep this momentum going, we’re actively fostering a business climate that encourages private investment and a thriving local economy. Investment by new and existing companies helps meet the growing demand for the high-value local jobs our community needs, and contributes to a sustainable, vibrant economy for generations to come. 1 BC Business, Best Cities for Work in BC, Dec 2014 Investment incentives make a good thing even better If our forecast growth and having some of the most affordable commercial and industrial land in Metro Vancouver weren’t already incentive enough, our Town Centre and Employment Land investment incentive programs make your decision to locate in Maple Ridge even better. Eligible projects include commercial and industrial developments, office buildings, hotels, post-secondary and mixed-use developments. To find out how your new commercial, mixed-use or commercial renovation or façade improvement project can qualify for reduced fees, tax exemptions and more visit www. mapleridge.ca

www. businessSTART.ca for more information and a list of upcoming sessions. True North Fraser.com is our online resource showcasing Food and Markets; Farms and Artisans; Tours and Activities; and Events that help local Agriculture and Tourism sector businesses easily profile their businesses to other businesses and visitors alike. The best move you’ll ever make Whether you’re looking for a new home for

your business, your family or both, we look forward to welcoming you to Maple Ridge, the “2010-2015 #5 Top Canadian Investment City” and the “place to live for lifestyle.” We invite you to discover first-hand why making the move to Maple Ridge might just be the best move you’ll ever make. For more information on investment opportunities in Maple Ridge, please call 604467-7320 or visit www.mapleridge.ca

Big dreams need room to grow... A great place to live. Maple Ridge is a clean, safe community with an outstanding quality of life. In fact, the Real Estate Investment Network (REIN) named us the place to live for lifestyle and the 2010- 2015 #5 Top Canadian Investment City.

A great place to locate a business. Maple Ridge has an abundance of available, affordable commercial and industrial land, a rapidly growing population, and competitive taxes and development costs. Combine these with excellent access to Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and the USA, and we think you’ll agree this is a great place to grow your business.

How do we make it even better? We want your business—it’s as simple as that. The Employment Land and Town Centre investment incentive programs offer commercial, industrial, and mixed-use new construction and renovation projects: 3 Reduced building permit fees 3 Municipal property tax exemptions 3 Additional incentives for “green” projects For more information call 604-467-7320 or visit www.mapleridge.ca

Innovative programs to help businesses grow Another way that we’re helping grow the economy is through businessStart, an innovative program designed to help new and existing businesses thrive and grow by connecting them to more than 70 available resources. Visit

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NEW WESTMINSTER Population: 69,860 2041 projected population: 104,000 Central Located at the centre of the Lower Mainland, New Westminster is ideally situated just 30 minutes from downtown Vancouver, YVR, and the US border. With five SkyTrain stations located within its 15km2, New Westminster is conveniently accessible while port facilities along the Fraser River, rail access and quick connections to all major highways make it an ideal city for commerce. Supportive New Westminster is quickly embracing the principles of the shared economy. Focusing on the growth and success of the community, businesses here are eager to support one another, and through that support, prosper together. At the same time, city hall is embracing the business community through an active economic development office that provides a robust resource for businesses as they thrive and grow. In 2013, the City of New Westminster received NAIOP’s Most Business Friendly Award, and recently, was named one of the top ten Best Cities for Work in British Columbia by BC Business.

Featuring conference space, banquet rooms, a theatre, art gallery and museums, Anvil Centre is connected to nine floors of Class A, LEED Gold office space that, together with other developments, is re-shaping the entrance to New Westminster’s historic downtown core. In other areas of the city, new projects are taking shape. From Queensborough to Sapperton and Uptown to Downtown, residential construction is adding homes for new residents while commercial and mixed-use projects are enhancing a diverse economic foundation and urban vitality. Looking forward, the City is investing in fibre infrastructure to advance its “Intelligent City” initiatives which will catalyze New Westminster as it fosters a knowledge and creative based economy. Be a part of the success. Invest in New West. Contact Economic Development Office City of New Westminster 604-527-4536 info@investnewwest.ca www.investnewwest.ca

Progressive In September 2014, the ribbon was cut to officially open Anvil Centre, Metro Vancouver’s newest mid-sized conference and cultural facility.

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Invest North Fraser (Maple Ridge, Mission and Pitt Meadows) Access and affordability key to growth Together, Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows earned the number five spot on the list of top Canadian investment cities for 2010-2015 and the ‘place to live for lifestyle’ by the Real Estate Investment Network (REIN). “It’s the smallest centre on the whole top investment list of Canada, and having a centre that small be that high up on the list shows that it does have something special going for it,” says Don R. Campbell, REIN’s senior analyst. “I look at cities. It’s what I do. I go from Halifax to Victoria and everywhere in between—to see a city transform from a small centre like that, it’s really quite spectacular.” Campbell points to transportation infrastructure and affordability as key reasons. With the new Golden Ears and Pitt River bridges, it takes just 34 minutes to get into the heart of downtown Vancouver. The Vancouver (YVR) and Abbotsford (YXX) International airports are just minutes away, as are three US border crossings. Meanwhile, low real estate prices make the accessible region affordable. A recreational playground Stacey Crawford, economic development officer for Mission, notes that, along with the accessibility and affordability, quality of life is contributing to growth. With several lakes, forests, rivers and mountains in the North Fraser region, outdoor recreation is a huge draw to tourists and investors alike. The development of the North Fraser Tourism and Recreational Corridor, which includes the Golden Ears Provincial Park and the UBC Research Forest, won’t just expand and enhance regional tourism and create opportunity for tourism-related real estate development; it will also contribute to quality of life in the area. In the rapidly-growing tech sector, for example, many employees are looking for extreme sports and recreational off-road activities, of which there are plenty. The largest new recreational project is Stave West, a 12,000-acre park that is being developed into an unparalleled recreational playground. It will be the go-to place for a wide variety of outdoor activities, as well as forestry and natural resource industries. There will also be opportunity for private commercial ventures such as zip lining, RV sites and vacation resorts. As well, the Tim Horton’s Children’s Foundation is scouting the area for their next camp. It will join the Zajac Ranch for Children. “This isn’t the camp that I remember,” says Crawford. “These are multi-million dollar resorts.” A plan for the future To help accelerate growth, Maple Ridge has recently launched the Town Centre and Employment Land Investment Incentive Programs that offer a wide variety of incentives for new commercial construction, renova-

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tion and façade improvement projects. The incentives include municipal property tax exemptions (with additional exemptions for energy-efficient projects), building permit fee discounts, and partnering incentives that reduce DCCs. The Province and the region are working together, as a part of the BC Jobs Plan, on a number of investment and job-creation projects. One of these is the BCTIA Centre4Growth acceleration program that gives tech entrepreneurs and businesses access to mentoring, workshops, and other resources and tools. A recently completed Labour Market study conducted with industry sector partners (advanced technology, tourism, education and agriculture) is helping ensure the future demand for skilled labour and talent can be met. Agriculture is a critical sector for the region—with 11,800 hectares of Agricultural land and home to many of the region’s major commercial producers. Plans are in place to further strengthen the sector and attract high-value jobs and education with the creation of a working farm school that will teach farming techniques and the business of farming to a new generation; and the North Fraser Agri-food Distribution Hub that will enable regional producers to capitalize on existing business opportunities, attract investment and expand the demand for locally grown produce. Meeting business needs The North Fraser region is one of the few areas of Metro Vancouver where undeveloped land is available in large quantity. The region boasts 480 hectares of commercial; 1,120 hectares of Industrial; and 11,800 hectares of Agricultural land. Kate Zanon, Acting Director of Operations & Development Services with Pitt Meadows, points to Pitt Meadows Regional Airport (YPK) with 300 acres of land for development. Affordable land on and off airport, a skilled workforce and multimodal transportation connections make YPK a great place to grow your aviation sector business. “With an abundance of commercial and industrial land, companies have an opportunity to create what they need. They can build-to-suit their ideal conditions in an ideal location,” says Zanon. Another example is the affordable land available along the Lougheed Highway available in all three communities. Not only is the land affordable and accessible, but it offers a unique opportunity to meet the individual needs of investors. Given all of these assets, is it any wonder that the population and number of jobs in the North Fraser region are expected to double by 2040? To learn more about becoming a part of the growth, visit www. investnorthfraser.com today.

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Township of Langley Open for business The Township of Langley’s local economy features everything your business needs: • skilled labour force • comprehensive array of training/education facilities • fully integrated road, rail, port, and airport infrastructure • full range of reliable utility and telecom services • suitable industrial and commercial land sites • easy access to markets, customers, and suppliers – 2 million consumers within a one-hour drive

Newly completed Deloitte office building in the Carvolth Business Park is part of the burgeoning cluster of professional offices at 200 Street and the Trans-Canada Highway. Connecting People, Places, and Business Competitive industrial, commercial, and residential land costs, low labour, energy, and production costs combined with a great urban/rural mix of lifestyles make the Township of Langley a great choice for locating your business. With the goal of supplying one job for each Langley resident in the labour force, and one of the lowest business bankruptcy rates in Metro Vancouver, the Township of Langley is an ideal place to do business. Retail and commercial businesses have made the Township home to one of the largest retail centres in the Lower Mainland. Similarly, many regional branches of major banking institutions and international legal and accounting firms have relocated here. Supporting almost 4,900 companies and an expanding population base, currently estimated at 110,600 but expected to double to 210,000 in the next 30 years, the Township of Langley is poised to become an economic powerhouse in British Columbia. New transportation projects connect people to jobs The Golden Ears Bridge opened new markets on the north shore of the Fraser River, complementing existing infrastructure. The movement of goods and services improved again with the newly expanded Port Mann Bridge (doubling from 5 lanes to 10) and the addition of truck climbing lanes on Trans-Canada Highway 1 between 232 Street and 264 Street which will provide a free-flow entrance to the highway from 232 Street and an easy exit at 264 Street. The Park and Ride at 202 Street, immediately south of the TransCanada Highway, is now fully operational, thereby making an easier and more sustainable commute for residents and employees. These infrastructure improvements have also created an emerging business centre in the Township capitalizing on a prime location next to the Trans-Canada Highway and appealing to professional service firms catering to a growing client base in the Fraser Valley. Sixth-largest industrial floor space in Metro Vancouver Serviced and unserviced vacant industrial lands, with stable and competitive land prices, are available in the Township’s five industrial areas.

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“Out of all of western Canada, we chose Gloucester Industrial Park in Langley for our regional head offices. Proximity to key markets and distribution points was crucial in our decision. Plus the combination of industrial estate with a natural setting provides a great work environment.” – Mark Hodge, GM Benjamin Moore, Western Region Education and training facilities able to customize your in-house training Employers seeking to further their employees’ qualifications can do so through credit and non-credit courses from the number of specialized education and training facilities in the Township; especially at Trinity Western University or Kwantlen Polytechnic University. More than 525 economic activities fuel the local economy • Retail • Tourism • Filming • Manufacturing • High-Tech and much more… Canada’s largest cluster of helicopter companies makes Langley Regional Airport a centre of excellence for rotary wing aircraft. Agribusiness has the right mix – hobby to high tech The combination of predominately Class 4 land, featuring high-quality soils and innovative farmers, nets high yield on 12,970 hectares of agricultural land. The Township produces the most varied agricultural production in Canada. The good life – no matter what your stage in life Finding the right location is just as important for a business as it is for its employees. The Township promotes healthy and sustainable communities supporting a diverse mix of people while offering a cost of living that’s very affordable. All of these investments in the past few years are paying immediate dividends, as the Township of Langley for the first time, joined the annual list of “Top 10 Investment Towns in B.C.” as compiled by the Real Estate Investment Network. Learn more by contacting: Gary MacKinnon, Economic Development Manager Township of Langley, 20338 – 65 Avenue, Langley, BC Tel: 604.533.6084 Email: gmackinnon@tol.ca Web: www.tol.ca

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Providing Business Advantages

Please contact: Gary MacKinnon Economic Development Manager Township of Langley 604.533.6084 gmackinnon@tol.ca

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tol.ca

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City of Langley Population: 26,500 Central Location Centrally located in the Lower Mainland, the City of Langley is situated among the province’s top investment towns in Metro Vancouver, according to The Real Estate Investment Network’s (REIN™). The area provides convenient access to 4 USA border crossings, 2 international airports (including a local municipal airport), international and regional railways, Canada’s largest seaport and a comprehensive highway network. Growing Population While the City of Langley is only 10 square kilometers with a population of about 26,500, it enjoys a much larger trading population of about 275,000 people within 15 km (2012, Retail Trade Area Analysis, Colliers International). Averaged area growth over the last census period was about 16.6% and population projections in the area are expected to double by 2026, according to the Real Estate Investment Network. The City of Langley is also part of Metro Vancouver with a population of 2.3 million, and neighbours an additional population of 278,000 in the Fraser Valley. Strong Market The City of Langley, which is designated as one of Metro Vancouver’s Regional City Centres, provides a trading expenditure potential of $3.38 billion. (Retail Trade Area Study, 2012). Wealthy residents in the primary trade area show a household Income of $95,477, which is higher than BC average of $81,595. High traffic counts of 52,000 vehicles per day demonstrate that the city is one of the most active industrial, commercial, and service land bases in the region. And as such, development, primarily in commercial and residential sectors, continues its upward trend. In fact, this area is designated to outperform other areas in the decade to come, according to the Real Estate Investment Network. Low Costs The City of Langley enjoys housing costs that are nearly 75% lower than the City of Vancouver (West) and retail leasing costs about 7 to 10 times less than Downtown Vancouver. An average single family detached home in the City of Langley is $482,000, compared to $1.8 million in Vancouver (West). (2014 BC Assessment Authority). Likewise, commercial lease space averages between $10 to $13/sq.ft. in Langley, whereas Downtown Vancouver retail space can be as high as $200/sq.ft.

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(Colliers 2014 Market Report). Taxes rates (commercial to residential) in the City of Langley are also the lowest in Metro Vancouver. (2014 NAIOP Development Cost Survey) Amenities The City of Langley enjoys access to a number of amenities and key infrastructure. The city enjoys one of the best shopping areas in the region; 300 acres of parks; popular entertainment facilities like the Cascades Casino and Convention Centre; and a world-class education system, including Kwantlen Polytechnic University and the worldrenowned Langley Community Music School. Superb Lifestyle Above all else, the City of Langley is a great place to live, work and play. It is a warm, family-oriented community with the density and all the amenities of a major urban center, yet with close proximity to the rural countryside and wide, open spaces. With one of the highest standards of living in the world, the people here enjoy abundance and prosperity in a relaxed and friendly community. Streamlined And Business-Friendly In addition to receiving multiple awards for Municipal Excellence (NAIOP 2013) and “Open for Business” (UBCM 2013 and 2014), the City of Langley also remains one of the fastest in development approval processing. (2014 NAIOP). Progressive Vision For The Future The City of Langley is the first community in BC to implement a Brownfield Redevelopment Strategy. This forward-thinking approach has earned the City multiple awards: the 2015 Sustainable Communities Award (FCM); the 2014 BCEDA Community Award, and the 2013 CUI Brownie Award. This strategy further complements the City’s award-winning, visionary Downtown Master Plan (2010 PIBC and 2009 BDEDA awards). Contact: Gerald Minchuk, MCIP, RPP, Director of Development Services and Economic Development, City of Langley 20399 Douglas Crescent, Langley, BC V3A 4B3 Email: gminchuk@langleycity.ca Phone: 604-514-2815

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City of Langley turning vision into action “Dead centre of the entire region, the City of Langley is a great strategic location and a great place to do business. The City of Langley reviewed, processed and approved our Development Permit Application in 13 days! That has to be a record!” CHRISTIAN CHIA, PRESIDENT/CEO, OPENROAD AUTO GROUP LTD

“THE COLLECTION” — AUDI, BMW, INFINITI, JAGUAR, LAND ROVER, MERCEDES-BENZ, AND PORSCHE ... Canada’s First Luxury Auto Mall

CACTUS CLUB CAFE LANGLEY (BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT)

VARSITY RESIDENCES (BY RDKI) MARKETED BY BOB RENNIE

Great Developments and Award-Winning Success make the City of Langley ... the place to be “We chose the City of Langley to build a world class restaurant in the best location within the marketplace.” JIM STEWART, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, CACTUS CLUB RESTAURANTS

“If I had to describe the City of Langley in two words, its ‘future prooﬁng.’ They build for tomorrow, not just for today.” BOB RENNIE, RENNIE MARKETING SYSTEMS .

CASCADES CASINO RESORT, COAST HOTEL & CONVENTION CENTRE (BROWNFIELD REDEV)

AWARD WINNING SUCCESS

STRATEGIC ADVANTAGES

s 2015 Sustainable Communities Award, Federation of Canadian Municipalities

s CENTRAL LOCATION: Heart of BC’s Lower Mainland

s 2014 UBCM Open for Business Award: BC Small Business

s GROWING POPULATION: - 275,000 people in trade area - 16.6% averaged growth in trade area - project to double by 2026

s "#%$!#OMMUNITY!WARD Brownfield Redevelopment Strategy s 2013 CUI Brownie Award: Brownfield Redevelopment Strategy s 2013 UBCM Open for Business Award: BC Small Business s 2013 NAIOP Municipal Excellence Award s 2013 CUI Brownie Award: Brownfield Redevelopment Strategy

Come and discover what makes the City of Langley the place to be!

s 2013 UBCM Open for Business Award: BC Small Business

And ask about our Business Sector Proﬁles. Visit www.city.langley.bc.ca

s 2010 PIBC Award of Excellence: $OWNTOWN-ASTER0LAN

T: 604

s %$!"#!WARD$OWNTOWN-ASTER0LAN

514 2800

| E: info@langleycity.ca

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NEW McBURNEY PLAZA DOWNTOWN LANGLEY

s 2013 NAIOP Municipal Excellence Award

s 42!$%0/4%.4)!, $3.84 billion in trade area s !&&,5%.4$%-/'2!0()#3Household Income: $95,477 in Primary Trade Area — higher than BC average: $81,595 s ,/7,%!3%2!4%3n (2014 Colliers Market Report) s LOWEST TAX: commercial to residential taxes in Metro Vancouver (2014 NAIOP) s FAST APPROVAL TIMES: one of the best in Metro Vancouver (2014 NAIOP) s 02/'2%33)6%$%6%,/0-%.4 s SUPPORTIVE Business Community and Local Government

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Coquitlam Population: 141,132

he City of Coquitlam, located in the heart of Metro Vancouver, is one of the fastest growing communities in the lower mainland and British Columbia. It is estimated that the population of Coquitlam will be 176,000 by 2021 and 224,000 by 2041. Coquitlam’s proximity to Vancouver, access to markets, transportation and housing options, recreation opportunities, highly educated labour force, open and accessible local government and innovative business community are some of the factors that are driving economic growth. Coquitlam’s major sectors are Professional Services, Retail/Wholesale Trade, Manufacturing, Technology, Tourism, Public Administration, Transportation and Construction. Investment and Economic Growth The City of Coquitlam is the regional service centre for Northeast Metro Vancouver. Coquitlam is experiencing tremendous growth and investment. Recent public projects such as the Poirier Sports and Leisure Complex, the City Centre Public Library, the Port Mann Bridge and King Edward Overpass, as well as the coming Evergreen SkyTrain line combined with significant investment in private sector development projects in areas such as the City Centre, along with the growth of organizations like Douglas College, IKEA and Coquitlam Centre have made Coquitlam a popular destination. These infrastructure and amenity investments have created numerous business and economic development opportunities. Proximity to Major Markets Coquitlam is located in the geographic centre of the lower mainland and is 30 minutes from downtown Vancouver and 40 minutes from the US border. Coquitlam provides excellent access to the 2 million plus Metro Vancouver market and the 10 million citizen trading area that stretches from Vancouver, BC, to Oregon State in the United States. Coquitlam’s proximity to the Vancouver and Abbotsford International airports and Port of Metro Vancouver also provides businesses convenient access to the Pacific Rim. This connection to major markets makes Coquitlam an attractive choice for a variety of transportation, logistics, and technology and manufacturing companies. Transportation Options and Accessibility Coquitlam offers direct access to major highways, rail arterials, rapid transit (SkyTrain) and river ports. Access to these major transportation networks, combined with Coquitlam’s central location in the lower mainland, have helped Coquitlam become a magnet for businesses such as Coca Cola, The Oppenheimer Group, Natural Factors, Canstar Restorations and others. Transportation infrastructure improvements like the Port Mann, Golden Ears and Pitt River Bridges, King Edward Overpass and the Trans Canada Highway upgrade, have improved the flow of goods and services. These transportation investments, as well as the Evergreen SkyTrain Line, will create numerous economic development opportunities while improving the transportation options available to businesses and residents. Superb Quality of Life Coquitlam has competitive housing prices, diverse housing types, high

quality education options, diverse dining and shopping choices and accessible transportation services like buses, SkyTrain and the Westcoast Express commuter rail train. The City of Coquitlam has vast recreation opportunities, a variety of sport and cultural amenities such as Place des Arts and the Evergreen Cultural Centre, an expanding network of civic facilities including the Poirier Sport and Leisure Complex (a $53M project), new City Centre Public Library, and Town Centre Park. The City is also home to an extensive trail network and a variety of natural areas including provincial, regional and municipal parks, such as the 38,000 hectare Pinecone-Burke Provincial Park, the 175 hectare Minnekhada Regional Park, the 404 hectare Colony Farm Regional Park, the 176 hectare Mundy Park, and more. These attributes are driving population growth and motivating people and businesses to relocate to Coquitlam. Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Technology The innovation, entrepreneurship and commitment of Coquitlam’s residents and businesses have created a vibrant business climate. The City of Coquitlam is keen to work with these groups to develop progressive solutions that would positively impact the community. This is demonstrated by QNet, a wholly owned subsidiary of the City of Coquitlam that has invested in fibre optic infrastructure - 60km to date. The network has allowed Coquitlam to connect the City’s traffic signal system and facilities and provide low-cost broadband services across the City for businesses and residents. The project has grown and allowed Coquitlam to open up access to high speed, competitive telecom services by leasing unlit fibre optic cable to the telecom industry. Supporting Business Success The City of Coquitlam is committed to creating a business environment that fosters business growth and prosperity. The City has streamlined processes and is committed to the continuous improvement of the business environment. In 2013, the City of Coquitlam was honoured to receive the BC Small Business Roundtable’s Open For Business Award from the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training. The City received this award in recognition of its commitment to enhancing business success through innovative policy and program development. We invite you to contact us to learn more about the advantages Coquitlam has to offer. David Munro, Manager Economic Development City of Coquitlam 3000 Guildford Way, Coquitlam, BC V3B 7N2 P: 604-927-3442 E: economicdevelopment@coquitlam.ca

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Coquitlam

Invest, Innovate, Grow

Coquitlam is one of the fastest growing communities in British Columbia. Our City offers: Proximity to the Metro Vancouver, US and Asian markets Access to major transportation corridors and networks Transportation infrastructure improvements like the Hwy 1 / Port Mann Bridge and Evergreen Line projects A large, skilled and highly educated labour force Diverse recreation, arts and culture, housing and education opportunities QNet - a 60 km ﬁbre optic network that provides businesses with low-cost broadband services An open, accessible and progressive municipal government We invite you to contact us to learn more about the advantages Coquitlam has to offer. Economic Development 3000 Guildford Way, Coquitlam, BC, V3B 7N2 Phone: 604-927-3442 | Email: economicdevelopment@coquitlam.ca

coquitlam.ca/economicdevelopment

d Wid Ad NOV 2014 i dd 1

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Chilliwack Population: 85,000 Chilliwack Offers Business A World Of Advantages Chilliwack, home of Canada Education Park, is one of the best places to operate a business. Located in southwest British Columbia (BC), in a regional market of about 2.5 million people, with easy access to international freight ways, Chilliwack is ideally located for industrial, commercial, and institutional businesses. Competitive costs, combined with a strong economy and a superb quality of life, make Chilliwack a destination of interest for business investors locally and around the world. Business-Friendly Government The City of Chilliwack is committed to ensuring that a competitive business environment is maintained by working with the business community and implementing development policies that lead to success. Chilliwack has the fastest approval times for development and building permits, rezoning applications, and subdivision approvals, according to the Vancouver Chapter of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (2014). Vibrant Economy Chilliwack’s economy, affordable real estate and skills-focused education put Chilliwack on the top 10 list of BC cities for investment in the British Columbia Investment Towns Report by the Real Estate Investment Network. Enjoying a strong economy and a stable growth rate of three per cent, Chilliwack is attracting a multitude of employers. Currently, Chilliwack’s growing economic sectors include: agriculture, aviation and aerospace, education, film, food processing, health care, manufacturing, professional services, real estate, retail/wholesale trade, technology, and tourism. Proximty To Markets – Closer Than You Think! Chilliwack provides easy access to local, regional, national and international markets (American, Asian and European). Located along the Trans Canada Highway and next to local, national and international railways, Chilliwack is only 20 minutes away from a USA border crossing and Abbotsford’s International Airport, 90 minutes from Vancouver’s International Airport and one hour from the nearest shipping sea port. There is an estimated population of 85,000 within Chilliwack, plus over 277,000 people living within a 30-minute commute. Also there are about 900,000 people living within 90 kms, and about 2.5 million people within 130 kms, including Vancouver. Qualified Workforce Chilliwack’s first-rate education system, which is supported by the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) and the new Agriculture Centre of Excellence, School District #33 and other public and private advanced education opportunities, provide a wealth of qualified local talent. Together, these institutions offer a wide variety of programming, ranging from apprenticeship training to university degrees. Chilliwack is also home to Canada Education Park, which showcases several major

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institutional facilities including the RCMP Pacific Region Training Centre (PRTC), Justice Institute of BC (JIBC), Canada Border Services Agency, and the University of the Fraser Valley. Low Costs Chilliwack is one of the most cost-competitive locations for business in North America. • Industrial Tax Incentive: save on industrial property tax for five years with Chilliwack’s new Industrial Revitalization Tax Exemption program. This translates into thousands of dollars of savings for industrial capital investments. • Low cost of living: Vancouver’s cost-of-living is very competitive with major metropolitan centres in the United States. Chilliwack’s living expenses are even lower than Vancouver — in some cases, about onethird less! • Low industrial, commercial and residential land costs: Chilliwack’s housing costs can be as much as 50 per cent less than Vancouver. Retail space can be as much as 75 per cent less than downtown Vancouver. Also, Chilliwack’s industrial land prices are significantly lower (30-40 per cent) than neighbouring municipalities located closer to Vancouver. • Low labour and production costs: BC’s costs are lower than the USA and other G-7 countries. For example, costs for skilled technical and professional workers can be as much as 33 per cent below comparable US centres. Also employer-sponsored benefits, payroll, tax and health insurance rates are all lower than in the USA. Unbeatable Quality Of Life With a mild climate, proximity to the grandeur of BC’s great outdoors and its limitless recreational opportunities, and all the amenities of any major urban centre, Chilliwack is one of Canada’s more desirable places to live and work. For More Information: Chilliwack Economic Partners Corporation (CEPCO) is responsible for attracting and facilitating economic growth for the City of Chilliwack. CEPCO provides various business attraction and retention services, including site selection assistance, business relocation or expansion support, employee attraction and promotion, employee relocation services, immigration investment and other related services. Chilliwack Economic Partners Corporation #201-46093 Yale Road Chilliwack, BC, Canada V2P 2L8 1.604.792.7839 info@chilliwackpartners.com www.chilliwackeconomicpartners.com

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BETTER FOR BUSINESS s BETTER FOR LIFE

â€œWith lower overhead costs and abundant amenities, our business enjoys greater proďŹ ts and our employees enjoy a better lifestyle.â€? â€” BRUCE VAN DEN BRINK, OWNER, CANEX BUILDING SUPPLIES

â€œRated tops! Lowest tax burden. Most expedient.â€? â€” NAIOP 2014 MUNICIPAL REPORT CARD

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Attracting and Facilitating Economic Growth

chilliwackeconomicpartners.com sINFO CHILLIWACKPARTNERSCOM

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50 | INVEST IN BC 2015 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

Vancouver Island/Coast

TRADITION OF INNOVATION Old and new strike a beautiful balance

9.1%

Share of B.C. land area

PETER MITHAM

■Campbell River ■Comox ■Courtenay ■Cowichan ■Duncan ■Ladysmith ■Lake Cowichan ■Langford ■Nanaimo ■North Cowichan ■Parksville ■Port Alberni ■Port Alice ■Port Hardy ■Port McNeill ■Powell River ■Qualicum Beach ■Saanich ■Sooke ■Sidney ■Tofino ■Ucluelet ■Victoria

nchored by Victoria, Vancouver Island and the coastal communities – such as Powell River – lining the Inside Passage north to Port Hardy draw their economic strength from the sea. Whether the business is shipping, fisheries, marine research or wilderness adventure, the coast possesses a unique combination of industries encompassing age-old traditions and the newest technology. Home to some of the most ancient forests in B.C., Vancouver Island has made the transition from logging the forests to showing them off. Avatar Grove and Cathedral Grove are among the popular destinations for tourists and wilderness enthusiasts, not to mention newcomers from across Canada and around the world who seek a slower pace of life. Residential development dominates construction activity across the region, much of it undertaken by companies owned by local First Nations, such as the Cowichan Tribes’ Khowutzun Development Corp. Victoria-based Farmer Construction Ltd. is another major contractor, while Jawl Properties Ltd. is among the local property developers that have worked alongside Vancouver developers to renew and revitalize Victoria’s downtown. While long a tourist stop that’s capitalized on its regal English namesake, Victoria is also B.C.’s answer to Halifax: a government and college town with a sizable military presence. Canada’s Pacific fleet calls Esquimalt home, and the historic naval presence continues to keep the dockyards in Esquimalt busy. Victoria Shipyards is retrofitting frigates and submarines for the Royal Canadian Navy, and its parent, Seaspan ULC, has won contracts worth billions for the construction of 17 new vessels that mean steady employment for hundreds of skilled local workers. The boom in new work for old-school industries is also felt at Viking Air, which revived production of Canada’s famous Twin Otter airplanes and is working through an order book for customers around the world. The island’s ports are also reinventing themselves, with one of the island’s biggest proposed projects being the $30

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| 51

Temperature – Canadian cities Groundhog Day, 2015 15 10

Celsius

5 0 -5 -10 -15

A visit to Port Alberni's deep- sea harbour makes for a most colourful and diverse experience. Commercial fishing vessels, sport-fishing boats, working forestry boats and deep-sea freighters can be viewed comfortably from the town's park and marketplace, Alberni Harbour Quay. Eclectic shops of all descriptions line the waterfront at the quay and you can even purchase fresh seafood in season | PROVINCE

V N icto Ed ana ria Samonimo s to W kato n inn on Ot ipeg To taw ro a nt o

-20

SOURCE: ENVIRONMENT CANADA

Building permit values $1,200 1,000

Millions of dollars

OF BC/PICTUREBC

Gene Leech, Seaspan’s dockmaster at the Victoria Shipyards, oversees a bustling centre. The Shipyards are handling the retrofit of frigates and submarines for the Royal Canadian Navy and construction of 17 new ships at Esquimalt harbour | SEASPAN ULC

800 600 400 200 l

’t

tia

/g al

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u tit

sid

Jan–Nov 2013 Jan–Nov 2014 SOURCE: BC STATS

Economic activity Top six industries by number of employees

0 ,00 0 50 ,00 0 60 ,00 0 70 ,00 0 40

,00 30

,00

,00 10

Goods producing Retail & wholesale trade Health care & social assistance Accommodation & food services Educational services Public administration

SOURCE: PROFESSIONAL CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA/2014 BC CHECK-UP

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52 | INVEST IN BC 2015 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

Vancouver Island/Coast

Saanich-based manufacturer Viking Air has revived production of Canada’s famous Twin Otter airplanes for customers around the world | VIKING AIR

billion Sarita Bay LNG project near Port Alberni. Shipping continues, even if the commodities change. Victoria is home to both the University of Victoria (UVic) and Royal Roads University. The latter has linked with China’s Tianjin University of Technology (TUT). Last year, 36 students graduated from China’s first environmental management master’s degree program – a two year program jointly offered by Royal Roads University and TUT. “This program is a unique collaboration between Royal Roads and Tianjin that provides environmental education which has become critically important in China,” says

Royal Roads president and vice-chancellor Allan Cahoon. Vancouver Island’s second-biggest city, Nanaimo, is also reinventing itself. A former coal town, Nanaimo is poised to welcome a 240-room hotel adjacent to its convention centre – the largest on Vancouver Island after Victoria. The hotel will cater primarily to tourists from China. A new foot ferry, meanwhile, is slated to connect the city with Vancouver, renewing a connection that in previous incarnations was popular with commuters who could work in the province’s business hub while enjoying the

Advantages to locating a new Trans-Shipment Hub in Alberni Inlet: • Closest Sailing Point to Pacific Northwest • Environmental benefits • Maximize Use of Port and Transportation Infrastructure • Reduce Traffic Congestion • Land Reserve for Industrial Use • Draft & Waterway • Use of Marine Highway • Non-Competitive • Security • Growing Vancouver Island Population Base • Warehouse Space

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Royal Roads University: old campus but young ideas, including a unique link with China’s Tianjin University of Technology in a joint environmental studies program | ROYAL ROADS UNIVERSITY

Island’s more affordable housing and laid-back lifestyle. Nanaimo is also home to Vancouver Island University. A vibrant student population has been a boon for local businesses while hosting research and development activities supportive of local industries. The school’s Centre for Shellfish Research complements local aquaculture activities and the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, a research station UVic shares with universities in B.C. and Alberta. UVic is home to the Vancouver Island Technology Park, an incubator of and home to many new firms, particularly in life sciences. Proteomics has been a focus for life science researchers on the Island, while lighting company Carmanah Technologies Corp. now reports revenues of more than $40 million annually. Farther north, Real Estate Webmasters is one of the largest private employers in Nanaimo, with revenues on track to surpass $20 million in 2015. It is now the world’s largest vendor of custom real estate websites. But nature is never far away: Canada’s largest daffodil grower nestles in the fields outside of Victoria, while the Cowichan Valley is home to numerous wineries and a thriving local food scene that has won it recognition as Canada’s Provence. Just offshore, Salt Spring Island is home to organic farms and cottages that offer a bucolic setting for the rich, the famous and those seeking new beginnings. At Powell River, the city recently outlined six new business proposals that Mayor Dave Formosa said plan investments in the community. These includes a fish farming expansion by AgriMarine Industries Inc., an international school, an aircraft maintenance and repair facility, an expanded marine terminal and even a medical marijuana grower that would take space at the former administration building at Catalyst Paper. A coastal community with low house prices and outstanding recreation, Powell River has been attracting mostly young entrepreneurs for the past few years, Mayor Formosa said. É

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2015-03-05 10:42 AM

SECHELT

ne Sunday, mid-January, 2015 saw temperatures in the Davis Bay, Sechelt area hitting 14 degrees Celsius, with the sun shining overhead while rainbows spanned the sky over the Davis Bay seawall. This particular afternoon marked a public ceremony held by our Shishalh Nation on “letting go” as we enter a new year, and work towards building a new future. That afternoon is just one example of the cultural diversity that make our town unique, as well as an exciting and beautiful place to live. Our moderate coastal climate sees less rainfall, more sunshine and slightly warmer temperatures than many of our surrounding locations. Walking the Sechelt sea wall, looking towards our Shishalh Nation as eagles fly overhead, one can’t help but be caught by the natural beauty surrounding them. We boast year round canoeing, kayaking, golfing, hiking and a world-renowned gravity park. However, strong relationships, cultural diversity, natural beauty and never ending outdoor recreation are not the only reasons that Sechelt is a fantastic place to live. Sechelt’s dynamic business environment is a great choice for entrepreneurs. The latest in fibre optic technology offers the ability for an easy commute or remotely working from home. Rich in natural resources, Sechelt is home to such unique ventures as Target Marine, an aquaculture- based company known for its production of “Northern Divine” certified organic gold label caviar. Boasting a LEED Gold standard hospital along with a strong focus on the arts that features annual events such as the “Art Crawl,” the “Writer’s Festival” and the Botanical Garden “Winter Lights” tour, Sechelt is also the perfect place for kicking back, a change of pace or a retirement choice.

Sechelt’s downtown core can be walked in about 30 minutes creating an active business hub on the seaside. The “Land between Two Waters” is one of the two larger towns on the lower Sunshine Coast. Centrally located, about half way between the ferry to Vancouver and the ferry to Powell River, Sechelt has the very best of small community living while enjoying close proximity to one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Only 50 kilometres from the North Shore of Vancouver, you can be downtown via float plane in 25 minutes, making us a close neighbor to the city, while offering housing at a fraction of the cost. Recent CMHC stats (Dec 2014) show the benchmark price for a Sunshine Coast singlefamily detached home at roughly $360,000, making our average home price 40% of the cost of an average Greater Vancouver home. As one local resident puts it, “If you’re lucky enough to live on the Sunshine Coast, you’re lucky enough.” Contact: Tracy Zanchetta Senior Manager – Business Devlopment Sechelt Innovations Ltd. 778-458-3044 Tracy@SecheltInnovationsLtd.com

SECHELT HAS ASSETS > Latest in fibre optic technology

> Small community living

> Unique outdoor recreation lifestyle

> Affordable housing

> Proximity to Vancouver, one of the most beautiful cities in the world > Lively environment for business, arts and Shishalh culture >

Dynamic people

Sechelt Innovations Limited is a group of dynamic business leaders focused on developing an innovative and sustainable business environment in our community. We’ll help you construct and evaluate the business case for moving to Sechelt, and we’ll enable you to get things done once you decide to locate here. We’re experienced and capable, and we’re up for the challenge.

Get us working on your team, call 778.458.3044 today.

Sechelt Innovations GROWING COMMUNITY

Unit #103 - 5674 Teredo St., Sechelt, BC V0N 3A0 Ph: 778.458.3044 | info@SecheltInnovationsLtd.com SecheltInnovationsLtd.com Top left, Sarah Doherty, SideStix; top right, Josh Ramsey, Tofino Air; bottom left, Aaron Joe, Salish Soils; and bottom right, Capilano University Sechelt Campus.

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PORT ALBERNI

ort Alberni is well known for its forest industry, sport fishing, summer heat, generousity to charitable causes and hosting of sports tournaments. A lesser known aspect of the community is the Focus on Innovation by its businesses. The range of innovations is remarkable for a community of 25,000 people and a testimony to the entrepreneurs and the hundreds of skilled trades’ people who live here. A few examples follow: Q The Coulson Group is an award-winning welldiversified operation that has developed a sand filter for Sikorsky helicopters working in a desert environment; ice-blast machines for removing paint, grease, and mud in commercial and industrial settings as well as addressing contaminated water in nuclear power plants; engineered Western Red Cedar siding & panels; and is also converting military C-130 Hercules aircraft for firefighting purposes.

also see a business case for locating their shipping facilities at the same new location. The Alberni Valley Regional Airport, with a 4,00o foot paved runway, is home to the Coulson Aviation division as well as the Vancouver Island Soaring Centre. A modern 52-bed hospital, a private university, a community college, a brand new $60 mil-

lion high school, public & private schools, a thriving arts community, unmatched parks, recreation and heritage facilities for a community of our size, a central Island location, public transit and quick & easy access to the outdoors are a few of the other reasons why we live, work and play here. Contact: Contact Pat Deakin at the City of Port Alberni. 250.720.2527. patrick_deakin@portalberni.ca.

g Manufacturin Vancouver Island’s Most Affordable Community

Q DBA Silencing manufactures industrial exhaust & air intake systems for some of the world’s largest machines in the mining, marine & logging Industries. Q Rev-Air Innovations developed the leading edge Dynamic Air Diffuser for commercial, industrial and institutional buildings that is now being sold across North America. Q Port Alberni’s Catalyst Paper operation developed two additional levels of higher end grades of coated paper on equipment not designed for that. Q The shore station for NEPTUNE Canada’s 812 kilometer loop of fibre optic cable is based in Port Alberni and transmits real time data from the system’s 130 instruments aboard five installations on the ocean floor. Q Western Forest Products together with Lucidyne Technologies has installed automatic lumber grading technology in its Alberni Pacific Division sawmill; the first installation of its kind in the coastal forest industry. Port Alberni is Vancouver Island’s Most Affordable Community and is located at the head of a 48 kilometer Inlet. A sheltered ice-free deep-sea port capable of handling Panamax size freighters exports logs and lumber from the area’s forestry operations. A new Centennial Pier hosts up to four cruise ship tender vessels as well as float planes. The Port Alberni Port Authority has completed a feasibility study for a new port closer to the open ocean that would serve as a trans-shipment hub for container ships coming from Asia. Proponents for LNG and methanol plants and mineral projects

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FOCUSED ON INNOVATION Sand Filters for Sikorsky S61 Helicopters Ice-Blast Machines for Nuclear Power Plants Conversions of Military C-130 Hercules for Fire Fighting Industrial Exhaust & Air Intake Systems for the Mining, Marine & Logging Industries Engineered Western Red Cedar Siding & Panels for Architectural Applications Dynamic Air Diffuser for Commercial and Industrial Buildings

www.portalberni.ca Contact Pat Deakin: 250.720.2527 patrick_deakin@portalberni.ca

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Nanaimo Nanaimo has it all! Location, location, location… Nanaimo, nestled between the mountains and the ocean, is a 20 minute flight from downtown Vancouver or a 95 minute ferry ride from Vancouver. The economic hub of Vancouver Island, picturesque Nanaimo is easily accessible by sea or air to the lower mainland and the Pacific Northwest. Air Canada offers daily service between Vancouver International Airport and Nanaimo Airport, an all-weather facility. WestJet Encore provides daily direct flights to Calgary, and Kenmore Air to Seattle. Seaplane flights leaving every 30 minutes link Nanaimo downtown to Vancouver downtown in just 20 minutes. BC Ferries operates passenger and vehicle ferries between greater Nanaimo and the Lower Mainland up to 16 times per day. Home to three deep sea berths, this ocean-side city receives more than one million tons of cargo annually through its port facilities and deep-sea terminal at Duke Point. Low business costs are a competitive advantage! Prime commercial real estate in Nanaimo has among the lowest lease rates in British Columbia for communities of similar size. Real estate costs are significantly lower when compared with Victoria or Vancouver for each class of real estate. Class Nanaimo Victoria Vancouver

A $18+ $29+ $32+

B $14+ $16+ $22+

C $10+ $10+ $13+

At one third the price of Vancouver, and roughly half that of Victoria, business owners and employees are often pleasantly surprised at the cost advantages of doing business & owning real estate in Nanaimo. With a full spectrum of housing options, most with Spectacular Ocean and mountain views, Nanaimo offers the most bang for your buck in real estate!

Nanaimo Victoria Vancouver

Average NEW single-family home $504,425 $607,929 $1,432,607 (Source: Q3 2014 CMHC)

“New businesses and residents continue to locate in Nanaimo because of the desirable mix of modern infrastructure, affordable housing, access to all of the services that are essential for successful business start-ups and growth” says Sasha Angus, CEO, Nanaimo Economic Development Corporation. In the last decade Nanaimo has seen significant infrastructure improvements in telecommunications, transportation and education along with major downtown revitalization. Nanaimo is a business-friendly community, and Civic leaders are committed to making continuous improvements based on business input and needs. The Nanaimo Economic Development Corporation supports local business growth and attracts new business and investment to the region. Nanaimo’s local government, in collaboration with business leaders, is working to minimize regulations and to expedite development and permitting processes. This is helping businesses save

02_INVEST IN BC 2015_P1-112_02.indd 56

both time, and money. Nanaimo business class tax rates are significantly lower than Prince George, Kamloops and other similar sized communities in BC. Telecommunications Nanaimo companies have access to an excellent telecommunications infrastructure. This includes a sophisticated network of fibre optics, providing worldwide Internet links and a high level of reliability. “Nanaimo has a fantastic telecommunications infrastructure, with all the services and amenities that any budding or growing business needs!” says Charles Hamer, owner Resonance Software. Growth Nanaimo is the 5th fastest growing mid-size urban centre in BC. Local, provincial and federal governments have made significant infrastructure investments in the last decade, including the Vancouver Island Conference Centre, Nanaimo Museum, parks & trails improvements, Nanaimo Airport expansion, a new cruise ship terminal, and additions to the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, including a new prenatal wing and expansion to the emergency wing. This public sector investment spurred significant private sector investments, including major multidwelling and condominium projects sprinkled throughout the City. Population base 102,000 – Nanoose to Cedar (NEDC boundaries), 20-minute drive 151,000 – Regional District of Nanaimo, 25-minute drive 374,000 – Secondary and tertiary trade area, within one-hour drive The number of business licenses issued by the City of Nanaimo has grown by 4.4% in the last five years. The largest Sectors in the current economy are Construction, Retail Trade, Professional Scientific & Technical, Healthcare and Financial services. Labour Force and Education Nanaimo is home to a well-trained, highly motivated, stable and educated workforce. Helping build the human capital of the future is Vancouver Island University (VIU). VIU has long responded to the needs of industry by providing custom training programs for employees, while building on an extensive track record of successful private sector partnerships with small business. University graduates from various disciplines provide a constant stream of new employees for area companies. Infinite possibilities! A recent survey of area companies report recruiting outside of the area is easy due to our coastal location, affordable housing, a broad range of recreation options, excellent public amenities and a lower cost of living. A diverse range of recreational opportunities are available to Nanaimo residents. Nanaimo offers an enviable lifestyle with variety of employment and investment opportunities.

2015-03-05 10:42 AM

02_INVEST IN BC 2015_P1-112_02.indd 57

2015-03-05 10:42 AM

POWELL RIVER

ocated 135 kilometres north of Vancouver in the Traditional Territories of the Tla’amin First Nation, Powell River has the coastal mountains in its backyard and the ocean on its doorstep. The community provides a wonderful mixture of world class arts and cultural attractions, recreation amenities, and the best in education, health care and infrastructure. All these things and more have drawn many urbanites to Powell River’s shores to build a new life in a safe and comfortable environment that offers the best of British Columbia and Canada. New Development Although many of Powell River’s new residents (Population: 19,906) have become entrepreneurs and started new businesses, there are other companies that have also recognized the benefits that the City provides and have made the decision to establish operations in the community. In October of 2014 it was announced that the following companies had committed to new developments: • Sino Bright School – International Private School campus (Grades 9 to 12) for Chinese students. Enrolment of 400 students. • Santé Veritas Therapeutics Inc. – Will be establishing a Medical Marijuana 80,000 square foot production facility licensed by Health Canada. Will create up to 80 jobs in the community as well as invest millions of dollars in the renovating a vacant building as well as constructing new structures. • Upper Valley Aviation – Plane refurbishment and painting business that is relocating to Powell River’s airport to allow for expansion purposes. The company will be build a new hanger twice the size of its current facilities and create up to 50 jobs in the city. The ability to secure a long term lease (99 years) at a reasonable cost was the main factor in its deci-

sion to move to Powell River. • Pacific Coastal Airlines – The Company has decided to establish a rebuild and overhaul facility for its fleet at Powell River’s airport thereby reducing its costs in other parts of its operation. The new facility will create 15 to 20 in the community initially. • Agrimarine Technologies Inc. – Agrimarine is an aquaculture company that is working on plans to establish a land based Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) to produce fin fish as well as a seafood processing plant on industrial lands located within the Catalyst Harbour. The operation is expected provide up to 50 jobs in the community. Powell River has also become a destination for immigrants looking to settle and buy a business. As of February 2015, 7 businesses have been purchased or are being purchased through the British Columbia’s rural business succession program, and there are a number of other businesses that are available for purchase. Another significant development in the community is its telecommunications infrastructure. Powell River is in the process being put far ahead of other communities in North America as Telus Communications is currently laying Fibre Optics throughout the City and parts of the region. That means residents and business will have access to 100 megabytes per second downloads in 2015 and 1 gigabyte per second downloads in 2016. This of course means that if your business or job is technology based, you will have no problems with accessing the service you need. To learn more about everything Powell River has to offer, visit www. powellriver.info; follow us on Facebook at ‘Live and Invest Powell River’; or watch testimonial videos on our YouTube Channel ‘Live and Invest Powell River’.

It All Starts With a Visit... coastal by nature Powell River is all about Lifestyle and Affordability. It provides all of the amenities that investors and families want, at half the cost of an urban setting. Learn more at…

www.powellriver.info Facebook and YouTube: ‘Live and Invest Powell River’

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Thompson Okanagan

INNOVATION DESTINATION Long known for recreation, the Thompson Okanagan is now also recognized for attracting impressive private and public investments

10.2%

Share of B.C. land area

■Barriere ■Cache Creek ■Clearwater ■Clinton ■Golden ■Kamloops ■Kelowna ■Lytton ■Merritt ■Oliver ■Osoyoos ■Peachland ■Penticton ■Revelstoke ■Salmon Arm ■Summerland ■Vernon SCOTT SIMPSON

overnment and private-sector investments in a broad range of sectors, notably health care, will drive economic growth in the Thompson Okanagan region in 2015. Major construction projects by the province involve health care, education and public safety, while private-sector highlights include technology and hospitality/tourism. In addition, the progress in 2015 of major resource-sector projects through the regulatory review process is seen as critical for activity in the years ahead. Kelowna, the most populous city in the region (180,000 people), is home to some of the biggest projects including construction of a heart and surgical centre in Kelowna General Hospital. It’s a $381 million development that

02_INVEST IN BC 2015_P1-112_02.indd 59

started in 2013 and is scheduled to open in mid-2015, adding 15 operating rooms and associated services. Valentina Trevino, business development co-ordinator for Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission, said the project’s value extends beyond improved services at the hospital. It also enhances the region’s ability to attract local business investment by making it less dependent on Metro Vancouver. The Interior Health Authority (IHA) is making preparations to lease a new 150,000-square-foot, five-storey building, now under construction in downtown Kelowna, that will incorporate 800 workers who are at present scattered around in smaller offices. Located on the same intersection as the IHA building, a $35 million, six-storey Okanagan Centre for Innovation is scheduled for completion in spring 2016. The centre is

Construction continues on the Kelowna General Hospital. The $381 million development is scheduled to open in the summer of 2015 | KELOWNA GENERAL HOSPITAL

2015-03-05 10:43 AM

60 | INVEST IN BC 2015 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

Thompson Okanagan

The Thompson Okanagan has scores of outstanding golf courses, including The Rise at Vernon, which sold last year to investors from Alberta | NAI COMMERCIAL Nicknamed “Napa North,” the Okanagan Valley, B.C.’s oldest and largest wine-producing region, is home to approximately 140 wineries. Shown is a winery on Okanagan Lake near Summerland | DESTINATION BC/DON WEIXL

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expected to accelerate local business development and job creation. Other facilities planned or underway in Kelowna include a $40 million RCMP protective services building, a $33 million expansion of Okanagan College to accommodate trades training and a $65 million, 24-storey hotel and conference centre complex by Westcorp. Vernon, awarded an Open for Business Award in 2014 by the Union of BC Municipalities for the second straight year, is known as much for its entrepreneurial spirit as its excellent lakes and the Silver Star ski resort. Health-care capacity expansion is a priority for Penticton Regional Hospital, with a $325 million Patient Care Tower expected to commence construction in 2016. Meanwhile in Kamloops, construction of a $79.8 million Clinical Services Building is already underway at Royal Inland Hospital. It’s also a milestone year for Kamloops-area resourcesector projects. The proposed KGHM Ajax open pit copper mine, which would create 500 full-time jobs, is working its way through the regulatory process, as is the proposed $5.4 billion Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion project. Venture Kamloops executive director Jim Anderson said Ajax would create about 500 jobs – but its proximity to the city is fuelling a debate about whether or not it should proceed. Venture Kamloops is also tracking Trans Mountain’s expansion, now in front of the National Energy Board (NEB). Kamloops is a primary hub along the pipeline between Edmonton and Burnaby, and the expansion is potentially

2015-03-05 10:43 AM

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Vineyards in B.C. by acreage

929

Number of vineyards in B.C.

6.4 6.6 2.9

84.1 Okanagan Valley Similkameen Valley Coastal areas Other Interior SOURCE: WINES OF CANADA

02_INVEST IN BC 2015_P1-112_02.indd 61

Rendering shows the $35 million, six-storey Okanagan Centre for Innovation in Kelowna – a business incubator – scheduled for completion in spring 2016 | CITY OF KELOWNA

$1,000 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 t l l l its v’ ia ia ia m o nt tr rc er al/g ide dus me p l n s n ta tio Re I Com To itu t s In

Jan–Nov 2013 Jan–Nov 2014 SOURCES: BC STATS/ STATISTICS CANADA

Major employers Top six sectors by number of employees

Wholesale & retail trade Health care & social assistance Construction Manufacturing Educational services Finance, real estate, insurance 5, 10000 ,0 15 00 ,0 20 00 , 25 000 ,00 30 0 ,0 35 00 , 40 000 ,0 45 00 ,00 0

a huge project for the city. The NEB review is expected to wrap up in October 2015. “They’re talking about hiring a thousand people [for] 18 months to two years. I think a lot of the economic future for Kamloops will be decided in this coming year,” Anderson said. Construction is underway in Oliver on Osoyoos Indian Band land for a $192 million BC Corrections facility. It will generate 1,000 direct and indirect jobs during construction and 240 new corrections jobs when it opens in fall 2016. The lakeside community of Summerland – best known as a tourist and winery destination – has attracted innovative companies that are pushing the limits of medical and energy research. Cueing off $300,000 in federal government grants, Mazza Innovation Ltd. has developed a patented process to extract phytochemicals from plants, mosty berries, and use them to create naturally sourced “nutraceuticals”, which Health Canada says can provide protection against chronic disease. “One of our interests is to extract highvalue products from the waste streams of the fruit and vegetable processing industries,” says company founder Dr. Joe Mazza. Also in Summerland, ElectroMotion Energy Corp. has developed a unique appliance the company claims combines home heating, cooling, hot water and even backup electrical power in a single gas-fired unit. Production began last year on the machine, which retails for around $25,000. É

Millions of dollars

Building permit values

SOURCE: CHARTERED PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS OF BC/ 2014 CHECK-UP BC

2015-03-09 2:27 PM

VERNON Population: 39,000

elcome to Vernon and the sunny North Okanagan, where our casual lifestyle matched with spectacular outdoor recreation opportunities has led Vernon to become one of the most economically diverse communities in British Columbia. Vernon is the economic anchor of the North Okanagan, serving a regional population of more than 100,000. Situated between Vancouver and Calgary and surrounded by three lakes the area offers hot summers and mild winters, which has attracted businesses and residents from across Canada to the area. As a winner of the 2014 Open for Business Awards, Vernon has a diverse economic base, with employment being generated from a growing professional services sector, the traditional resource sectors of forestry and agriculture, as well as the tourism, technology, manufacturing and service sectors. Vernon is home to a number of made-in-Vernon success stories, including Kal Tire, Tolko Industries and Okanagan Spring Brewery. Vernon has a well-deserved reputation for its recreational opportunities, including ready access to Okanagan, Swan and Kalamalka Lakes. The area is also home to three of BCâ€™s best known resort developments; Predator Ridge, Silver Star and Sparkling Hill. Predator Ridge Resort is one of Canadaâ€™s top golf resort communities. For those looking for winter opportunities, Silver Star Mountain Resort is known for its champagne powder. Sparkling Hill Resort, a $122 Million European Spa and Wellness centre, offers guests spectacular views of Okanagan Lake and the Monashee Mountains. Recent and ongoing investments in public services and amenities are enhancing Vernon as a desirable place to locate. The hospital expansion is complete, and a new public library and secondary school were complet-

ed in 2012. The City of Vernon has been investing in improved civic spaces, transit expansion, more sidewalk and trail connections and the creation of cycling infrastructure to enhance the livability of the community. Companies seeking to locate in Vernon have access to a highly skilled workforce. The University of BC Okanagan and Okanagan College campuses provide post-secondary opportunities to both high school graduates and returning students looking to upgrade their skills. Vernon is readily accessible by air, rail and road networks, providing businesses with excellent transportation linkages. The Kelowna International Airport is located 25 minutes from downtown Vernon. As Canadaâ€™s 10th largest airport, the airport offers direct flights to a variety of locations including San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton and Victoria. For rail users, CN Rail has made a substantial investment in the region by taking over operations of the branch line from Lumby, through Vernon and to their main line in Kamloops. Good food and a rich agricultural history play a large role in the economy, as evidenced by the many farmers markets and agri-tourism opportunities. Local produce and farm products abound, offering tremendous variety in organic and locally produced foods. Some key agritourism attractions include Davison Orchards, Planet Bee and Oâ€™Keefe Ranch along with numerous vineyards throughout the Okanagan. With a strong sense of community and beautiful Okanagan location, Vernon offers a great business climate and unmatched livability. We invite you to join us, but donâ€™t forget your shorts! Contact: City of Vernon Kevin Poole, Manager of Economic Development and Tourism Telephone: 250-550-3249, ecdev@vernon.ca, www.investvernon.ca

8PVMEOUyou

SBUIFSCF in shorts? We would. Weâ€™ve built a thriving business community with unmatched quality of life. Youâ€™re welcome to join us but donâ€™t forget your shorts. Contact us today to find out how your company can join in the success.

City of Vernon Economic Development tFDEFW!WFSOPODBtXXXJOWFTUWFSOPODB

02_INVEST IN BC 2015_P1-112_02.indd 62

2015-03-05 10:43 AM

WEST KELOWNA New Investment Demonstrates Confidence in Westbank Centre

EST KELOWNA â€“Westbank Centre is abuzz with activity as new investment pours into West Kelownaâ€™s urban core and the southern gateway to this beautiful lakeshore and mountainside community of 31,000. The District of West Kelownaâ€™s has acted highly strategically when it comes to Westbank Centre. When Council commissioned a revitalization plan in 2010, they wanted a clear vision and implementable actions that would generate new development and encourage renewal of existing businesses and residences. Their objective was to create a vibrant, mixed use, walkable and transit oriented urban place with a range of businesses, services, cultural and civic facilities and open spaces that would re-established Westbank Centre as the social, cultural and civic heart of the community and a desirable place to live, work, shop and play. The municipality has moved quickly to implement the plan, making a series of key investments that have demonstrated its confidence in Westbank Centre. Three major public infrastructure projects are currently in the works. In August 2013, a $2.6 million streetscape improvement project along Brown Road began. The boulevard will become the new â€œHigh Streetâ€? for Westbank Centre, serving as the alternative to Main Street, which also serves as the Highway 97 South Corridor. Brown Road has been designed to draw in highway traffic, but to also balance transportation uses. Priority has been placed on pedestrian pathways, sharing the road with cyclists, attractive landscaping with benches and decorative streetlights, and formalized parking areas. Aging utilities have been upgraded and moved underground in place of cluttered overhead telephone lines. Phase 1, from Main Street to Gateway Lane, will be completed in spring with future phases in the planning stages. This flagship Westbank Centre revitalization project will officially open with a summer street festival. The event will complement the popular, nearby Music in the Park free concert series, which draws up to 1,000 people each Friday night in July and August. Plans are unfolding for a new Municipal Hall to be located in Westbank Centre. The District of West Kelownaâ€™s administrative headquarters will total 23,000 square feet and be designed to accommodate future expansion. Complimentary civic uses or leasing opportunities are being considered in the design to add economic benefits to the project. Once completed, approximately 100 professional administrative staff will be based in Westbank Centre; and, the facility will draw in contractors, consultants and residents doing business with the

02_INVEST IN BC 2015_P1-112_02.indd 63

municipality, creating additional economic spinoffs for nearby shops, restaurants and service providers. West Kelowna has partnered with the Government of Canada, Province of British Columbia and BC Transit to construct a new bus exchange in Westbank Centre. The transit hub will be the southern terminus for BC RapidBus in the Central Okanagan. The transportation hub will create direct links to major

centres in the region including UBC Okanagan. The anticipated increase in ridership will bring new opportunities for Westbank Centre businesses. To be part of the transformation taking place in Westbank Centre, contact Business Development Officer John Perrott at 778-7972215 or email john.perrott@districtofwestkelowna.ca.

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Be of the excitement in Westbank x part 3ODQQLQJXQGHUZD\IRUDIXWXUH CentreVTXDUHIRRW&LW\+DOOLQ today! Contact John Perrott, Economic Development OfďŹ cer for a one-on-one tour and discovery of opportunities today.

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)RUPRUHLQIRUPDWLRQRQLQYHVWPHQW GHYHORSPHQWRSSRUWXQLWLHVLQ :HVW.HORZQDFDOO-RKQ3HUURWW%XVLQHVV'HYHORSPHQW2IILFHU GLUHFWO\DWRUMRKQSHUURWW#GLVWULFWRIZHVWNHORZQDFD

2015-03-05 10:43 AM

Welcome to Summerland

SUMMERLAND You’re Going To Fit Right In.. • a community of 11,000 people perfectly situated between Penticton and Kelowna • lush orchards, spectacular vineyards, and meandering roads with views of brilliant blue water • only 15 minutes from an additional 45,000 people • within an hour’s radius of 250,000 people, an international airport and the US border • amazing recreational opportunities, excellent schools and a culture of helping our neighbors • every type of farm-fresh fruit and produce available at our fingertips • an economy built on agriculture, tourism, technology and custom manufacturing • newly available industrial land and development opportunities • world class technology and scientific firms as well as the Federal Pacific Agri-food Research Centre We invite you to download our new INVESTMENT AND RELOCATION GUIDE and view our VIDEO LIBRARY at www.summerlandchamber.com. Contact: Ian McIntosh, Director of Development District of Summerland 250-404-4048 or imcintosh@summerland.ca

BARRIERE

o you seek a friendly community that understands the needs of business and strives to provide a climate for success? Would a sustainable community plan and a progressive economic development model work with your business plan? Are you looking for a municipality that has the foresight to provide revitalization tax exemptions should your enterprise fit the model? Barriere, British Columbia, is the community you seek. We are within 45 minutes of Sun Peaks, one of B.C.’s best family ski resorts, and the City of Kamloops with its numerous large city amenities and services like an International airport, regional hospital and Thompson Rivers University. Right in Barriere you will find a medical clinic and associated services easily available. Located on the Yellowhead Highway #5, midway between Vancouver and Edmonton, Barriere’s strong business and industrial base and the abundant resource and recreational opportunities in the surrounding area contribute to a diverse and thriving economy. A blend of pre-zoned, serviced and fully accessible industrial, small business and agricultural opportunities of various sizes are available as well as ample affordable employee housing options. Whatever your needs, either in the District of Barriere or in the surrounding Thompson Nicola Regional District – Area O, we are here to help. Come to Barriere and “Grow With Us!” Contact: Mayor Virginia Smith Tel: 250-851-6165 Email: mayor@barriere.ca Website: www.barriere.ca

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2015-03-05 10:43 AM

LAKE COUNTRY

t’s 2015. Why is your business dealing with site selection like it is 1955? High prices. Small spaces. Limited facilities. All so that you can leave the office and enjoy sitting in stop and go traffic for an hour and a half. Is this really how you saw yourself living your life? It’s time to live life the Okanagan way. Starting your business in Lake Country means having all of the convenience of operating in a major centre, but none of the downsides. Your business will be less than 10 minutes from an international airport. 15 minutes from a world class university. You will be able to access staff from up and down the Okanagan Valley. All without traffic headaches, safety nightmares and inflated housing prices. Exactly why aren’t you here already? Location Lake Country is a community of more than 12,000 residents, directly at the heart of a 270,000 person commuter-shed. With easy access to the cities of Kelowna and Vernon, your staff will have access to all of the comforts of any major city. Lake Country remains a fast growing community, with growth rates averaging 3.4% annually since 2006. The Kelowna International Airport, only ten minutes from Lake Country – if you hit the traffic light – is now one of the ten busiest airports in Canada. With flights all over Canada and increasingly into the United States, you can reach your clients as easily as those in the Lower Mainland can. Lifestyle Wanting to go skiing? Sailing? Fishing, hiking or cycling? The Okanagan is where people come to take their vacation. Don’t you want to live and work where people take their vacation? Within a forty minute drive, Lake Country has access to 2 world class ski hills, 3 major lakes, and over 50 wineries. The classic Okanagan weekend of skiing in the morning and sailing in the afternoon is an unbeatable attractant to young workers.

going to go enjoy my ten minute commute home and go fishing. Enjoy sitting in traffic.

style. With the youngest population base in the Central Okanagan, Lake Country is where your young staff wants to be. You and your staff are working 50 weeks a year to be able to take a 2 week Okanagan vacation. Why not flip that equation on its head, and bring your business to the heart of the Okanagan? Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m

Contact District of Lake Country Economic Development ecdev@lakecountry.bc.ca okanaganway.ca

This is where your business should be. It’s been said that Lake Country is the best place in British Columbia. And since British Columbia is the best province in Canada, and Canada the best country in the world, that means Lake Country is where you want to be. Great climate, great lifestyle, and even better access to markets you want to be in. Population (2012)

12,041

Regional Population

188,500

Average Housing Price

$478,000

Growth Rate (2006-2013)

3.4% annually

Highway Trafﬁc

26,000 cars per day

Vernon

Advantages The Okanagan is home to a fast growing young tech centre, with companies as large as Disney opting to take advantage of the low costs, high quality staff and unbeatable life-

Kelowna

LAKE COUNTRY Penticton Osoyoos

For more information:

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OKANAGANWAY.CA

2015-03-05 10:43 AM

Merritt

very town, city and community has unique local conditions that either help or hinder your business opportunities. If you are looking to build your business in a progressive community that is strategically located, the City of Merritt is your location of opportunity. The City of Merritt’s Economic Development Department is here to provide a conduit to disseminate quality information, increase the growth and competitiveness of our value-added sectors, facilitate economic development, work to attract investment and promote the City of Merritt. Coordination Working with the City of Merritt’s Economic Development Department will help ensure the co-ordination of efforts to maintain and strengthen a sound economic climate. The partnerships between government, community, industry, post-secondary institutions and other organizations are the cornerstone for economic development success. Diversification Economic development in Merritt is focused on municipal competitiveness, where the emphasis is on the need to be effective but efficient, and an open-for-business regulatory approach. Our diverse economy ensures that your business can capitalize on our diversity of people and culture; leverage our workforce, location, infrastructure to your advantage over competing communities; and build a strong relationship between your business, industry, government and education to ensure sustainability. Location Located at the intersection of key major transportation routes, the City of Merritt offers transportation and distribution to all points throughout British Columbia and beyond. Merritt offers a cost-effective approach to business as an intersection point for transportation and distribution. Relocating, building or establishing your business in Merritt is a smart business decision and a wise lifestyle choice. Merritt is strategically located to support efficient distribution channels, there is a post-secondary institution that supports industry specific requirements, and the critical infrastructure to allow businesses to easily develop and expand. But Merritt is so much more.

Progressive Taxation Progressive taxation policies to encourage business growth, expansion, and attraction are the cornerstone of our business friendly environment. The City of Merritt has two revitalization tax exemption bylaws that offer up to 100% tax exemption for up to five years, depending on project, location, and bylaw criteria. Urban Yet Country Merritt has an urban lifestyle in a country setting. There are modern facilities to meet your recreational needs, national chain retailers, unique shopping, cafés, diverse dining and access to the outdoors at your doorstep. A Lifestyle Choice Merritt is more than business; it is a lifestyle choice. Merritt supports the longest established franchise in the B.C. Junior Hockey League. There is a modern aquatic centre, a mountain bike park, skateboard park and children’s water park as well as sports, rugby and lacrosse fields, tennis courts, a bowling alley, hockey and curling rink, and a nine-hole golf course. Outdoor Adventure Outdoor opportunities are plentiful: drop your canoe or kayak right from your back door. The Nicola and Coldwater Rivers run through the heart of the City of Merritt. There are also mountain bike, ATV and hiking trail networks surrounding Merritt. The Kettle Valley Rail Trail network is accessible from within the city.

Sustainability If you are looking for a long-term sustainable environment to grow your business, look no further than the City of Merritt. Merritt has a significant “baby boomer” and “baby bounce” population. Of the 7,113-strong population, 30% are under 25. With such a mix of experience and youth, the labour force can meet the long-term sustainable growth of your business.

Event Destination Merritt also hosts a number of special events: stage and music performances at outdoor venues in the summer, to the Canadian Rally Championship each fall. Bass Coast Festival and Rockin’ River Musicfest to name a few. The City of Merritt caps off the year with the Merritt Country Christmas Parade (North America’s seventh-largest Christmas parade). We are here to support the routes (and roots) of growth for your business, your industry. The City of Merritt is strategically located to support your business and lifestyle opportunities. Contact the Economic Development Manager at the City of Merritt for further information.

Post-Secondary Training The Nicola Valley Institute of Technology (NVIT) offers university degree programs and university transfer programs, trade and skills programs, adult education and upgrading, BCIT technical skills training, and other customized programs to meet your business needs.

Contact Economic Development Manager City of Merritt Telephone: 250-378-4224 Website: www.merritt.ca

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Location. Access. Convenience.

Large auditorium capacity for 500 people. Breakout rooms for plenary sessions ranging from 35 â€“ 80 people.

Merritt Civic Centre: The prime location for your

Conference Facilities

next business conference, workshop or event.

r Breakout rooms for 35-80

Centrally located between Vancouver and the

r Dividable auditorium for up to 500

Okanagan

r Full catering and banquet facilities for up to 450 r Fully equipped A/V teleconferencing/sound for all types of presentations r Diverse range of accommodations and attractions

250- | www.merritt.ca]FNBJMKFUDIBSU!NFSSJUUDB

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Kootenay

POWERING UP Kootenays provide hydro power and outstanding recreation facilities in B.C.’s mountain playground

6.2%

Share of B.C. land area

DARAH HANSEN

■Castlegar ■Cranbrook ■Creston ■Fernie ■Grand Forks ■Invermere ■Kaslo ■Kimberley ■Nakusp ■Nelson ■New Denver ■Radium Hot Springs ■Rossland ■Slocan ■Sparwood ■Trail

ranbrook, the largest city in the Kootenays, is also one of the best in B.C., according to annual rankings from BCBusiness magazine. Its 2015 ranking among the 35 “best cities in B.C.” likely came as no surprise to those who live and work in this city on the Kootenay River. The city has seen a 13.7 per cent increase in income growth, boasts an average household income of more than $81,000 and, with a business-friendly city administration, is a pivotal service centre for the Kootenay region. Cranbrook’s economic development office forecasts that up to 10,000 new residents could move in over the next 10 to 15 years, with rising employment linked to value-added manufacturing, the expanded airport and improved college and medical facilities. Tourism is also a booming economic force both in Cranbrook and the Kootenays. The region’s legendary beauty has made it a favourite among tourists from all over the world. The Kootenay Rockies, one of six tourism regions in the province, attracted an estimated 1.8 million overnight visitors in 2012 and generated an estimated $607 million in direct and related spending, according to the province’s tourism authority, Destination British Columbia. Outdoor activities account for the biggest tourism attraction to the region, including camping, hiking and golfing in the peak summer months. Downhill skiing or snowboarding was also included in the “top five” list for American visitors to the region. Four of B.C.’s seven national parks are located here, with local ski hills offering some of the finest powder to be found anywhere in North America.

Construction, forestry, mining, fishing and hydroelectricity generation employ an estimated 30 per cent of all workers

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Labour market

77,900

Total employment in Kootenays

27% 73% Goods-producing sector Service-producing sector SOURCE: BC STATS

Building permit values Millions of dollars

$250

The best powder skiing in North America is discovered on the peaks of the Kootenays | TOTAL HELISKI

200 150 100 50

t its its its its v’ rm erm erm erm l/go e l p l p l p l p na ta tia ria cia tio To den ust er itu si nd mm st Re I Co In Jan–Nov 2013

Workers enter massive tunnels at the $900 million Waneta Expansion Project, which completes this year and will generate power for 60,000 homes and jobs for 350 people | COLUMBIA POWER

Jan–Nov 2014 SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA

Economic activity Top five industries by number of employees

Wholesale & retail trade Health care & social assistance Accommodation & food services Forestry,mining, oil & gas

2,0 00 4,0 00 6,0 00 8,0 00 10 ,00 12 0 ,00 14 0 ,00 0

Manufacturing

SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA LABOUR FORCE SURVEY

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Kootenay

Nelson has a diverse infrastructure with significant small and mediumsized business growth. The community continues to build on vibrant tourism and high-tech sectors while expanding its value added and light manufacturing sectors | PROVINCE OF BC/PICTURE BC

Tourists – among the 1.8 million visitors to the Kootenays annually – enjoy the Halcyon Hot Springs and Spa near Nakusp | DESTINATIONBC/ DAVE HEATH

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And there is also power. The much-anticipated completion of the $900 million Waneta Expansion Project, south of Trail, this year will generate more than just renewable power to 60,000 homes. The FortisBC megaproject will also directly employ 350 people. The investment is a welcome addition to any regional economy – more so in the Kootenays where the rugged landscape, forests and rivers sustain a way of life for the 153,000 people who call the southeast corner of the province home. Known as B.C.’s “mountain playground”, the Kootenay region covers an estimated 58,000 square kilometres of the province. It stretches over a system of lush valleys and stunning mountain ranges, including the Purcells, Selkirks and Monashees, and embraces all or part of the Elk River, Kootenay River, Bull River, St. Marys River, Columbia River, Kootenay Lake, Lower Arrow Lake, Slocan River, Kettle River, Upper Arrow Lake, Duncan Lake and Kicking Horse River watersheds. The economy here has always been strongly rooted in natural resources. Construction, forestry, mining, fishing and hydroelectricity generation employ an estimated 30 per cent of all workers. In November, the province gave Teck, the region’s largest employer with an estimated 1,500 people at its zinc and lead smelting and refining complex in Trail, the environmental go-ahead to move forward with planned mining activities in the Elk Valley watershed, near the town of Sparwood. Teck, which has coal-mining operations in the area, estimates it will spend $600 million over a five-year period to install water diversions and water treatment facilities necessary to meet provincial water-quality targets. Trail is also home to the Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital, the region’s second-largest employer with 650 people directly on its payroll, plus another 80 doctors, dentists and health-care specialists. É

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INVEST KOOTENAY

hy invest in the Kootenay region? Our abundant investment opportunities, affordable real estate, close proximity to U.S./ Alberta markets, skilled labour force, and business-friendly communities provide the ideal investment climate. Our region also offers a spectacular mountain lifestyle that includes year-round recreational opportunities, fun cultural events and vibrant family-friendly communities. Live in the midst of spectacular mountain ranges; pristine valleys; clear lakes and rivers. Regional highlights: • Two regional and one international airport with direct flights to Calgary, Vancouver & Kelowna • Seven major ski resorts and several world-class golf courses • Two post-secondary educational institutions: Selkirk College and College of the Rockies • Highly skilled workforce • Regional population of 165,000 Since 2005, Invest Kootenay has brought together Canadian and international investors with opportunities in the Kootenay region – where opportunity meets lifestyle. Visit InvestKootenay.com for current investment opportunities in our region, plus recent news, business success stories, community profiles and other resources for investors. Let us help connect you to your investment dream.

REVELSTOKE Population: 8,500

Discover your Kootenay investment opportunity

REVELSTOKE, B.C.

evelstoke is located in southeastern B.C. in the Columbia River Valley, adjacent to two national parks and among some of the most spectacular scenery to be found in British Columbia. Approximately halfway between Vancouver and Calgary on the Trans-Canada Highway and the CPR mainline, Revelstoke’s market area is central to the West Coast, the Okanagan and Kootenay regions, and Alberta. Key sectors of the economy include forestry, transportation and a rapidly expanding tourism industry. The development of a major fourseason resort is underway at Mount Mackenzie, minutes away from the beautifully restored downtown. At over 1,900 metres (6,000 feet), Revelstoke Mountain Resort boasts the longest vertical of any ski resort in North America and the fourth-longest in the world. This project has excellent investment potential. For more information, visit www.discoverrevelstoke.com. Heli and cat skiing/boarding are well-established winter attractions and Revelstoke has been rated as the No. 1 snowmobile destination in North America! The summer adventure tourism market is also a growin industry with mountain biking, boating, hiking, dirt bike riding and backcountry treks, all popular pursuits. Revelstoke has been rated as one of the top seven adventure destinations in the world and as one of the top 10 outdoor adventure communities in North America! Contact Alan Mason Director of Community Economic Development 1-800-487-1493 amason@revelstoke.ca www.seerevelstoke.com or www.cityofrevelstoke.com

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pectacular scenery, excellent recreational opportunities, strong support for business, good access to transportation routes, a rich heritage, and a quality of life second to none! The mountain community of Revelstoke welcomes you as a visitor, a new resident or a new business owner. For more information visit us at

www.cityofrevelstoke.com or call 1-800-487-1493 amason@revelstoke.ca

A great place to visit! • A wonderful place to live! • An affordable place to do business!

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CASTLEGAR

he West Kootenay has a distinct cultural flavour and warmth of humanity that will bring a quick smile to your faceâ€Ś and a lingering feeling of contentment. Lifestyle is not urban rush, but a relaxed mix of outdoor rugged and urban cool. There is a creative undertow to the human tide. Business is important, but the lifestyle dog still wags the business tail. Castlegar is the West Kootenayâ€™s commercial service centre, including the West Kootenay Regional Airport and Selkirk Collegeâ€™s main campus. Castlegarâ€™s location squarely midway between Vancouver and Calgary has produced todayâ€™s investment opportunity. Castlegarâ€™s competitive advantage lies in its central location in the West Kootenay region, low business costs/cost of living, and cultured outdoor lifestyle. Sited midway between Vancouver and Calgary, the West Kootenay region is an increasingly attractive investment option to the Okanagan and the East Kootenay region. This business opportunity and an affordable cost of living support the notion that entrepreneurs can both balance the books and balance life. Castlegarâ€™s economic base is stable and diversified (forestry, mining, hydro, government services, retail, tourism). Business conditions are dynamic and affordable. The City is big enough to support full services and its commercial service centre vision is ambitious. A Rare Investment Opportunity â€“ West Kootenay Regional Centre Currently the West Kootenay regional market (65,000 population) is underserved by the major retail sector. This is a rare opportunity to provide a centralization of key commercial services to the entire market. By

locating centrally, the proposed West Kootenay Regional Centre is accessible to 70 per cent of the regionâ€™s population within 40 minutes. The West Kootenay Regional Centre commercial lands are the largest and most accessible tract of raw, flat commercial land in the West Kootenay. This city owned 39 acre site is central to the regional marketplace with access to Highway 3, Highway 3A and Highway 22 that intersect at the project site. Direct site access to Highway 3 has Provincial approval in principle for a full primary access intersection with secondary access. The site has been recently serviced with water and sewer and it is pre-zoned in terms of regulatory approval. The City has a preliminary grading plan for the siteâ€™s development and the land is available for purchase or long term (99 year) lease. In a region that continues to show consistent positive growth, there are very few, if any, other flat serviced commercial 20 â€“ 30 acre plus sites in the region. The site is adjacent to the West Kootenay Regional Airport, which is serviced by Air Canada and enjoys 70,000 passenger movements per year. A new Regional Gaming Centre was recently opened on the adjacent airport lands and a new Fortis Regional Operations Centre is planned for an adjacent site on the other side of the airport. For more information about the West Kootenay Regional Centre commercial lands contact the City of Castlegar at economicdevelopment@castlegar.ca or phone the City of Castlegar, Chief Administrative Officer at 250.365.7227. Lifeâ€™s an adventure. Start a new one in Castlegar, B.C. www.castlegar.ca

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02_INVEST IN BC 2015_P1-112_02.indd 72

2015-03-05 10:43 AM

Cranbrook/Kimberley

“I

nspiring”, what more aptly describes it. With the majestic Rockies to our east and the stately Purcell Mountains to our west, this uncommon corridor is simply… Inspiring! But there is much more to us than our spectacular setting. Cranbrook and Kimberley are alive with opportunity for those seeking a vibrant, welcoming and affordable place to call home; and for those trail blazers seeking to create and grow their business. A Large and Expanding Market As the largest city and regional service centre for south-eastern British Columbia, Cranbrook offers a range of services and amenities you would expect to find in a much larger centre, while still maintaining the warmth and charm of a smaller rural town. And just a short distance to the north, the mountain resort community of Kimberley offers a four-season suite of recreational opportunities to meet the lifestyle sought by energetic entrepreneurs and professionals alike. The corridor is a closely integrated market, where upwards of 700 vehicles travel the 30 minute drive between the communities daily. Our regional population is in excess of 73,000 permanent residents with Cranbrook itself accounting for some 20,000 and Kimberley 7,000 of these. In addition approximately 30,000 seasonal residents live and enjoy the region. Our broader market includes a neighbouring population of 1.7 million (1.2 million in nearby southern Alberta-Calgary) and 329,000 in the neighbouring US counties. These surrounding regions play an important role in Cranbrook and Kimberley’s economy and future. Strategic Assets Cranbrook provides ground transport links to markets across North America with direct access to CP Rail’s and Union Pacific’s rail network, four common carriers, and bonded warehouse services. Quick access to the US by both road and rail is only a short 40 km away through Kingsgate, Idaho. In addition, enjoy the benefits of proximity to Calgary and Spokane. In terms of air services, the newly expanded Canadian Rockies International Airport is rapidly emerging as a growth engine for the region. It is the 10th busiest airport in the province with 128,941 passengers in 2014, a 10% increase over 2010. Our regular scheduled service to Vancouver, Calgary and Kelowna is a great complement to the 70 hectare business-industrial airport park planned for 2015. If health care or education services are a deciding factor for you and your employees, we have that covered as well. Our firstclass regional hospital, full complement of medical specialists and wide range of associated healthcare facilities are able to respond to your needs. And whether it’s for your children’s education, enhancing the strength of your workforce or simply your own interests, our K to 12 school system and post-secondary College of the Rockies – offering both degree and diploma level studies – will fit the bill. And finally, when it comes to high-speed telecommunications that won’t be an issue. In addition to services provided by the major carriers (TELUS, Shaw, Bell and Rogers Wireless) local networks such as FlexiNet and Cranbrook’s own municipal fibre-optic network are available in the downtown core and targeted areas.

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With such assets, it is no wonder Kimberley and Cranbrook are home to an increasing population of entrepreneurs who value a place that offers that uncommon balance of business opportunity and unparalleled quality of life. The Opportunities Kimberley and Cranbrook are growing and diversifying their economy. Building on its role as a regional service centre, its strategic location to major markets, and access to key distribution networks Cranbrook is well positioned for the future. And with Kimberley’s emergence as a premiere mountain lifestyle community, its state of the art-conference centre, and national Paralympic Alpine Training Centre, Kimberley is in a class of its own. Complimenting all of this, new investments in strategic infrastructure will only enhance the opportunities. Opportunities in our renewed natural resources sector with a focus on: untapped mineral resources; advanced forest products; value-added agriculture; and, renewable energy. Opportunities to build on our manufacturing in: wood, metal; food processing; electronics, textile and other specialty manufacturing. Opportunities to be part of our growing services sector in: retail; accommodations & hospitality; finance and professional services. And opportunities in our all important support services: public services such as health and education; commercial services such as heavy equipment and repair; and our ever growing role in telecommunication, logistics and transport. All the Right Reasons For motivated and energetic people seeking the ultimate in work/life balance, the timing has never been better. And when your workday is over the fun really begins! Skiing, snowmobiling, golf, hiking, mountain biking, water sports, fishing, nature watching… it’s all to be found here And if it’s a night-out you seek, we have that in abundance, whether it’s simply some fine dining, a night of fun a the the Casino or the Rockies, cheering on our WHL “Kootenay Ice”, taking in the symphony, or one of the many head-line performances (Bob Dylan, The Tragically Hip, River Dance, Barney Bentall, Natalie McMaster, Holly Cole and Nickel Back to name a few) you can find it here. All of this is waiting for you in one of B.C.’s most affordable areas. So check us out; you’ll be glad you did!

Contact Kevin Weaver, Business & Economic Development Manager City of Cranbrook 40 - 10th Avenue South Cranbrook, BC V1C 2M8 Phone: (250) 489-0232 or 1-800-728-CRAN Email: invest@cranbrook.ca, www.cranbrook.ca

Kevin Wilson Economic Development Officer City of Kimberley 340 Spokane Street Kimberley BC V1A 2E8 Phone: (250)-427-9666 email: kwilson@kimberley.ca www.kimberley.ca

2015-03-05 10:43 AM

AN UNCOMMON CORRIDOR Connection, Kootenay culture and a collection of the best of mountain living. The Canadian Rockies International Airport is

Where mountains of opportunity meet a good place to be,

situated just minutes from Cranbrook — the

a story of possibility awaits.

Kootenay Rockies’ central city, and Kimberley — Canada’s highest city.

Discover more:

What parts of our story will work best for you?

www.FlyCanadianRockies.com \ www.Cranbrook.ca \ www.InvestKimberley.com

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REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: s

Canadian Rockies International Airport, YXC

Direct ďŹ‚ights to Calgary, Vancouver & Kelowna

Transport centre, national highway and rail

College of the Rockies and regional hospital

Advantage affordability: commercial & residential

8 golf courses and a major ski resort

Major centre amenities and small town charm

Commercial services hub for southeast BC

â€˘

Regional pop. nearly 75,000

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Cariboo

TIME TO BUILD Manufacturing, mineral exploration and forestry development drive the Cariboo economy

14.2%

Share of B.C. land area

NOA NICHOL

■100 Mile House ■Barkerville ■Mackenzie ■McBride ■Prince George ■Quesnel ■Valemount ■Wells ■Williams Lake

entrally located between B.C.’s Coast Mountain range and the Alberta border, the Cariboo region comprises 130,000-plus square kilometres. The region is anchored by Prince George – fifth-largest city outside in B.C. outside of the Lower Mainland, with 75,000 residents – and includes communities like Barkerville, Mackenzie, McBride, Quesnel and Williams Lake. Prince George, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, is the host city for the Canada Winter Games 2015, which drew 2,400 athletes from across Canada. The games are expected to pump $90 million into the local economy and leave a lasting legacy. Prince George is the central hub for resource companies that are centralizing their operations involved in forestry, natural gas and mining. The city is also the site of the first winery in the north, the Northern Lights Estate Winery. The service centre for the Cariboo has also seen the recent expansion of shopping centres and the opening of two new vehicle dealerships. Several hotel projects are also underway. The startup of Prince George’s Lakeland sawmill in December 2014 signals a recovery in the Cariboo forestry sector, fuelled by improved lumber prices and an upturn in the U.S. housing market. Manufacturing continues to be a lead industry in the region, with wood, paper and metal manufacturing companies employing a majority of the regional workforce. Construction is also a key; in fact, in its 2022 Labour Market Outlook, B.C.’s Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and

The region is anchored by Prince George, which has 75,000 residents

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WINTER GAMES, ARDOR MEDIA, SIMON RATCLIFFE

Affordable housing Percentage of income needed to buy an average-priced house 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10

Percentage of income

The spirit of the Prince George Canada Winter Games 2015 is embraced by the entire community – such as these young skaters and torch bearer – as the city celebrates its 100th anniversary. The Games, held February 13 to March 1, hosted 2,400 athletes | CANADA

e eG

o nc

u ol

iti

SOURCE: INITIATIVES PRINCE GEORGE

$100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10

Ind

us Ins Com trial me itu tio r na cial l/g ov Re sid ’t en tia l

Millions of dollars

Building permit values

Jan–Nov 2013 Jan–Nov 2014 SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA

Major employers Top six industries by number of employees

2,0 00 4,0 00 6,0 00 8,0 0 10 0 ,00 12 0 ,00 14 0 ,00 0

Wholesale & retail trade Manufacturing Health care & social assistance Construction Accommodation & food services Forestry, mining, oil & gas

SOURCE: CHARTERED PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS OF BC, 2014 BC CHECK-UP

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Cariboo

The Valemount Glacier Destination aims to include the largest vertical drop in North America – by a wide margin – with hopes to attract destination visitors from around the world | PICTUREBC

Residents of historic gold rush communities like Barkerville and Wells have renewed their call for the province to create a circle route between the popular tourist spots in order to increase visitors to the area | DESTINATION BC/THOMAS DRASDAUSKIS

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Skills Training cites the sector as “the fastest-growing industry in the region.” Finally, tourism is proving to be an increasingly important piece of the Cariboo economy, with a range of businesses benefiting from a growing interest in sport fishing, hunting, skiing and destination resorts. In Valemount, for

example, plans for a high-alpine, year-round skiing and sightseeing destination were pushing forward in early 2015, with new investors signing on. The Valemount Glacier Destination (VGD) aims to include the largest vertical drop in North America – by a wide margin – with hopes to attract destination visitors from around the world. “We are working diligently to build an unparalleled mountain destination in co-operation with the people of Valemount and the Simpcw First Nation,” says Oberto Oberti, the project’s designer and president and CEO of VGD. “Our goal is to achieve a master development agreement with the province by the spring of 2016.” Another Cariboo group looking to capitalize on the tourism trend: residents of historic gold rush communities like Barkerville and Wells, who have renewed their call for the province to build a road that would create a circle route between the two popular tourist towns. É

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QUESNEL

uesnel is located in the central interior of British Columbia, at the confluence of the Quesnel and Fraser Rivers. As the commercial centre of the North Cariboo, Quesnel services over 23,000 people, and is accessed by reliable rail, road and air transportation. Our area is rich in natural resources, complemented by a strong agricultural community. Quesnel Regional Airport offers daily flights to Vancouver, making larger markets accessible within a one-day drive, or one-hour flight. The recently expanded apron, revitalization tax exemption on airport lands, and proximity to Quesnel’s industrial park, makes the Quesnel Airport Lands an excellent choice for locating your light industrial business. Quesnel boasts three business improvement areas that offer added support to draw clientele to your business in West, South, and Downtown Quesnel. Our façade improvement program will help to spruce up your business when the time is right. The Quesnel and District Chamber of Commerce, Community Futures North Cariboo and Economic Development round out the local resources available to help your business succeed. Quesnel provides a skilled workforce with top-notch post secondary education in trades training and academic programs available at the recently expanded North Cariboo Community Campus. Buying a home is affordable, with great schools and parks in every neighbourhood, and short commutes leaving more time to spend with family. Whether you like to hike, run, ski, dance, paint or play guitar, Quesnel has it all. A vibrant community, offering world-class recreation opportunities in our backyard, arts and culture activities and regular family events, Quesnel has a great quality of life that makes our residents proud to call Quesnel home. Contact: Amy Reid, Economic Development Officer info@quesnelinfo.com www.quesnelinfo.com

PRINCE GEORGE

rince George’s thriving economy, its central location in one of the fastest growing regions in Canada, and its superior transportation connectivity make the city a preferred investment location. The Prince George economy is well-diversified across all sectors. The city has a strong natural resource base, but also supplies goods and services for a broad range of sector activities in northern British Columbia, within Canada and internationally. The city provides exceptional connectivity to provincial, national and global markets through an international airport (YXS), a CN Rail intermodal facility, provincial Highways 16 and 97, and its proximity to the Ports of Prince Rupert and Metro Vancouver. Entrepreneurship is strongly supported in Prince George, with opportunities in all sectors for professionals looking to expand. A broad selection of competitively-priced commercial space is available, development cost charges are among the lowest in BC and the City offers competitive tax rates. The city’s population of nearly 80,000 is relatively young with 74% of residents under the age of 55. Prince George is home to the main campuses of the University of Northern British Columbia and the College of New Caledonia, which provide a wide range of programming to aid in the development of a workforce with diverse skill sets. With a local economy that has grown at 4.7% annually since 2010, which is nearly double the growth of the BC economy, Prince George is the ideal location to expand or establish a business. For more information about Prince George, contact: Initiatives Prince George Economic Development Corporation 250.564.0282 info@initiativespg.com www.initiativespg.com

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Located in one of the fastest growing regions in Canada, Prince George has a thriving economy that oﬀers a diverse range of opportunities for new business investment. Contact us for more information.

Initiatives Prince George Economic Development Corporation Tel. 250.564.0282 | www.investprincegeorge.ca |

2015-03-05 10:43 AM

District of Mackenzie Mackenzie…the Sky’s the Limit Mackenzie lies at the southern end of Williston Lake, the largest man made reservoir in North America, formed by the W.A.C. Bennett Dam on the Peace River. Residents enjoy pristine wilderness, endless recreation opportunities, affordable housing and the benefits of life in a small town. There is truly something for everyone with picturesque lakes for boating and fishing, an abundance of trails for winter and summer activities, and enviable snow conditions for skiers and snowmobilers alike. The District of Mackenzie was incorporated in 1966 after the development of large pulp and lumber manufacturing mills. Today, Mackenzie is home to several large industrial facilities including sawmill complexes, a pulp mill, and finger jointing mill. For new business prospects, the municipality boasts low land costs, competitive tax rates, and availability of power and water for industrial applications. Forestry Forestry is the backbone of Mackenzie’s economy and has a bright future. With the reopening of the Canfor Mackenzie operation, the Mackenzie Pulp Mill and Conifex Mackenzie our economy is back stronger than ever. New businesses have been developed as a result and there is also interest being generated regarding the utilization of the residual fibre supply that results from this activity. While many communities are planning for a sharp drop in available timber supply and reduced timber harvesting in the near future, Mackenzie is gearing up for a period of increased harvesting, without a drop in long term timber supply. Our Timber Supply Area has a solid softwood timber base and Mackenzie’s forest industry is here for the long term as major forest companies are making significant capital investment to their operations. Forest companies are looking for people to join their teams and openings are available in the mills as well as numerous opportunities on the timber harvesting side. Mining The construction of the Mount Milligan copper-gold mine located just 98 km from Mackenzie is now complete and is fully operational. The concentrate is trucked daily from the mine to a load out facility in Mackenzie which is then transported by rail to port facilities in Vancouver. Geologists have discovered deposits of lead, zinc, silver, gold and niobum in our area that are being considered as potential sites for future mine development. There are several coal projects that are investigating the possibility of barging coal down Williston Lake to a load out facility in Mackenzie. With the increasing amount of exploration in the area, Mackenzie will likely see added investment and business creation in the local economy. Mackenzie has an excellent strategic location to service these developments during their exploration, construction and operational stages. Our road structures and barge and rail services are all capable of providing access to the mineral wealth in the area. Two notable projects are the AuRico Gold, Kemess Underground copper-gold property and the Taseko Mines, Aley niobium property. Both of these projects are in the early stages of the Environmental Assessment process.

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Green Energy Conifex Timber is in the process of constructing a Bioenergy Power Facility in Mackenzie which will complement their existing woodland operations and lumber manufacturing business. Waste fibre from their sawmilling and timber harvesting operations will be used to fuel the bioenergy plant which will supply power to its operations as well as be sold to BC Hydro. Gas Transmission Pipelines TransCanada and Spectra Energy are proposing to construct gas transmission pipelines just north of our municipal boundaries. Both the TransCanada – Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Project and the Spectra Energy – Westcoast Connector Gas Transmission Project are in the BC Environmental Assessment process and are waiting for final investment decisions in 2015 and 2016 respectively. The Future The District of Mackenzie continues to work towards diversifying its economy. The opportunities are truly endless in the District of Mackenzie. The community welcomes you to consider Mackenzie as your future home, place of work, and outdoor playground. In Mackenzie, the sky’s the limit. For more information: Phone: (250)997-3221 Email: info@district.mackenzie.bc.ca Website: www.district.mackenzie.bc.ca

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Photo: RMTA

• Quality infrastructure supporting industry • Surrounded by world class year-round recreation • Community openly welcomes new industries, businesses, residents and visitors Pytlowany Photography

Ph: 250.997.3221

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info@district.mackenzie.bc.ca

www.district.mackenzie.bc.ca

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North Coast

BIG HORIZON Retreating ice and incoming resource giants poised to transform the North Coast region into a global mining and LNG export centre

12%

Share of B.C. land area

NELSON BENNETT AND FRANK O’BRIEN

■Hazelton ■Kitimat ■Masset

■New Hazelton ■Port Clements ■Port Edward ■Port Simpson ■Prince Rupert ■Queen Charlotte City ■Sandspit ■Skidegate ■Telegraph Creek ■Terrace

On the horizon: Exxon, the world’s largest private resource company, has big plans for liquefied natural gas shipments from B.C.’s North Coast | CENTER FOR LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS

elting glacier ice has made it easier for geologists in B.C. to prove known mineral deposits through exploratory drilling that could not have taken place 40 or 50 years ago. Gwenn Flowers, Canada research chair of glaciology at Simon Fraser University, said there were 30,000 square kilometres of glacial ice in B.C. in the 1980s. Ten per cent of that ice has melted since the mid-1980s, she said. In recent decades, some glaciers have retreated as much as two kilometres. The Red Mountain underground gold mine near Stewart is one of a handful of new mines being proposed for deposits that only became viable in recent decades, thanks to retreating glaciers. “Due to global warming, the glaciers and ice fields have been melting and retreating at a tremendous rate,” says Rob McLeod, CEO of IDM Mining Ltd., which hopes to turn the Red Mountain gold deposit near Stewart into a new underground mine. “One of the benefits of that is you get all of this geological exposure that has never been prospected. I can point to at least three significant discoveries just in the past five or six years.” One is the Brucejack underground gold-silver mine that Pretium Resources Inc. is proposing to build near Stewart. McLeod also points to the Seabridge Gold Inc. KSM mine in the same area – touted as the largest undeveloped gold-copper deposit in the world. Although some of the deposits now being developed into mines were known to have good mineralization, glacier coverage made it difficult to do the exploratory drilling needed to prove out a deposit.

Imperial’s two-train facility would produce 15 million metric tonnes of LNG annually, which would require roughly 330 to 430 LNG carriers per year to ship the gas to Asia

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Prince Rupert harbour, a historical centre for commercial fishing, now shares its waters with export freighters and, soon, LNG tankers | THINKSTOCK

Building permit values Millions of dollars

$120 100 80 60 40 20

l t l its cia tia v’ rm er den l/go e i m s na lp ta Com Re tio To it tu s In

Jan–Nov 2013 Jan–Nov 2014 SOURCES: STATISTICS CANADA, BC STATS

Container terminal volumes at the Prince Rupert port

700,000 600,000 500,000 400,000 300,000 200,000 100,000 20 10 20 20 11 1 20 2 2013 14

TEUs

TEU stands for 20-foot equivalent unit, a standard measure used to describe container traffic

SOURCES: STATISTICS CANADA , BC STATS

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North Coast

Retreating glaciers are exposing mineral seams and the potential of new mines, such as the Red Mountain gold deposits and the proposed KSM gold and copper mine, both near Stewart | AME BC

While miners dig in, global resource giants are also thundering into the northeast, drawn by liquefied natural gas (LNG). Among the latest are ExxonMobil Canada Ltd. and Imperial Oil Resources Ltd., which have initiated an environmental review for a $15 billion to $25 billion liquefied natural gas plant in Prince Rupert. The WCC LNG project in Tuck Inlet is still in early innings, compared with some other large projects proposed by other energy

giants such as Petronas, Shell and Chevron. “We’re in a relatively early stage of the project definition,” says Imperial Oil spokesperson Pius Rolheiser. In scale, it would be roughly on par with some of the other large LNG proposals for the northeast, at Kitimat and Prince Rupert. Imperial’s two-train facility would produce 15 million metric tonnes of LNG per year, which would require roughly 400 LNG carriers per year to ship the gas to Asia.

Terrace is more than a bustling business centre and the shopping centre of the northwest. It has attracted a China-based developer who has pruchased hundreds of acres of industrial land. The massive Northwest Transmission Line project came on line here in 2014 | PROVINCE OF BC/PICTUREBC

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Terrace switches on investors Terrace, the key service and retail sector in the northeast, is now also switching on industrial investors. A $746 million transmission line project from Terrace was completed last summer. The Northwest Transmission Line is expected to power a number of mines and other industrial projects in the area. The new power line runs 344 kilometres north to Bob Quinn Lake. The federal government covered $130 million of the project’s cost while anchor tenant AltaGas provided $180 million. In 2014, Terrace also saw the purchase of the 2,400-acre Skeena Industrial Park by Taisheng International Investment Services, of Burnaby, which made the deal on behalf of the Qinhuangdao Economic Development Zone, located near Beijing, China. Richard Zhang, managing director of Taisheng International, says the land development will be focused on “high-value” manufacturing.

“Our plans are not significantly affected by near-term crude price fluctuations. We base our strategic decisions on a very, very long-range view,” says Rolheiser. This January, a consortium of companies led by AltaGas Ltd. took over a floating natural gas liquefaction plant in Kitimat that had been proposed by a partnership that included the Haisla First Nation, Golar LNG Ltd. and

Texas-based LNG Partners, after LNG Partners filed for insolvency. The consortium has concluded a long-term lease agreement with the Haisla and a gas agreement with Pacific Northern Gas Ltd. The consortium includes ExMar, a Belgian company with LNG shipping experience, and France-based EDF Trading. Meanwhile, Haida Gwaii (the Queen Charlottes) has completed a new hospital, logging operations are active and the island community has become a popular destination for adventure-seeking tourists. É

Prince Rupert is home to the second-largest container port in B.C. and a target for LNG shipping terminals | CITY OF PRINCE RUPERT

The most reliable airport in Northwest BC • Terrace-Kitimat now offering more than 10 convenient ﬂights a day, including direct ﬂights to Vancouver & Calgary • WestJet, Hawkair, CMA & Jazz

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Kitimat N

estled at the head of Douglas Channel in northwestern British Columbia, the District of Kitimat enjoys both natural beauty and a strong industrial heritage. Kitimat is located in one of the few wide, flat, coastal valleys in British Columbia, with a stunning backdrop of the rugged Coast Mountains and glacier-fed Kitimat River. Carved out of the coastal wilderness in the 1950s, it has become a vibrant community of approximately 10,000 residents. Kitimat’s wilderness setting is a tourist attraction offering worldrenowned salt- and fresh-water fishing, and sailing and power boating on Douglas Channel. Skiing and hiking options abound, and the challenging 18-hole Hirsch Creek golf course offers an unparalleled golfing experience in a pristine wilderness setting. Safe neighbourhoods and ample recreational opportunities make Kitimat a welcoming community. Throughout its history, Kitimat has had a diverse and varied economy based primarily on value-added manufacturing and natural resource processing. The town was initially built in the early 1950s to house the employees of Alcan, an aluminum smelter which is set to be replaced by a new facility following completion of the $4.8 billion (US) Kitimat Modernization Project in 2015. Now owned by Rio Tinto Alcan, this smelter has been shipping goods globally through Douglas Channel since 1954. The Eurocan Pulp and Paper mill opened in 1969, producing linerboard and kraft paper for more than 30 years until closing in 2010. Ocelot Industries/Methanex operated from 1982 to 2005, producing 500,000 tonnes of methane and ammonia annually. The same features that attracted Alcan, Eurocan and Methanex to locate their operations in Kitimat are today drawing interest from numerous and varied proponents. After more than 60 years of heavy industry, the essential infrastructure, an experienced labour force and a comprehensive supply and service sector are in place. Northwest Community College and Kitimat Valley Institute offer industry training programs and employment skills geared to the needs of local industry. Location, harbour, growth potential and industrial heritage make Kitimat one of the most promising trade and manufacturing locations in North America. Thanks to the significant strategic advantages to attract businesses to locate here – including the ice-free, wide, deep-sea harbour and a seamlessly integrated international transportation network – Kitimat is bursting with new activity. Billions of dollars in direct inward investments have been announced and work has begun on several major projects. Kitimat LNG, a 50/50 partnership between Chevron Canada and Apache Canada, is the most advanced of the liquefied natural gas proposals. Early works are ongoing and the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract for the terminal, to be built on Haisla Nation reserve land at Bish Cove, has been awarded to a joint venture involving JGC Corp. and Fluor Corp. Among the other projects announced is LNG Canada, a joint venture involving Shell (50 per cent), PetroChina Co. (20 per cent), KOGAS (15 per cent) and Mitsubishi Corp. (15 per cent) to develop a four-train (at full build out) LNG export facility on the former Methanex site. Three natural gas pipeline projects have also been announced. As a result of this industrial activity, Kitimat’s economic development office is increasingly busy fielding inquiries from various sectors. New businesses and residents are coming to Kitimat, recognizing the unique opportunity and potential in the region.

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Kitimat is a world-class port and manufacturing centre on the Pacific Rim and an emerging energy hub and transportation link for Asia-North America trade. Connections to international trade networks, access to Western Canada’s natural resources and proximity to key Asian markets make Kitimat an increasingly popular location for manufacturing, processing and transportation operations. Canada’s northern transportation corridor spans over half of continental Canada, reaching into the American Midwest, and forms the straightest, shortest and flattest route for Asian–North America trade. The northern corridor is a full day closer for shipping to or from Asia than southern transportation routes, offering time and cost savings. Kitimat’s port is the third-largest on the west coast of Canada, with all existing port facilities built, owned and operated by private enterprise. There is no federal port authority and no harbour dues – just steady, productive levels of shipping. The port has vehicle clearance to 320,000 Dead Weight Tonnes (DWT). The Kitimat Valley is unique on the west coast of North America. It is the only wide and flat coastal valley with an inventory of available greenfield land. Tidewater and inland sites, both large and small, are pre-zoned and available for industrial development. The provincial and federal governments are dedicated to working with industry to make British Columbia’s ports the preferred gateway for Asia-Pacific trade, the most competitive port system and supply chain on the west coast of the Americas. This commitment builds on Canada’s longstanding and strong cultural and economic ties with Asia. In the new global economy, Canada’s Pacific Gateway is the path to the future. Contact Rose Klukas Director of Economic Development District of Kitimat 250-632-8921 rklukas@kitimat.ca

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THE PORT OF PRINCE RUPERT

Growing fast. Going strong. At the Port of Prince Rupert, fast transit times and high delivery reliability set us apart. Planned expansion means signiﬁcant opportunities for growth and further enhancement of the capacity of North America’s leading-edge gateway. It’s time to discover how to share our advantages with your customers.

@rupertport | www.rupertport.com

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Northeast

POWER BASE New wind farm, natural gas fields and an $8.9 billion hydro dam combine with a forestry upturn to fuel regional economy

22.1% FRANK O’BRIEN

■Chetwynd ■Dawson Creek ■Fort Nelson

■Fort St. John ■Hudson’s Hope ■Pouce Coupe ■Taylor ■Tumbler Ridge

he new $400 million Meikle Wind energy farm began construction this February near the coal mining town of Tumbler Ridge. The project is slated to bring 175 jobs over the course of the two-year construction of the 61 giant turbines, and nine permanent jobs when it becomes operational at the end of 2016. Near Fort St. John, ground is being prepared and contractors alerted for the start of BC Hydro’s Site C Clean Energy Project, the third dam on the Peace River that will need thousands of workers when work begins, likely by this fall. And, with the U.S. housing market gaining traction, the

Share of B.C. land area

Northern Rockies Regional Municipality (NRRM) says it is the right time to fire up Fort Nelson sawmills, which have been idle for five years. “We operated at a very high level of production here for years,” says NRRM community development officer Mike Gilbert. “We have the trees, we have the sustainable cut. We have everything you need to support a healthy operation.” Yet it is natural gas that continues to fire the northeast economy. The region holds an estimated three trillion cubic feet of reserves, a massive mother lode that could supply Canada’s natural gas needs for 150 years. Two cities at the centre of the natural gas action are Fort St. John – with a population of 26,000 it is the north’s second-largest city – and Dawson Creek.

Spectra’s McMahon Gas Plant in Taylor, part of multimilliondollar liquefied natural gas investments in the northeast | SPECTRA ENERGY

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Northeast

The Fort St. John Regional Hospital is indicative of the massive infrastructure projects built to serve the growing population and economy of northeast B.C. | FORT ST. JOHN REGIONAL HOSPITAL

Tumbler Ridge is famous for coal but will become known for wind energy when the Meikle Wind energy farm opens in 2016 | SIEMENS

Building permit values $180 160 Millions of dollars

140 120 100 80 60 40

Ind

Co mm

erc ial us t Re r sid ial Ins ent ia tit ut l ion al

Jan–Nov 2013 Jan–Nov 2014 SOURCES: STATISTICS CANADA, BC STATS

Major employers Top five sectors by number of employees

Wholesale & retail trade Construction Mining, oil & gas, forestry

00 3,0 00 4,0 00 5,0 00 6,0 00

2,0

1,0

Educational services Health care & social assistance

Fort St. John, where a new pellet plant is underway, is the best place to work in British Columbia, according to BCBusiness magazine. The Energetic City finished on top of the magazine’s first annual ranking of the province’s local job markets in its January 2015 cover story. Smaller Dawson Creek, ranked fifth in the survey, is also making a big economic noise. TransCanada Pipelines has plans for a $4 billion gas pipeline to run from Dawson Creek to Kitimat, when the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants begin. Spectra Energy, which has a large natural gas processing plant in Dawson Creek, has also pencilled out a new pipeline to the northern coast. Chetwynd, however, could be the site for development of a breakthrough no-pipeline technology: a refinery that would make gasoline from natural gas and hydrogen, not oil. Juergen Puetter, CEO of Victoria-based Blue Fuel Energy Corp., has been assembling a multibillion-dollar, twophase plan to build a gasoline refinery in Chetwynd, followed by a methanol plant a couple of years later. “We have the land, we have the First Nations on board, we are in the middle of permitting,” Puetter says. The first phase of the project would be a refinery at a cost of $2 billion to $2.5 billion that would use natural gas – readily available in the Chetwynd area – and hydrogen and oxygen from water to produce gasoline. A $1.8 billion methanol plant could follow it, he notes. The company has acquired 1,065 acres of rail-access private land just outside of Chetwynd. The fuel and methanol it produced could therefore be shipped by rail. “We don’t require a pipeline, so we think we’re going to be ahead of any LNG project,” Puetter says.

SOURCE: CHARTERED PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS OF BC/ 2014 BC CHECK-UP

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LNG investments to date â– Malaysia-based Petronasâ€™ $6 billion acquisition of Progress Energy and its B.C. assets â– Shell and partners in LNG Canadaâ€™s acquisition of methanol site and terminal for $22.2 million â– Mitsubishi Corp.â€™s acquisition of a 40 per cent share of Encana Corp.â€™s Cutbank play in Montney formation for $2.9 billion â– PetroChina Co.â€™s $1 billion investment for a 20 per cent stake in Royal Dutch Shell PLCâ€™s Groundbirch shale gas assets â– Japanâ€™s Inpex Groupâ€™s $700 million acquisition of a 40 per cent share in Nexenâ€™s B.C. gas assets. (Nexen was acquired by Chinaâ€™s CNOOC Ltd. in 2012 for $15 billion)

Chetwynd Mayor Merlin Nichols says the project would be a welcome development. â€œThe nature of the plant, the nature of the product and the nature of the jobs created â€“ long-term, high-quality, high-paying jobs â€“ it would be good for the town.â€? Chetwynd has also seen the reopening of the Mechanical Pulp mill and a new pellet plant is under development. Meanwhile Tumbler Ridge is also seeking diversification. Aside from tapping coal and wind, it is also building a new tourism information centre and spreading the word about its many attractions.Â Ă‰

VILLAGE OF POUCE COUPE

he Village of Pouce Coupe is a quaint historical Village, located in the northeast corner of British Columbia. Also known as the â€œPioneer Capital of the Peace Regionâ€?, the amenities are all within walking distance and visitors are encouraged to take time to stroll through the Village with a self-guided walking tour booklet. This friendly Village is nestled north of the Pouce Coupe River amongst golden fields of grain. The Pouce Coupe Museum offers visitors a chance to journey back to a period long ago, with permanent displays from the very founding of the village, including a heritÂŹage house, trapperâ€™s cabin, caboose, and the original Northern Alberta Railway StaÂŹtion built in the 1930s, which now houses the museum. The majestic wooden train trestle whispers its stories through the cracks of time, located a short walking distance from the museum. Taking a page out of history, the Hart Hotel which opened in 1928 still operates with its old world charm, Pouce Coupe is best known in the Peace River block as being the first municipality in northeastern British Columbia; it was the centre for Government offices, post office, bank and the poÂŹlice barracks for the region. Rich with tradition, Pouce Coupe holds its annual July 1st Celebration with enthusiÂŹasm that brings the historical village to life. This celebraÂŹtion brings laughter and full stomachs to all who volunteer or attend the annual parade and the famous BBQ. After all the festivities, magnificent fireworks sends all home with smiles and lasting memories. Contact: Village of Pouce Coupe 250-786-5794 Fax: 250-786-5257

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Village of Pouce Coupe Cradled in the Pouce Coupe River Valley, this quaint historical Village is located in the northeast corner of British Columbia surrounded by rolling hills and crop laden fields.

Pouce Coupe Museum Displays from the very founding of the village, including a heritage house, trapper's cabin, caboose, and the original Northern Alberta Railway Station, which houses the museum. Pouce Coupe Park RV Elec Outlets l BBQ Pits l Covered Cookhouse l Picnic Tables l Washrooms l Coin-op Showers l Bandstand. For reservations call 250.786.5139 Self-Guided Walking Tour Community Information Centre (with wireless hotspot) l Post Office, Firehall & Municipal Office l Wooden Train Trestle l Historic Hart Hotel Canada Day Celebrations Pouce Coupe holds its annual July 1st Celebration. With the enthusiasm of the people participating in the parade and the famous annual BBQ. Truck Light Parade and Food Drive This parade utilizes the local businesses to put on a show in the dark winter nights. Looping the Town Square the trucks are illuminated by twinkling lights. 5011-49th Avenue PO Box 190 Pouce Coupe, BC Canada V0C 2C0

Pouce Coupe

British ColumbiaWCanada

Phone: (250) 786-5794 Fax: (250) 786-5257

www.poucecoupe.ca

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FORT ST JOHN

Wake up…kick butt…repeat. You’ve never been one to accept the mundane. Cubicle, KDPVWHUZKHHO,WoVDOOWKHVDPH:K\VDFULƬFHSOD\ time for work time? Big toys, big space, big freedom… ZK\VDFULƬFHDQ\WKLQJDWDOO":KRVD\VOLIHFDQRQO\ be won in a shirt and tie? Pull on your work boots and CRANK LIFE UP in Fort St. John where the rewards are as big as the lifestyle to be had by those ambitious enough to work for it. fortstjohn.ca

SOUTH PEACE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION

magine leaving the office at 4:30 and skiing the trails by 4:35. When the commute to work doesn’t eat up all your free time you have way more time to play. Fort St. John citizens take play time very seriously. We are not ready, set go – we’re ready set go, go, go. Fort St. John is both the small community where you can raise your family and a big city to play hard in. There are shops, restaurants and pubs and a lively cultural community. City recreation facilities include a free indoor running track, ice rinks, a curling rink, indoor pool and a field house for indoor soccer and rugby. If outdoor adventure is more your speed, you have come to the right place. There are boating and fishing opportunities on rivers and lakes only minutes from town. The three local golf courses will delight the golfer during summer months and the snowshoer in the winter. There are cross country ski trails only a few blocks from downtown and more at Charlie Lake. There are also many hiking, mountain biking, snowshoeing and snowmobiling trails in town and at the vast parks just outside of town. Quadding here has become a verb. Hop on your quad and go for a ride on many of the trails. It’s a blast. When you need to escape, the airport is only 5 minutes away with eleven daily flights to the big city. Come to Fort St. John for work and stay a while to play. And don’t forget your sunglasses; Fort St. John holds several records for the most amount of sunshine in BC.

SOUTH PEACE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION

he South Peace Economic Development Commission represents the communities of Chetwynd, Dawson Creek, Groundbirch, Pouce Coupe, Tumbler Ridge, Peace River Regional District Area E and Area D and First Nations communities Sauteau First Nations and West Moberly. This part of the province has experienced a tremendous amount of growth resulting from the natural gas pipelines and plants. The growth is expected to continue on many levels. There is the proposed Dokie Wind Project, GE Energy Financial Services And Plutonic Power Corp (as of January 2015) this is a $228-million project, in Chetwynd/ Moberly as well as the Proposed Meikle Wind Energy Project owned by Finavera Renewing INC, $400 ml investment in Tumbler Ridge. A major announcement was made from Aeolis Wind Power Corp. and Blue FuelEnergy Corp of a proposed Blue Fuel Project. The first phase cost is 2 billion followed by an 18 billion methanol plant. Trans Canada Natural Gas Pipeline Montenay Project, BC Hydro Site C Dam, $8.8 Billion project with the news of the coal mines on idle due to coal prices there is one shining star for coal in Tumbler Ridge that HD Mining is still moving forward. The project, targeting deep metallurgical coal deposits has estimated reserves of more than 3.18 billion tonnes. We continue to see growth in hotels and housing as well as restaurants and retail. A great place to invest and a great place to live.

www.southpeacebc.ca skenny@communityfutures.biz Tel: 250-782-8748 Toll Free: 1-877-296-5888

Contact: Sue Kenny, Coordinator, South Peace Economic Development Commission 250-782-8748 www.communityfutures.biz

904 – 102 Avenue | Dawson Creek, BC V1G 2B7

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NORTHERN ROCKIES Population 5,290 Regional Development in the Northern Rockies: Laying the Groundwork for Success The Northern Rockies Regional Municipality (NRRM), Provincial partners, industry, and Fort Nelson First Nation (FNFN) work diligently to ensure sustainable, balanced growth in British Columbia’s most northeastern region. Mounting discoveries as the result of ongoing natural gas exploration, refinement of technologies in both upstream and downstream production, and momentum in the development of west coast Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) projects have set the stage for growth in both the natural gas sector and the community. The Municipality’s Forestry Rejuvenation Initiative proves promising having attracted significant interest, in combination with an upswing is the profitability of the industry. The Infrastructure Development Contribution Agreement (IDCA) was announced by the NRRM and the Province of BC in April, 2013. This agreement represents the Province’s commitment to reviving aging infrastructure, assisting in the capital growth of the region, and the support of the Northern Rockies as the service centre for the resource sector in Northeast BC. A region of major natural gas supply to future LNG developments on B.C’s west coast, Fort Nelson and the NRRM sees 20142016 overall as a period of preparation. Population forecasts for direct employment of future natural gas sector expansion show the potential for a workforce of up to 10,000 in the NRRM. The Alaska Highway, combined with railhead access and scheduled and charter air service at the Northern Rockies Regional Airport (YYE), makes Fort Nelson a natural transportation hub. Strategic business and capital planning of these methods of transportation (YYE expansion, and

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the Alaska Highway Corridor Study) will ensure that development stays ahead of the curve. In anticipation of the development of shale gas and forestry resources and the growth of the service sector that will accompany it, new light-industrial lands are in the second phase of development. 250 local, fully serviced acres are available for public ownership, accessible from the Alaska Highway. Tourism in this incredible region also remains strong, being that the world-famous Alaska Highway serves as Fort Nelson’s main street, and the globally significant 6.4M hectare Muskwa-Kechika wilderness lies in the backyard. The number of visitors to the area steadily climbs annually, as the desire to explore and experience the “true north” remains a motivational driver for many of those with time to spare. Among the more than 300 new businesses of all sizes that have established themselves in Fort Nelson since 2009, is Young Living, a dominant force in the global essential oils market. At their state-of-theart Northern Lights Farms operation (now under construction), the company will produce products for worldwide distribution. Facilitated by the NRRM’s “open for business” approach to supporting new business, the facility will have gone from concept to production in record time. Storefronts in retail, service-sector providers, corporate oil and gas drilling, completion and production services, and expansion of the accommodations sector all show the value and measurable potential of the NRRM. Reaching the peak of business success is not a small feat: doing so in the Northern Rockies is well within reach. Contact: Invest Northern Rockies, Email: ecdev@northernrockies.ca Tel: 250-774-2541, www.InvestNorthernRockies.ca

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North Peace Economic Development Commission

The North Peace is Ready for You! Are you Ready for the North Peace?

xplorers, fur traders and then homesteaders joined the First Nations and settled the vast northeast region of British Columbia with dreams of freedom and a better life. These same dreams continue to attract people to the North Peace today. But now, instead of hardship, new-comers find contemporary communities with remarkable career, business, and investment opportunities. Bisected by the Peace River, the BC Peace Region comprises nearly one-quarter of the province’s land area. The people of this region come for the opportunities and stay for the lifestyle. With the highest birthrate per capita in the nation, the region boasts the youngest average age in the province and a growing senior population. Access to education, healthcare, and recreation makes the North Peace an ideal location for families looking for that community willing to share in raising their children. It is a place that is rich with opportunities to start a business, build your career, set down roots, and trust your investment. The North Peace region’s competitive advantages are its low tax rates, low cost of energy, connectivity to the shortest link between Shanghai and Chicago through the Port of Prince Rupert, low over-all business costs (including a thriving regional airport) and low cost of land. From prairie farmland and boreal forest to alpine tundra and rugged Rocky Mountains, the Peace Region produces 90 percent of the province’s grains, 38 percent of its hydro-electric power, has some of the largest gas fields in North America with more than 24,000 wells drilled, employs about 2,300 forestry workers and plays host to more than 300,000 tourists each year. The North Peace region plays a significant role in the province’s economy, contributing in excess of 9 percent of BC’s net exports. While a significant share, it is made even more remarkable when considered in the context of the region’s workforce: with only two percent of the province’s labour force, the export value per experienced labour force participant in the Northeast was $198,474 in 2011, compared to $33,709 in the rest of BC. This staggering contribution to the province’s exports is made possible by its vibrant and diversified economy which includes strong industries in Energy and Fuels, Mining, Agriculture, Forestry, Tourism, and Retail and Construction.

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The energy sector is the star of the economy in the North Peace and greatly contributes to the provincial economy, accounting for 90 percent of BC’s energy and fuels exports. The Province of BC has committed to the development of the LNG (liquefied natural gas) industry in the province, rolling out the tax regime in late 2014 that will lead to final investment decisions for the LNG plants in the NW beginning in 2015. With proven reserves of natural gas in the Montney play of 1,400 trillion cubic feet, and more being proven each day, the energy security of this area is well in hand. The current market has only slightly eased off the accelerator that is driving the energy sector in NE British Columbia. The pace of the North Peace is still charging forward with the push towards the LNG goals. Worldwide demand for coal has decreased this year dramatically, but the approval of pipelines for the transportation of our energy products will see current and future mines ramp up activity. The North Peace is home to hundreds of years of coal reserves. There are currently proposals for three separate coal mines that border the edges of the District of Hudson’s Hope with expected reserves of over 50 years each. Currently, the region’s mining activities contribute 14 percent of BC’s total mining exports with the expectation that this with grow significantly with the approval of the proposed mining projects. Late 2014 saw the Province approve the $8.3 Billion BC Hydro Site C Clean Energy Hydroelectric dam. Located 7km south of Fort St John, this is the largest capital project that has ever been undertaken by the Province of BC. It will create an estimated 7,500 direct construction jobs throughout the construction period and up to 35,000 indirect jobs through all stages of the 10 year project. The agriculture sector includes prairie crops of wheat, barley, canola and forage seed production. The region contributes 90 percent of BC’s wheat, 95 percent of BC’s canola, 30 percent of BC’s honey production and exceptional quality grass seeds which help make livestock production in the North Peace particularly competitive. Livestock production includes traditional beef and dairy cattle, sheep, hogs, goats and horses, and a growing diversification into game farming of bison, reindeer and exotic livestock like llama, alpaca, fox, ostrich, emu and wild boar. The region is home to some of the largest herds of bison in the province, producing nearly three-quarters of BC’s bison. The forestry sector includes a wide array of tree species that vary from spruce to balsam poplar to paper birch. The majority of the timber harvested from the 4.673 million hectares of the Fort St John Timber Supply Allowance is processed by the pulp mill, sawmill and one of the world’s largest OSB plants that are located in the North Peace. Forestry is stronger than ever here in the North Peace with increased demand from the US market for forest products and diminishing timber cuts in the southern and central parts of the province. As the fastest growing region in the province with an annual growth rate of nearly 3% overall, the demand for residential and commercial developments is exploding. A significant growth in population is anticipated to occur over the next decade resulting in a demand for housing that cannot be met by current infrastructure. Increased population means increased commercial demands. The North Peace is abundant with opportunities and welcomes your entrepreneurial spirit!

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Invest in the

NORTH PEACE BC’s most vibrant economy

City of Fort St John District of Taylor District of Hudson’s Hope PRRD Areas “B” and “C”

Explore the Opportunities: Industrial Developments Mining Exploration and Development Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Agriculture and Alternative Energy Development Commercial and Industrial Transportation Opportunities Tourism Development- over 300,000 tourists pass through the region to view the beautiful landscape and historic sites every year. Residential and Commercial Developments needed for a booming population that is expected to nearly double in the next 5 to 10 years.

“This place gets in your blood...”

- Cam Carruthers, Technical Sales

Contact us for an investment profile or any other information T: (250)785.5969 E: invest@npedc.ca 9325 100th Street | Fort St John , BC | V1J 4N4 9505

www.npedc.ca

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Hudson’s Hope

The place to...live...play...invest Live… Hudson’s Hope, the Playground of the Peace, is a unique northern community with a wide range of outdoor recreational activities. It has an especially rich past, from dinosaur to fur trading and early pioneering. Located in a tranquil valley with the Rocky Mountains providing a backdrop, the community benefits from a microclimate that offers mild temperatures. The beauty of the town’s location along the banks of the mighty Peace River draws people from around the world to come… and to stay. Play… Surrounded by lakes and rivers, Hudson’s Hope offers a wide range of outdoor recreational activities including excellent fishing, boating, ATV’ing, water skiing, canoeing, hunting, camping, hiking, swimming, sailing, and wildlife viewing. Bald eagles, in particular, are in abundance and can be viewed and photographed throughout the year. Hudson’s Hope is a unique place in today’s busy world. It is blessed with incredible natural beauty-prairie farmland, wooded Crown lands and the Peace River with the Rocky Mountains as a backdrop. Historically the staging area for guide and outfitting for the region, Hudson’s Hope is still home to elk, moose, deer, black bear, grizzly, cougar, lynx, fox and coyote. Hudson’s Hope has lots of attractions to explore. Tour the WAC Bennett Dam, on the world’s largest earth filled dams, visit the Peace Canyon Dam with its replica dinosaur and displays, or check out the Hudson’s Hope Museum where there is a fossil of a dinosaur named after our town, the Hudsonelpidia! We invite you to also join one of our many events happening throughout the year, such as the Hudson’s Hope Fall Fair held in August and the Winter Carnival held in January each year. Invest… We are located within the booming North Peace Region which produces 90 percent of the province’s grain, 38% of its hydro electric power with those BC Hydro facilities located within Hudson’s Hope’s boundaries. Some of the largest gas fields in North America are located in the region with over 10,000 wells drilled. Over 1,100 wells will be drilled in the Montney shale just on the north boundary of the community over

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the next 10 years by Progress Energy and Canbriam Energy. The area employs about 2,300 forestry workers and plays host to 300,000 tourists each year, many of who choose to visit Hudson’s Hope – The Playground of the Peace. Current industries in Hudson’s Hope include energy, forestry, oil & gas, agriculture, guide outfitting, and eco-tourism. Forestry companies are harvesting both aspen and coniferous stands, which are processed in nearby mills. Oil and gas exploration is ongoing with pipelines existing to transport natural gas to the lower mainland and projects are proposed for new pipelines to transport natural gas to proposed Liquefied Natural Gas Plants on BC’s west coast. Agricultural endeavors include cattle and buffalo ranching, grain farming, and honey production. Contact For further information, please contact: CAO, District of Hudson’s Hope cao@hudsonshope.ca or phone: 250-783-9901 www.hudsonshope.ca

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With the majestic Rocky Mountains as a backdrop, Hudson’s Hope’s array of landscape and wildlife is a unique region in today’s busy world...

Take the scenic hudson’s hope loop:

• Museum • Historical Touring • Fossil Displays • Annual Fishing Derby • Outdoor Swimming Pool

• Walking Trails • Hiking • Baseball Fields • ATV Trails • Skating/Curling Rinks

• WAC Bennett & Peace Canyon Dams • High School Rodeo • Cross Country Skiing at Cameron Lake

Enjoy a variety of scenic camping options: • 4 Municipal campgrounds (open May - September) • Dinosaur Lake • Cameron Lake • King Gething • Alwin Holland • 3 private RV parks

For more information, contact our Visitor Centre: 250-783-9154 (May - September) 250-783-9901 (Off Season) Email: hhinfo@pris.ca

www.hudsonshope.ca

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Chetwynd COMMUNITY CARVED BY SUCCESS

E SAME A TH

... Y IS

A RE

INVEST IN

Nestled in the foothills of the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains and the gateway to the scenic Peace River Country, Chetwynd provides a great quality of life with a multitude of activities including everything from mountain biking, hiking, ski trails, ďŹ shing, golf, to a state-of-the-art recreation complex featuring a wave pool, sauna, skating oval, ďŹ tness centre, climbing wall and so much more. It is the home to the annual and ever-popular Chetwynd International Chainsaw Carving competition. The economy is healthy, diverse and growing providing great employment options. Chetwynd is centrally located and close to an airport, rail and major highways. A dynamic and affordable place to call home and do business, Chetwynd has been voted the most livable small community in BC (Smart Growth BC) for good reason.

RE INDUS

250.401.4113

E: emcavany@gochetwynd.com

gochetwynd.com

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ESSENTIAL CONTENT MARKET LEADERSHIP

GLACIER

M E D I A I N C.

! "! """" "! " """" """""" !! "!""" ! !

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Nechako

PENT-UP ENERGY Claiming about 22% of British Columbia’s land mass, the Nechako region is unequivocally vast and, with fewer than 40,000 residents, sparsely populated. Still, it is an exciting source of growth and prosperity for B.C.

22.2%

Share of B.C. land area

NOA NICHOL

■Atlin ■Burns Lake ■Cassiar ■Dease Lake ■Fort St. James ■Fraser Lake ■Granisle ■Houston ■Smithers ■Telkwa ■Vanderhoof

he February opening of Imperial Metals’ $700 million Red Chris copper-gold mine near Iskut is perhaps the best indication of the robust economic potential of the Nechako region. But Red Chris, the first mine connected to the recently completed, high-voltage Northwest Transmission Line, is far from the only action in Nechako. Logging, mining and agriculture are key industries here, along with tourism, which attracts more and more awestruck visitors to the region each year. On the forestry front, Apollo Forest Products, in Fort St. James, produces 150 million board feet of stud lumber annually and holds an important partnership agreement with the Nak’azdli First Nation in the Tl’oh operation, which boasts an annual production capacity of 24 million board feet of finger-joint stud lumber.

CN Rail lines help stitch together 11 Nechako communities spread over a territory the size of Scotland but with only 40,000 residents | PICTUREBC

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Agriculture is a key industry in Vanderhoof and a new B.C. government initiative, with local farmers, will support the export of feedstocks | TWIN DESIGN/SHUTTERSTOCK

Building permit values $25 Millions of dollars

Thompson Creek Metals’ Endako molybdenum mine near Fraser Lake is waiting for the market to recover, but the company’s Mount Milligan coppergold mine is set to achieve 100 per cent production capacity by 2016 | THOMPSON

20 15 10 5 l l l ’t tia tria rcia ov s e l/g u m a d In om ion C ut it st In Jan–Nov 2013

CREEK METALS

n de

Jan–Nov 2014 SOURCES: STATISTICS CANADA, BC STATS

Economic activity Top five private-sector employers by number of employees

Retail & wholesale trade Construction Public administration Health care & social assistance

00 3,0 00 4,0 00 5,0 00 6,0 00

2,0

1,0

Forestry, mining & gas

SOURCE: CHARTERED PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS OF BC/ 2014 BC CHECK-UP

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Nechako

The Babine Forest Products mill, destroyed in an explosion four years ago, is now open and running as a stateof-the-industry facility in Burns Lake. Forestry is also the mainstay in Houston, but the community also benefits from its proximity to the

Winter tourists to Fort St. James are thrilled by dogsled races, an annual event. The Nechako city is also the home of Apollo Forest Products, founded in 1969 | PICTUREBC

Huckleberry mine, a copper-molybdenum play producing about 16,000 tonnes per day. The District of Houston also offers property tax exemptions to spur local business investments. West Fraser operates sawmills in Smithers and Fraser Lake, while Canfor has mills in Vanderhoof and Houston, where it also runs a pellet plant. Vanderhoof boasts the Premium Pellet Ltd. facility that produces 140,000 tonnes of pellets annually and ships the fuel around the world. Thompson Creek Metals’ Mount Milligan copper-gold mine is another bright light on the scene, set to achieve 100 per cent of mill throughput design capacity by yearend 2015. “We achieved strong operating performance in 2014, meeting copper and total molybdenum production guidance and coming within approximately four per cent of gold production guidance, while operating our mines in a safe and environmentally responsible manner,” says Thompson Creek president and CEO Jacques Perron. Smithers, home of the Northwest Community College’s School of Exploration and Mining, has become a hub for mineral exploration, with ecologists and drill experts recruited across B.C., and globally. In Atlin, Chieftain Metals’ Tulsequah Chief project – comprising 54 mineral claims and Crown-granted claims covering about 30,547 hectares – received a five-year mine certificate in early 2015. In a release,

INVEST

Bulkley-Nechako IN

Located in the heart of BC, the region boasts extraordinary natural beauty, vibrant small towns & exciting business opportunities

Prince Rupert 200km

Smithers Telkwa

Granisle 118

Fort St. James Houston

Burns Lake 35

Fraser Lake

Vanderhooof

SSouthside thside hside Prince George 100km

Regional Highlights: • Healthy environment, clean air and water • New health care facilities, 4 hospitals serving the region • Affordable, quality land available, 76,000 square km du • Educational opportunities, specialized trades training • Transportation corridor, direct flights to YVR, access to 3 major ports • Highly skilled labour force, transferable skills • Entrepreneurial culture, opportunity for business development and growth

A World of Opportunities within OUR REGION...

www.rdbn.bc.ca/investinbulkleynechako

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Chieftain president and CEO Victor Wyprysky says the certificate will “allow the company to develop one of the highest-grade, lowest-cost zinc-rich projects permitted for construction,” with the development schedule “expected to meet the looming global zinc supply deficit due to growing demand and numerous mines closing as they run out of ore.” Mining in Nechako will likely share in a new provincial initiative announced in January. Premier Christy Clark promised to increase the base budget for the Ministry of Energy and Mines by $6 million to help establish a major mines permitting office. Clark says 10 new B.C. mines are expected to open “in the next few years” and the new funding would help support the upcoming projects. Meanwhile, Nechako continues to see natural gas exploration, with both oil and gas pipeline companies active across the region. When approved, the Northern Gateway oil pipeline will flow right through the region. Last year also saw money awarded by the NechakoKitamaat Development Fund to the BC Forage Council, toward a project to expand the region’s export forage market – hay and pasture that feeds livestock – by working with Vanderhoof farmers to produce high-quality forage under variable climatic conditions. The fund also allocated money to several tourism-related endeavours – many of them in and around Burns Lake – to help enhance visitor experiences to B.C.’s Lakes District. É

Inside the Red Chris mine, the first mine to plug into the new Northwest Transmission Line | IMPERAL METALS

VILLAGE OF FRASER LAKE Fraser Lake, Launch your boat, launch your career, launch your life

VILLAGE OF FRASER LAKE

he Village of Fraser Lake is located on Highway16 about an hourand-a-half drive west of Prince George. From its humble beginnings in the early 1900’s, Fraser Lake Sawmill (owned and operated by West Fraser Timber Company Ltd.) has evolved into one of the world’s most modern sawmills. Generating Energy from Sawmill Residuals Fraser Lake sawmill is embarking on an exciting renewable bioenergy projects. The mill is developing North America’s largest biomass power generator. This unique, innovative bioenergy generator - called “ORCs” – is a first for West Fraser. ORC stands for a process called “Organic Rankine Cycle,” a type of energy system that relies on a closed-loop cycle of working liquid to generate electricity. The ORCs will replace Fraser Lake’s current sawmill residuals burners. The ORC energy systems are the largest applications, worldwide, designed specifically for power generation from biomass. They are an innovative, energy-efficient choice of technology which offers environmental benefits by reducing particulate matter and emissions. Endako Molybdenum Mine was at one time the second largest molybdenum mines in the world. Endako Mine currently underwent a major $500 Million dollars expansion which was completed in late 2011. This expansion increased the employment at the mine to 350 direct employees. In addition to the major investment and industrial activity in the community. The community offers an extremely low cost of living, some of the lowest industrial and commercial property tax rates in British Columbia, the lowest electricity rates for industry in North America, inexpensive housing, and excellent quality of life for its residents. We are a four season place for adventure. Contact: Villages Economic Development Officer, Jolene Webb 250-699-8844 vfledo@fraserlake.ca

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• Transportation & shipping through, CN Rail, airport and highway • Build and develop your business in Fraser Lake, commercial & light industrial lots available • Opportunities at your ﬁngertips

Fraser Lake Economic Development Ofﬁce

250-699-8844 vﬂedo@fraserlake.ca http://www.fraserlake.ca/business/economic-development/

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BC Economic Development Association

MEMBERS BULKLEY-NECHAKO Marion Aerssens, Chair Community Futures of Nadina PO Box 236, Houston, BC V0J 1Z0 p: 250-845-2522 e: joe.mar@telus.net Jerry Botti, Manager Community Futures of Nadina PO Box 236, Houston, BC V0J 1Z0 p: 250-845-2522 e: jerry.botti@cfdcnadina.ca Darren Carpenter, Councillor District of Vanderhoof Box 900, Vanderhoof, BC V0J 3A0 p: 250-567-4711 e: dcarpenter@sd91.bc.ca Tom Clement, Director of Community Development District of Vanderhoof Box 900, Vanderhoof, BC V0J 3A0 p: 250-567-4711 e: community@district.vanderhoof.ca Emily Colombo, Economic Development Officer District of Fort St. James PO Box 640, Fort St. James, BC V0J 1P0 p: 250-996-8233 e: edo@fortstjames.ca Maureen Czirfusz, Manager, Economic Development Officer Houston & District Chamber of Commerce PO Box 396, Houston, BC V0J 1Z0 p: 250-845-7640 e: manager@houstonchamber.ca Brian Frenkel, Councillor District of Vanderhoof Box 900, Vanderhoof, BC V0J 3A0 p: 250-567-4711 e: bfrenkel@avison.bc.ca Carol Gibson, Administration Community Futures of Nadina PO Box 236, Houston, BC V0J 1Z0 p: 250-845-2522 e: carolg@cfnadina.ca Juanita Hagman, Director Community Futures of Nadina PO Box 236, Houston, BC V0J 1Z0 p: 250-845-2522 e: jhagman@telus.net Robson Herman, Business Analyst Community Futures of Nadina PO Box 236, Houston, BC V0J 1Z0 p: 250-845-2522 e: rherman@cfnadina.ca Gavin Ireland, Local Government Intern District of Vanderhoof Box 900, Vanderhoof, BC V0J 3A0 p: 250-567-4711 e: intern@district.vanderhoof.ca Murray Labrash, Treasurer Community Futures of Nadina PO Box 236, Houston, BC V0J 1Z0 p: 250-845-2522 e: l&mmiller@telus.net

Jean Marr, Director Community Futures of Nadina PO Box 236, Houston, BC V0J 1Z0 p: 250-845-2522 e: jean.marr@investorsgroup.com Clinton Mauthe, Chief Administrative Officer Village of Fraser Lake PO Box 430, Fraser Lake, BC V0J 1S0 p: 250- 699 6257 e: clinton.mauthe@fraserlake.ca Kevin Moutray, Councillor District of Vanderhoof Box 900, Vanderhoof, BC V0J 3A0 p: 250-567-4711 e: earrthenw@telus.net John Murphy, Councillor District of Vanderhoof Box 900, Vanderhoof, BC V0J 3A0 p: 250-567-4711 e: john.murphy@hubinternational.com Lianne Olson, Director Community Futures of Nadina PO Box 236, Houston, BC V0J 1Z0 p: 250-845-2522 e: lianne.olson@riotinto.com Evan Parliament, CAO District of Vanderhoof Box 900, Vanderhoof, BC V0J 3A0 p: 250-567-4711 e: cao@district.vanderhoof.ca Erin Siemens, Economic Development Officer District of Vanderhoof Box 900, Vanderhoof, BC V0J 3A0 p: 250-567-4711 e: edo@district.vanderhoof.ca Jane Stevenson, Economic Development Officer Village of Telkwa Box 220, Telkwa, BC V0J 2X0 p: 250-846-5212 e: jstevenson@telkwa.com Krystin St Jean, Economic Development Officer Village of Burns Lake 15 – 3rd Ave., Burns Lake, BC V0J 1E0 p: 250-692-7587 e: kstjean@burnslake.ca Corrine Swenson, Manager of Regional Economic Development Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako 37 3rd Ave., Burns Lake, BC V0J 1E0 p: 250-692-3195 e: corrine.swenson@rdbn.bc.ca Gerry Thiessen, Mayor District of Vanderhoof Box 900, Vanderhoof, BC V0J 3A0 p: 250-567-4711 e: mayor@district.vanderhoof.ca Leonard Thomas, Economic Devlopment Officer Nak’azdli Band PO Box 1329, Fort St. James, BC V0J 1P0 p: 250-996-7171 e: leonardt@nakazdli.ca

Dwayne Lindstrom, Mayor Village of Fraser Lake PO Box 430, Fraser Lake, BC V0J 1S0 p: 250- 699 6257 e: dwaynelindstrom@fraserlake.ca

Deneve Vanderwolf, Regional Economic Development Assistant Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako 37 3rd Ave., PO Box 820, Burns Lake, BC V0J 1E0 p: 250-692-3195 e: deneve.vanderwolf@rdbn.bc.ca

Steve Little, Councillor District of Vanderhoof Box 900, Vanderhoof, BC V0J 3A0 p: 250-567-4711 e: steve644@live.ca

Jolene Webb, Economic Development Officer Village of Fraser Lake PO Box 430, Fraser Lake, BC V0J 1S0 p: 250- 699 6257 e: jwebb@fraserlake.ca

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Ken Young, Councillor District of Vanderhoof Box 900, Vanderhoof, BC V0J 3A0 p: 250-567-4711 e: kyoung@sd91.bc.ca

Neil O’Farrell, Business Development Officer Initiatives Prince George 1300 First Ave., Suite 201, Prince George, BC V2L 2Y3 p: 250-649-3215 e: ofarrell@initiativespg.com

CARIBOO

Heather Oland, Acting Chief Executive Officer Initiatives Prince George Ste 201 – 1300 First Ave., Prince George, BC V2L 2Y3 p: 250-649-3201 e: oland@initiativespg.com

David Anderson, 995 11th Ave., N, Williams Lake, BC V2G 2M6 p: 250-267-6678 e: davidaanderson@shaw.ca Melissa Barcellos, Economic Development Officer Initiatives Prince George Suite 201 – 1300 First Ave., Prince George, BC V2L 2Y3 p: 250-649-3204 e: barcellos@initiativespg.com

Amy Reid, Economic Development Officer Quesnel Economic Development 401 – 410 Kinchant St., Quesnel, BC V2J 7J5 p: 250-255-6697 e: areid@quesnelinfo.com

Eureka Carty, Board Member McLeod Lake Indian Band General Delivery, McLeod Lake, BC V0J 2G0 p: 250-750-4415 e: ecarty@mlib.ca

Geoffrey Roy, Economic Development Officer Village of McBride PO Box 519, McBride, BC V0J 2E0 p: 250-569-2229 e: edo@mcbride.ca

Adele Chingee, Band Manager McLeod Lake Indian Band General Delivery, McLeod Lake, BC V0J 2G0 p: 250-750-4415 e: adchingee@mlib.ca

Zishan Shah, Trade and Investment Officer Initiatives Prince George 201 – 1300 First Ave., Prince George, BC V2L 243 p: 250-649-3215 e: shah@initiativespg.com

Joanne Doddridge, Planner District of 100 Mile House PO Box 340, 385 Birch Ave., 100 Mile House, BC V0K 2E0 p: 250-395-2434 e: jdoddridge@dist100milehouse.bc.ca

Diane Smith, Economic Development Officer District of Mackenzie Bag 340, Mackenzie, BC V0J 2C0 p: 250-997-3221 e: diane@district.mackenzie.bc.ca

Christina Doll, Manager, Marketing & Communications Initiatives Prince George 1300 First Ave., Suite 201, Prince George, BC V2L 2Y3 p: 250-649-3204 e: doll@initiativespg.com

Norma Blissett, Councillor City of Cranbrook 40 – 10th Ave., South, Cranbrook, BC V1C 5V7 p: 250-426-4211 e: norma.blissett@cranbrook.ca

Karen Eden, General Manager Community Futures Cariboo Chilcotin 266 Oliver St., Williams Lake, BC V2G 1M1 p: 250-392-3626 e: karen@cfdccariboo.com Rhonda Gutoski, Grant Writer/Marketing Assistant Quesnel Economic Development 401 – 410 Kinchant St., Quesnel, BC V2J 7J5 p: 250-983-4357 e: rgutoski@quesnelinfo.com Lyn Hall, Mayor City of Prince George 1100 Patricia Blvd., Prince George, BC V2L 3V9 p: 250-561-7600 e: lyn.hall@princegeorge.ca Lucy MartinMcLeod Lake Indian Band General Delivery, McLeod Lake, BC V0J 2G0 p: 250-640-7428 e: lmartin@mlib.ca

KOOTENAY

Danielle Cardozo, Councillor City of Cranbrook 40 – 10th Ave., South, Cranbrook, BC V1C 5V7 p: 250-426-4211 e: danielle.cardozo@cranbrook.ca Sandy Elzinga, Assistant Manager Community Futures of Boundary PO Box 2949, Grand Forks, BC V0H 1H0 p: 250-442-2722 e: sandy@boundarycf.com Wesly Graham, Councillor City of Cranbrook 40 – 10th Ave., South, Cranbrook, BC V1C 5V7 p: 250-426-4211 e: wesly.graham@cranbrook.ca Isaac Hockley, Councillor City of Cranbrook 40 – 10th Ave., South, Cranbrook, BC V1C 5V7 p: 250-426-4211 e: isaac.hockley@cranbrook.ca

Renee McColskey, Manager of External Relations Regional District of Fraser Fort George 155 George St., Prince George, BC V2L 1P8 p: 250-960-4450 e: rmccloskey@rdffg.bc.ca

Terri MacDonald, Regional Innovation Chair in Rural Economic Development Selkirk College Rural Development Institute 301 Frank Beinder Way, Castlegar, BC V0G 2J0 p: 250-365-1434 e: tmacdonald@selkirk.ca

Terry McEachen, General Manager of Development Services Regional District of Fraser Fort George 155 George St., Prince George, BC V2L 1P8 p: 250-960-4450 e: tmceachen@rdffg.bc.ca

Alan Mason, Director of Community Economic Development City of Revelstoke PO Box 2398, Revelstoke, BC V0E 2S0 p: 250-837-5345 e: amason@cityofrevelstoke.com

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Wendy McCulloch, General Manager Community Futures of Boundary PO Box 2949, Grand Forks, BC V0H 1H0 p: 250-442-2722 e: wendy@boundarycf.com

Mark Bakken, Chief Administrative Officer Township of Langley 20338 – 65th Ave., Langley, BC V2Y 3J1 p: 604-534-3211 e: mbakken@tol.ca

Kiersten Duncan, Councillor City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-463-5221 e: kduncan@mapleridge.ca

Malvin Harding, Economic Advisory Commissioner City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-467-7320 e: malvinharding@telus.net

Cal McDougall, Mayor District of Sparwood PO Box 520, 136 Spruce Ave., Sparwood, BC V0B 2G0 p: 250-425-6271 e: mayor@sparwood.ca

Corisa Bell, Councillor City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-463-5221 e: cbell@mapleridge.ca

Wendy Dupley, Executive Director, Economic Development City of Abbotsford 32315 South Fraser Way, Abbotsford, BC V2T 2W7 p: 604-864-5216 e: wdupley@abbotsford.ca

Bill Harper, Councillor City of New Westminster 511 Royal Ave., New Westminster, BC V3L 1H9 p: 604-521-3711 e: bharper@newwestcity.ca

Terry Melcer, CAO District of Sparwood PO Box 520, 136 Spruce Ave., Sparwood, BC V0B 2G0 p: 250-425-6271 e: tmelcer@sparwood.ca Ron Popoff, Councillor City of Cranbrook 40 – 10th Ave., South, Cranbrook, BC V1C 5V7 p: 250-426-4211 e: ron.popoff@cranbrook.ca Lee Pratt, Mayor City of Cranbrook 40 – 10th Ave., South, Cranbrook, BC V1C 5V7 p: 250-426-4211 e: Lee.Pratt@cranbrook.ca Tom Shypitka, Councillor City of Cranbrook 40 – 10th Ave., South, Cranbrook, BC V1C 5V7 p: 250-426-4211 e: tom.shypitka@cranbrook.ca Jude Smith, Business Development Liaison District of Sparwood PO Box 520, 136 Spruce Ave., Sparwood, BC V0B 2G0 p: 250-425-6271 e: jsmith@sparwood.ca Wayne Staudt, Chief Administrative Officer City of Cranbrook 40 – 10th Ave., South, Cranbrook, BC V1C 5V7 p: 250-426-4211 e: wayne.staudt@cranbrook.ca

Chris Bishop, Director of Development Services District of Squamish 37955 Second Ave., Squamish, BC V8B 0A3 p: 604-892-5217 e: cbishop@squamish.ca Jason Blackman-Wulff, Councillor District of Squamish 37955 Second Ave., Squamish, BC V8B 0A3 p: 604-892-5217 e: jblackman-wulff@squamish.ca Christine Blair, Director, Corporate Administration Township of Langley 20338 – 65th Ave., Langley, BC V2Y 3J1 p: 604-534-3211 e: cblair@tol.ca Cheryl Britton, Manager, Administration CEPCO 201- 46093 Yale Rd, Chilliwack, BC V2P 2L8 p: 604-792-7839 e: britton@chilliwackpartners.com Erin Brocklehurst, Corporate Media Liaison Township of Langley 20338 – 65th Ave., Langley, BC V2Y 3J1 p: 604-534-3211 e: ebrocklehurst@tol.ca Bryan Buggey, Director, Strategic Initiatives & Sector Development Vancouver Economic Development Commission 1055 West Georgia St., Suite 2480, Box 11102, Vancouver, BC V6E 3P3 p: 604-632-9668 ext 108 e: bbuggey@vancouvereconomic.com

Joan Elangovan, Director, Asia Pacific Vancouver Economic Development Commission 1055 West Georgia St., Suite 2480, Box 11102, Vancouver, BC V6E 3P3 p: 604-632-9668 e: jelangovan@vancouvereconomic.com Karen Elliott, Councillor District of Squamish 37955 Second Ave., Squamish, BC V8B 0A3 p: 604-892-5217 e: kelliott@squamish.ca Cheryl Ennis, Executive Assistant City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-463-5221 e: cennis@mapleridge.ca Katie Ferland, Business Development Liaison City of Richmond 6911 No. 3 Rd., Richmond, BC V6Y 2C1 p: 604-247-4923 e: kferland@richmond.ca Brenda Fernie, Director Seyem’ Qwantlen Business Group PO Box 1023, Fort Langley, BC V1M 2S4 p: 604-888-5556 e: brenda.fernie@seyemqwantlen.ca Sabina FooFat, Planner District of Squamish 37955 Second Ave., Squamish, BC V8B 0A3 p: 604-892-5217 e: sfoofat@squamish.ca

James Umpherson PO Box 2162, 523 9th St., South, Golden, BC V0A 1H0 p: 250-272-2441 e: jamesumpherson@gmail.com

Vanessa Cafrrington, Economic Development Officer District of Squamish 37955 Second Ave., Squamish, BC V8B 0A3 p: 604-892-5217 e: vcarrington@squamish.ca

Blair Fryer, Communications and Economic Development Manager City of New Westminster 511 Royal Ave., New Westminster, BC V3L 1H9 p: 604-527-4688 e: bfryer@newwestcity.ca

Terry Van Horn, Executive Assistant Lower Columbia Initiatives 1 – 1355 Pine Ave., Trail, BC V1R 4E7 p: 250-364-6461 e: tvanhorn@lcic.ca

Susan Chapelle, Councillor District of Squamish 37955 Second Ave., Squamish, BC V8B 0A3 p: 604-892-5217 e: schapelle@squamish.ca

Kevin Weaver, Economic Development Officer City of Cranbrook 40 – 10th Ave., South, Cranbrook, BC V1C 5V7 p: 250-426-4211 e: kweaver@cranbrook.ca

Jessica Chen, Economic Advisory Commissioner City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-467-7320 e: jessica8936@hotmail.com

Valerie Gafka, Manager, Engineering Business Support Township of Langley 20338 – 65th Ave., Langley, BC V2Y 3J1 p: 604-534-3211 e: vgafka@tol.ca

Andrea Wilkey, General Manager Community Futures Central Kootenay 201-514 Vernon St., Nelson, BC V1L 4E7 p: 250-352-5926 e: awilkey@futures.bc.ca

Brian Coombes, President CEPCO 46093 Yale Rd., Chilliwack, BC V2P 2L8 p: 604-792-7839 e: Coombes@ChilliwackPartners.com

James Wilson, Executive Director Boundary Country Regional Chamber of Commerce PO Box 2949, 1647 Central Ave., Grand Forks, BC V0H 1H0 p: 250-442-2722 e: info@boundarychamber.com

Stacey Crawford, Economic Development Coordinator District of Mission 34033 Lougheed Highway, Mission, BC V2V 5X8 p: 604-820-3789 e: scrawford@mission.ca

Kevin Wilson, Economic Development Officer City of Kimberley 340 Spokane St., Kimberley, BC V1A 2E8 p: 250-427-9666 e: kwilson@kimberley.ca

Jeff Dawson, General Manager Community Futures of Howe Sound PO Box 2539, Squamish, BC V8B 0B7 p: 604-892-5467 e: jeff.dawson@cfhowesound.com

MAINLAND SOUTHWEST Bob Andrews, Planning Assistant Township of Langley 20338 – 65th Ave., Langley, BC V2Y 3J1 p: 604-532-7548 e: bandrews@tol.ca Carolyn Armanini, Planning Analyst City of New Westminster 511 Royal Ave., New Westminster, BC V3L 1H9 p: 604-527-4536 e: carmanini@newwestcity.ca

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Karoline deVries, Economic Advisory Commissioner City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-467-7320 e: devriesk@douglascollege.ca Karen Duffield, Economic Advisory Commissioner City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-467-7320 e: karen_duffield@cooperators.ca

Cori Lynn Germiquet, Chief Executive Officer New Westminster Chamber of Commerce 201 – 309 6th St., New Westminster, BC V3L 3A7 p: 604-521-7781 e: nwcc@newwestchamber.com Paul Gill, General Manager: Corporate & Financial Services City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-463-5221 e: pgill@mapleridge.ca Amanda Gleave, Film Liaison City of Coquitlam 3000 Guildford Way, Coquitlam, BC V3B 7N2 p: 604-927-3000 e: agleave@coquitlam.ca Linda Glenday, General Manager of Development Services and Public Works District of Squamish 37955 Second Ave., Squamish, BC V8B 0A3 p: 604-892-5217 e: lglenday@squamish.ca Michelle Graham, Administrative Assistant CEPCO 201 – 46093 Yale Rd, Chilliwack, BC V2P 2L8 p: 604-792-7839 e: graham@chilliwackpartners.com Chrislana Gregory, Economic Advisory Commissioner City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-467-7320 e: chrislana_gregory@hotmail.com

Patricia Heintzman, Mayor District of Squamish 37955 Second Ave., Squamish, BC V8B 0A3 p: 604-892-5217 e: pheintzman@squamish.ca Paul Holden Burnaby Board of Trade 201-4555 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC V5H 4T8 p: 778-877-3605 e: paul@bbot.ca Colleen Hurzin, Economic Development Assistant City of Coquitlam 3000 Guildford Way, Coquitlam, BC V3B 7N2 p: 604-927-3905 e: churzin@coquitlam.ca Deborah Hyslop, Economic Advisory Commissioner City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-467-7320 e: MBAHyslop@gmail.com Donna Jones, Economic Development Manager City of Surrey 14245 – 56th Ave., Surrey, BC V3X 3A2 p: 604-591-4289 e: dljones@surrey.ca Eric Kalnins, Tourism Manager City of Coquitlam 3000 Guildford Way, Coquitlam, BC V3B 7N2 p: 604-927-3000 e: ekalnins@coquitlam.ca Peter Kent, Councillor District of Squamish 37955 Second Ave., Squamish, BC V8B 0A3 p: 604-892-5217 e: pkent@squamish.ca Andrea Khan, Economic Development Coordinator City of New Westminster 511 Royal Ave., New Westminster, BC V3L 1H9 p: 604-527-4536 e: akhan@newwestcity.ca Melissa Knights, Economic Advisory Commissioner City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-467-7320 e: melissa.knights@seyemqwantlen.ca Adrian Kopystynski, Planner City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-467-7320 e: akopystynski@mapleridge.ca Josef Hans Lara, Economic Advisory Commissioner City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-467-7320 e: josef@bigbangservices.com Bruce Livingstone, Business Expansion Retention Officer City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-467-7320 e: blivingstone@mapleridge.ca John Lyotier, Economic Advisory Commissioner City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-467-7320 e: john@leftofthedot.com Gary MacKinnon, Economic Development Officer Township of Langley 20338 – 65th Ave., Langley, BC V2Y 3J1 p: 604-533-6084 e: gmackinnon@tol.ca Andrea Madden, Economic Advisory Commissioner City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-463-5221 e: andrea@ridgemeadowschamber.com

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BC Economic Development Association

Rohith Manhas, Economic Advisory Commissioner City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-467-7320 e: rohithm@sfu.ca

Doug Race, Councillor District of Squamish 37955 Second Ave., Squamish, BC V8B 0A3 p: 604-892-5217 e: drace@squamish.ca

Ceri Marlo, Manager of Legislative Services and Emergency Program City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-463-5221 e: cmarlo@mapleridge.ca

Glenn Ralph, Economic Advisory Commissioner City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-467-7320 e: gralph@pittmeadowsairport.com

Elyse Marlo, Administrative Assistant City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-467-7320 e: emarlo@mapleridge.ca Robert Masse, Councillor City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-463-5221 e: rmasse@mapleridge.ca Sarah McJannet, Planner District of Squamish 37955 Second Ave., Squamish, BC V8B 0A3 p: 604-892-5217 e: smcjannet@squamish.ca Ian McKay, CEO Vancouver Economic Development Commission 1055 West Georgia St., Suite 2480, Box 11102, Vancouver, BC V6E 3P3 p: 604-632-9668 e: imckay@vancouvereconomic.com John McPherson, Sector Development Manager, Cleantech Vancouver Economic Development Commission 1055 West Georgia St., Suite 2480, Box 11102, Vancouver, BC V6E 3P3 p: 604-632-9668 e: jmcpherson@vancouvereconomic.com

Nicole Read, Mayor City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-463-5221 e: nread@mapleridge.ca Gordy Robson, Councillor City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-463-5221 e: grobson@mapleridge.ca

Alice To, Film & Economic Initiatives Coordinator District of North Vancouver 355 West Queens Rd., North Vancouver, BC V7N 4N5 p: 604-991-2241 e: aliceto@dnv.org Juvarya Veltkamp, Manager, Green Economy Initiatives Vancouver Economic Development Commission 1055 West Georgia St., Suite 2480, Box 11102, Vancouver, BC V6E 3P3 p: 604-632-9668 e: jwarsi@vancouvereconomic.com Kate Zanon, A/Director of Operations and Development Services City of Pitt Meadows 12047 Harris Rd., Pitt Meadows, BC V3Y 2B5 p: 604-465-9481 e: kzanon@pittmeadows.bc.ca

NORTH COAST

Jake Rudolph, Deputy City Manager City of Abbotsford 32315 South Fraser Way, Abbotsford, BC V2T 2W7 p: 604-853-2281 e: jrudolph@abbotsford.ca

Cameron Bell, Economic Development Officer Misty Isles Economic Development Society Box 652, Queen Charlotte, BC V0T 1S0 p: 250-559-8050 e: edo@mieds.ca

Jim Rule, Chief Administrative Officer City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-463-5221 e: jrule@mapleridge.ca

Elaine Davis, Economic Development Assistant District of Chetwynd PO Box 357, Chetwynd, BC V0C 1J0 p: 250-401-4125 e: edavis@gochetwynd.com

Natalie Scopaz, Economic Development Coordinator District of Squamish 37955 Second Ave., Squamish, BC V8B 0A3 p: 604-892-5217 e: nscopaz@squamish.ca

Rose Klukas, Economic Development Officer District of Kitimat 270 City Centre, Kitimat, BC V8C 2H7 p: 250-632-8921 e: rklukas@kitimat.ca

Vicki Scully 1739 William St., Vancouver, BC V5L 2R5 p: 604-562-6058 e: vickiscully1234@gmail.com

Ellen McAvany, Economic Development Officer District of Chetwynd PO Box 357, Chetwynd, BC V0C 1J0 p: 250-401-4113 e: emcavany@gochetwynd.com

Ramin Seifi, General Manager, Engineering & Community Development Township of Langley 20338 65th Ave., Langley, BC V2Y 3J1 p: 604-534-3211 e: rseifi@tol.ca

Bert Mercer, Economic Development Manger Nisga’a Nation 2000 Lisims Dr., PO Box 231, New Aiyansh, BC V0J 1A0 p: 250-633-3000 e: bertramm@nisgaa.net

Tyler Shymkiw, Councillor City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-463-5221 e: tshymkiw@mapleridge.ca

Blaine Moore, Economic Development Officer Terrace Economic Development Authority 3224 Kalum Rd., Terrace, BC V8G 2N1 p: 250-635-4168 e: blainemoore@teda.ca

Craig Speirs, Councillor City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-463-5221 e: cspiers@mapleridge.ca

Nancy Mott, Manager, Digital & Entertainment Vancouver Economic Development Commission 1055 West Georgia St., Suite 2480, Box 11102, Vancouver, BC V6E 3P3 p: 604-632-9668 e: nmott@vancouvereconomic.com

Tyler Noble, Business & Communications Officer District of Kitimat 270 City Centre, Kitimat, BC V8C 2H7 p: 250-635-8900 e: tnoble@kitimat.ca

Lisa Spitale, Chief Administrative Officer City of New Westminster 511 Royal Ave., New Westminster, BC V3L 1H9 p: 604-521-3711 e: lspitale@newwestcity.ca

Paul Vendittelli, Economic Development Officer Prince Rupert Port Edward EDC 464 – 3rd Ave., West, Prince Rupert, BC V8J 1L7 p: 250-627-5138 e: paul.vendittelli@princerupert.ca

David Munro, Manager Economic Development City of Coquitlam 3000 Guildford Way, Coquitlam, BC V3B 7N2 p: 604-927-3442 e: dmunro@coquitlam.ca

Mary Jane Stenberg, Economic Advisory Commissioner City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-467-7320 e: mary_jane_stenberg@bcit.ca

Andrew Webber, Manager, Development Services Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine 300 – 4545 Lazelle Ave., Terrace, BC V8G 4E1 p: 250-615-6100 e: awebber@rdks.bc.ca

Randy Stoyko, General Manager of Business and Community Services District of Squamish 37955 Second Ave., Squamish, BC V8B 0A3 p: 604-815-5217 e: rstoyko@squamish.ca

NORTHEAST

Gerald Minchuk, Director Development Services & Economic Development City of Langley 20399 Douglas Crescent, Langley, BC V3A 4B3 p: 604-514-2815 e: gminchuk@city.langley.bc.ca Alex Mitchell, Economic Development Officer City of Abbotsford 32315 South Fraser Way, Abbotsford, BC V2T 2W7 p: 604-864-5216 e: amitchell@abbotsford.ca Elizabeth Model, Executive Director Downtown Surrey BIA Suite 300 – 10524 King George Blvd., Surrey, BC V3T 2X2 p: 604-580-2321 e: elizabeth@downtownsurreybia.com

Elaine Naisby, Planner District of Squamish 37955 Second Ave., Squamish, BC V8B 0A3 p: 604-892-5217 e: enaisby@squamish.ca Karen Pighin, Economic Advisory Commissioner City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-467-7320 e: karen@mract.org Ted Prior, Councillor District of Squamish 37955 Second Ave., Squamish, BC V8B 0A3 p: 604-892-5217 e: tprior@squamish.ca Frank Quinn, General Manager: Public Works & Development Services City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-463-5221 e: fquinn@mapleridge.ca

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Kelly Swift, General Manager: Community Development, Parks & Recreation Services City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-463-5221 e: kswift@mapleridge.ca Netty Tam, Manager of Business Development CEPCO 201- 46093 Yale Rd, Chilliwack, BC V2P 2L8 p: 604-792-7839 e: tam@chilliwackpartners.com

Lori Ackerman, Mayor City of Fort St. John 10631 100 St., Fort St. John, BC V1J 3Z5 p: 250-787-8160 e: lackerman@fortstjohn.ca Jaylene Arnold, Economic Development & Tourism Officer Northern Rockies Regional Municipality 5319 50th Ave., South, Bag Service 399, Fort Nelson, BC V0C 1R0 p: 250-774-2541 ext 2040 e: jarnold@northernrockies.org Dale Bumstead, Mayor City of Dawson Creek Box 150, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 4G4 p: 250-784-3600 e: mayorbumstead@dawsoncreek.ca

Jim Chute, CAO City of Dawson Creek Box 150, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 4G4 p: 250-784-3600 e: jchute@dawsoncreek.ca Kathleen Connelly, Executive Director Dawson Creek & District Chamber of Commerce 10201 – 10th St., Dawson Creek, BC V1G 3T5 p: 250-719-4868 e: kathleen@dawsoncreekchamber.ca Paul Gevatkoff, Councillor City of Dawson Creek Box 150, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 4G4 p: 250-784-3600 e: pgevatkoff@dawsoncreek.ca Samantha Gibeault, Tourism Development Coordinator Tourism Dawson Creek 10201 10 St., Dawson Creek, BC V1G 3T5 p: 250-782-4714 e: samantha@tourismdawsoncreek.com Mike Gilbert, Community Development Officer Northern Rockies Regional Municipality Bag Service 399, 5319 – 50th Ave., South, Fort Nelson, BC V0C 1R0 p: 250-774-2541 ext 2043 e: mgilbert@northernrockies.ca Moira Green, Economic Development Officer City of Fort St. John 10631 100 St., Fort St. John, BC V1J 3Z5 p: 250-787-8160 e: mgreen@fortstjohn.ca Colin Griffith, Director of Strategic Initiatives Northern Rockies Regional Municipality Bag Service 399, 5319 – 50th Ave., South, Fort Nelson, BC V0C 1R0 p: 780-733-9054 e: cgriffith@northernrockies.ca Dianne Hunter, City Manager City of Fort St. John 10631 100 St., Fort St. John, BC V1J 3Z5 p: 250-787-8160 e: dhunter@fortstjohn.ca Sue Kenny, General Manager Community Futures Peace Liard 904 102 Ave., Dawson Creek, BC V1G 2B7 p: 250-782-8748 e: skenny@communityfutures.biz Terry McFadyen, Councillor City of Dawson Creek Box 150, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 4G4 p: 250-784-3600 e: tmcfadyen@dawsoncreek.ca Jennifer Moore, Regional Economic Development Officer North Peace Economic Development Commission 9505 100th St , Fort St. John, BC V1J 4N4 p: 250-785-5969 e: invest@npedc.ca Charlie Parslow, Councillor City of Dawson Creek Box 150, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 4G4 p: 250-784-3600 e: cparslow@dawsoncreek.ca Tonia Richter, Executive Director Chetwynd Chamber of Commerce Box 870, Chetwynd, BC V0C 1J0 p: 250-788-3345 e: manager@chetwyndchamber.ca Mark Rogers, Councillor City of Dawson Creek Box 150, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 4G4 p: 250-784-3600 e: mrogers@dawsoncreek.ca Ken Rogers, Director of Development City of Fort St. John 10631 100 St., Fort St. John, BC V1J 3Z5 p: 250-787-8160 e: krogers@fortstjohn.ca Jerrilyn Schembri, Director South Peace Economic Development Commission PO Box 810 Stn Main, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 4H8 p: 250-784-3200 e: truth@pris.ca Cheryl Shuman, Councillor City of Dawson Creek Box 150, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 4G4 p: 250-784-3600 e: cshuman@dawsoncreek.ca

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Jack Stevenson, Director of Planning Northern Rockies Regional Municipality Bag Service 399, 5319 50th Ave., South,, Fort Nelson, BC V0C 1R0 p: 250-774-2541 ext 2041 e: jstevenson@northernrockies.ca Krista Vandersteen, Community Development Researcher Northern Rockies Regional Municipality Bag Service 399, 5319 50th Ave., South,, Fort Nelson, BC V0C 1R0 p: 250-774-2541 ext 2049 e: kvandersteen@northernrockies.ca Diana Waddington, Executive Assistant City of Fort St. John 10631 100 St., Fort St. John, BC V1J 3Z5 p: 250-787-8160 e: dwaddington@fortstjohn.ca Jordan Wall, Economic Development Officer District of Tumbler Ridge 305 Founders St; PO Box 100, Tumbler Ridge, BC V0C 2W0 p: 250-242-4242 ext 233 e: edo@dtr.ca Shaely Wilbur, Councillor City of Dawson Creek Box 150, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 4G4 p: 250-784-3600 e: swilbur@dawsoncreek.ca

THOMPSON OKANAGAN Jim Anderson, Executive Director Venture Kamloops 297 1st Ave., Kamloops, BC V2C 3J3 p: 250-828-6818 e: jim@ventureKamloops.com Ernest Armann, Implementation Manager St’at’imc Government Services 10 Scotchman Rd., PO Box 2218, Lillooet, BC V0K 1V0 p: 250-256-0425 e: implementationmgr@statimcgs.org Debbie Arnott, General Manager Community Futures of Sun Country PO Box 1480, 203 Railway Ave., Ashcroft, BC V0K 1A0 p: 250-453-9165 e: darnott@cfsun.ca David Arsenault, General Manager Community Futures Thompson Country 230 – 301 Victoria St., Kamloops, BC V2C 2A3 p: 250-828-8772 e: darsenault@communityfutures.net Peter Aylen, Director Venture Kamloops 297 1st Ave., Kamloops, BC V2C 3J3 p: 250-828-6818 e: paylen@absorbentproductsltd.com James Baker, Mayor District of Lake Country 10150 Bottom Wood Lake Rd., Lake Country, BC V4V 2M1 p: 250-766-6671 e: baker@lakecountry.bc.ca Osei Bosompem, CAO District of Logan Lake 1 Opal Dr., PO Box 190, Logan Lake, BC V0K 1W0 p: 250-523-6225 e: cao@loganlake.ca Chris Bowers, Partner Destination Osoyoos 8701 Main St., Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-5070 e: chris@nkmip.com Leslie Brochu, Vice President Venture Kamloops 297 1st Ave., Kamloops, BC V2C 3J3 p: 250-828-6818 e: leslie.brochu@gmail.com Don Brogan, Chair Destination Osoyoos 8701 Main St., Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-5070 e: dbrogan@walnutbeachresort.com Richard Brownlee, Director Venture Kamloops 297 1st Ave., Kamloops, BC V2C 3J3 p: 250-828-6818 e: rdb4@telus.net

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Mike Campol, Director Destination Osoyoos 8701 Main St., Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-5070 e: mikec@bellstar.ca Mike Campol, Councillor Town of Osoyoos Box 3010, Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-6515 e: mcampol@osoyoos.ca Mandi Caroll, Communications Officer Westbank First Nation 301 – 515 Highway 97 S, Kelowna, BC V1Z 3J2 p: 250-769-2436 e: mcarroll@wfn.ca Richard Cooper, Director Destination Osoyoos 8701 Main St., Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-5070 e: heatstrokecycle@gmail.com Robyn Cyr, EDO/Film Commissioner Columbia Shuswap Regional District Box 978, 781 Marine Park Dr., N/E, Salmon Arm, BC V1E 4P1 p: 250-832-8194 e: rcyr@csrd.bc.ca Derek de Candole, Business Attraction Specialist Venture Kamloops 297 1st Ave., Kamloops, BC V2C 3J3 p: 250-828-6818 e: derek@venturekamloops.com Alberto De Feo, Chief Administrative Officer District of Lake Country 10150 Bottom Wood Lake Rd., Lake Country, BC V4V 2M1 p: 250-766-6671 e: adefeo@lakecountry.bc.ca Cindy Dueck, Office Manager Venture Kamloops 297 1st Ave., Kamloops, BC V2C 3J3 p: 250-828-6818 e: cindy@venturekamloops.com

Laura John, Education and Training Manager St’at’imc Government Services 10 Scotchman Rd., PO Box 2218, Lillooet, BC V0K 1V0 p: 250-256-0425 e: set@statimcgs.org

Kevin Poole, Manager of Economic Development & Tourism City of Vernon 14245 – 56th Ave., Vernon, BC V1T 5E6 p: 250-550-3249 e: kpoole@vernon.ca

Jim King, Councillor Town of Osoyoos Box 3010, Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-6515 e: jking@osoyoos.ca

John Powell, Economic Development Coordinator Regional District Okanagan Similkameen 101 Martin St., Penticton, BC V2A 5J9 p: 778-515-5520 e: jpowell@rdos.bc.ca

Mark Koch, Director of Community Services District of Lake Country 10150 Bottom Wood Lake Rd., Lake Country, BC V4V 2M1 p: 250-766-6671 e: mkoch@lakecountry.bc.ca

Paula Presta, Secretary/Treasurer Venture Kamloops 297 1st Ave., Kamloops, BC V2C 3J3 p: 250-828-6818 e: ppresta@kpmg.ca

Tina Lange, Councillor City of Kamloops 8 Victoria St., West, Kamloops, BC V2C 1A3 p: 250-828-3311 e: tlange@kamloops.ca Sherri-Lynne Madden, Services Coordinator Thompson Nicola Regional District 300 – 465 Victoria St., Kamloops, BC V2C 2A9 p: 250-674-3530 e: smadden@tnrd.bc.ca Jamie Mayes, Business Retention & Expansion Specialist Venture Kamloops 297 1st Ave., Kamloops, BC V2C 3J3 p: 250-828-6818 e: jamie@venturekamloops.com Sue McKortoff, Mayor Town of Osoyoos Box 3010, Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-6515 e: smckortoff@osoyoos.ca Len McLean, Director Destination Osoyoos 8701 Main St., Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-5070 e: len@mcleanconstruction.ca

Lana Fitt, Economic Development Manager Salmon Arm Economic Development Society 20 Hudson Ave., NE PO Box 130, Salmon Arm, BC V1E 4N2 p: 250-833-0608 e: edo@saeds.ca

Joanne Muirhead, Director Destination Osoyoos 8701 Main St., Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-5070 e: ken.jo@telus.net

Jason Friesen, Treasurer Venture Kamloops 297 1st Ave., Kamloops, BC V2C 3J3 p: 250-828-6818 e: jason@frilan.ca

Greg Munden, Director Venture Kamloops 297 1st Ave., Kamloops, BC V2C 3J3 p: 250-828-6818 e: gmunden@mundentrucking.ca

Corie Griffiths, Director Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission 1450 KLO Rd., Kelowna, BC V1W 3Z4 p: 250-469-6283 e: cgriffiths@investkelowna.com

Claire Newman, Councillor District of Logan Lake 1 Opal Dr., PO Box 190, Logan Lake, BC V0K 1W0 p: 250-523-6225 e: cnewman@loganlake.ca

Leslie Groulx, Chief Administrative Officer District of Clearwater Box 157, Clearwater, BC V0E 1N0 p: 250-674-2257 e: lgroulx@docbc.ca Mary Ellen Heidt, Manager of Community Futures Okanagan Similkameen Community Futures Okanagan Similkameen 102 – 3115 Skaha Lake Rd., Penticton, BC V2A 6G5 p: 250-493-2566 ext 202 e: maryellen@cfokanagan.com Annina Hoffmeister, Director Destination Osoyoos 8701 Main St., Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-5070 e: lunch@dolcideli.com Bob Holden, Director Venture Kamloops 297 1st Ave., Kamloops, BC V2C 3J3 p: 250-828-6818 e: bob.holden@nbpcd.com Bill Humphreys PO Box 751, Barriere, BC V0E 1E0 p: 250-819-9449 e: bill_humphreys@telus.net

Colin O’Leary, Manager, Business Retention & Expansion Venture Kamloops 297 1st Ave., Kamloops, BC V2C 3J3 p: 250-828-6818 e: colin@venturekamloops.com Mark Pendergraft, Chair Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen 101 Martin St., Penticton, BC V2A 5J9 p: 250-492-0237 e: mpendergraft@rdos.bc.ca Colleen Pennington, Economic Development City of Penticton 171 Main St., Penticton, BC V2A 5A9 p: 250-493-3323 e: colleen.pennington@penticton.ca John Perrott, Business Development Officer District of West Kelowna 2760 Cameron Rd., West Kelowna, BC V1Z 2T6 p: 778-797-2215 e: john.perrott@districtofwestkelowna.ca Christine Petkau, Manager Summerland Chamber of Commerce 15600 Highway 97, PO Box 130, Summerland, BC V0H 1Z0 p: 250-494-2686 e: manager@summerlandchamber.com

Rob Rausch, Vice Chair Destination Osoyoos 8701 Main St., Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-5070 e: rob@wakepilot.com C J Rhodes, Councillor Town of Osoyoos Box 3010, Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-6515 e: cirhodes@osoyoos.ca Tammy Robertson, Business & Client Services City of Kamloops 10 Victoria St., West, Kamloops, BC V2C 1A5 p: 250-828-3311 e: trobertson@kamloops.ca Barry Romanko, CAO Town of Osoyoos Box 3010, Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-6515 e: bromanko@osoyoos.ca Lee Sapach, Director Destination Osoyoos 8701 Main St., Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-5070 e: gm@golfosoyoos.com Paul Scanlon, Treasurer Destination Osoyoos 8701 Main St., Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-5070 e: pscanlon@watermarkbeachresort.com Gail Scott, Managing Director Destination Osoyoos 8701 Main St., Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-5070 e: gscott@destinationosoyoos.com Reyna Seabrook, Corporate Services Manager District of Lake Country 10150 Bottom Wood Lake Rd., Lake Country, BC V4V 2M1 p: 250-766-6671 e: rseabrook@lakecountry.bc.ca Stephanie Sexsmith, Executive Director Lumby & District Chamber of Commerce 1882 Vernon St; PO Box 534, Lumby, BC V0E 2G0 p: 250-547-2300 e: lumbychamber@shaw.ca Tom Shouldice, Director Venture Kamloops 297 1st Ave., Kamloops, BC V2C 3J3 p: 250-828-6818 e: twshouldice@yahoo.ca Robin Smith, Mayor District of Logan Lake 1 Opal Dr., PO Box 190, Logan Lake, BC V0K 1W0 p: 250-523-6225 e: rsmith@loganlake.ca Al Smith, Councillor District of Logan Lake 1 Opal Dr., PO Box 190, Logan Lake, BC V0K 1W0 p: 250-523-6225 e: asmith@loganlake.ca Lincoln Smith, Director Venture Kamloops 297 1st Ave., Kamloops, BC V2C 3J3 p: 250-828-6818 e: lsmith@tru.ca Kevin Taylor, Planning & Economic Development Technician District of Peachland 5806 Beach Ave., Peachland, BC V0H 1X7 p: 250-767-2647 e: planningtech@peachland.ca

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David Trawin, CAO City of Kamloops 9 Victoria St., West, Kamloops, BC V2C 1A4 p: 250-828-3311 e: dtrawin@kamloops.ca Vincent Virk, Director Destination Osoyoos 8701 Main St., Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-5070 e: vincent@Pallasgroup.net June Waddell, Councillor District of Logan Lake 1 Opal Dr., PO Box 190, Logan Lake, BC V0K 1W0 p: 250-523-6225 e: jwaddell@loganlake.ca Pat Wallace, Councillor City of Kamloops 7 Victoria St., West, Kamloops, BC V2C 1A2 p: 250-828-3311 e: pwallace@kamloops.ca Charlie Weir, Councillor District of Logan Lake 1 Opal Dr., PO Box 190, Logan Lake, BC V0K 1W0 p: 250-523-6225 e: cweir@loganlake.ca Gary Youd, Councillor District of Logan Lake 1 Opal Dr., PO Box 190, Logan Lake, BC V0K 1W0 p: 250-523-6225 e: gyoud@loganlake.ca Carol Youngberg, Director Destination Osoyoos 8701 Main St., Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-5070 e: carol.osoyoos@gmail.com Carol Youngberg, Councillor Town of Osoyoos Box 3010, Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-6515 e: cyoungberg@osoyoos.ca

VANCOUVER ISLAND/COAST Felicity Adams, Director of Development Services Town of Ladysmith PO Box 220, Ladysmith, BC V9G 1A2 p: 250-245-6405 e: fadams@ladysmith.ca Lyn Adamson, Economic Development Committee City of Powell River 6910 Duncan St., Powell River, BC V8A 1V4 p: 604-485-8653 e: lyn@careerlinkbc.com Mark Anderson, Economic Development Committee City of Powell River 6910 Duncan St., Powell River, BC V8A 1V4 p: 604-485-8653 e: markanderson19@shaw.ca Sasha Angus, CEO Nanaimo Economic Development Corporation 104 Front St., Nanaimo, BC V9R 5H7 p: 250-591-1551 ext 22 e: sasha.angus@investnanaimo.com Helena Bird, Economic Development Committee City of Powell River 6910 Duncan St., Powell River, BC V8A 1V4 p: 604-485-8653 e: bird483@telus.net Doug Blake, Chair Community Futures Alberni Clayoquat 4757 Tebo Ave., Port Alberni, BC V9Y 8A9 p: 250-724-1241 e: albresco@shaw.ca Kim Burden, Executive Director Parksville & District Chamber of Commerce PO Box 99, Station Main , Parksville, BC V9P 2G3 p: 250-248-3613 e: kim@parksvillechamber.com Lori Camire, General Manager Community Futures Alberni Clayoquat 4757 Tebo Ave., Port Alberni, BC V9Y 8A9 p: 250-724-1241 e: lori.camire@cfac.ca Marty Cattermole, Economic Development Committee City of Powell River 6910 Duncan St., Powell River, BC V8A 1V4 p: 604-485-8653 e: marty.cattermole@firstcu.ca

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Matteus Clement, Economic Development Commission Board Member Cowichan Region Economic Development Commission 135 Third St., Duncan, BC V9L 1R9 p: 250-746-7880 e: mclement@cvrd.bc.ca

Russ Jenkins, Economic Development Commission Board Member Cowichan Region Economic Development Commission 135 Third St., Duncan, BC V9L 1R9 p: 250-746-7880 e: russjenkins@telus.net

Pat Deakin, Economic Development Manager City of Port Alberni 4850 Argyle St., Port Alberni, BC V9Y 1V8 p: 250-720-2527 e: patrick_deakin@portalberni.ca

Mike Kelly, Economic Development Commission Board Member Cowichan Region Economic Development Commission 135 Third St., Duncan, BC V9L 1R9 p: 250-746-7880 e: gpBike1001@gmail.com

Dan Devita, Economic Development Committee City of Powell River 6910 Duncan St., Powell River, BC V8A 1V4 p: 604-485-8653 e: dandevita@shaw.ca Kim DoneyCampbell River EDC Rivercorp Enterprise Centre E – 900 Alder St., Campbell River, BC V9W 2P6 p: 250-830-0411 e: invest@rivercorp.ca Bruno Dragani, Chair Community Futures Nanaimo 14 – 327 Prideaux St., Nanaimo, BC V9R 2N4 p: 250-591-7499 e: bruno.dragani@cccu.ca Glenn Farenholtz, Economic Development Commission Board Member Cowichan Region Economic Development Commission 135 Third St., Duncan, BC V9L 1R9 p: 250-746-7880 e: glenn.farenholtz@gmail.com Dave Formosa, Mayor City of Powell River 6910 Duncan St., Powell River, BC V8A 1V4 p: 604 485 6291 e: Davic83@gmail.com Teresa Fournier, Secretary Sechelt Innovations Ltd. Unit 103, 5674 Teredo St., Sechelt, BC V0N 3A0 p: 778-458-3044 e: info@secheltinnovationsltd.com Dallas Gislason, Economic Development Officer Greater Victoria Development Agency 100 – 852 Fort St., Victoria, BC V8W 1H8 p: 250-383-7179 ext 204 e: dgislason@gvda.ca Sandra Goth, Economic Development Commission Board Member Cowichan Region Economic Development Commission 135 Third St., Duncan, BC V9L 1R9 p: 250-746-7880 e: sandra_goth@shaw.ca Lara Greasley, Manager, Marketing & Communications Comox Valley Economic Development Society 102 – 2435 Mansﬁeld Dr., Courtenay, BC V9N 2M2 p: 250-334-2427 e: lara@investcomoxvalley.com

Pam Krompocker, Executive Director Community Futures of Powell River 4717 Marine Ave., 2nd Ave., Powell River, BC V8A 2L2 p: 604-485-7901 e: pam@prfutures.ca Kathy Lachman, Acting Manager Cowichan Region Economic Development Commission 135 Third St., Duncan, BC V9L 1R9 p: 250-746-7880 e: klachman@cvrd.bc.ca Amrit Manhas, Economic Development Officer Nanaimo Economic Development Corporation 104 Front St., Nanaimo, BC V9R 5H7 p: 250-591-1551 ext 26 e: amrit.manhas@investnanaimo.com David McCormick, Manager of Property and Community Relations Port Alberni Port Authority 2750 Harbour Road, Port Alberni, BC V9Y 7X2 p: 250-723-5312 e: dmccormick@alberniport.ca Michael McGee, Administrator Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation PO Box 459, Gold River, BC V0P 1G0 p: 250-283-2424 e: admin@yuquot.ca Peter McGee, Economic Development Coordinator Nanaimo Economic Development Corporation 104 Front St., Nanaimo, BC V9R 5H7 p: 250-591-1551 ext 21 e: peter.mcgee@investnanaimo.com Donna McMahon, Executive Director Gibsons & District Chamber of Commerce PO Box 1190, Gibsons, BC V0N 1V0 p: 604-886-2325 e: exec@gibsonschamber.com Sean Melrose, Economic Development Committee City of Powell River 6910 Duncan St., Powell River, BC V8A 1V4 p: 604-485-8653 e: sean.melrose@prcic.ca Geoff Millar, Past Chair BCEDA Chemainus, BC p: 250-709-1677 e: geoffgmillar@gmail.com

Jolynn Green, Executive Director Community Futures Nanaimo 14 – 327 Prideaux St., Nanaimo, BC V9R 2N4 p: 250-591-7499 e: jolynn@cfnanaimo.org

Melissa Mills, Founder/Consultant Taken4Granted 1010 Sabine Rd, Parksville, BC V9P 1S1 p: 250-741-6207 e: t4gbiz@gmail.com

Roger Hart, Economic Development Commission Board Member Cowichan Region Economic Development Commission 135 Third St., Duncan, BC V9L 1R9 p: 250-746-7880 e: roger@island.net

David Mitchell, General Manager Community Futures Mount Waddington 14 – 311 Hemlock, Port McNeill, BC V0N 2R0 p: 250-956-2220 e: david@cfmw.ca

Blair Herbert, Vice-Chair, Economic Development Commission Cowichan Region Economic Development Commission 135 Third St., Duncan, BC V9L 1R9 p: 250-746-7880 e: blairherbert@royallepage.ca Pat James, Chief Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation PO Box 459, Gold River, BC V0P 1G0 p: 250-283-2424 e: admin@yuquot.ca

David Morris, Economic Development Committee City of Powell River 6910 Duncan St., Powell River, BC V8A 1V4 p: 604-485-8653 e: dgm_mcp@shawcable.com Jim Palm, Councillor City of Powell River 6910 Duncan St., Powell River, BC V8A 1V4 p: 604-485-6291 e: jpalm@cdpr.bc.ca Arlette Raaen, Economic Development Committee City of Powell River 6910 Duncan St., Powell River, BC V8A 1V4 p: 604-485-8653 e: arlette.raaen@viu.ca

Scott Randolph, Manager of Economic Development City of Powell River 6910 Duncan St., Powell River, BC V8A 1V4 p: 604-485-8653 e: srandolph@cdpr.bc.ca George Robbins, Chair, Economic Development Commission Cowichan Region Economic Development Commission 135 Third St., Duncan, BC V9L 1R9 p: 250-746-7880 e: g.robbins@shaw.ca Cathy Robertson, General Manager Community Futures Cowichan 135 Third St., Duncan, BC V9L 1R9 p: 250-746-1004 e: crobertson@cfcowichan.ca Vance Rosling, Director of Economic Development Tsawout First Nation PO Box 121-7728 Tetayut Rd., Saanichton, BC V8M 2C3 p: 250-652-9101 e: vrosling@tsawout.ca Karen Ross Hornby Island Economic Enhancement Corp Hornby Island, BC p: 250-335-1455 e: karenross@telus.net Sheila Service, Chair Community Futures Cowichan 135 Third St., Duncan, BC V9L 1R9 p: 250-746-1004 e: sershe@shaw.ca Karen Skadsheim, Councillor City of Powell River 6910 Duncan St., Powell River, BC V8A 1V4 p: 604-485-6291 e: kskadsheim@cdpr.bc.ca Wendy Smitka, Director Community Futures Nanaimo 14-327 Prideaux St., Nanaimo, BC V9R 2N4 p: 250-591-7499 e: smitka@shaw.ca Rob Southcott, Councillor City of Powell River 6910 Duncan St., Powell River, BC V8A 1V4 p: 604-485-6291 e: rsouthcott@cdpr.bc.ca Marsha Stanley, Economic Development Commission Board Member Cowichan Region Economic Development Commission 135 Third St., Duncan, BC V9L 1R9 p: 250-746-7880 e: marsha.stanley@mnp.ca Sheana Stevenson, Economic Development Liason Bowen Island Municipality 981 Artisan Lane, Bowen Island, BC V0N 1G2 p: 604-947-4255 e: sstevenson@bimbc.ca Ross Tennant, Economic Development Commission Board Member Cowichan Region Economic Development Commission 135 Third St., Duncan, BC V9L 1R9 p: 250-746-7880 e: rtennant@bamberton.com Dana Thorne, Economic Development Commission Board Member Cowichan Region Economic Development Commission 135 Third St., Duncan, BC V9L 1R9 p: 250-746-7880 e: dana.thorne@cowichantribes.com Warren Weir, Economic Development Commission Board Member Cowichan Region Economic Development Commission 135 Third St., Duncan, BC V9L 1R9 p: 250-746-7880 e: Warren.Weir@viu.ca Jay Yule, Economic Development Committee City of Powell River 6910 Duncan St., Powell River, BC V8A 1V4 p: 604-485-8653 e: jay.yule@sd47.bc.ca

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Tracy Zanchetta, Senior Manager Sechelt Innovations Ltd. Unit 103, 5674 Teredo St., Sechelt, BC V0N 3A0 p: 778-458-3044 e: tracy@secheltinnovationsltd.com

Paul Harris, Publisher Business in Vancouver Magazines 303 5th Ave., West, Vancouver, BC V5Y 1J6 p: 604-608-5156 e: pharris@biv.com

Anne Murray, Vice President, Marketing & Communications Vancouver Airport Authority PO Box 23750 APO, Richmond, BC V7B 1Y7 e: anne_murray@yvr.ca

Cynthia Stewart, Director, Community Relations Int’l Council of Shopping Centers 555 12th St., NW, Suite 660, Washington, DC 20004 p: 864-968-9324 e: cstewart@icsc.org

Jason Zroback, Economic Development Committee City of Powell River 6910 Duncan St., Powell River, BC V8A 1V4 p: 604-485-8653 e: jason@landquest.com

Chris Heminsley, Director, Economic Development Programs BC Hydro 333 Dunsmuir St., Vancouver, BC V6B 5R3 p: 604-699-7661 e: Chris.Heminsley@bchydro.com

Paul Murrin, Managing Partner Wedler Engineering 201 – 9300 Nowell St, Chilliwack, BC V2P 4V7 p: 604-792-0651 e: pmurrin@wedler.com

Randy Sunderman, President Peak Solutions Consulting 666 Braemar Dr., Kamloops, BC V1S 1H9 p: 250-314-1842 e: rsunman@telus.net

CORPORATE Craig Amundsen, Government Relations Manager Surrey Board of Trade 101 – 14439 104 Ave., Surrey, BC V3R 1M1 p: 604-634-0342 e: government@businessinsurrey.ca

Michael Hogan, Managing Director, Marketing Research & Strategy The Studio Group Marketing 301 – 10722 103 Ave., Edmonton, AB T5J 5G7 p: 780-758-8015 e: admin@mytsg.ca

Brad Nakagawa, Sales Manager Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel 7551 Westminster Highway, Richmond, BC V6X 1A3 p: 604-223-3950 e: brad.nakagawa@sheratonvancouverairport.com

Shirley Tate Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers 2100, 350-7 Ave., SW, Calgary, BC T2P 3N9 p: 403-267-1100 e: shirley.tate@capp.ca

Maynard Angus, Manager, Community Relations Prince Ruper Port Authority 200 – 215 Cow Bay Rd., Prince Rupert, BC V8J 1A2 p: 250-627-2521 e: mangus@rupertport.com

Shelley Honish EFC Business Services Inc 970 Wagonwood Place, Victoria, BC V8X 4M1 p: 250-885-8121 e: shonish@telus.net

Steve Nicol, Consulting Director Lions Gate Consulting Inc. 207 – 2902 Broadway, Vancouver, BC V6K 2G8 p: 604-733-5622 e: steve@lgc-inc.com

Greg Thomas, Director Surrey Board of Trade 101 – 14439 104 Ave., Surrey, BC V3R 1M1 p: 604-634-0342 e: gthomas@g3consulting.com

David Bennett, Director, External Relations Fortis BC 16705 Fraser Highway, Surrey, BC V4N 0E8 p: 604-592-7850 e: davida.bennett@fortisbc.com

Anita Huberman, CEO Surrey Board of Trade 101 – 14439 104 Ave., Surrey, BC V3R 1M1 p: 604-634-0342 e: anita@businesinsurrey.ca

Joanne Norris, Project Manager Futurpreneur Canada 425 Carrall St., Suite 580, Vancouver, BC V6B 6E3 p: 604-598-2923 e: jnorris@futurpreneur.ca

Donny van Dyk, Manager, Coastal Aboriginal and Community Relations Northern Gateway Pipelines p: 250-407-0462 e: donny.vandyk@enbridge.com

Shelley Besse, 1st Vice Chair Surrey Board of Trade 101 – 14439 104 Ave., Surrey, BC V3R 1M1 p: 604-634-0342 e: sbesse@envisionfinancial.ca

George Hunter, CEO Small Business BC 82 – 601 West Cordova St., Vancouver, BC V6B 1G1 p: 604-775-5525 e: hunter.george@smallbusinessbc.ca

Trudy Parsons, Director, Worforce Development Millier Dickinson Blais p: 855-367-3535 ext 237 e: tparsons@millierdickinsonblais.com

Jamie Vann Struth, Principal Van Struth Consulting Group 2395 Lakewood Dr., Vancouver, BC V5N 4T8 p: 604-762-6901 e: jamie@vannstruth.com

Indra Bhan, Membership Services Manager Surrey Board of Trade 101-14439 104 Ave., Surrey, BC V3R 1M1 p: 604-634-0342 e: indra@businessinsurrey.ca

Marilyn Hutchinson, Director Sustainability and Growth Grieg Seafood BC Ltd 106 – 1180 Ironwood St., Campbell River, BC V9W 5P7 p: 250-286-0838 e: marilyn.hutchinson@griegseafood.com

Gerard Bremault, Chair Surrey Board of Trade 101-14439 104 Ave., Surrey, BC V3R 1M1 p: 604-634-0342 e: gerard@centreforchilddevelopment.ca Keith Britz, Partner Meyers Norris Penny LLP 45780 Yale Rd., Suite 1, Chilliwack, BC V2P 2N4 p: 604-792-1915 e: keith.britz@mnp.ca Paulina Cameron, Business Development Manager Futurpreneur Canada 425 Carrall St., Suite 580, Vancouver, BC V6B 6E3 p: 604-598-2923 e: pcameron@futurpreneur.ca Victor Cumming, Regional Economist Westcoast CED Consulting Ltd 7816 Okanagan Landing Rd., Vernon, BC V1H 1H2 p: 250-260-4484 e: wcced@shawbiz.ca Jill Earthy, Regional Director, BC Futurpreneur Canada 425 Carrall St., Suite 580, Vancouver, BC V6B 6E3 p: 604-598-2923 e: jearthy@futurpreneur.ca Allison Gavin, Global Account Executive Conference Direct Langley, BC p: 604-614-5788 e: Allison.gavin@conferencedirect.com Victor Godin, Consulting Director StartingOver BC Inc. 8651 Minler Rd., Richmond, BC V7C 3V1 p: 604-277-8719 e: startbc@shaw.ca Marlyn Graziano, Director, External and Government Affairs Kwantlen Polytechnic University 12666 – 72nd Ave., Surrey, BC V3W 2M8 p: 604-599-2913 e: marlyn.graziano@kpu.ca Colleen Hamilton 24-1306 Bidwell St., Vancouver, BC V6G 2L1 p: 604-314-5132 e: colleenjh@gmail.com Colin Hansen, President & CEO Advantage BC 1170 – 666 Burrard St., Vancouver, BC V6C 2X8 p: 604-683-6627 e: chansen@advantagebc.ca

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Charles Joyner, Registrar Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of BC 10767- 148th St., Surrey, BC V3R 0S4 p: 604-585-2788 e: cjoyner@asttbc.org Jason Jung, Manager, Member and Program Development Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of BC 10767 – 148th St., Surrey, BC V3R 0S4 p: 604-585-2788 e: jjung@asttbc.org Arlene Keis, Chief Executive Officer GO2 – The Resource for People in Tourism 450-505 Burrard St., PO Box 59, Vancouver, BC V7X 1M3 p: 604-633-9787 e: akeis@go2hr.ca Mackenzie Kyle, Partner Meyers Norris Penny LLP 2300 – 1055 Dunsmuir St., Vancouver, BC V7X 1J1 p: 604-685-8408 e: mackenzie.kyle@mnp.ca John Leech, Executive Director Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of BC 10767 – 148th St., Surrey, BC V3R 0S4 p: 604-585-2788 e: jleech@asttbc.org Doug Little, Vice President of Economic and Business Development BC Hydro 333 Dunsmuir St., Vancouver, BC V6B 5R3 p: 604-699-7373 e: doug.little@bchydro.com Ian MacPherson, Consultant Ian MacPherson 10588 – 159 St., Surrey, BC V4N 3J4 p: 604-582-9448 e: heathian@telus.net Dave McGrath, Business & International Manager Surrey Board of Trade 101 – 14439 104 Ave., Surrey, BC V3R 1M1 p: 604-634-0342 e: international@businessinsurrey.ca Matt Morrison, Executive Director PNWER 2200 Alaskan Way, Suite 460, Seattle, WA 98121 p: 206-443-7723 e: matt@pnwer.org

Anne Peterson, Social Policy Team Surrey Board of Trade 101 – 14439 104 Ave., Surrey, BC V3R 1M1 p: 604-634-0342 e: policy@businessinsurrey.ca Mike Porter, Business Development Manager Futurpreneur Canada 425 Carrall St., Suite 580, Vancouver, BC V6B 6E3 p: 604-598-2923 e: mporter@futurpreneur.ca Ray Proulx, Community and Aboriginal Affairs Coordinator Teck Coal Ltd. PO Box 1500, Tumbler Ridge, BC V0C 2W0 p: 250-242-6335 e: ray.proulx@teck.com Kevin Redl, Senior Associate Wazuku Advisory Group Inc. 1455 W. Georgia St., Suite 800, Vancouver, BC V6G 2T3 p: 604-454-4236 e: kredl@wazuku.ca Julia Rich , Communications Assistant ACHIEVE Training Centre 62 Sherbrook St., Winnipeg, MB R3C 2B3 p: 204-452-0180 e: julia@achieveworkshops.com Wayne Robert, Economic Development/ Management Consultant Urban Systems 304 – 1353 Ellis St., Kelowna, BC V1X 1Z9 p: 250-762-2517 e: wrobert@urbanmatters.ca Anita Rogers, Administrative Assistant Legacy Paciﬁc Land Corporation 428 – 44550 South Sumas Rd., Chilliwack, BC V2R 5M3 p: 604-824-8733 e: anita@legacypacific.com Afshin Sarhangpour, Certified Immigration Consultant Nimaria IT Co. 82 – 678 Citadel Dr., Port Coquitlam, BC V3C 6M7 p: 604-945-7456 e: info@nimaria.com Samantha Singbiel, Government Relations and Public Affairs Manager Fortis BC 16705 Fraser Highway, Surrey, BC V4N 0E8 p: 604-592-8264 e: samantha.collins@fortisbc.com Chris Steele, Consultant Investment Consulting Associates 1005 Boylston St., 243, Newton Highlands, MA 02461 p: 617-314-6527 e: chris@ic-associates.com

Ken Veldman, Director, Public Affairs Prince Rupert Port Authority 200 – 215 Cow Bay Rd., Prince Rupert, BC V8J 1A2 p: 250-627-2526 e: kveldman@rupertport.com Laith Wardi, President & CEO ExecutivePulse Inc. 11 East 4th St., Erie, Pennsylvania 16507 p: 866-397-8573 ext 2 e: lwardi@e-pulse.net Kelley Williams, Management Consultant Boston Bar First Nation PO Box 54; 848 5th Ave., McBride, BC V0J 2E0 p: 250-569-4110 e: kelley@dundascollege.ca

GOVERNMENT/INDUSTRY Holly Adams, Planning Intern Northern Development Initiative Trust 301 – 1268 Fifth Ave., Prince George, BC V2L 3L2 p: 250-561-2525 e: holly@northerndevelopment.bc.ca Garry Angus, EDP Provincial Coordinator Community Futures Development Assoc C230 – 7871 Stave Lake St, Mission, BC V2V 0C5 p: 604-289-4222 ext 226 e: gangus@communityfutures.ca Jim Anholt, Senior Manager, Infrastructure & Professional Services Ministry of International Trade 730 – 999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1 p: 604-775-2184 e: Jim.Anholt@gov.bc.ca Robert Arthurs, Senior Manager, Agrifood and Forestry Ministry of International Trade 730 – 999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1 p: 604-375-5112 e: Robert.Arthurs@gov.bc.ca Harbs Bains, Senior Manager, Innovation Ministry of International Trade 730 – 999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1 p: 604-660-2241 e: harbs.bains@gov.bc.ca David Baleshta, Portfolio Manager Investment Capital Branch PO Box 9800, Stn Prov Govt, Victoria, BC V8W 9W1 p: 250-952-0614 e: David.Baleshta@gov.bc.ca Lindsay Bisschop, Regional Manager, Lower Mainland/Fraser Valley Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training Suite 200, 10470 152nd St., Surrey, BC V3R 0Y3 p: 604-930-7121 e: lindsay.bisschop@gov.bc.ca

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BC Economic Development Association

Karen Borden, Executive Coordinator Northern Development Initiative Trust 301 – 1268 Fifth Ave., Prince George, BC V2L 3L2 p: 250-561-2525 e: karen@northerndevelopment.bc.ca Rick Braam, Regional Manager, Bulkley-Nechako Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training Bag 5000, 1020 Murray St, Smithers, BC V0J 2N0 p: 250-847-7797 e: rick.braam@gov.bc.ca Diana Brooks, Regional Manager, Kootenays Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training 101 – 100 Cranbrook St., North, Cranbrook, BC V1C 3P9 p: 250-426-1301 e: diana.brooks@gov.bc.ca Myles Bruns, Regional Manager, Thompson Okanagan Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training 510 – 175 2nd Ave., Kamloops, BC V2C 5W1 p: 250-371-3931 e: myles.bruns@gov.bc.ca Klaus Buttner, Executive Director, Trans, Infrastructure & Prof Services Ministry of International Trade 730 – 999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1 p: 604-660-3549 e: klaus.buttner@gov.bc.ca Luanne Chore, Chief Executive Officer Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust 103-2802, 30th St., , Vernon, BC V1T 8G7 p: 250-545-6829 e: ceo@sidit-bc.ca Tamara Danshin, Regional Manager, Northeast Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training Room 120A, 10600 – 100th St., Fort St John, BC V1J 4L6 p: 250-787-3351 e: tamara.danshin@gov.bc.ca Carrie Dusterhoft, Community Adjust. Manager Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training 7th Floor, 1810 Blanchard St., Victoria, BC V8W 9T2 p: 250-356-0728 e: carrie.dusterhoft@gov.bc.ca Greg Eidsness, Director, Americas & SE Asia Ministry of International Trade 730 – 999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1 p: 604-660-2236 e: greg.eidsness@gov.bc.ca Tess Elo, Accounting Coordinator Northern Development Initiative Trust 301 – 1268 Fifth Ave., Prince George, BC V2L 3L2 p: 250-561-2525 e: tess@northerndevelopment.bc.ca Katy Fabris, Planning Intern Northern Development Initiative Trust 301 – 1268 Fifth Ave., Prince George, BC V2L 3L2 p: 250-561-2525 e: katy@northerndevelopment.bc.ca Jeff Finkle, President & CEO International Economic Development Association 734 15th St., NW / Suite 900, Washington, DC 20005 p: 202-223-7800 e: jfinkle@iedconline.org Sarah Fraser, Executive Director, Regional Economic Operations Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training 7th Floor, 1810 Blanchard St., Victoria, BC V8W 9T2 p: 250-952-0644 e: sarah.fraser@gov.bc.ca Marie Gallant, Manager Director Community Futures Development Assoc C230 – 7871 Stave Lake St, Mission, BC V2V 0C5 p: 604-289-4222 ext 225 e: mgallant@communityfutures.ca Penny Gardiner, Executive Director Economic Developers Association of Canada Suite 200, 7 Inovation Dr., Flamborough, ON L9H 7H9 p: 905-689-8771 e: gardiner@edac.ca Brenda Gendron, Chief Financial Officer Northern Development Initiative Trust 301 – 1268 Fifth Ave., Prince George, BC V2L 3L2 p: 250-561-2525 e: brenda@northerndevelopment.bc.ca

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Nygil Goggins, Regional Manager, Northern Vancouver Island & Coast Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training Room 207 – 420 Cumberland Rd., Courtenay, BC V9N 2C4 p: 250-334-6986 e: nygil.goggins@gov.bc.ca Greg Goodwin, Executive Director, Regional Economic Policy & Projects Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training 4/F, 800 Johnson St., PO Box 9853, Victoria, BC V8W 9T5 p: 250-953-3008 e: greg.goodwin@gov.bc.ca Leann Hackman-Carty, Executive Director Economic Developers Alberta Suite 127, 406 917-85th St., SW, Calgary, AB T3H 3Z9 p: 403-214-0224 e: leann@edaalberta.ca Jordan Hammond, Economic Development Intern Northern Development Initiative Trust 301 – 1268 Fifth Ave., Prince George, BC V2L 3L2 p: 250-561-2525 e: jordan@northerndevelopment.bc.ca Henry Han, Executive Director - International Markets Ministry of International Trade 730-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1 p: 604-660-5888 e: henry.han@gov.bc.ca Javed Haque, Senior Manager - Transportation Ministry of International Trade 730 – 999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1 p: 604-775-2187 e: javed.haque@gov.bc.ca Caitlin Hartigan, Manager, Market Development Northern Development Initiative Trust 301 – 1268 Fifth Ave., Prince George, BC V2L 3L2 p: 250-561-2525 e: caitlin@northerndevelopment.bc.ca Lori Henderson, Director, Vancouver Island/Coast Region Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training 7th Floor, 1810 Blanchard St., Victoria, BC V8W 9T2 p: 250-952-0607 e: lori.henderson@gov.bc.ca Sara Hipson, Manager, Community Industry Liason Northern Development Initiative Trust 301 – 1268 Fifth Ave., Prince George, BC V2L 3L2 p: 250-561-2525 e: sara@northerndevelopment.bc.ca Marc Imus, A/Director, Southern Interior Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training 510 – 175 2nd Ave., Kamloops, BC V2C 5W1 p: 250-371-3741 e: marc.imus@gov.bc.ca Paul Irwin, Executive Director, East Asia Ministry of International Trade 730 – 999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1 p: 604-660-5906 e: paul.irwin@gov.bc.ca Paul Kan, Senior Manager, Oil and Gas, LNG, Mining Ministry of International Trade 730 – 999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1 p: 604-775-2198 e: paul.kan@gov.bc.ca Lisa Kilpatrick, Manager Planning & Development Columbia Basin Trust Suite 300 – 445 13th Ave., Castlegar, BC V1N 1G1 p: 250-304-1636 e: lkilpatrick@cbt.org Renata King, Director, Business Development Northern Development Initiative Trust 301 – 1268 Fifth Ave., Prince George, BC V2L 3L2 p: 250-561-2525 e: renata@northerndevelopment.bc.ca Brian Krieger, Executive Director, Technology & Innovation Ministry of International Trade 730-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1 p: 604-660-0220 e: brian.krieger@gov.bc.ca Stephanie Kuhn, Policy and Program Analyst Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training PO Box 9853 Stn Prov Govt, Victoria, BC V8W 9T5 p: 250-356-0709 e: stephanie.kuhn@gov.bc.ca

Heather Lalonde, Executive Director Economic Developers Council of Ontario Inc. Box 8030, Cornwall, ON K6H 7H9 p: 613-931-9827 e: edco@edco.on.ca Karen Lam, Senior Manager, Technology Ministry of International Trade 730 – 999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1 p: 604-775-2188 e: karen.lam@gov.bc.ca Jeanette Lam, Manager - Americas & SE Asia Ministry of International Trade 730 – 999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1 p: 604-218-3506 e: jeanette.lam@gov.bc.ca John McDonald, Executive Director - Natural Resources Ministry of International Trade 730 – 999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1 p: 604-775-2202 e: john.mcdonald@gov.bc.ca Joel McKay, Director, Communications Northern Development Initiative Trust 301 – 1268 Fifth Ave., Prince George, BC V2L 3L2 p: 250-561-2525 e: joel@northerndevelopment.bc.ca Dean McKinley, Director, Economic Development Northen Development Initiative Trust 301 – 1268 Fifth Ave., Prince George, BC V2L 3L2 p: 250-561-2525 e: dean@northerndevelopment.bc.ca Cheryl McLay, Regional Manager, Vancouver Island/Coast Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training 142 – 2080 Labieux Rd., Nanaimo, BC V9T 6J9 p: 250-751-3217 e: cheryl.mclay@gov.bc.ca

Amy Schneider, Director, Strategic Initiatives and Analysis Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training PO Box 9853 Stn Prov Govt, Victoria, BC V8W 9T5 p: 250-356-0784 e: amy.schneider@gov.bc.ca Joy Shi, Manager, Agrifood and Forestry Ministry of International Trade 730 – 999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1 p: 604-660-5918 e: Joy.Shi@gov.bcbca Jianye (Jason) Si, Senior Manager, China Ministry of International Trade 730 – 999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1 p: 604-660-5911 e: jianye.si@gov.bc.ca Nelson Silveira, Economic Development Intern Northern Development Initiative Trust 301 – 1268 Fifth Ave., Prince George, BC V2L 3L2 p: 250-561-2525 e: nelson@northerndevelopment.bc.ca Leslie Teramoto, Director, Oil and Gas, LNG, Mining Ministry of International Trade 730 – 999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1 p: 604-775-2201 e: Leslie.Teramoto@gov.bc.ca Verona Thibault, Executive Director Saskatchewan Economic Devlopment Association Box 113, Saskatoon, SK S7K 3K1 p: 306-384-5817 e: seda@seda.sk.ca Josh Thompson, Policy & Program Analyst Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training PO Box 9853 Stn Prov Govt, Victoria, BC V8W 9T5 p: 250-952-0150 e: josh.thompson@gov.bc.ca

Mark Morrissey, Executive Director Nunavut Economic Developers Association PO Box 1990, Iqaluit, NU X0A 0H0 p: 867-979-4620 e: exdir@nunavuteda.com

Jordan Tidey, Economic Development Intern Northern Development Initiative Trust 301 – 1268 Fifth Ave., Prince George, BC V2L 3L2 p: 250-561-2525 e: jtidey@northerndevelopment.bc.ca

Danielle Myles, Regional Manager North Coast Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training Room 129, 3220 Eby St., Terrace, BC V8G 5K8 p: 250-638-6523 e: danielle.myles@gov.bc.ca

Richard Toperczer, Regional Manager, South Okanagan/Boundary Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training 138 – 2501 14th Ave., Vernon, BC V1T 8Z1 p: 250-550-2204 e: richard.toperczer@gov.bc.ca

Janine North, Chief Executive Officer Northen Development Initiative Trust 301 – 1268 Fifth Ave., Prince George, BC V2L 3L2 p: 250-561-2525 e: janine@northerndevelopment.bc.ca Larry Olson, Regional Manager, Williams Lake Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training Suite 109 – 540 Borland St., Williams Lake, BC V2G 3N9 p: 250-398-4224 e: larry.olson@gov.bc.ca Helen Patterson, Controller Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust 103 – 2802, 30th St., , Vernon, BC V1T 8G7 p: 250-545-6829 e: support@sidit-bc.ca Katie Ralph, Manager, Regional Economic Outreach Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training PO Box 9853 Stn Prov Govt, Victoria, BC V8W 9T5 p: 250-952-0643 e: katie.ralph@gov.bc.ca Denice Regnier, Project & Corporate Administrator Island Coastal Economic Trust 201A 2435 Mansﬁeld Dr., Courtenay, BC V9N 2M2 p: 250-871-7797 e: denice.regnier@islandcoastaltrust.ca Dale Richardson, Director, Northern Region Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training 201 – 3rd Ave., Prince Rupert, BC V8J 1L2 p: 250-624-7499 e: dale.richardson@gov.bc.ca Line Robert, Chief Executive Officer Island Coastal Economic Trust 201A 2435 Mansﬁeld Dr., Courtenay, BC V9N 2M2 p: 250-871-7797 ext 227 e: line.robert@islandcoastaltrust.ca

Michelle VanderVelden, Client Services Clerk Northern Development Initiative Trust 301 – 1268 Fifth Ave., Prince George, BC V2L 3L2 p: 250-561-2525 e: michelle@northerndevelopment.bc.ca Ashleigh Volcz, Director of Member Initiatives BC Economic Development Association 102 – 9300 Nowell St., Chilliwack, BC V2P 4V7 p: 604-795-7119 e: ashleigh@bceda.ca Dale Wheeldon, President & Chief Executive Officer BC Economic Development Association 102 – 9300 Nowell St., Chilliwack, BC V2P 4V7 p: 604-795-7119 e: dwheeldon@bceda.ca Raymond Zhu, Senior Manager, China Ministry of International Trade 730 – 999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1 p: 604-660-5912 e: raymond.zhu@gov.bc.ca

HONOURABLE Valerie Anne Caskey, Retired Honourable Member p: 604-530-8469 e: valerietoo@shaw.ca Peter Monteith, Chief Administrative Officer City of Chilliwack 8550 Young Rd., Chilliwack, BC V2P 8A4 p: 604-793-2966 e: monteith@chilliwack.com

Richard Sawchuk, Director - Japan & Korea Ministry of International Trade 730-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1 p: 604-775-0030 e: richard.sawchuck@gov.bc.ca

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