Invest in BC 2016

INVEST IN BC

2016

NORTHERN PASSAGE HEATING UP Booming Port of Prince Rupert is the continent’s fastest route to Asia and eight days closer to Europe than the Panama Canal

BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT ACROSS BRITISH COLUMBIA OFFICIAL PUBLICATION

BC Economic Development Association

PUBLISHED BY

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HOUSE POWER

ENERGY FUTURES

REGIONAL ROUNDUP

PROUDLY CONNECTING BC TO THE WORLD 56 airlines serve YVR, connecting people & businesses to 118 non-stop destinations worldwide.

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Stepping Up for BC’s Economy

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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.

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

CONTENTS HEADS UP

BCEDA PARTNERS PLATINUM CN GOLD FortisBC Cando Wedler Engineering SILVER Northern Gateway Province of BC

28

BRONZE AdvantageBC ASTTBC

Craft brewers cheer economies across B.C. – and foreign investors are hopping in

BIV Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers

19

Community Futures BC Futurpreneur Canada GIS Planning International Council of Shopping Centers Kwantlen Polytechnic University Pacific Coastal Airlines Port Prince Rupert Small Business BC Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel Vancouver Airport Authority

INDEX LETTERS

8–9

INFOGRAPHICS Population Exports from B.C. B.C. economic projection Real GDP growth in Canada BRIEFS

10–11

30

13

TRADING GROUND

COLUMNS

Ports building capacity from Prince Rupert to Metro Vancouver to meet global demand

Colin Hansen—12

Bryan Yu—18

FEATURES Trading ground House power 4 fast-trackers Powering up World class Heads up

13 16 19 22 26 28

BCEDA MEMBERS

98

16

Building and selling homes represents a near-dominant force in B.C.’s economy

HOUSE POWER

FASTTRACKERS Futurepreneur kick-starts young B.C. businesses: these four are quick off the blocks

CONTENTS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT REGIONS

INVEST IN BC

Lower Mainland/Southwest Vancouver Island/Coast Thompson Okanagan Kootenay Cariboo North Coast Northeast Nechako

A RIVER RIVER RUNS THROUGHT THROUGHT IT

2016

32 48 54 63 69 75 81 93

The salmon in British Columbia’s Columbia s mightiest g rriver iver l itti g out out the th sand d they th swallow swallo ll w | 12 are always spitting

BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT ACROSS BRITISH COLUMB IA OFFICIAL PUBLICATION

BC Economic Development Association

Thompson Okanagan

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TERRIFIC TOURISM

RICE QUAKE

REGIONAL ROUNDUP

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93 Nechako

Cover: Don Krusel, president and CEO of the Prince Rupert Port Authority

Lower Mainland/Southwest

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INVEST IN BC 2016 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

A Message from Premier Christy Clark At a time when economies are struggling across the world, our country, even right next door in Alberta, British Columbia’s economy is leading the country. 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 2016 edition of the ,QYHVW LQ %& magazine highlights just some of the impressive economic development initiatives happening in British Columbia.

Our strong, diverse and growing economy is made possible by hardworking British Columbians, new market opportunities with our trading partners in Asia, and a competitive investment climate sustained by a fiscally responsible government.

Clean tech and LNG will continue to play a crucial role in British Columbia’s future, giving us the potential to be a clean energy superpower. We can make a difference in the fight against climate change while transforming our economy, increasing competitiveness, and creating jobs.

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

| 9

Letter from president and CEO, BC Economic Development Association

Welcome to Invest in BC

T Dale Wheeldon

his is the 11th 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.

Thirty-five years ago, the British Columbia Economic Development Association was formed with only six members. Today, BCEDA has grown to 460 members who are working together to grow local economies. Our members represent a range of communities, First Nations, businesses, chambers of commerce, Crown corporations, tourism groups, financial institutions, government agencies, NGOs and educational institutions. They are a diverse group committed to helping build British Columbia. 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.

BCEDA is the leading provincial association of economic development practitioners in the province of B.C. 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.

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. 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 development in British Columbia.

Dale Wheeldon President and CEO, British Columbia Economic Development Association

Letter from the chair, BC Economic Development Association

‘Investment-friendly’ defines British Columbia

W Kate Zanon

elcome to the 2016 edition of Invest in BC. 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, work and invest.

Whether your business is natural resources, energy, technology, food production, international education, transportation and shipping, manufacturing, or tourism B.C. has a multitude of investment opportunities for small businesses to multinational corporations. The province’s many advantages include a highly skilled workforce, low corporate tax rates, world-class infrastructure and services, as well as welcoming and inclusive communities.

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. There are two ministries dedicated to developing B.C.’s economy.

The Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Responsible for Labour has teams to help investors navigate through setting up or buying a business in B.C. as well as work to help communities reach their economic goals.

The Ministry of International Trade and Responsible for

Asia Pacific Strategy and Multiculturalism is the first stop for foreign companies and investors looking for opportunities in the province. This ministry has a robust staff in B.C. and operates offices all over the world. Once you have chosen a place to invest, staff in the various communities are trained in business readiness and are there to provide ongoing assistance. BCEDA is proud to work closely with both provincial ministries and local communities to help leverage the approximately $60 million invested annually across B.C. in economic development, business and tourism.

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.

T he BC Economic Development Association stands at the ready to support investment in communities across the province. BCEDA is a valuable resource that you can count on for information and assista nce. Welcome to British Colu mbia, we i nvite you to become an integral part of our success.

Kate Zanon Chair, British Columbia Economic Development Association

10 |

INVEST IN BC 2016 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

REGIONAL POPULATION Biggest cities in each Development Region

Northeast 69,875 FORT ST. JOHN

Nechako 40,652 SMITHERS

20,778

5,953

Change from 2014: Ê- 1.2%

Change from 2014: Ê- 0.4%

North Coast 56,154 PRINCE RUPERT

Cariboo 153,540 PRINCE GEORGE

11,386

71,363

Change from 2014: Ê- 1.7%

Change from 2014: Ê- 1.7%

Thompson Okanagan 546,593 KELOWNA

124,529

Change from 2014: È+ 1.4%

Vancouver Island/Coast 789,396 SAANICH

110,803

Change from 2014: È+0.9%

B.C. .C. POPULATION Lower Mainland/ Southwest 2,879,838 VANCOUVER

2012 12 2013

648,608

2014 2015 4.40

Kootenay 147,091 CRANBROOK

19,911

Change from 2014: Ê-0.1%

Change from 2014: È+1.2% 4.45

4.50

4.55 Millions

4.60

4.65

SOURCE: BC STATS

4.70 SOURCE: BC STATS DEMOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS, 2015

TOTAL EXPORTS FROM B.C. IN 2014 SOUTH KOREA

$2 BILLION Share: 5.8%

JAPAN

$3.6 BILLION Share: 10.2%

UNITED STATES

$17.9 BILLION

MAINLAND CHINA

Share: 50.2%

$6.4 BILLION Share: 18%

INDIA

$590 MILLION Share: 1.7%

TAIWAN

$542 MILLION Share: 1.5%

WESTERN EUROPE

SOUTH AMERICA

Share: 4.3%

Share: 1.6%

$1.5 BILLION

$567 MILLION SOURCES: BC STATS; STATISTICS CANADA

REAL GDP GROWTH IN CANADA, 2016 FORECAST

B.C. ECONOMIC PROJECTION 2015

2016

% change

Real GDP

$229.3 billion

$236.5 billion

+3.1

Retail sales

$70.7 billion

$74 billion

+4.7

Housing starts

32,200

33,000

+2.5

Net in-migration

35,000

36,900

+0.9

Unemployment rate

6.0%

5.8%

-0.2

British Columbia Ontario Saskatchewan Manitoba Quebec

SOURCES: RBC ECONOMICS, PROVINCIAL OUTLOOK 2016; CENTRAL 1 CREDIT UNION, ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF B.C, 2016

Nova Scotia Prince Edward Island Alberta Newfoundland Labrador 0.5% 1.0%

1.5%

2.0% 2.5% 3.0% 3.5%

SOURCES: STATISTICS CANADA: RBC ECONOMICS RESEARCH

12 |

INVEST IN BC 2016 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

B.C. LEADS NATION IN ECONOMIC GROWTH AdvantageBC has helped attract many international investors to Canada’s No. 1 province for business opportunities

COLIN HANSEN |

T Registered companies could be eligible for a refund of up to 100 per cent on B.C. corporate taxes

he Pacific economy is vital to Canada’s future. Transformations in how money moves around the world are quickly emerging. Currency trends such as Canada’s renminbi settlement hub, foreign investment and trade patterns, and innovation in service exports are shaping trade and investment opportunities for British Columbia.

The Conference Board of Canada predicts that British Columbia will lead Canada in economic growth by over three per cent in 2016 and 2017.

According to the Business Council of BC, there was a net inflow of 6,300 people into B.C. in the third quarter of 2015, the strongest in two decades, and employment may be generated in the finance, insurance and real estate industries.

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.

One recent example is Guangfa Securities (GF Securities), China’s sixth-largest brokerage firm, which opened its Canadian head office location in Richmond, B.C. When GF decided to internationalize its business activities, it chose British Columbia, which is positioned as a key gateway location between North America and Asia, as the location for their North American head office, .

It is looking at Western Canada’s resource industries as potential targets for its investments.

Such companies coming from other parts of the world to set up their operations in British Columbia could benefit from an aggressive tax rebate program.

Many organizations are becoming aware of the tax advantages B.C. offers for international investors, a

unique tax benefit for companies engaged in qualifying international busi ness th roug h B.C.’s I nternational 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 multinational companies 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.

On the other side, we have companies that are exporting. These are resource companies that have based some of their treasury functions in B.C., which allows them to take advantage of the tax rebate.

Whether it is the inbound foreign investment into Western Canada or the shipment of products out of the country, some of those treasury functions could be eligible for the IBA program.

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. The Bank of China has also recognized the value of doing business in B.C. The fact that B.C. is a tax competitive location makes the province even more attractive to the international business community. 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. According to the Conference Board of Canada, “B.C.’s. fiscal balance sheet is the envy of the other provinces.”

The Canadian banking system has been ranked as the strongest in the world for eight years in a row by the World Economic Forum, and we see increased activity by international banks in Canada because of the stability of our banking system and the long-term political stability as a country. According to Bloomberg, total bank profits for the Big Six rose to $34.4 billion in 2015, an increase of nearly five percent from the previous year.

Canada’s designation as the first North American renminbi settlement centre in November 2014 has provided Canada with an opportunity to brand and grow its financial services industry, attract significant amounts of Chinese investment and serve as the gateway for financial services between the Pacific and the Americas. The Pacific economy is a rapidly changing environment, and we are focused on what the future of banking and of international financial activity will look like for British Columbia and Canada as a whole. É.

Colin Hansen is formerly B.C.’s minister of finance and deputy premier.

As president and CEO of AdvantageBC, he works to attract global business to British Columbia.

AdvantageBC International Business Centre Vancouver is a non-profit organization solely funded and governed by its 165 members conducting or supporting international business activities in British Columbia.

| 13

TRADING GROUND

Ports are building capacity from ‘Rupert to Vancouver to meet global demand

PETER MITHAM

“

B

y Sea, Land and Air We Prosper” – the motto Vancouver adopted at its founding neatly summarizes the city’s natural advantages as both a port and exchange point for goods from across the continent and around the world.

“Vancouver, with its shipping, its seaborne commerce, its fisheries, its timber, the products of its own lands and the grain from east of the mountains, is surely living up to the motto of the city seal,” wrote Lauchlan Hamilton, the city councillor and Canadian Pacific Railway surveyor who chose the original motto, many years later.

Updated in 1969 with a reference to the air, a recognition of the importance of Vancouver International Airport, the motto could well serve for the increasing importance of trade to the province’s economy.

A revitalized port in Prince Rupert has joined Vancouver as a key route for containers heading to the heart of the continent, while ports up and down the coast are banking on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and other commodities to buoy their fortunes in the years ahead.

Stewart World Port on the Portland Canal opposite Alaska aims to be a key for resource shipments, while Kitimat is banking on oil and gas.

B.C., sandwiched between two of the world’s largest economies – the U.S. and China – is ideally positioned to take advantage of both incoming and outgoing shipments.

With growth in container volumes tracking at approximately three per cent a year, and now totalling approximately three million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units, a standard industry measure of volume), Port Metro Vancouver is the largest and busiest port in the country. The province’s proximity to Asia and dependable service has encouraged routing goods through B.C.,

prompting expansion plans for ports in both Vancouver and Prince Rupert.

The most dramatic sign of good times is Prince Rupert, where the port reopened the former Fairview break-bulk facility as a container terminal in 2007. Working with Canadian National Railway Co., Prince Rupert touted a four-day delivery time for goods travelling to Chicago.

The planned expansion of the container terminal at Roberts Bank will boost demand for scarce industrial land | WILLIAM JANS

14 |

INVEST IN BC 2016 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

Trading ground

Prince Rupert is northern B.C.’s key container port | SUBMITTED Vancouver International Airport handles more than 234,000 tonnes of cargo annually as a natural North American trade hub | VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Cargoes from containers to cut timber flow through Metro Vancouver’s port facilities | SUBMITTED

COSCO (China Ocean Shipping Co.) – which has named a container ship for the port – and other lines signed on, most recently Maersk and MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Co.), boosting cargo volumes to 776,411 TEUs in 2015. That’s not only 25.6 per cent up from 2014, but well beyond what the port originally expected.

“When the container terminal first opened in 2007, after its conversion from a break-bulk facility, the design capacity was said to be 500,000 TEUs, so we’ve certainly broken through that limit,” says Michael Gurney, manager, corporate communications for Prince Rupert Port Authority. The port, he notes, is three days closer to Asia than any other North American terminal.

The activity has prompted an expansion at the northern end of the terminal that will see a new berth and storage capacity come online in 2018, while port operator DP World is undertaking assessment on a second, larger expansion at the southern end of the terminal.

Prince Rupert’s 29-year-old mayor, Lee Brain also has a bold vision for the city: to become the hub city for cargo traffic travelling along the Northern Passage above Russia between North America and Europe.

“We’re about nine days closer to Europe than the Panama Canal, so we’re going to see a shift in the global trading network moving up north,” Brain says.

| 15

Prince Rupert’s expansion plans are on top of the $160 million investment in Stewart World Port, a multi-purpose port facility two kilometres south of the town of Stewart that has completed a deep-sea wharf capable of receiving and shipping bulk cargo.

Subsequent construction will include sheds, conveying systems and a shiploader for outbound cargo.

While it lacks a rail connection, resource extraction in the mountains of southern Alaska and northern B.C. provide a rationale for this most remote of B.C. ports.

It’s not unlike the many facilities along the coast that hope their deepwater harbours will serve the needs of LNG shippers. A dozen proposals are in play, and while not all may proceed, they underscore the integral place of trade in the province’s economic future.

But if the province’s northern most ports have room to expand and build on Port Metro Vancouver’s success, few options exist in the Lower Mainland.

While new-generation warehouses with high ceilings and efficient floor plates are coming on stream, competing land uses make it tough to secure new sites for development.

With an additional 2.4 million TEUs planned for the Deltaport container facility at Roberts Bank, the crunch will only increase – potentially exhausting the region’s supply of industrial land in just a few years.

“Given the importance of Metro Vancouver’s transportation sector, industrial lands are essential to

the future vitality of the local, regional and national economy,” wrote consultant Richard Wozny, principal of Site Economics Ltd., in late 2015. “Without land to develop, it will be very difficult … to support the growth in container handling within the region.” É

Ted Pickell, owner of Arctic Construction of Fort St. John, has pumped $70 million into the Stewart World Port | JEN ST. DENIS

Photo courtesy of Oxford Properties

YOUR NORTH AMERICAN HEAD OFFICE… • in the closest city to Asia from the Americas • with the lowest corporate tax rate in North America • in one of the world’s most liveable cities

Ask how we can help: 604-771-3943 admin@hqvancouver.ca Suite 2025 – 1066 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC V6E 3S7 www.hqvancouver.ca

16 |

INVEST IN BC 2016 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

HOUSE Sign of the times: For-sale

POWER

Building and selling homes represents a near-dominant force in B.C.’s economy

FRANK O’BRIEN

sign signals another highdensity land assembly in Vancouver, where detached house prices now average $1.8 million | CHUNG CHOW

I

t is projected that home building will represent a gross domestic product in excess of $20 billion in British Columbia in 2016. This is equal to 10 per cent of the province’s entire industrial GDP and worth more than the forestry industry, the oil and gas industry and mining, combined.

| 17

Yet, four years into an unprecedented real estate boom, construction does not truly reflect the near-dominant role the residential industry now plays in B.C.’s economy.

In 2015, the selling of older homes in the Lower Mainland was worth $39 billion, up 41 per cent from a year earlier, reports the BC Real Estate Association (BCREA). Sales of just detached houses in Greater Vancouver reached $26 billion. In the city of Vancouver, the benchmark price of a house increased 25 per cent and ended the year valued at nearly $2 million. In some city neighbourhoods, average house prices rose by $60,000 a month during the year.

Across B.C., house sales hit a record of $65.3 billion in 2015. This is a higher cash flow than B.C.’s annual exports to the United States, its largest trading partner, and 10 times the value of exports to mainland China in 2015.

The residential momentum showed no sign of slowing into 2016.

“The 2015 housing market finished in dramatic fashion, with record demand for the month of December,” says Cameron Muir, BCREA chief economist. B.C. home sales

Dollar volume of housing sales in B.C.

breached 100,000 units in 2015 for only the third time in history and the average home price topped $625,000 for the first time.

Since the median income in B.C. is around $54,000, many analysts contend that residential investment is being fuelled in large part by offshore capital, primarily from China.

Wherever the money is coming from, it has not only changed the dynamics of the B.C. economy, but also altered the perception of real estate development.

In Metro Vancouver, which accounts for 80 per cent of B.C.’s residential economy, land that can be developed into homes is now valued higher than existing industrial buildings, shopping malls or office towers.

When Bal Atwal, a principal with commercial broker Avison Young, sold a thriving Richmond shopping centre to investors from mainland China for $78.4 million in 2015, he noted that the 5.4-acre sale was all about the land.

“It would have sold for a comparable price even without the existing improvements or the income it generates,” Atwal says. “Underlying land values have outpaced income values on property along or near virtually every major commercial corridor in Metro Vancouver.”

In the third quarter of 2015, sales of mostly older rental apartment buildings in Metro Vancouver were worth more than the sales of all industrial property. Land sales, much of it for residential development, accounted for about 65 per cent of all commercial property sales in the Lower Mainland, based on transactions through the Land Title and Survey Authority of B.C. B.C.’s housing industry will continue as a ascendant force into 2016, and perhaps beyond, economists say, which is good news for the province’s 21,000 real estate agents.

“We see little risk of a downturn in the housing sector,” states the 2016 economic analysis from Central 1 Credit Union, B.C. “Low borrowing costs and employment gains will maintain sales and price growth at robust levels.”

Understates Central 1 senior economist Bryan Yu, “Housing is a huge economic driver for B.C.” É

The Trump International Hotel and Tower Vancouver, which opens in 2016, sold out 217 condominiums at prices eclipsing $1,600 per square foot. Some penthouses sold for $20 million. More than 27,000 new and resale condominium apartments sold across Metro Vancouver during 2015 | HOLBORN PROPERTIES

Average home prices in British Columbia to 2016

B.C. construction values

800,000

60 Billions of dollars

Billions of dollars

$1,000,000 $70

600,000

50

400,000

40

200,000

30 er

20 c

v ou

an

10 t

V er

12 13 14 15 20 20 20 20 SOURCE: BRITISH COLUMBIA REAL ESTATE ASSOCIATION (MULTIPLE LISTING SERVICE SALES OF HOMES THROUGH MEMBER REAL ESTATE BOARDS)

ea

Gr

nd

ia

r to

c

Vi

r

ve

u co

n

Va

2014

y

r

se

a Fr

l Va

s

k

le

a Isl

ac

w

illi

Ch

l

m

Ka

l ra

an

Ok

n te

n

o

Ko

nt

er

B.

th

r No

Ce

2015

l

tia

C.

ay

n

a ag

p oo

$20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2

2016 projected

SOURCE: BRITISH COLUMBIA REAL ESTATE ASSOCIATION, (MULTIPLE LISTING SERVICE SALES OF HOMES)

n de

si

Re

l

en

cia

er

m

In

m rn

ve

m

Co

l&

go

na

2015 2016

t

l

ia

tr

s du

tio

u tit

s

In

2016 – PROJECTED; SOURCE: CENTRAL 1 CREDIT UNION B.C, ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

18 |

INVEST IN BC 2016 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

RIDING A VOLATILE WAVE BRYAN YU |

H Economic growth will average above three per cent from 2017 onwards as consumer demand holds steady and major project investment picks up

eightened economic volatility is the key early-year theme of 2016. As of this writing, the confluence of weak global growth, including China’s slowdown, an oil supply glut, and a weaker than expected U.S. uplift have shocked the economy, contributing to a tumble in oil prices to below $30 per barrel, sharp drops in global equity markets and the slide of the Canadian dollar to the lowest level against the greenback since 2003.

The broad consensus is that Canada’s economy will continue to struggle despite increased export demand from an improving U.S. economy. The oil shock will continue to reverberate most through oil-producing provinces, driving f u r ther decl i nes i n capita l expenditures, weak labour markets and income.

Deterioration in Canadian growth will delay a Bank of Canada rate hike until 2017 with general interest rates remaining broadly unchanged over the next year. Although the bank did not cut rates in January we cannot discount the potential for a further cut if oil prices remain low and federal fiscal stimulus disappoints.

Divergent economic conditions a nd n a r row i ng of t he i nterest differential will put downward pressure on the loonie. Expect the Canadan dollar to fluctuate in a 68-70 cent (U.S.) band in the first quarter,and average 71.5 cents in 2016 and only slightly higher in 2017.

The Canadian economic cycle is no doubt a disappointment, but non-oil-producing provinces like B.C. are anticipated to fare relatively well in the low-interest rate and low-Canadian-dollar environment, despite challenges presented by slumping commodity prices.

Central 1 Credit Union’s latest

Low interest rates and a swooning loonie will help B.C. lead Canadian economic growth

forecast has B.C. outperforming the Canadian economy by a significant margin, with steady expansion through 2019. Gearing off stronger hiring momentum last year, increased interprovincial migration and a favourable export demand environment, B.C.’s economy will post moderate growth of three per cent this year. Consumer spending and housing investment will underpin growth, with gains concentrated in southwest B.C. Adding to last year’s trends, the sha rp decl i ne i n the Ca nad ia n dollar and improving U.S. growth will spur increased export activity, particularly for tourism, business services and non-resource goods.

In fact, these trends are already in play. International tourist visits have surged over the past year, with U.S. visitors climbing to the highest levels since prior to the recession and overseas visits holding at high levels.

A partial counterweight is that a challenging price environment for commodities, including coal, copper and natural gas, will impede exploration and investment activity, and subsequently export growth. Forestry will fare better than other resource sectors as higher U.S. housing starts will lift demand for B.C. wood, but even here, the industry will be challenged by a low price environment and longterm supply challenges caused by the mountain pine beetle epidemic.

Economic growth will average above three per cent from 2017 onwards as consumer demand holds steady and major project investment picks up.

Stronger hiring momentum in the latter part of 2015 continues with economic growth, leading to projected employment increases of 1.7 per cent this year and above two per cent through 2019. Relatively

stronger labour market and economic trends in B.C. will attract an increasing number of residents from other provinces.

Provincial unemployment is forecast to climb this year to 6.3 per cent, but that will reflect increased confidence rather than deterioration in the labour market. Growth and hiring prospects will induce discouraged out-of-work individuals to look for work.

T h e u n e mploy m e nt rate d ecl i nes i n 2017 a nd beyond, reflecting a combination of hiring and the demographics of an aging population.

A key assumption driving our average growth outlook is the start of one large liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal, which will lift economic growth through higher capital investment. The project would provide a broad lift to the economy through direct and indirect employment and spending.

While included in our current outlook, there is significant uncertainty about the future of an LNG industry in the province. The current environment of low global LNG prices, cheap crude and a challenging profit environment for energy companies could put a B.C. LNG terminal on the back burner.

In the absence of a project, average growth would fall to a more modest 2.5 per cent in 2017 through 2019.

This would cut employment and population gains and lift the unemployment rate by about 0.5 percentage points in 2018 and 2019É.

Bryan Yu is senior economist at Central 1 Credit Union, British Columbia.

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FAST-TRACKERS Futurpreneur kick-starts new B.C. businesses: here are four charging out of the gate

PAT JOHNSON

Futurpreneur Canada helps young business people launch startups, and there are some sweet success stories among recent B.C. cohorts.The non-profit organization helps people 39 and under with low-interest loans of up to $15,000, mentorship, resources and networking opportunities for participants. The quartet of Futurpreneurs featured here cut across industries, but all credit the program for giving them a powerful hand up.

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INVEST IN BC 2016 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

4 fast-trackers

1

FINE FIT Q Hot Mama Health and Fitness is a business with an ulterior motive. True, it’s about moms and kids getting together for exercise. But it’s as much about creating community for moms and families.

Lindsay Goulet started it as a side gig in Victoria in 2012, but with the help of Futurpreneur, she started franchising in 2014, and now there are 20 Hot Mamas in B.C. and Alberta and one in Ontario. The lightning-fast expansion is due in part to a low-overhead model. Classes meet in church basements or rented dance studios. In the summer, some classes take place outdoors. Despite the name, dads are welcome too.

“I call my business a community-based fitness business,” says Goulet. “We are really about getting a space for moms to come and feel supported and loved and empowered. We’re not a judgmental group of mamas. We’re here to have fun and laugh, and fitness is kind of a side part of the business. It seems like the community aspect of Hot Mama is what’s really made it so successful.”

The loan from Futurpreneur paid for the legal work required for franchising, and the support she received from her mentor, Peter Elkins, and the organization gave her the confidence and resources to expand.

“If I didn’t have that loan, if I didn’t have Peter as my mentor, I would still be out their dwindling somewhere,” she says.

Lindsay Goulet of Hot Mama: franchise grew to 20 locations in 12 months | SUBMITTED

2

GREEN JUNK Q Barry Hartman and Scott Foran met while studying marketing management at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. They never quite finished their degrees.

Instead, they created 505-Junk, a waste removal company that is environmentally sensitive and contributes to the communities it serves. The loan they received from Futurpreneur paid for their first truck. Their Futurpreneur mentor, Michael Drever, founder of CruiseShipCenters, provided invaluable knowledge, says Hartman.

Their unique value proposition is charging customers by weight, not by an eyeball estimate based on volume.

“Clients are really excited about the honesty and transparency of it,” Hartman says.

The 505-Junk team sifts through the contents, recycles anything recyclable, delivers anything reusable to local thrift stores and takes as little as possible to the landfill.

Hartman says they’d probably be nowhere without Futurpreneur.

“It was the foundation of our growth because it allowed us to go from idea to actual tangible business,” he says. “We probably couldn’t have done it without them.”

Barry Hartman and Scott Foran of 505-Junk: unique waste hauler reduces loads to the landfill | SUBMITTED

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3

DR. ALL BUSINESS Q A lot of people – including many health professionals themselves – tend to overlook the fact that doctors, dentists, chiropractors and other care providers are business people.

This was a realization Dr. Benjamin Stevens came to long before he graduated from chiropractic school. As a student, he took every opportunity to visit clinics and shadow other doctors. He learned quickly that the business side was not a “side” at all, but crucial to professional success.

By the time he graduated and set up Valeo Health Clinic in Kelowna in 2012, he was obsessed with business ideas.

This drew him to Futurpreneur, which gave him a boost when he was launching his practice.

As a business wonk, Stevens is reimagining not only the way his services are delivered but also the services themselves. His office includes a movement studio where doctors can see people in action, moving as they do in daily life or in sports, rather than trying to diagnose an inactive patient. Whatever one’s field, Stevens says, success depends on finding the vehicle to drive achievement.

“My business is my ability to leave my mark on the world,” he says.

Dr. Benjamin Stevens of Valeo Health Clinic: “my business is my ability to leave my mark

4

on the world” | ADRIAN PHOTOGRAPHY

ORGANIC IDEA Q When Metro Vancouver municipalities mandated organic waste programs to reduce the one-third of the landfill taken up by compostable materials, it was a boon for Lisa von Sturmer.

“We were the first company in North America to really specialize in corporate recycling programs for organics,” says the owner of Growing City. Now they contract to property management firms to do residential buildings, as well as large office complexes and public facilities.

Business in 2015 was up more than 80 per cent over 2014, von Sturmer says, and since an appearance on Dragons’ Den, Growing City has had franchising inquiries from around the world. But she and her team are moving cautiously, putting the systems in place before expanding, using Vancouver as the testing ground.

“Can we prove the model here? Can we defend ourselves against larger competitors?” So far, indicators are great, she says. “When I built it, I always had a dream of having a Growing City in every city around the world, and so that’s a big part of our vision.”

“Futurpreneur has been a huge advocate for Growing City ever since we started,” she says. “Initially, Futurpreneur was our only source of income, so we started the business with a $15,000 loan from them and they really were the first organization to believe in what we were doing.”

Under 39 with a business idea? Discover the help available at FuturpreneurCanada.ca É

Lisa von Sturmer of Growing City: new business experienced 80 per cent growth in the first year | SUBMITTED

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INVEST IN BC 2016 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

POWERING B.C.

BC Hydro’s Site C dam on

Publicly funded infrastructure has been driving B.C.’s energy economy for decades – but 2016 could see private players taking charge

SCOTT SIMPSON

the Peace River: the first contracts have been awarded for the $8.3 billion clean-power project that will require up to 10,000 workers over the next eight years | BC HYDRO

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his is the first full year of construction activity for BC Hydro’s $8.3 billion Site C hydroelectric megaproject on the Peace River. A dozen or more small independent power projects involving wind, run-of-river and other technologies are expected to be completed and commence shipping electricity onto Hydro’s grid as well in 2016.

Yet this could also be the year private-sector investment grabs the spotlight if even just a handful of proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facilities break ground along the B.C. coast.

B.C.’s public sector has dominated energy infrastructure investment dating back to hydroelectric megaprojects on the Columbia and Peace river systems in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s. Even today, those projects are the backbone of one of the cheapest and most reliable electricity systems in North America.

Site C, approved by Premier Christy Clark in December 2014, continues that legacy, creating 10,000 direct construction jobs over several years with spinoff benefits to northeast communities including Fort St. John, Dawson

Creek, Chetwynd and Taylor and reaching as far south as Prince George.

For 2016, Site C preparatory work is the highlight.

Contracts awarded in 2015 cover baseline activity such as temporary accommodation for workers, road building and land clearing. The $1.75 billion civil works contract, the single largest job on the project, involves building the earth-fill dam, diversion tunnels and concrete spillways.

“The work that’s going on between now and the end of March [2016] is all site preparation for the main civil works contractor,” says BC Hydro spokesman David Conway.

Early work includes the first phase of construction of the 1,600-worker camp that will accommodate workers

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on site — with all phases of the camp complete by August 2016. Another contractor is carrying out land clearing, bank stabilization and construction of service roads for the dam.

In all cases, the focus is on local economic and employment benefits.

“Large infrastructure projects have impacts, and those impacts are multi-faceted,” Conway says. “They also have economic benefits. The expected input to the gross domestic product for the Peace region or central B.C. – a nd we would extend that down at least as far as Prince George– is about $160 million. Provincially it’s $3.2 billion.

“We can’t designate all jobs go to British Columbians but we are doing our best to connect the main civil works contractors with local and regional employees and local and regional contractors and suppliers.”

Independent power producers last had a large-scale call for power in 2008. Some of those projects are already operational while most of the remainder, perhaps 14, will reach commercial operation in 2016, according to Clean Energy BC executive director Paul Kariya. The final few will reach that milestone in 2017.

This year’s group includes the $400 million, 185-megawatt Meikle wind farm project near Tumbler Ridge. In

Site C by the numbers

$8.3B

Estimated project cost

$130M

Contribution to GDP in the Peace Region

$3.2B

Increase to provincial GDP

$179M

Tax revenues to the B.C. government

10,000

Direct construction jobs SOURCE: BC HYDRO

full operation it will be the largest wind farm in the province, delivering enough power to the grid each year to power the equivalent of 54,000 homes.

All 14 projects, Kariya notes, incorporate revenue arrangements of some sort with First Nations.

“In a place like British Columbia the developer of any kind of natural resource project has to be mindful of the role and importance of First Nations. In the natural resource development sector, I think Clean Energy BC probably has involved more First Nations by far compared to other sectors – mining, forestry, all of them,” Kariya says.

Terms in an agreement are confidential, he notes. But in general terms, a typical 25 megawatt project with a 20 per cent equity stake for First Nations is worth about $1 million in annual revenue to the first nation for 40 years.

Independent power producers are anxious for Hydro to issue another major call for power but have no firm date for that to happen.

Meanwhile, some members of Clean Energy BC are involved in smaller-scale opportunities available under the Crown Corporation’s standing-offer program. So far, Hydro has incented 20 projects under the program, which is restricted to generating facilities of less than 15 megawatts. The project list includes solar, wind,

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INVEST IN BC 2016 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

Powering B.C.

Rendering of the LNG Canada plant proposed near Kitimat: the $25 billion to $40 billion project has regulatory approvals including an unprecedented 40-year export licence from the National Energy Board | LNG CANADA

Four LNG power plays The British Columbia government lists 21 potential LNG projects ranging along the Pacific coast from Stewart, at an inlet east of the Alaska Panhandle, to Delta in the Fraser River, just a few kilometres north of the border between B.C. and Washington state.

Site preparation is already underway at the head of Douglas Channel near Kitimat for the LNG Canada partnership led by Shell Canada. The estimated $25 billion to $40 billion project has obtained critical regulatory approvals, including an unprecedented 40-year export licence from the National Energy Board, and is supported by Haisla Nation. The partnership says that, despite a challenging global market for LNG, it will make a final investment decision, or FID, in 2016.

Shovels could be in the ground before year’s end for the $1.7 billion Woodfibre LNG at the top of Howe Sound near Squamish. It’s relatively small with annual production capacity of two million tonnes of LNG. It has approval from the B.C. Environmental Assessment Office and conditional support from Squamish Nation but is looking for ways to cut project costs. A federal environmental decision, the last major hurdle before an FID, is expected in 2016. Approval is also needed for a proposed Fortis BC pipeline feeding the plant.

A consortium led by Petronas is aggressively pushing for the Pacific NorthWest LNG project at Lelu Island near Prince Rupert. It awaits a decision from the Canadian Environmental Assessment

biomass, biogas and hydro. In 2016, Zero Emission Energy Developments Inc. commenced construction on 15-megawatt wind farms at Kelowna, Summerland and Taylor – the first community-scale wind farms in B.C. Each is creating up to 50 full-time jobs during construction.

All standing-offer projects involving Clean Energy BC members involve First Nations, Kariya says.

Meanwhile, 2016 is expected to hear the first group of proponents for LNG export facilities announce final investment decisions.

A favourable decision, particularly from a major proponent at Kitimat or Prince Rupert, would not only generate thousands of construction jobs but also would

Agency, which is scrutinizing the potential impact of the plant upon salmon rearing habitat for the sprawling Skeena River system. This 18 million metric tonne LNG facility would be built in three phases – including an initial $11.4 billion outlay.

The relatively small $800 million Douglas Channel LNG project, which involves a floating LNG facility on the coast near Kitimat, was poised to announce an FID in December 2015. But it’s stalled while it appeals to Ottawa for exemption from a 25 per cent import duty on the barge that would host the plant. It’s about a $75 million tax hit – despite the absence of Canadian manufacturers in this sector. If the group, which includes AltaGas, can persuade the federal government, the project could get underway in 2016.

provide lasting benefit to the provincial and national economy by demonstrating that B.C. can support globalscale private-sector megaprojects and get them through the regulatory process to the finish line.

LNG would also revive a B.C. gas production industry that is desperate for good news. Auctions for gas drilling rights in northeast B.C. produce only a fraction of the revenue they did in 2005, and natural gas royalty revenue to the government has declined in line with falling North American gas market prices and a gas production glut in the U.S. More than three quarters of Canadian drill rigs have been idled since the first quarter of 2015 – and there’s little hope of a quick turnaround. In early 2016, B.C.’s

| 25

normally robust winter drilling season was looking like a bust wih just 30 out of 84 drilling rigs active in the northeast for a rig utilization rate of 36 per cent.

The most advanced LNG project, LNG Canada, has all regulatory approvals for its potentially massive export facility at Kitimat. The Haisla Nation is supportive – the $25 billion to $40 billion project would transition Haisla members from the employment boom they experienced through Rio Tinto Alcan’s modernization of its aluminum smelter in Kitimat, a project that finished in 2015.

Two decisions in early January 2016 pushed LNG Canada closer to a favourable decision: a permit from the B.C. Oil and Gas Commission to build its LNG processing facility, and the National Energy Board’s uncommon decision to grant the project a 40-year export licence compared to the board’s usual practice of issuing 25year export licences.

“Prior to the partners behind LNG Canada making a final investment decision, a variety of work needs to be done so the project is in the best position to begin construction,” says Susannah Pierce, director, external relations, for LNG Canada. “We also must continue to maintain the very positive momentum we have in the community and with First Nations who have been partnering with us to make this project reality.” É

Maarten Wetselaar, executive vice-president of integrated gas at Shell, delivers a keynote speech during the 2015 International LNG in BC Conference in Vancouver | KK LAW

COMMUNITY FUTURES IN B.C. Advice. Finance. Results

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hether you’re looking to start a new business, buy an existing one or expand your own, Community Futures knows that it’s not always apples to apples. We recognize that not all business ideas are the same and that is why Community Futures specializes in taking a grassroots hands on approach to supporting entrepreneurs by providing local assistance from 34 offices throughout rural BC. Community Futures offer a wide variety of services and tools to help entrepreneurs and small business owners achieve their goals, including business support services, business planning advice, access to capital and self-employment assistance. Compared with other traditional source financing options, Community Future’s client’s businesses grow faster and last longer.

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. Last year, Community Futures offices in BC approved 555 loans, valued at over $29.5 M. Leveraging an additional $40 M into the rural BC economy and helping to create and or maintain employment for 2,564.5 individuals, 1608.5 through loans and 956 through business services. Supported by the Government of Canada through Western Economic Diversification Canada.

Contact: Tel: 1-888-303-2232 info@communityfutures.ca

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INVEST IN BC 2016 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

WORLD CLASS

International education booms in B.C., contributing to financial, cultural and intellectual bottom lines

BAILA LAZARUS

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hina’s investments in B.C. are moving from real estate and tech sectors into international education. According to the Ministry of Advanced Education, one-third of international students who come to Canada choose a B.C. school. They contribute more than $2.3 billion per year to the province through tuition (which is often three times that of domestic fees), living expenses and recreation, and the industry supports more than 25,000 jobs.

Capilano University president Kris Bulcroft (centre), with arts and science student Geraldo Fornari Netto from Brazil and bachelor of business administration student Cosette Cousin from Honduras: “we’ve brought the world to the [Capilano University] students for better international communications, better teamwork, better cultural understanding, preparing them for a global life experience” | CHUNG CHOW

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A report by the British Columbia Council for International Education (BCCIE) shows the economic impact by international students rose 30 per cent from 2010 to 2013. International student numbers increased during that same period from 94,000 to more than 112,000, with the top five countries of origin being China, South Korea, Japan, Brazil and Saudi Arabia.

Kwantlen Polytechnic University welcomes international students to all four of its campuses in Metro Vancouver. Kwantlen, which offers undergraduate and degree programs, charges tuition of $525 per credit for international students, compared with a range of from $131 to $250 for domestic students.

At Capilano University (CapU) in North Vancouver, there are approximately 1,000 international students who comprise 14 per cent of the student population, just one point away from reaching its capacity target of 15 per cent.

University president Kris Bulcroft has credited federal and provincial job fairs and outreach, and the BCCIE’s missions to Brazil and Southeast Asia, for helping to market B.C. education to the world.

At CapU, rates of $550 per credit for international students, compared with $123 for domestic students, means a 15-credit semester would generate $6.4 million more from international students. But the financial factor is just one of the benefits.

“Maybe the public’s view is that it’s all about revenue, but the reason why I think the international students are such an important addition to the campus is that we’re preparing students for a global economy and a global world,” says Bulcroft. “It would be ideal if all Canadian students could study abroad. But that isn’t going to happen. So we’ve brought the world to the students for better international communications, better teamwork, better cultural understanding, preparing them for a global life experience.”

The goal is also to have graduates stay in Canada to contribute to the economy by working or continuing their education.

Capilano student Cosette Cousin, from Honduras, says she chose the university because of the structure of its business program and the small classes. She intends to stay in Canada to complete a master’s program.

One of the areas in B.C. getting a lot of attention for new partnerships – and new campuses – is Powell River.

“I suspect the key reasons why Powell River is attractive to international students is that the cost of living is far less expensive than in the city,” says Gregory Cran, administrator of Vancouver Island University’s (VIU) Powell River campus. “Given its only access is by ferry, it makes it a safe harbour, which would be of keen interest to parents.”

VIU Powell River is working on agreements with Sino Bright School and Eton College Canada to enable international students to transition easily to post-secondary.

Sino Bright is a Lower Mainland-based Grade 8-12 school that has several campuses in China offering the B.C. curriculum. It currently has summer and winter programs at Brooks Secondary School in Powell River, but plans are in the works for a new campus next door to hold 400 students for year-round studies.

According to a 2015 economic assessment by the Powell River Educational Services Society, the new Sino Bright

KRIS BULCROFT |

PRESIDENT, CAPILANO UNIVERSITY

We’re preparing students for a global economy and a global world

Sylvester Chen, director of international education, UNBC: “all the institutions right now set international education as one of the pillars of their institution, not only because of the economic gain, but also reputation and brain gain” | SUBMITTED

campus will generate $4.6 million in annual spending by students and families within the Powell River area and $1.5 million in the rest of B.C. It will generate $18.9 million in contribution to B.C.’s economy during the construction phase and $12 million annually when in operation.

“Powell River has been a sleeper and is only now experiencing an economic renaissance due to the interest of others coming in from the outside, seeing the area for what it is,” says Cran.

Jay Yule, superintendent of schools, School District 47, Powell River, points to competition within China as another catalyst for interest in B.C. “They have a really rigorous, competitive system to get into high school and university, so many parents choose the international curriculum because it offers a better opportunity for their son or daughter to go to university abroad.”

Yule says one of the reasons small cities like Powell River are so attractive is that the Chinese population is limited.

“Language acquisition is faster in an environment where there are not a lot of Mandarin speakers,” he says.

A more manageable environment may also be one of the reasons international students choose the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) in Prince George.

Currently at 300 international students, the goal of the university is to reach 500, says Sylvester Chen, director of international education at UNBC. “All the institutions right now set international education as one of the pillars of their institution, not only because of the economic gain, but also reputation and brain gain.” É

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INVEST IN BC 2016 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

HEADS W PETER MITHAM

UP Craft brewers are diversifying local economies across B.C. – and foreign investors are hopping in

ith more than 100 craft breweries in 50 communities around B.C., beer has become a source of local pride with spin off benefits for the rest of the economy as well.

Tapping top-quality ingredients from B.C. farms, microbreweries from Terrace to Fernie are crafting beers in a variety of traditional styles, often with novel flavourings, that express the province’s pristine environment and creative drive.

B.C.’s craft beer renaissance began in 1982 with the launch of Horseshoe Bay Brewery, which lasted just long enough to inspire the founders of Spinnakers and Vancouver Island Brewery in 1984, as well as Granville Island Brewing (acquired by Molson Coors in 2009).

Victoria and Vancouver remain the heart of craft beer production in the province, with dozens of brewers including Driftwood Brewing Co., Brassneck Brewery Inc. and Dageraad Brewing Inc. operating within the two cities and adjacent municipalities. Vancouver has even adjusted civic zoning to facilitate microbreweries, in turn attracting Alberta craft beer pioneer Big Rock Brewery LP to the Mount Pleasant industrial precinct.

Meanwhile, the Thompson Okanagan – long home to Penticton’s Tin Whistle Brewing Co. and Kelowna’s Tree Brewing Co. – has seen production surge.

Cannery Brewing Co. and Bad Tattoo Brewing Co. have redeveloped premises in Penticton, while Crannóg Ales east of Kamloops kick-started a revival of the province’s hops sector.

Fernie Brewing Co. plays off the Kootenays’ appeal to winter sports enthusiasts with a range of wheat ales and Indian Pale Ales, while the Cariboo, not to be outdone, has struck gold with the frontier-themed ales of Barkerville Brewing Co. in Quesnel and Valemount’s Three Ranges Brewing Co. With areas such as the Northeast and Bulkley-Nechako regions yet to host a local microbrewer, the sector’s expansion will continue, with up to 20 openings planned province wide in 2016.

“If you’re in Vancouver or you’re in Victoria, all you hear about is people opening breweries in East Van,” Ken Beattie, executive director of the BC Craft Brewers Guild, says. “[But] you might see more activity in areas that might be traditional Molson Canadian accounts.”

He points to Wheelhouse Brewing Co. in Prince Rupert

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and Sherwood Mountain Brewhouse Ltd. in Terrace as examples of successful microbreweries in outlying areas, which both diversify the local economy and generate spinoff benefits as people take ownership of the success.

“We use local shipping companies; we buy local supplies for our brews,” says Darryl Tucker, a longtime Terrace resident and entrepreneur who trained at the Institute for Fermentation and Biotechnology in Berlin prior to launching Sherwood Mountain. “We supply regional pubs/restaurants who in turn have seen a spike in beer sales because of the local brew.”

Tucker has been approached with local berries and birch syrup as ingredients for his beers, and he’s looking forward to using local hops should local farmers enter production.

“You get a huge groundswell of support because there’s a pride of place,” Beattie says, while noting that the most successful brewers need to look ahead if they’re on a growth track.

“Some of the major production breweries have to seek markets outside of B.C.,” he says. “You need to look not only across Canada, but outside Canada.”

Phillips Brewing Co. exports to Hong Kong and Japan, for example, while Mission Springs Brewing Co. has brew pubs in Korea.

Central City, for its part, has expanded from a single brew pub in downtown Surrey to a 65,000-square-foot production facility that ships beer across Canada and the U.S. northwest.

It added a brew pub in downtown Vancouver in 2015 and has also embarked on cider production and distilling, the latter encouraged through a range of tax breaks.

Okanagan Spirits of Vernon, a pioneer that leapt to fame with its Taboo absinthe, billed as Canada’s first genuine version of the fabled spirit, long railed against excessive excise taxes on spirits, but when the province introduced tax breaks for the use of local ingredients, small producers such as Pemberton Distillery Inc. north of Whistler, Arbutus Distilleries Inc. of Nanaimo and Kootenay Country Craft Distillery Ltd. in Slocan blossomed.

Scientific Research and Experimental Development credits are also available to producers who pursue disciplined research programs. Breweries, for example, have tapped the program to offset the development of beers stable enough for export, ensuring consumers experience a true taste of B.C.

Green Light Innovation Partners consultancy of Port Coquitlam estimates that a typical microbrewer might be able to receive credits equivalent to 64 per cent of labour costs.

“It means that they can more aggressively engage in formula development than they could in the past,” said Lih-Ming Tam, CFO of Green Light. “[It] creates more unique products, which creates more opportunities to perhaps export that product to a wider market.”

And the better known the sector becomes, the greater the chance the world will pony up to the bar for what it’s got to offer.

Most recently, a Shanghai-based venture capital firm with an office in Vancouver became financial backers of Russell Brewing Co., heralding a truly global status for local brewers. É

Patrons enjoy the atmosphere at Red Racer Restaurant, Surrey’s Central City Brewers + Distillers’ entry into the Vancouver brew pub scene | DUSTAN SEPT, BEER ME BC BC Craft Brewers Guild executive director Ken Beattie samples some local craft beer at North Vancouver’s Black Bear pub | CHUNG CHOW

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INVEST IN BC 2016 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

Briefs

Looking into space race

Pipeline agreement inked

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ransCanada Corp. has reached a project agreement on the Coastal GasLink pipeline project with the West Moberly First Nations and the Nadleh Whut’en First Nation west of Prince George.

The agreement outlines the benefits and commitments these communities will receive during the pipeline’s lifetime.

The Coastal GasLink project is a proposed 670-kilometre natural gas pipeline that will stretch from the Groundbirch area, between Chetwynd and Dawson Creek, to a proposed LNG Canada liquefied natural gas export facility near Kitimat, B.C. The pipeline and corresponding export facility would bring natural gas from northeast B.C. to the coast for export to Asian markets.

The Blueberry River First Nations north of Fort St. John had

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signed a similar agreement in December.

The pipeline project has received support from the Fort St. John & District Chamber of Commerce, the City of Dawson Creek and Dawson Creek & District Chamber of Commerce, the Chetwynd Chamber of Commerce, the District of Chetwynd and others.

Canada signs TPP agreement

determined total revenue generated by the domestic space sector rose five per cent to $3.5 billion, and over the preceding five years, revenue was up 15 per cent or $462 million. The sub-sector experiencing the biggest growth was Earth observation, as revenue increased 44 per cent to $371 million over five years.

China turmoil could aid B.C.

C

C

anada signed the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement when members of the trade deal gathered February 3 in New Zealand, according to International Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland.

“Signing does not equal ratifying,” Freeland wrote in a statement posted to her ministry’s web site..

But the minister says Canada “needs to stay at the table with the other TPP countries” so that Parliament can fully evaluate its merits. In all, 11 other member countries are part of the trade deal Countries have up to two years to decide whether to ratify the agreement after signing onto the TPP. Freeland says she has been consulting with provinces, labour leaders, business representatives and academics since the federal Liberals won a majority government last fall.

ade Larson hopes money earmarked by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) for a new camera aboard the International Space Station is just the start of better times to come in 2016.

Larson, CEO at Vancouver-based UrtheCast, says 2015 was the biggest year yet for his company, which specializes in ultra-high-definition cameras in space.

UrtheCast signed a brand partnership deal with Pepsi last year and later acquired Spain’s Deimos Imaging, along with its two satellites, for $102 million.

But activity in the private sector came despite CSA budget cuts.

The space agency’s annual budget has remained static at roughly $300 million for more than a decade, but the private sector has grown.

A 2013 report from the CSA

Not signing the TPP could leave Canadian exports to the U.S. at a disadvantage despite already being a member of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

While 73 per cent of Canada’s exports go to the U.S., TPP members would gain access to the American market, preferable to that negotiated in NAFTA, according to international trade lawyer Lawrence Herman.

ould China’s market volatility benefit the B.C. economy?

Experts say China’s shifting economic tide could attract more business to Vancouver in the long term.

Paul Beaudry, a professor at the University of British Columbia’s Vancouver School of Economics, says the Canadian dollar’s decline could catch the eye of some Chinese businesses looking to expand into North America.

“One of the big drivers here is the change of patterns in China. China has decided to move away from this very high-investment economy and is trying to move into a more consumer-driven economy, which means it’s going to need less commodities.”

Yuen Pau Woo, CEO of HQ Vancouver, agrees that China’s recent volatility is a sign companies there are maturing from a high-growth

to a service-oriented phase.

B.C. is a more attractive West Coast landing for such firms than Washington state, Oregon or California, he says. “It comes down to three key factors: talent, location and competitiveness.”

Yuen adds that lower corporate taxes, a cheaper workforce and proximity to Asia all work in Vancouver’s favour.

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B.C. a leader in wooden high-rises

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he world’s tallest wood building is ascending at the University of British Columbia (UBC), and architects say it could provide the template for how wood high rises could enter the mainstream.

The $51.5 million UBC building is no architectural showpiece, concedes Russell Acton, a principal with Vancouver’s Acton Ostry Architects, which designed the plain-looking, 18-storey UBC student residence with adviser and architect Hermann Kaufmann of Austria.

Instead, Acton says, it is meant to provide standing evidence that “mass timber” can be as affordable as concrete construction when it comes to building skyscrapers.

Mass timber refers to the use of heavy cross-laminated timber beams, provided to the UBC project by B.C.-based Structurlam, one of only two Canadian

manufacturers. The strong beams are made of wood pieces glued together and can be of virtually any length.

Acton says the bottom-line message is that wood can compete head-to-head with concrete construction.

Mass timber has “pushed wood construction to a place it has never been before,” says Michael Green of Vancouver’s Michael Green Architecture, who designed the nine-storey Prince George Wood Innovation and Design Centre, currently the tallest wood building in Canada, and recently proposed a 35-storey wooden tower for a design competition in Paris.

While the B.C. building code allows the construction of wood buildings as high as six storeys, no building codes in Canada currently cover wood highrises, so a special code allowance was needed for the UBC tower. The highrise is also designed to meet LEED

INVEST IN BC

2016

A RIVER RIVER RUNS THROUGHT THROUGHT IT The salmon salmon in Brit British ish Columbia’s Columbia s mig mightiest ghtiest river river l s spitting spittin itti g outt the th sand d they th they swallow ll are alway always | 12

BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT ACROSS BRITISH COLUMB IA OFFICIAL PUBLICATION

BC Economic Development Association

PUBLISHED BY

22

26

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TERRIFIC TOURISM

RICE QUAKE

REGIONAL ROUNDUP

TO BOOK YOUR 2017 INVEST IN B.C. AD Call Katherine at 604-608-5158 or email kbutler@biv.com Space Close: January 16, 2017

Rendering shows 18-storey wooden high rise at the University of B.C: world’s tallest wood tower | UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

(Leadership in Energy and Enviromental Design) standards.

Green contends the UBC project’s success could help establish Vancouver as a world leader in tall wood construction.

The world’s current tallest wood building is a 10-storey apartment building in Melbourne, Australia.

A 14-storey apartment building is now under construction in Norway.

32 |

INVEST IN BC 2016 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

Lower Mainland/Southwest

3.9%

CROSSROADS OF A CONTINENT Share of B.C. land area

Lower Mainland-Southwest is a diverse and sophisticated gateway to the world

■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 ■West Vancouver ■Whistler

PETER MITHAM

B

ritish Columbia is a crossroads of Canada, with approximately 25,725 kilometres of Pacific coastline that represents both the pristine wilderness of the country as well as the departure point for the ancient cultures of Asia. It all comes together in the province’s southwest corner, the Lower Mainland, where diverse cultures, careers and networks merge to power the province’s economic engine.

While the vast interior of the province harbours a rich store of natural resources, the wealth of the land often leaves for overseas from the Lower Mainland’s warehouses, shipping terminals and cargo jets. Port Metro Vancouver is the largest – and busiest – marine port in the country, just 10 days from China, while Vancouver International Airport welcomes 20 million passengers and handles nearly 300,000 tonnes of time-sensitive cargo each year.

Vancouver is the continent’s gateway to Asia and a

| 33

Lower Mainland commercial real estate investments Billions of dollars

$8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 2013 2014 2015*

*2015 IS PROJECTED SOURCE: REAL ESTATE BOARD OF GREATER VANCOUVER, COMMERCIAL EDGE

Benchmark residential price $1,000,000 900,000 800,000 700,000 600,000 500,000 400,000 300,000 200,000 100,000 r ve lley ck ou Va liwa c l an ser Chi r V Fra te

ea

Gr

2014

2015

SOURCE: BC REAL ESTATE ASSOCIATION

Economic snapshot Top 10 sectors by number of employees

Vancouver is the heart of the southwest and named one of the most livable cities on the planet for good reasons | TOURISM VANCOUVER

favoured destination for immigrants and investors.

Its strategic geography also makes the Lower Mainland a hub for global commerce. Competitive tax rates and initiatives such as the AdvantageBC International Business Centre capitalize on its location midway between Europe and Asia. Vancouver offices can take calls from Germany in the morning and discuss them with colleagues in Hong Kong in the afternoon – and in between, contacts with the West Coast hubs of Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles keep business moving.

Retail & wholesale trade Health care & social assistance Professional, scientific & technical services Construction Accommodation & food services Educational services Manufacturing Real estate, finance, insurance Transport & warehouse Information, culture & recreation 00 00 00 00 00 ,0 ,0 ,0 ,0 ,0 50 100 150 200 250 SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA, LABOUR FORCE SURVEY 2014

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INVEST IN BC 2016 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

Lower Mainland/Southwest

It’s central location for global trade makes Vancouver a popular destination for international events, with the Vancouver Convention Centre hosting major conferences and the trend setting TED conferences against a panoramic backdrop of snow-capped mountains. It’s where the world meets, and, when work is done, the mountains offer activities from hiking and biking to skiing. The slopes of Cypress, Grouse and Seymour are year-round destinations that let visitors engage with the wilderness first-hand, while outfitting companies lead excursions into the backcountry of Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton and beyond.

Those inclined to stay close to sea level will also find enough to please them in miles of mountain biking trails, world-class golf courses and boating.

Restaurants, urban farms and craft distilleries add to the region’s cultural life and economic diversity, providing both offbeat venues and on-the-mark fare that’s constantly evolving. Vancouver, home to some of the best Chinese dining outside of China, is constantly devising something new to meet the sophisticated palates of its multicultural residents. A mosaic of cultures, the city is in a constant state of fusion as each new wave of immigrants arrives.

Beyond the city lie the quieter communities of the Sunshine Coast and Fraser Valley.

Retirees, drawn by a temperate climate, slower pace of life and affordable housing, are making Gibsons, Roberts

A mix of cultures makes Vancouver a vibrant place to live and do business | SUBMITTED

CITY OF WHITE ROCK

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For more information, please contact White Rock Planning and Development.

E: planning@whiterockcity.ca | P: 604.541.2108

he City of White Rock draws residents and visitors alike to its beautiful seaside setting, with its unique character and active arts and culture community. The current population is about 19,300 and is expected grow to approximately 23,500 people by 2041. During the summer, visitors flock to the City’s Canada Day celebrations, Concert Series at the Pier, and the Tour de White Rock. This activity, combined with continuing growth in the surrounding area, contributes to economic vitality and prosperous businesses on the Peninsula.

The City is undertaking an Official Community Plan review to develop a bold 30 year vision for White Rock and a framework for guiding the community’s evolution. A priority in White Rock is the revitalization of its Town Centre. To encourage redevelopment and commercial investment, zoning in the Town Centre permits high density development (up to a gross FAR of 5.4 and heights of 265 feet).

Notably, the City’s development cost charges are some of the lowest in Metro Vancouver.

“Council is committed to building an attractive and walkable Town Centre,” explains Mayor Wayne Baldwin. “Alongside our cherished waterfront, we are focused on developing a multi-faceted community that offers recreation and cultural opportunities to a variety of individuals.”

We invite you to learn more about our beautiful City by the Sea. For more information, please contact Planning and Development a planning@whiterockcity.ca or by phone at 604.541.2108

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Creek and Sechelt home, while to the east cities including Surrey, Abbotsford and Chilliwack continue to welcome new residents and evolve in their own right.

Combining urban sophistication with expansive agricultural lands, the region south of the Fraser River is home to the region’s second downtown in Surrey and connected to the world by highways and the Abbotsford International Airport, host of a giant annual air show.

The province’s busiest truck crossing is 30 minutes from Golden Ears Business Park in Pitt Meadows, sandwiched between the expanding communities of Maple Ridge and Port Coquitlam. The opening of a new rapid transit line in 2016 will bring the area within the ambit of downtown Vancouver, and on a par with downtown Surrey, itself a 45-minute commute from the region’s core.

Highways and rail lines cross some of the most fertile farmland in Canada, with Abbotsford, long known as the berry capital of Canada and home to thriving poultry and dairy operations.

Thousands of acres of blueberries and cranberries grow on the dike lands of Pitt Meadows, while potatoes are equally abundant on the sun-drenched river delta to the south. Rice, lavender and hazelnuts have a place here, while hops, a traditional crop, is in demand from the province’s 100-plus microbreweries.

The provinces two key research universities, University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser, support innovation in factory and field, while privately run Trinity

Western and Quest University Canada provide a liberal arts education.

T he British Colu mbia Institute of Tech nolog y, Kwantlen Polytechnic University and University of the Fraser Valley equip students with the training needed in mathematics, technology, media and more, and apply and develop new ways of doing business. É

Stretching east to the mountains, the Fraser Valley is home to lush farmland and thriving industry | COLIN JEWELL

Southern Railway of British Columbia is a major transporter of freight in British Columbia providing high quality service and safely delivering the best rail based solutions

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

www.sryraillink.com

www.surreycitycentre.ca

HOPE Embrace the Journey 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 2016 and beyond. All commercial and passenger highway traffic in southern British Columbia flows through Hope on highways 1, 3, 5, and 7. Coupled with our proximity to the US border and Metro Vancouver, this makes Hope an ideal location for virtual commuters and new and expanding businesses.

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 words: access to consumers and clients, fibre-optic telecommunications, time for family, 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 a 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 Email: info@advantagehope.ca Phone: 604.860.0930 Web: hopebc.ca In person: Hope Visitor Centre – 919 Water Avenue (starting summer 2016: 111 Old Hope Princeton Way)

Embrace the journey

#EmbraceHopeBC www.hopebc.ca

NEW WESTMINSTER Central Situated in the heart of Metro Vancouver, New Westminster is ideally located within 30 minutes of Downtown Vancouver, YVR and the U.S. border. Home to five SkyTrain stations, New West is easily accessed via transit, while port facilities along the Fraser River, rail access and quick connections to all major highways make it an ideal city for commerce.

Progressive As western Canada’s original city, New Westminster has a history of creating opportunity and setting trends. This year, the City-owned openaccess fibre optic network, “BridgeNet” will launch. BridgeNet will allow increased competition in internet service by providing opportunity for small, medium and large internet service providers to offer high speed, low cost internet access to New West businesses. This will accelerate the transition towards a knowledge-based economy and give a competitive edge to the New Westminster business community.

Affordable Housing and commercial lease rates are some of the lowest on the north side of the Fraser River, which enables businesses and their employees to locate here. In addition to affordable space, the City is working to make the cost of doing business even more attractive. In 2015, New Westminster lowered its light industrial tax rate again for a total reduction of 34% reduction since 2013. The city also participates in an Intermunicipal Business License program with five other municipalities to provide a more affordable licensing option for construction-related businesses.

Recognized For the second year in a row, New Westminster has been listed in the top 10 “Best Cities for Work in BC” by BCBusiness. Measured by six key economic indicators, New Westminster scored high in income growth (11.6%), population growth (8.8%), and percentage of households with university degrees (23.8%).

New Westminster was also listed in the top three of Vancity’s “Top Places to Start-Up a Small Business in Metro Vancouver”. This ranking was based on strong scores in affordability, both in cost of living and cost of doing business, as well as access to a thriving market due to its central location.

Supported by an active and engaged economic development office the City of New Westminster has staked its place as an ideal location for business to thrive and grow.

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

Township of Langley 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.

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 unique urban/rural mix of lifestyles make the Township of Langley an ideal community to locate 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 andinternational legal and accounting firms have relocated here. Supporting more than 5,000 businesses and an expanding population estimated at 113,000 and projected to double in the next 30 years, the Township of Langley is an economic powerhouse in British Columbia.

Transportation projects connect people to jobs The movement of people, goods, and services has improved with the expansion of the Port Mann Bridge to 10-lane capacity. The bridge is connected to Trans-Canada Highway, which has equally seen lane widening from Vancouver to Langley, an additional 30 kilometres of new HOV lanes, replacement of nine highway interchanges, and additional truck climbing lanes to expedite traffic flows. The six-lane Golden Ears Bridge along with its 14-kilometre road network connects markets along the Fraser River and provides quick and convenient transportation links for residents and businesses across the BC’s Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley.

The 202 Street Park and Ride and Transit Exchange, immediately south of the Trans-Canada Highway, is fully operational, making an easy and more sustainable commute for residents and employees. With 800 parking spaces, this public transit hub also offers RapidBus service that transports transit users to the Lower Mainland Skytrain services in less than 25 minutes.

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.

“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 With accredited post-secondary education institutions in the community, Trinity Western University and Kwantlen Polytechnic University, access to qualified and skilled local talent is readily available.

Employers equally seeking to support development of employee skills and qualifications can do so through credit and non-credit courses from these and other specialized education and training facilities.

Business sector diversity fuels the local economy • High-Tech• Filming • Manufacturing • Retail • Tourism • and much more…

Canada’s largest cluster of helicopter companies makes the Langley Regional Airport a centre of excellence for rotary wing aircraft.

Agribusiness has the right mix – hobby to high tech The combination of predominantly Class 4 land, 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 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.

Identified as one of the Top 10 Investment Towns in BC as well as one of the Top 10 Best Cities for Work in BC, the Township of Langley Economic Investment and Development Department Township of Langley, 20338 - 65 Avenue, Langley, BC V2Y 3J1 604.533.6084, invest@tol.ca, invest.tol.ca

Providing Business Advantages

Economic Investment and Development Department Township of Langley 20338 - 65 Avenue, Langley, BC V2Y 3J1 Phone: 604.533.6084 Email:

invest@tol.ca

invest.tol.ca

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.

(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

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 -ASTER 0LAN

T: 604

s %$!"# !WARD $OWNTOWN -ASTER 0LAN

514 2800

| E: info@langleycity.ca

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()#3 Household Income: $95,477 in Primary Trade Area — higher than BC average: $81,595 s ,/7 ,%!3% 2!4%3 n (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

Coquitlam Population: 141,132

T

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 Coquitlam, which is the regional service centre for Northeast Metro Vancouver, is experiencing tremendous growth and investment. Recent public projects such as the Poirier Sport and Leisure Complex, the City Centre Public Library, the Port Mann Bridge/Highway 1 improvements and King Edward Overpass, as well as the coming Evergreen SkyTrain line combined with significant investment in private sector development projects (an average of $357M per year in building permits over the past five years), along with the growth and expansion of the business community have made Coquitlam a popular destination for businesses and investors.

Proximity to Major Markets Coquitlam is located in the geographic centre of the lower mainland and is 40 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 in the United States. Coquitlam’s proximity to the Vancouver and Abbotsford International airports and Port of Metro Vancouver also provides businesses with 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, IKEA, Canstar Restorations and others. Transportation infrastructure improvements like the Port Mann, Golden Ears and Pitt River Bridges and the Trans Canada Highway improvements have enhanced 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. Coquitlam also 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, 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 many 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 provides low-cost broadband services to businesses and residents via opening 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. In 2015, BC Business ranked Coquitlam fifth in its annual list of “Best Cities for Work in BC”.

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: 604-927-3905 E: economicdevelopment@coquitlam.ca

Coquitlam |

Invest Innovate Grow

Coquitlam is one of the fastest growing communities in British Columbia.

Our City offers: Y Proximity to the Metro Vancouver, US and Asian markets Y Access to major transportation corridors and networks Y Over $4B invested in infrastructure such as the Port Mann/Highway 1 improvements, the King Edward Overpass and the Evergreen Line projects Y $1.4B Evergreen Line project is slated for completion in 2017 Y A highly skilled and educated work force Y QNet - 60 km ďŹ bre optic network that provides businesses with low-cost broadband services Y 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: 604-927-3905 | Email: economicdevelopment@coquitlam.ca

coquitlam.ca/economicdevelopment

Abbotsford ABBOTSFORD – TOMORROW’S THINKING TODAY As the hub of the Fraser Valley, the City of Abbotsford is well positioned for growth. With a population of 140,000 residents, Abbotsford is planning for a future population of 200,000 and is updating its Official Community Plan to shape how the community will grow and develop.

With this expected growth, local business opportunities are emerging rapidly, and Abbotsford has implemented several key initiatives to keep it at the forefront of new business attraction. The City of Abbotsford Economic Development (CAED) staff is here to help with attracting and settling new businesses into the community.

SITE SELECTOR TOOL As the only city in British Columbia to launch a GIS site selector website, Abbotsford is leveraging technology to provide businesses with an extremely powerful tool to search for the perfect property to locate their business.

The online tool, built with ZoomProspector Enterprise software, is a data-rich, interactive property database to assist businesses looking for a new location. It makes data, including dynamic real estate, demographic and industry breakdowns for Abbotsford, available instantly and for free and can be accessed through the newly designed CAED website at www.caed.abbotsford.ca or www.abbotsfordsitefinder.ca.

Using Geographic Information System (GIS) software, the website provides immediate access to in-depth information and high level demographic information. By providing a one stop shop portal on the website, businesses can search for specific geographic and demographic information for each available site. Businesses and their appointed site selectors have immediate access, around the globe, to critical business intelligence that helps them make investment decisions.

If you need help operating the site selector tool we have a video tutorial available at www.abbotsford.ca/caedtutorial.

INTERNATIONAL MARKETS Abbotsford has launched its first ever International Marketing Strategy which will help to ensure that Abbotsford is on the radar to attract international businesses looking to locate in the Fraser Valley. Some of the highlights of the strategy outline the main reasons why Abbotsford makes an attractive global business destination.

Abbotsford is the most strategically positioned community within Greater Vancouver: • Easy access to Vancouver in as little as 45 minutes.

Abbotsford is far enough west to provide ready access to land and a skilled workforce, while remaining extremely affordable to run a business in the region.

Abbotsford’s transportation network provides affordable, highly efficient access to the whole of Canada, the U.S. Pacific Northwest and Asia Pacific: • Home to the region’s most business-friendly international airport (YXX), the second largest airport in the region behind Vancouver International (YVR).

• Proximity within one hour of Vancouver and two hours of Seattle, including access to Port Metro Vancouver, Port of Seattle and Port of

Tacoma, and all major international gateways by sea.

• Two international border crossings to the United States, including a 24-hour station.

• Two east-west national rail lines, Canadian National and Canadian Pacific.

• East-west access along the Trans-Canada Highway.

OPPORTUNITIES IN KEY SECTORS Agriculture The City of Abbotsford is the agriculture capital of Canada. Gross farm receipts are 3 times those of Ontario’s Niagara region, which is Canada’s second most productive agricultural area. Our agrifoods sector is wellpositioned for growth and investment in existing and new markets.

Aviation/Aerospace Abbotsford has a thriving aviation and aerospace industry, which is a key driver for the local economy. The Abbotsford International Airport has over 200 acres of land immediately available for airside and groundside development. The business development objective for our international airport is to strengthen our wide robust economic base.

Manufacturing One of Abbotsford’s many thriving industries is manufacturing. From printers, aerospace companies, automotives, to construction, Abbotsford is the perfect breeding ground for manufacturing businesses to grow and thrive. As an economic driver, manufacturing represents $8.6 billion in wages, at levels 15% higher than the overall average wage for all industries.

To hear what Abbotsford businesses have to say about doing business here, watch our videos at www.abbotsford.ca/caedtv.

With these main sectors forming a solid foundation for growth in Abbotsford, the doors are open to endless possibilities for the future. Be part of the next story at: www.caed.abbotsford.ca City of Abbotsford, Economic Development T: 604.864.5586 E: econdev@abbotsford.ca Twitter: @abbotsfordecdev W: www.caed.abbotsford.ca

GROWTH ORIENTED. PIONEERING.

INNOVATIVE.

A CITY OF THE FUTURE.

ACCESSIBLE.

CREATIVE.

OPEN FOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT.

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.

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, creative media, education, 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 60 minutes from the nearest shipping sea port.

There is an estimated population of 85,000 within Chilliwack, plus about 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

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, 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

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

“Rated tops! Lowest taxes. Fastest approvals.� — NAIOP 2015 MUNICIPAL REPORT CARD

Attracting and Facilitating Economic Growth

chilliwackeconomicpartners.com s INFO CHILLIWACKPARTNERS COM

48 |

INVEST IN BC 2016 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

Vancouver Island/Coast

9.1%

Share of B.C. land area

■Campbell River

INVESTING IN TOMORROW New developments across many sectors are looking to what’s next

■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 HAYLEY WOODIN The $300 million-to-$400million Spirit Bay development will feature up to 800 luxury units, on more than 100 acres of land near Sooke, on Vancouver Island. The project will feature a clean-energy component and is being led by the Scia’new First Nation, and the Trust for Sustainable Development | PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA/PICTUREBC

V

ancouver Island, and the hundreds of islets and communities sprinkled along British Columbia’s coast, has distinguished itself as one of North America’s top places to live, work and play.

Near-Mediterranean summers and charming locales earned the region’s Southern Gulf Islands a spot on the New York Times’ list of 52 places to go in 2016. Last year Vancouver Island was voted one of the world’s top 10 best islands by Condé Nast Traveler readers.

The favoured tourism region, home to the province’s second-largest population with some 780,000 residents, welcomes one in five overnight visitors to B.C., and 16 per cent of their $8.6 billion in related spending. It’s a chief

economic sector the Vancouver Island Economic Alliance says grew five to seven per cent last year.

“Our economy is seeing new investment in product and renovation to make our accommodation sector more competitive,” says Paul Nursey, president and CEO of Tourism Victoria. He expects the capital region to host approximately 3.7 million overnight visitors in 2016.

At the heart of that capital region, the iconic 108-yearold Fairmont Empress Hotel is undergoing a $40 million renovation program, spearheaded by B.C.’s Bosa Development Corp., which purchased the hotel in 2014. In Nanaimo, the island’s second-biggest city after Victoria, a 30-storey Hilton waterfront hotel has been proposed.

Slated for the island’s southern tip is a $300 million-to$400-million clean-energy residential project pioneered

| 49

Delegates from the Chinese city of Zhuanghe tour some of Powell River’s industrial and manufacturing facilities. Both

Building permit values

cities are exploring partnership opportunities | CITY

$1.4

OF POWELL RIVER

Billions of dollars

1.2 Of the 800 acres owned by the PRSC Limited Partnership among the City of Powell River, Catalyst Paper Corp. and a Tla’amin First Nation

1.0 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2

company, 720 have been sold to developers and

l

l

ia

nt

manufacturers across a variety

e sid

of sectors | CITY OF POWELL RIVER

Re

cia

er

m

l

ta

To

m

Co

Jan–Nov 2014 Jan–Nov 2015 SOURCE: BC STATS

Economic snapshot Top five sectors by number of employees

Wholesale & retail trade Accommodation & food services Construction Professional, scientific & technical services

,00 0 20 ,00 0 30 ,00 0 40 ,00 0 50 ,00 0 60 ,00 0

Educational services 10

by the Scia’new First Nation and the Trust for Sustainable Development. With up to 800 units proposed, the 100acre luxury development is one of several large-scale projects planned by bands across the region.

Complementing these new accommodation projects, the provincial government, along with federal and local partners, has invested $200 million in major infrastructure projects across Vancouver Island and the Coast over the last two years. Among them are upgrades to the Belleville Street terminal– which houses U.S. customs and the ferry line between Victoria and Washington’s Port Angeles. Nanaimo Airport is also embarking this year on the first phase of a two-decade, $45 million facility improvement plan.

Yet the Island is much more than tourism. Its technology sector is generating more than $3 billion in revenues and

SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA

50 |

INVEST IN BC 2016 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

Vancouver Island/Coast

The iconic 108-year-old Fairmont Empress Hotel is undergoing a $40-million renovation, spearheaded

by B.C.’s Bosa Development Corp. | TOURISM VICTORIA

employs 18,000. The film industry is booming, attracting box-office biggies such as Twilight, Superman and the History channel’s Alone, filmed entirely on the Island.

The Cowichan region is B.C.’s third-largest wine region, while Comox is known for agriculture and aerospace, the latter being part of a $300 million industry across the Island.

Fishing is key to Campbell River, known as the “Salmon

Capital of the World,” while some of the largest fish farms in Canada dot the coast of northern Vancouver Island.

Across the Strait of Georgia is Powell River. With a population of around 20,700, the Sunshine Coast city is brokering major local and international investments in education and aquaculture.

Sino Bright Schools, which operates 11 schools in mainland China, is building a $30 million international private school expected to generate $10.5 million in annual revenue for the area. Starium Development Inc. has also purchased land, with plans to build a hotel, small marina, residential neighbourhood and university.

“One of the things that makes Powell River stand out is the ability to partner,” says Scott Randolph, manager of economic development for the city. Of the city’s many budding partnerships, one of its most influential has been with the Tla’amin First Nation.

PRSC Limited Partnership is a joint venture between the Tla’amin First Nation and the City of Powell River that secured 800 acres of land surplus to Catalyst Paper’s operations. All but 10 per cent (80 acres) of the original portfolio of lands has been sold or is under option for development. Underused Catalyst buildings are also being offered to businesses under long-term leases.

“It’s very hard to create new industrial these days, so when you have an existing industrial site that has space available, why not reutilize it?” adds Randolph, who says the site has many inputs readily available, including a

COMOX VALLEY

W

ith its central Vancouver Island location and transportation links, the Comox Valley is one of the largest regions on the Island, boasting a diverse economic base and an extraordinary quality of life. Direct access to a growing trading area is provided via the Comox Valley Airport (YQQ) serviced by major carriers including Air Canada and WestJet, as well as mainland BC Ferry service, and harbour to harbour flights to downtown Vancouver. This accessibility has established the Comox Valley a strategic mid-Island hub for investment across key sectors including agri-food production & agri-tech innovation, tourism, and residential & commercial development. The area also boasts a combination of amenities unlike

other Island communities including the largest full service ski & snowboard resort (a major foreign direct investment in 2015), a new regional hospital currently under construction, coupled by a post-secondary college, and Canada’s only west coast Canadian Forces Base 19 Wing Comox, another significant economic driver in the Comox Valley.

For more information contact John Watson, Executive Director, Comox Valley Economic Development; Email: john@investcomoxvalley. com Phone: 00+1+250-792-0375 Web: investcomoxvalley.com Twitter: @ComoxValley Facebook: Comox Valley Economic Development

| 51

The perfect port for your passengers Everything from romance to adventure, shopping to walking… are all just moments away.

Explore. Experience. Enjoy.

Powell River may feel like a small community, but its partnership plans for international education and food production are putting the city of 20,700 on the global map | PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA/PICTUREBC

high-end waste-treatment system and industrial power.

Expected to see progress this year is one of the largest projects in B.C.: Steelhead LNG Corp.’s proposed $30 billion facility in Port Alberni’s Sarita Bay. Along with the company’s proposed Malahat LNG facility north of Victoria, the projects received National Energy Board approval last fall to export 30 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas per year, for 25 years. É

TOWNSHIP OF ESQUIMALT

J

ust minutes from downtown Victoria in the heart of the Capital Region lies historic Esquimalt.

Shaped by our stunning shoreline setting, and our storied military and shipbuilding past, the Township of Esquimalt is a captivating blend of maritime geography and fascinating history – with a contemporary setting and outlook.

Home of Canada’s Pacific Fleet at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt and of a vibrant ship repair industry, the Township features stunning seafronts, incomparable parks, easily accessed urban pathways, affordable real estate, a thriving calendar of community events, and friendly residents.

Our compact and business-friendly community has been on a program of revitalization and infrastructure improvement, including transportation corridor improvements, a Revitalization Tax Exemption program, and streamlined planning processes.

Our feature project, the Esquimalt Village Project (EVP) aims to create a lively and sustainable town centre incorporating a mix of uses, inviting open spaces for the public, and a new education facility and library. The EVP will be a catalyst for investment and sustainable growth in the community.

We have also kicked off our Official Community Plan Review process which will promote the long-term economic, environmental, social and cultural well-being of the community, and we recently adopted a new Economic Development Strategy.

Need we say more? Well, yes. There are no Development Cost Charges levied on development projects, and Esquimalt has had a 0% property tax increase for three out of the last four years, lowest in the Greater Victoria Area.

Explore opportunities in Esquimalt. As you can see, we’re ready. Are you?

For more information call 250-414-7146, or visit www.esquimalt.ca.

VICTORIA BC, CANADA GVHA.CA VICTORIACRUISE.CA TOURISMVICTORIA.COM

Explore Esquimalt We’re Ready. Are you?

Township of Esquimalt Economic Development 250-414-7146 • bizhub@esquimalt.ca • www.esquimalt.ca

PORT ALBERNI

P

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; and is also converting Airbus C-295 and 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 (soon to be 5,000 feet), 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

FOCUSED ON INNOVATION Sand Filters for Sikorsky S61 Helicopters Ice-Blast Machines for Nuclear Power Plants Conversions of Airbus C-295 and Military C-130 Hercules for Fire Fighting Industrial Exhaust & Air Intake Systems for the Mining, Marine & Logging Industries Dynamic Air Diffuser for Commercial and Industrial Buildings

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

POWELL RIVER

L

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, 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.

Many of Powell River’s new residents (Population: 19,906) have become entrepreneurs and started new businesses or are telecommuters working by remote, but there are also companies that have recognized the value proposition that the City offers and have made or are seriously considering investment in the community. The range of new developments stretches from sectors such as International Education, Food and Beverage Production to Aviation Maintenance and Repair.

A prime example of new development is Sino Bright Schools (SBS).

SBS operates 11 campuses in mainland China and has committed to building a new private school campus and dormitories in Powell River for a first year enrolment of 400 students (Grades 9 to 12). Besides the $30 million investment in the facility, the school will generate $10.5 million a year in new revenues annually and approximately 100 new jobs in the community. The development has also attracted interest from other foreign investors such as Starium Developments Inc who has purchased land and is working to develop a Private International University in the City as well.

Powell River is generating attention for light industrial development in the community as Catalyst Paper and the City work together to attract tenants to over 200,000 square feet of vacant space inside the company’s mill complex. With the proper zoning already in place, Catalyst is able to also provide flexible long term lease options and services such as waste treatment, industrial power, thermal energy, water and shipping links to Vancouver.

Another significant development in the community is the improvement of its telecommunications infrastructure. Powell River is far ahead of other communities in North America as Telus has invested $16.7 million on a Fibre Optics build throughout the City and parts of the region.

As a result, residents and businesses now have access to 1 gigabyte per second service. This of course means that if your business or job is technology based, you will have no problems with accessing the speeds you need.

To learn more about everything Powell River has to offer, visit www. powellriver.info; follow on Facebook at ‘Live and Invest Powell River’; or watch testimonial videos on the community’s YouTube Channel ‘Live and Invest Powell River’.

Powell River is all about lifestyle and affordability.

The region provides all of the amenties families and investors want, at half the cost of an urban setting.

Learn more at powellriver.info

It all starts with a visit ...

Live and Invest Powell River

54 |

INVEST IN BC 2016 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

Thompson Okanagan

B.C.’S PIVOT Everything in B.C. – freight, food, people and pipelines – relies on the pivotal Thompson Okanagan region

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

Rendering shows the roof of Kelowna’s Okanagan Centre for Innovation, scheduled for completion this year | CITY OF KELOWNA

SCOTT SIMPSON

T

he emergence of Kamloops as a well-rounded community that’s equally attractive to cowboys, foodies, wine lovers and young families is one of British Columbia’s biggest regional economy stories.

Kamloops endures as a longtime hub for highways, pipelines, power lines and Canada’s two major railways and it’s the home of the British Columbia Cattlemen’s Association. But since the incorporation of Thompson Rivers University in 2005, new businesses have emerged to add a layer of refinement to the city’s origins as a resource town.

“We’ve always had a diversified economy here, resource- based, but now with the university, a growing tech community and a pile of manufacturing going on, we find we are very well balanced,” says Colin O’Leary, manager of business retention and expansion for Venture Kamloops.

A new labour market study for the Kamloops region projects a 30,000-worker shortfall in the next 10 years.

O’Leary notes that as baby boomers transition out of their businesses, opportunities are emerging for a new wave of entrepreneurs to move in and take over. There’s also a need for new workers to meet expected demand from major resource infrastructure development.

“If you look at some of the projects that could happen in our region – KGHM Ajax mine, the Kinder Morgan pipeline twinning project – a lot of that would be based out of Kamloops.”

“There’s a lot of economic opportunity and it’s also more affordable than a lot of places, especially the Lower Mainland. Then you add to that an absolutely fantastic lifestyle. The business community comments that they really feel the university was the start of transitioning us into much more of a diversified economy. Now we’re getting these tertiary businesses moving in.”

For example, O’Leary says there are expectations that the wine industry can flourish as it has in Kelowna.

“What we’re hearing is that we have a climate that is equal and possibly in some ways superior to the lower Okanagan for grape growing. The major advantage is that we have available land and it’s much, much cheaper.”

Overall, the Thompson Okanagan region encompasses 550,000 people – the third-most populated of B.C.’s eight development regions. You’ll find some of the most iconic geography in the province – mountains, desert, ranchland, pine forest, lakes and big rivers. The region sustains year-round outdoor recreation and tourism, farming and cattle ranching, mining and forestry – and the Okanagan is the cradle of B.C.’s ever-expanding wine industry.

| 55

Forestry and transport are a mainstay of the Thompson Okanagan. Freight and bulk distribution companies have set up in Kamloops to take advantage of its excellent highway and rail networks | TYLER MEADE Gold mining is historic to the Thompson Okanagan region. Here the precious metal is poured at G&T Metallurgical Services Ltd., Kamloops | TYLER MEADE

Building permit values

Millions of dollars

1,200

and Renewable Energy Conservation on its Okanagan College campus. The complex has garnered international awards, including a green design award from the European Centre for Architecture.

800 600 400 200 l al al l cia ti ri ta er den ust To m si nd om Re I

C

Jan–Nov 2014 Jan–Nov 2015 SOURCE: BC STATS

Economic snapshot Top five sectors by number of employees

Wholesale & retail trade Construction Health care & social assistance Accommodation & food services Manufacturing 5,0 0 10 0 ,00 15 0 ,00 20 0 ,00 25 0 ,00 30 0 ,00 35 0 ,00 40 0 ,00 45 0 ,00 0

Some of the development region’s largest construction projects are carry-throughs from 2015. They include investments in health care, public safety and business development.

Valentina Trevino, business development officer for Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission, reports that in the Kelowna area: ■Interior Health Authority is building a five-storey, $40 million building that will house approximately 800 staff who will offer a wide variety of health-care services to support city and regional patients.

■Kelowna RCMP will move into a new $48 million headquarters that is scheduled for completion in spring 2017.

■Okanagan College’s trades complex, a $33 million building that will house 2400 full-time trades and apprenticeship students, also opens in spring 2016, as will the $35 million Okanagan Centre for Innovation.

Elsewhere in the region, construction is expected to start in 2016 and continue through 2019 on Penticton Regional Hospital’s $325 million Patient Care Tower.

Penticton is also home to the advanced Jim Pattison Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Building Technologies

1,000

SOURCE CHAR-TERED PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS OF BC/ BC REGIONAL CHECK-UP 2015

56 |

INVEST IN BC 2016 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

Thompson Okanagan

More than 1,000 solar panels help power the award-winning Jim Pattison Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Building Technologies and Renewable Energy Conservation on the Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops – open for 11 years – has been a catalyst for investment and new businesses.

The university has nearly 30,000 students enrolled, including 14,000 on campus | TYLER MEADE

In Oliver, construction is expected to wrap up this year on the $200 million Okanagan Correctional Centre, on reserve property of the Osoyoos Indian Band.

In the North Okanagan, the main service centre of Vernon is attracting a large amount of new investment.

This is reflected in commercial building permits, which spiked to $40 million in 2015, up from $8 million a year earlier. Projects proceeding this year in the city of 36,000 include a $23 million BC Hydro building, $6 million in

Welcome to Summerland

Okanagan College campus in Penticton | CEI ARCHITECTURE

other office and retail centres and more than $40 million in multi-family development. B.C.’s 2015 Municipal Population Estimates report ranked Vernon as the fifth fastest-growing centre in the province among cities with populations in excess of 25,000.

Major Vernon employers include Kal Tire, Tolko Forest Products and the Silver Star ski resort.É

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 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

WEST KELOWNA West Kelowna’s Future Looks Bright

N

ews that West Kelowna’s population grew to 34,484 people in 2015 is just one of many positive economic indicators that show West Kelowna’s economy is thriving, says the City’s Economic Development Officer.

BC Statistics released its population numbers January 20, revealing that West Kelowna is now the third largest City in the Central Okanagan, outpacing Penticton, and again earning the distinction of being one of BC’s fastest growing communities with a population growth of 5.3%.

“From an economic perspective this news is fantastic, although not very surprising as it certainly corroborates what we’ve been seeing in the business and development community in West Kelowna for the past year,” says John Perrott, West Kelowna’s Economic Development Officer.

“We have seen a number of activities across many sectors that tell us we are in a very good position economically speaking.”

Perrott says business licenses in West Kelowna increased by 20% in 2015 and the City again enjoyed active growth with 504 building permits issued in 2015. Tourism activity in the region is up with an increase of 2% attending the West Kelowna visitor centre and hotel occupancy up 3% and hotel revenue up 10% for the Central Okanagan.

2015 was a busy year with a number of redevelopment sites, site acquisitions and pre-planning, and new business openings. New development projects of note, which will begin construction or officially open in 2016, include: • Lakeview Village neighbourhood Boutique Shopping Centre: A 34,000 square foot commercial space development including retail, office, and a new multi-family residential building.

• Grizili Winery: A 60,000 square foot Tuscany-style winery including winery production, retail shop, and restaurant set to open in the spring of 2016.

• West Kelowna Civic Centre Project: A 31,000 square foot City Hall plus two multi-family residential buildings, commercial low-rise office building, and public plaza.

• Gellatly Place Multi-family Residential Project: A three phase project which, when built out, will provide more than 100 multi-family units on West Kelowna’s waterfront.

• Medical Office Building: A mixed-use development featuring medical offices, related retail, and apartments in the heart of West Kelowna’s downtown.

“One of the key indicators for us is in multi-family developments, of which we are seeing several in West Kelowna, including one within a comprehensive neighbourhood commercial development in the Lakeview Heights area,” says Perrott. “Pair this increase in commercial and residential development with the community improvements that West Kelowna Council has achieved since incorporation and you can clearly see that West Kelowna is a very attractive place for people to live and work, offering all the economic benefits of a big city, but retaining the charm of its small town roots.”

For more information on what’s happening in West Kelowna, contact John Perrott, Economic Development Officer at 778-797-2215 or email at john.perrott@westkelownacity.ca.

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Salmon Arm

I

n Southern British Columbia along the shores of the beautiful Shuswap Lake, you will discover the growing City of Salmon Arm. This community is the largest within the Columbia Shuswap Regional District and is the business service centre for the region. With a diverse economy comprised of agriculture, forestry, retail/business services, manufacturing, tourism, health and education, it’s happening here!

This progressive City is focused on supporting its growing economy and has implemented both commercial and industrial development incentive programs to reflect this commitment. In fact, Salmon Arm was the recipient of a recent “Open for Business Award” from the Province of BC’s Small Business Roundtable in recognition of its supportive business climate. Learn more about the Salmon Arm Advantage below!

Location Salmon Arm is located on the Trans-Canada Highway mid-way between Vancouver and Calgary. The community provides ready access to British Columbia, Canadian and international markets.

People, products and services are easily moved into and out of Salmon Arm via the Trans-Canada Highway, Shuswap Regional Airport, and nearby Kelowna International Airport.

Connectivity Salmon Arm businesses and residents have access to some of the best telecommunications in the Province with fibre optics-to-the-door. This technology provides our businesses with the ability to operate locally and compete globally. It also enables residents to live in Salmon Arm in the lifestyle they desire and work worldwide! This fibre optic network is available across 90% of the homes and businesses in Salmon Arm. Labour Market The population of Salmon Arm is 17,464. The community has experienced consistent growth trends over the last several decades—most recently in the five-year census period from 2006-2011, Salmon Arm experienced an astounding 9.1% growth rate.

Salmon Arm boasts a large concentration of skilled trades and technical/professional workforce who are lured here by the exceptional lifestyle.

Education The Salmon Arm Campus of Okanagan College and the Trades Training Centre allow residents to get the training they need at home to successfully access local jobs. Okanagan College offers a wide variety of worldclass programs, growing the community’s skilled workforce.

Land A dedicated Industrial Park is only 5 minutes from the Trans-Canada Highway and home to 81 diverse businesses, Shuswap Regional Airport, and Okanagan College Trades Training Centre—with room to grow!

Salmon Arm offers available industrial and commercial development properties to support new business establishments at a price point well below nearby cities. Add in the available taxation exemption programs designed to support new business development and you’ve got another great example of the Salmon Arm Advantage!

Lifestyle You want to be HERE! This desirable four season playground offers all of the outdoor living your imagination can conjure. With Shuswap Lake moments from your door and community amenities including a twin sheet arena, pool/recreation centre and over 600km of trails, there’s no shortage of ways to play!

The active arts and culture scene is always a welcome surprise to visitors and new residents. Live music, theatrical performances and art exhibitions add to the community’s vibrancy.

With excellent healthcare, education, sports/recreation, and arts and culture options, Salmon Arm is perfect for living and working! Find out more at livinginsalmonarm.ca Commitment Salmon Arm Economic Development Society is here to help you with all of your business needs. We are excited and energized about the future of our City and we want you to be a part of it! Learn more at www. saeds.ca Contact us today!

Phone: 250-833-0608 Email: edo@saeds.ca

THE SALMON ARM ADVANTAGE

LABOUR MARKET Available Skilled Workforce

COMMITMENT Industrial and Commercial Tax Exemption programs

EDUCATION Local Okanagan College campus with Trades Training Facility

LOCATION On the Trans-Canada Highway Regional Airport Proximity to International Airport

LAND Available serviced land LIFESTYLE Family-friendly lifestyle and community amenities

CONNECTIVITY Fibre Optic network

Salmon Arm Economic Development Society

Investing in Community for 70 yrs sascu.com

PHONE

(250) 833-0608

Growing with Salmon Arm for +40 yrs info@whlaird.com

EMAIL

edo@saeds.ca

WEB

Shuswapâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Commercial Realtors jimgrievesalesteam.com

www.saeds.ca

50 Years Serving the Shuswap brabymotors.com

British h Columbia Colum

Alberta Calgary

Kamloops

Salmon Arm Vancouver

Building the Ultimate Lifestyle brucecoachinc.com

Kelowna

Canada

Pacific Ocean U.S.A

Main photo: Steven Gien Photography

Merritt

E

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.

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. Relocating, building or establishing your business in Merritt is a smart business decision and a wise lifestyle choice.

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.

Education Merritt offers a variety of educational schools to meet the demand of the growing population. There are currently five elementary schools, one high school, one Community Learning Centre, and the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology (NVIT) situated in Merritt. From the youngest of learners to those returning to school, Merritt has an education facility for you.

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 a revitalization tax exemption bylaw 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.

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).

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.

Contact Will George Business & Economic Development Manager City of Merritt Phone: (250) 378-4224 Email: wgeorge@merritt.ca Website: www.merritt.ca

Location. Access. Convenience.

Large auditorium capacity for 500 people. Breakout rooms for plenary sessions ranging from 35 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 80 people.

To book the Merritt Civic Centre, please call the contact below. The prime location for your next business conference, workshop or event. Centrally located between Vancouver and the Okanagan.

250-315-1050 | www.merritt.ca | email: jetchart@merritt.ca

VERNON Population: 39,000

W

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 over 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.

As a winner of the 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, Kalamalka and Swan Lakes.

The area is also home to three of BC’s best known resort developments; Predator Ridge, Silver Star and Sparkling Hill. Predator Ridge Resort is one of Canada’s top golf resort communities. For those looking for winter recreation, 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. A major hospital expansion is complete and the final two floors of Polson Tower will be completed in early 2016. Other public investments include a new library,

secondary school and a new ice arena which received approval in 2015.

The City of Vernon has been investing in improved civic spaces, transit expansion, more sidewalks 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.

Moving over 1.5 million passengers a year, the airport offers direct flights to a variety of locations including Seattle, Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton and Victoria. For rail users, CN Rail operates a branch line from Vernon 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 O’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 Activate your Life in Vernon.

Contact: City of Vernon Kevin Poole, Manager of Economic Development and Tourism Telephone: 250-550-3249, ecdev@vernon.ca, www.investvernon.ca

A CT IVAT E Y O UR LU N C H H O U R V E R NO N, B R I TI SH C O LU MB I A

ELLISON PROVINCIAL PARK / Robb Thompson

We’ve built a thriving business community with unmatched quality of life.

Our story is one of bike trails, champagne powder, colour defying lakes and active lifestyles. Contact us today to find out how your company can join in the success.

250.550.3249 | ecdev@vernon.ca | investvernon.ca

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Kootenay

6.2%

Share of B.C. land area

■Castlegar ■Cranbrook

WHERE INVESTORS FIND HOME Affordable housing, modern amenities and over-the-top recreation convince many business people to set up and settle in the Kootenays

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

Holland native John Kortram

SCOTT SIMPSON

prepares a demijohn at Wine Kitz Nelson, his storefront retail business in Nelson | WINE KITZ NELSON

A

lmost a decade ago, John Kortram decided he wanted to step away from a high-pressure executive career with a multinational corporation.

As chance would have it, the native of Holland came to British Columbia for a vacation and found a place he and his family could fall in love with.

They gave serious consideration to moving to Pemberton and Kimberley but ultimately immigrated for a

new life in Nelson, a scenic and internationally praised West Kootenay community of 10,500 that’s regarded as one of Canada’s best small towns.

Nearby opportunities to ski and to fly-fish were inducements, but ultimately it was a website that sold him on Nelson.

“I liked the skiing, I liked the people. Then I looked into what kinds of businesses were available. The trigger for me was the Invest Kootenay website where there were listings for businesses that were for sale. Otherwise,

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INVEST IN BC 2016 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

Kootenay

Where the jobs are

58%

42%

Goods-producing sector Service-producing sector SOURCE: CHARTERED PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA,BC REGIONAL CHECK-UP 2015

Affordable housing Benchmark price of home in 2016 $1,000,000 900,000 800,000 700,000 600,000 500,000 400,000 300,000 200,000 100,000 er ey ia ys uv all or na co er V Vict ote n a s Ko r V ra te F

ea

Gr

SOURCE: BC REAL ESTATE ASSOCIATION 2016 FORECAST

Economic snapshot Top six sectors by number of employees

As this powder run at Panorama Mountain Resort shows, the

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

Purcell and Rocky mountains make the Kootenays one of the top ski destinations in

SOURCE: CHARTERED PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, BC REGIONAL CHECK-UP 2015

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visiting Nelson on a scouting tour I would never have found out.”

Today, Kortram owns Wine Kitz Nelson, a storefront retail business that sells wine kits, imports premium grape juice from around the world and also operates as a “boutique winery” bottling its own house varieties for sale on its premises.

In winter you won’t find him in his shop until afternoon – mornings are spent on local ski runs. Keeping with Nelson’s smart but laid back ethos, Kortram jokes that customers expect him to keep to that schedule.

“Since we’ve been here we’ve been accepted into the community. We’ve got a lot of friends, a lot of contacts and we’re part of all kinds of social activities. I was

| 65

elected to the board of the credit union two years ago, and Community Futures has hired me to help small businesses improve their operational activities.

“We bought a house a year ago, which is a sign that ‘OK guys, this is the place.’”

Invest Kootenay merged recently with a complementary program developed in the greater Trail area – Work West Kootenay, which was promoting lifestyle and employment opportunities in the region.

“We’ve got a new name, Imagine Kootenay, and the tag line is ‘Your Better Life,’” explains Andrea Wilkey, executive director of Community Futures Central Kootenay and a member of the Nelson and Area Economic Development Partnership. The website sponsors want more success stories like Kortram’s.

The home page presents three themes: work, live and invest. It details opportunities to buy an existing business, find a job or get a virtual taste of life in southeast B.C. Wilkey acknowledges that residents of Metro Vancouver, particularly those struggling in one of the world’s most expensive real estate markets, are among the targets.

“It’s one place that people living in Vancouver or Calgary or anywhere in the world can research employers in the region, businesses for sale, lifestyle and things like housing, schools and recreation.”

“That’s exactly my story,” Wilkey adds. “I grew up in Revelstoke, then I was in Vancouver for about 20 years.

The first new multi-family development in Invermere broke ground late in 2015. The lakeview project, by Urban West Ltd. , is among the relatively lower-cost housing options that attract many Lower Mainlanders to the Kootenays | URBAN WEST LTD.

IMAGINE KOOTENAY

Y

our Better Life is waiting for you in the Kootenays. Our vibrant familyfriendly communities, abundant investment opportunities, diverse job market, and year-round recreational opportunities make this region an ideal place for Working, Investing, and Living.

Imagine Working: Imagine engaging and rewarding work with office views to die for and lunch breaks by the lake with a mountain backdrop.

The Kootenay region is an exciting place to work and you could find your niche in a variety of sectors, including resource extraction, agriculture, construction, manufacturing, tourism, education or the arts to name but a few.

Imagine Investing: You will find numerous well-established businesses

– imagine –

WORKING

for sale in the Kootenays, from cafes to retail stores and hotels to adventure guiding operations. The number of baby boomers looking to turn their businesses over to new owners has created tremendous opportunity for the next generation of entrepreneurs.

If you’ve ever dreamed of being your own boss, there’s never been a better time – or a better place – to buy a business. Invest in your future.

Imagine Living: People live in the Kootenays because of their love of the surroundings. This area attracts people from all walks of life, creating a diverse mix of communities and opportunities.

Embrace work-life balance in the Kootenays! Learn more about our opportunities at ImagineKootenay.com.

– imagine –

INVESTING

– imagine –

LIVING

Learn more at imaginekootenay.com

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INVEST IN BC 2016 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

Kootenay

When my second child was born we were living in a one-bedroom condo in Kitsilano and we started looking at houses. We asked ourselves if we could we buy a house in Vancouver and what it would look like – and looked into the Kootenays.”

Wilkey says she was concerned that moving out of Metro would mean walking away from her career. As it turned out, “My husband and I have great jobs. We have a four-bedroom house that cost half the price of what we would have paid in Vancouver. My commute to work is four minutes. We have a family ski pass, we spend our summers camping – a nd it’s all within an hour’s drive.”

For many visitors to the Kootenays, the first introduction is the Canadian Rockies International Airport at Cranbrook. It would not be surprising if many stayed in the host city of 20,000. Cranbrook, a key retail and service hub, is also home to the College of the Rockies and the East Kootenay Regional Hospital. A magnet for business, the city is right on Highway 3, B.C.’s southern Trans-Canada Highway and on the Canadian Pacific Railway line, helping to serve a trading area population of more than 56,000. É Cranbrook is a key retail and service centre in the East Kootenays, serving a regional trading population of more than 56,000 | SMARTCENTRES

REVELSTOKE, B.C.

REVELSTOKE Population: 8,500

R

S

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!

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 growing 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

CASTLEGAR

T

he West Kootenay has a distinct cultural flavour and warmth of humanity that will bring a quick smile to your faceâ&#x20AC;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&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commercial service centre, including the West Kootenay Regional Airport and Selkirk Collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main campus. Castlegarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s location squarely midway between Vancouver and Calgary has produced todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s investment opportunity. Castlegarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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&#x20AC;&#x2122;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&#x20AC;&#x201C; 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&#x20AC;&#x2122;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&#x20AC;&#x2122;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&#x20AC;&#x201C; 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&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an adventure. Start a new one in Castlegar, B.C. www.castlegar.ca

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CRANBROOK An Uncommon Business Corridor: Cranbrook & Kimberley

“B

reathtaking”, what more aptly describes it. With the majestic Rockies to our east and the Purcells to our west, this uncommon corridor is simply… Breathtaking!

But there is so much more to us than our spectacular setting.

Canbrook and Kimberley are alive with opportunity. That’s why we’ve created the Cranbrook – Kimberley Development Initiative, a collaborative partnership of local business, the two municipalities and the Columbia Basin Trust, in order to share with you what our corridor has to offer. Here’s just a bit of what’s waiting for you…

The Cranbrook – Kimberley corridor offers one of the most affordable business environments you can find in close proximity to major markets. Here, industrial land can be acquired at a fraction of what you would pay in larger centres. Additionally, our centralized location to places like Calgary, Alberta (415 km to our east) and Spokane, Washington (315 km southwest of us) means that reaching your markets is a breeze.

As the transport hub for south-east BC ground transport to markets across North America is made possible via direct access to the rail networks of Canadian Pacific Rail and Union Pacific, four common carriers, and bonded warehouse services. US ports of entry are only a short 50 minutes away by ground through either Roosville, Montana or Kingsgate, Idaho.

And in terms of air services, our Canadian Rockies International Airport is rapidly emerging as a growth engine for the region. It is the 10th busiest airport in the province hosting 132,350 passengers in 2015, a 25% increase in traffic since 2010. With regular scheduled service to Vancouver, Calgary and Kelowna, combined with 70 hectares zoned for a

business-industrial park, our airport will continue to grow as an economic driver offering your business the air access you need to thrive.

We have your businesses telecom needs covered here as well with high-speed fibre optic based telecom locally available from the major carriers including TELUS and Shaw Cable along with local networks such as Columbia Basin Broadband Corp., FlexiNet Broadband Inc., and Cranbrook’s own municipal fibre-optic network. And our skilled labour force is ready to get your business rolling.

Finally, we offer a lifestyle of four season outdoor mountain beauty in the sunniest part of BC combined with first-class urban amenities.

Shopping, dining, entertainment, health care and education services that you would only expect in larger centers are all available here. A lifestyle that most people only dream of but here it is so affordable recruitment won’t be an issue for you again.

So when you’re ready to talk we’re ready to listen and make your business in the Cranbrook – Kimberley corridor a reality. We’re here to work with you!

Check us out at www.ckdi.ca or contact any of us directly: Lee Pratt, Mayor of Cranbrook 1-250-489-0200 lee.pratt@cranbrook.ca

Don McCormick, Mayor of Kimberley 1-250-432-5460 dmccormick@kimberley.ca

Kevin Weaver, EDO – Cranbrook 1-250-489-0232 or kweaver@cranbrook.ca

Kevin Wilson, EDO – Kimberley 1-250-427-9666 kwilson@kimberley.ca

THE UNCOMMON BUSINESS CORRIDOR A secret worth sharing.

The Cities of Cranbrook and Kimberley are joining forces to produce jobs, lower taxes, and increase the population in our region.

As a corridor we have cost, workforce, operational, and lifestyle advantages.

And we’re working together to share the secret for everyone’s benefit.

To be part of this contact Kevin at: 250.427.9666 or 250.489.0232

Two Rocky Mountain communities, working together, for tomorrow.

Cranbrook.ca \ InvestKimberley.com

| 69

Cariboo

INVESTMENT & INNOVATION As investment in northern B.C. grows, the Cariboo is getting ready to meet industry needs

14.2%

Share of B.C. land area

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

British Columbia’s Wood

HAYLEY WOODIN

Innovation and Design Centre, home to the University of Northern British Columbia’s new Master of Engineering in integrated wood design, is one of several modern projects completed or proposed for the city of Prince George | CITY OF PRINCE GEORGE

W

ith $9.6 billion in major capital projects proposed for the region, the Cariboo economy is gearing up for investment, and innovation.

Covering over 130,000 square kilometres of forests and mineral-rich land between the Coast mountain range and Alberta, the Cariboo leads British Columbia in employment growth, with the highest rate of job creation across the province’s eight development regions.

Some 3,700 new jobs were welcomed in 2014, and of the 58,000 job openings expected in B.C.’s north by 2024, nearly half are forecasted for the Cariboo, according to WorkBC’s 2024 Labour Market Outlook.

At the centre of it all is Prince George: the Cariboo’s largest city with a 50,400-person workforce. Located at the intersection of highways that connect Prince Rupert to Edmonton and Dawson Creek to Kamloops, the city is the terminus of the $440 million Cariboo Connector expansion project, expected to complete in 2018.

“When you look at the major development regions across B.C. and all of the projects that are planned and proposed across the province, over 70 per cent of those projects are taking place in the Interior and northern B.C.,” says Melissa Barcellos, manager of economic development for the City of Prince George.

“Prince George is right in the middle of that. So I expect that our local supply and service companies will continue to benefit in terms of all of this development, and that will have a significant impact on Prince George’s economy.”

It already has. Barcellos says the city has seen over $250 million in building permits since 2012, which is nearly double the investment of the previous 11 years. These include a brand-new technologically advanced and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Enviromental Design)-certified BC Government and Service Employees’ Union building that opened in the city core last fall.

Upcoming in Prince George is a $40 million proposed hotel development, and a 243-room Pomeroy Hotel on

70 | INVEST IN BC 2016 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

Cariboo

Building permit values

Millions of dollars

$250 200 150 100

Co

Re

sid en mm tial erc ial Ind us tri al To ta l

50

A major stand-alone bioenergy producer in northern B.C.,

Jan–Nov 2014

Conifex Timber Inc.’s Mackenzie

Jan–Nov 2015

biomass plant came online last year. Multiple other bioenergy

SOURCE: BC STATS

facilities are proposed for the region | PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA/PICTUREBC

Energy from wood chips:

Economic snapshot

the University of Northern

Top six sectors by number of employees

British Columbia is pioneering several innovative bioenergy and wood projects. UNBC’s

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

initiatives complement multiple major bioenergy and biomass projects proposed for the Cariboo | UNIVERSITY

SOURCES: STATISTICS CANADA, CHARTERED PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

0 ,00 0 14

0 ,00

,00

10

12

00

00

00 8,0

6,0

4,0

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OF NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA

the corner of Highway 16 and Highway 97. The company has one other B.C. development – a luxury hotel and conference centre in Fort St. John.

New investment has also taken the form of significant facade upgrades in the city, with RBC and Scotiabank both recently renovating their exteriors. They join the modern, West Coast style of the Prince George RCMP detachment headquarters and the Wood Innovation and Design Centre.

As researchers at the University of Northern British Columbia tackle innovative wood solutions, industry is investing in new ways forward in forestry. Five proposed bioenergy, biomass and biocarbon projects across the Cariboo region are looking to add to B.C.’s output of bioenergy, the largest in North America.

A $15 million biomass project by the Ulkatcho First Nation’s Yun Ka Whu’ten Holdings plans to repurpose logging waste and pine beetle-infested wood from Tumbler Ridge, 100 Mile House and Cache Creek. Headquartered in Vancouver, Ainsworth Energy has two proposed bioenergy projects in the region, totalling $60 million.

Last year, Conifex Timber Inc. completed its biomass power plant in Mackenzie, a major stand-alone bioenergy producer in northern B.C. Equidistant from Prince George about 35 kilometres west and southeast of the city, two additional renewable energy projects are also moving forward. Estimated at $400 million and $100 million respectively, Kruger Energy Inc.’s Isle Pierre Wind Farm and the Mount George Wind Park from Northland Power Inc. are both in their pre-application stages. Castle Mountain Hydro Ltd.’s $20 million hydroelectric facility in McBride came online last year.

Companies in the mining sector continue to invest in one of the traditional pillars of the Cariboo economy.

Over 150 years after panning pioneers rushed to the region for gold, Spanish Mountain Gold Ltd.’s proposed $756 million open-pit copper and gold mine in Williams Lake is entering its pre-application phase. Barkerville Gold Mines Ltd. too is continuing development plans at

| 71

its Quesnel-based Bonanza Ledge mine.

Tourism opportunities are also in the cards for the Cariboo, which added 1,000 new jobs to its information, culture and recreation sector in 2014. One of the region’s best-known investments is an $800 million ski resort proposed by Valemount Glacier Destinations Ltd., which has its master plan under provincial review. An events centre and arena complex in Quesnel is also underway. É

The Cariboo is home to a famous

has an $800 million ski resort

and created boom towns such

planned for the Cariboo

as Barkerville, now a major

region, which it says will

tourist attraction. Named after

feature one of the world’s

the historic town, Barkerville

greatest vertical drops, year-

Gold Mines Ltd. is one of several

round skiing and a resort

companies proposing new

village | OBERTI ARCHITECTURE

projects in the region | PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA/PICTUREBC

QUESNEL

Q

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 invest@quesnel.ca www.quesnelinfo.com

Valemount Glacier Destinations

gold rush that drew investors

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.

Green Energy Conifex Timber has completed construction of their Bioenergy Power Facility in Mackenzie which complements their existing woodland operations and lumber manufacturing business. Waste fibre from their sawmilling and timber harvesting operations is used to fuel the bioenergy plant which supplies power to its operations as well as 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.

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

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

info@district.mackenzie.bc.ca

www.district.mackenzie.bc.ca

PRINCE GEORGE

A

s the largest city in northern British Columbia, Prince George is the service and supply hub for one of the fastest-growing regions in the country. Diversified across all sectors, the City has a strong natural resource base and supplies goods and services for a broad range of sectors in northern British Columbia, within Canada and internationally.

The City provides exceptional connectivity to provincial, national, and global markets through an international airport, a CN Rail intermodal facility, provincial Highways 16 and 97, and its proximity to the Ports of Prince Rupert and Metro Vancouver. The Port of Prince Rupert, North Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s deepest port, is one and a half days closer to Asia than any other traditional distribution centre.

Since 2012, Prince George has seen nearly double the amount of significant developments that occurred in the eleven years prior. With an abundance of competitively priced residential, commercial and industrial land available, attractive incentive programs that can provide up to ten years of property tax exemptions, low Development Cost Charges and parking requirement exemptions, the City is active in providing the conditions that will allow the growth to continue.

The Prince George Airport (YXS) served over 470,000 passengers in 2015 and has seen tremendous growth in recent years with a focus on logistics expansion. YXS is connecting Prince George with Asia and the rest of the world and is positioned to become an important link in the emerging Northwest Logistics Corridor and a leader in cargo storage and transportation.

Investment Opportunities At YXS: Land - 700 acres of commercial airside, groundside, and cargo land is available for lease around the airport. Opportunities include cargo logistics development, hangars, flight school operations, aerospace and multi-purpose lands. The commercial cargo land is located adjacent to the Global Logistics Park on Boundary Road.

Cargo Storage - The Prince George Airport Authority (PGAA) is committed to providing exceptional service for cargo imports and exports. They recently constructed a 25,000 sq. ft. cargo warehouse where approximately 10,000 sq. ft. of space is available for lease. The new cargo facility provides a secure area to sort and store product.

Runway - The PGAA increased its main runway length to 3,490m which makes it one of the longest commercial runways in Canada and ideal for receiving cargo planes.

Fuel Storage - 600,000L tanks are on site to allow carriers to buy their own fuel and store it at below ad-hoc market rates.

For more information, contact: City of Prince George 250.561.7633, ecdev@princegeorge.ca

INVEST IN YXS Prince George Warehouse space and land for lease at the Prince George Airport.

cargo@pgairport.ca

â&#x20AC;˘

www.pgairport.ca

| 75

North Coast

MOTHERLODE That’s what the North Coast represents to British Columbia as gold mines fire up and liquified natural gas prepares to ignite the economy

12%

Share of B.C. land area

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

Port Edward Mayor Dave

JANE STEVENSON

MacDonald at the site he believes will host among the first large liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants in British Columbia. “[LNG] is coming. I just don’t know the date” | LONNIE WISHART PHOTOGRAPHY/ WWW.LONNIEWISHART.COM

T

en years ago if you had mentioned Port Edward or Kitimat in the Lower Mainland people would have likely been unfamiliar with their locations.

Not so now. District of Kitimat’s director of economic development, Rose Klukas, knows the world is interested in her coastal community and larger North Coast region.

“Now, wherever I travel, people know Kitimat and I don’t have to explain where Kitimat is,” says Klukas.

“People recognize our town; they know our projects and

know our potential.”

Kitimat has experienced steady global interest in its deepwater port and felt the positive impact of industrial investment. Rio Tinto recently completed a $4.8 billion modernization of its aluminum smelter and is currently in the final commissioning stage of its smelter operations. The last time the province saw activity of this scale was in the 1950s during construction of the same smelter by Alcan. The liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry has increased activity in the community and translated into hundreds of new jobs in Kitimat, growth

76 | INVEST IN BC 2016 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

North Coast

Millions of dollars

Building permit values $100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10

Aerial view shows the Brucejack gold mine, owned by Pretium Resources. The play is expected to produce 404,000 ounces of gold annually over its 18-year

l

l

tia

si

n de

Re

ria

t us

d

In

mine life | PRETIUM RESOURCES

l

ta

To

Pretium Resources president Joseph Ovsenek underground

Jan–Nov 2014

at the Brucejack mine. Last fall Pretium secured US$540 million

Jan–Nov 2015

in construction financing that

SOURCE: BC STATS

set the stage for commercial production at its high-grade

Economic snapshot Top six sectors by number of employees

1,0 00 2,0 00 3,0 00 4,0 00 5,0 00 6,0 00

Wholesale & retail trade Construction Health care & social assistance Accommodation & food services Educational services Mining, oil & gas, forestry, fishing

SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA, LABOUR FORCE SURVEY

industrial supply businesses, new retail and restaurants, an expansion of the tourism market and a subsequent growth in the accommodation sector.

In Kitimat, LNG Canada recently received a facility permit from the B.C. Oil and Gas Commission and also was granted a 40-year national export licence. Kitimat LNG and the Pacific Trail Pipeline are actively pursuing site prep, as is Douglas Channel LNG. A final investment decision is expected on these projects late in 2016. David Black’s Kitimat Clean refinery and Enbridge’s Northern Gateway pipeline project both have their eyes on Kitimat.

There is just as much interest in Prince Rupert and its neighbour Port Edward, as well as activity on the Prince Rupert Port Authority lands. Planned and proposed infrastructure projects include the continued expansion of the Fairview Container Terminal, the proposed

gold property in northwestern B.C. | PRETIUM RESOURCES

| 77

nisg- a’a nation

’ / We Welcome You Aam wil bakwsim

Business licences in Terrace, the service centre for the North Coast, have gone up five per cent and value of building permits has more than tripled over the last four years | CITY OF TERRACE

build-out of Ridley Island’s road, rail and utility corridor,and the redevelopment of the Watson Island industrial site, as well as the Canpotex potash export terminal. Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Project has its proposed terminus within the District of Port Edward and linking to the Pacific NorthWest LNG proposed natural gas liquefaction and export facility. The proposed WestCoast Connector Gas Transmission Project is proposed to feed the Prince Rupert LNG export facility.

If everything lines up, LNG investments could increase Port Edward’s population tenfold and trigger a development boom. “It is coming. I just don’t know the date,” says Dave MacDonald, who has been Port Edward’s mayor for the past 10 years.

Necessary transportation improvements are already taking place in Kitimat and Terrace on their major highways, commonly used junctions and overpasses. A $17 million investment is underway at the Terrace-Kitimat regional airport.

Terrace is strategically located as a service, supply and business hub leading to Kitimat, Port Edward, Prince Rupert, Haida Gwaii, Stewart and inland to the Bulkley-Nechako region.

“Terrace has seen a lot of interest from investors; there is definite optimism and people are excited about living here,” says Danielle Myles, economic development manager with the City of Terrace. Business licences have gone up five per cent in the past year and value of building permits has more than tripled over the last four years. Two new hotels will be completed in 2016. Terrace’s Skeena Industrial Development Park is the city’s greatest asset with three parcels sold so far and the owners positioning themselves to take advantage of the opportunities in the region.

The recent completion of the Northern West

discover the Nass Valley and vast lava fields born of Canada’s last volcanic eruption

visit our four Nisga’a villages, meet our people, experience our culture -

explore

the Nisga’a Museum — home to one of the finest collections of Northwest Coast aboriginal art in existence /////////////////////////////////////////////////////

nisgaatourism.ca

700 600 500

Guided tours of the Nass Valley, lava bed and lava cone: Nass Valley Tours 1 855 568 8687 Tour the Nass River and see our famous Fish Wheels: 250 633 2617

There are certain things that just make Vancouver, Vancouver. Landmarks, nature,

400

traditions. And of course, Business in Vancouver.

300

In fact, from our perspective, so intertwined

200

are we within the city dynamic, the two are

100 0

essentially equal parts of the whole.

It’s easy, really: Business + Vancouver = Business in Vancouver.

continued on page 80 Ä

We are business in Vancouver.

biv.com

Northwest B.C.: A Natural Opportunity With more than $60 billion in major proposed projects, Terrace, Kitimat and Prince Rupert are positioned to capitalize on growing trade between Asia and North America

N

orthwest B.C.’s economy is brimming with opportunity thanks to a diversified range of major projects that are boosting the bottom lines for businesses in Terrace, Kitimat and Prince Rupert.

There are more than $60 billion in major projects proposed in B.C.’s Northwest region, ranging from LNG and mining to global cargo, transportation and clean energy initiatives.

Terrace Terrace, located at the centre of B.C.’s Northwest region, is home to more than 15,000 residents and is located upstream from Prince Rupert and Port Edward along the majestic Skeena River.

As the service and supply centre for the Northwest, Terrace is well positioned to quickly become the logistics centre for major projects located within proximity of the region’s two major corridors – Highways 16 and 37.

The Northwest Regional Airport (Terrace-Kitimat), located minutes from downtown Terrace, is undergoing a $17 million expansion to accommodate an already significant increase in passenger traffic in recent years due to major resource projects.

In Terrace, there is a significant amount of affordable land that is available for residential, commercial or industrial development. As, Investors have been seizing this opportunity reflected by the soaring value of building permits in the past year as two 100-room hotels have broken ground alongside numerous single family and townhome developments.

The nearby Skeena Industrial Development Park, a joint venture between the City of Terrace and Kitselas First Nation, has recorded three land sales totalling nearly $14 million in the past two years.

One of the deals included the sale of 1,187 acres to house a future industrial park in partnership with Qinhuangdao Economic and Technological Development Zone of Northeastern China.

The land will be leased to businesses currently located in China as well as from around the world and locally.

Kitimat Less than an hour south of Terrace is Kitimat – a diverse community of nearly 10,000 residents located at the head of the massive and beautiful Douglas Channel.

The community was originally carved out of the wilderness in the 1950s to serve industry with the development of a smelter, which still operates today as Rio Tinto (formerly Alcan) and is looking forward to another 60 years of aluminum smelting after the recent completion of a US$4.8 billion modernization project.

The same advantages that attracted Alcan to the head of the Douglas Channel more than half a century ago are still present in Kitimat today.

Kitimat boasts a large, ice-free, deep water port close to Asia Pacific markets and offers competitive taxation and available land for future development. Tidewater and inland sites, both large and small, are prezoned and available for industrial development. Essential infrastructure,

an experienced labour force, and a comprehensive supply and service sector are in place. Location, harbour, growth potential and industrial heritage make Kitimat one of the most promising trade and manufacturing locations in North America.

The community’s stunning natural setting features alpine peaks, pristine rivers, an estuary and large forests that offer world-class outdoor adventures for residents and visitors alike, including renowned salt and freshwater fishing, sailing and power boating, hiking and many other activities.

Today, Kitimat is home to several major project proposals including LNG Canada, Kitimat LNG, Douglas Channel LNG and others, which have collectively boosted the local economy resulting in major housing upgrades, new businesses and two new hotels.

Prince Rupert To the Northwest, where the Skeena River flows into the Pacific Ocean, is Prince Rupert, which boasts North America’s fastest growing port and the shortest shipping routes to Asia.

Prince Rupert is strategically located to capitalize on Asia Pacific trade and has recently played host to record shipping volumes.

Prince Rupert is home to a world-class intermodal transportation system that includes one of the world’s deepest natural ice-free harbors, a Class One rail connection (that travels through Terrace and on to Prince George, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Chicago) and a container terminal that’s readying itself for a multi-million dollar expansion to handle everincreasing trade.

Port activity is further driven by existing grain, biofuel and coal shipping facilities and an international cruise ship terminal.

Prince Rupert presently has billions of dollars in proposed major LNG and transportation projects as well as plenty of opportunity for continued expansion.

Its strategic location, existing infrastructure, and immense potential has inspired the City of Prince Rupert’s recently released “Hays 2.0” vision statement, named after one of the city’s original founders, which forecasts their continued emergence as a global epicenter for trade.

Home to more than 12,000 residents, the city’s unique, colourful and rich cultural history also make it a welcoming place to live, work and play.

Amenities include world-class restaurants, great shopping, affordable housing and an abundance of recreation opportunities.

With major projects, a vibrant community and strategic connections to the global marketplace, Prince Rupert – and Northwest B.C. – are positioned for success.

Contacts Danielle Myles City of Terrace, 250-615-4030 , dmyles@terrace.ca Rose Klukas District of Kitimat, 250-632-8921, rklukas@kitimat.ca Paul Vendittelli Prince Rupert & Port Edward Economic Development 250-627-5138, paul.vendittelli@princerupert.ca

THE PORT OF PRINCE RUPERT

Growing fast. Going strong.

Prince Rupert is connecting North America’s products and resources to fast-growing Asian economies.

As a leader in security, marine safety and environmental sustainability, we’re proud to uphold the highest standards while moving the world’s goods and resources through Canada’s northwest trade corridor. For the industries and communities linked by trade to Prince Rupert’s gateway, the opportunities are global.

@rupertport | www.rupertport.com

80 |

INVEST IN BC 2016 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

North Coast

Ä continued from page 77

Port Edward: town of 600 would see population increase tenfold if liquefied natural gas plants get the green light | LONNIE WISHART PHOTOGRAPHY/ WWW.LONNIEWISHART.COM

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

Transmission Line and a 90-kilometre extension line has opened up the area for mineral exploration and development. Currently connected and moving forward are Imperial Metals’ Red Chris, Seabridge’s KSM and Pretium Resources’ Brucejack project and New Gold’s Blackwater mine project north of Stewart.

“The mineral exploration and development industry is experienced, resilient and resourceful, and commodities have proven to be cyclical time and time again,” says Tim Bekhuys, Blackwater project director. “The region is home to rich, world class mineral geology which is underexplored and can meet global demand for generations.”

Off the coast on Haida Gwaii, Love Northern BC has successfully taken root with Love Haida Gwaii. Love Northern BC is a growing online platform that promotes the region’s independent, locally owned and operated businesses. Small business is important, while tourism and forestry remain backbones for the island. Sport and commercial fishing industries, and to a lesser extent, agriculture, contribute to the local economy. Improvements to health care were underlined with the opening of a new hospital in Queen Charlotte City.

The northwest is seeing significant investment in the region, and the once little-known communities are rising to a global level of familiarity. É

BC Economic Development Association

Supporting the creation of a strong economy throughout British Columbia.

www.bceda.ca info@bceda.ca 604-795-7119

| 81

Northeast

NORTHERN STARS ALIGN 22.1%

Share of B.C. land area

Final investment decisions on liquefied natural gas, infrastructure coming together in Northeast

■Chetwynd ■Dawson Creek ■Fort Nelson ■Fort St. John ■Hudson’s Hope ■Pouce Coupe ■Taylor ■Tumbler Ridge

North bank stabilizaton work has

FRANK O’BRIEN

started on the $8.7 billion Site C project on the Peace River.

It will take eight years to complete as the biggest BC Hydro project in decades | BC HYDRO

J

ust outside of Fort St. John, construction of the largest B.C. hydroelectric project in decades is roaring ahead. North of Fort St. James, a new $22.5 million bridge is being built to handle the biggest gas drill machines in the world. In Tumbler Ridge, proponents are laying the regulatory groundwork for the most powerful wind farm in B.C. A major new power line has opened between Dawson Creek and Chetwynd to supply clean energy to gas drillers.

And two giant liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants are clearing regulatory hurdles and racing towards financial investment decisions that would light the entire B.C. economy.

The hurry-up environment in Northeast British Columbia is understandable, especially in the largest city in the region, Fort St. John.

With a population of 26,000 framed by the giant northeast natural gas fields and, more recently, BC

Hydro’s $8.7 billion Site C dam, Fort St. John is a city at the centre of it all. The first of at least 4,000 construction workers are already on the ground at Site C, which will take eight years to build.

“More than $10 billion in projects have been approved in this area in the last year alone,” notes Dave Steele, CEO of Western Canadian Properties Group of Vancouver, which is busy building and selling multi-family developments in the city.

And that number could increase in a hurry. Petroleum giants are expected to pull the trigger this year on final investment decisions for two large liquefied natural gas projects that, combined, would result in an $80 billion investment.

In January, LNG Canada, led by Shell, received building permit approval from the B.C. Oil and Gas Commission to build the first major LNG project in B.C. Also in January, federal government scientists ruled that Malaysia-based Petronas’ Pacific NorthWest LNG proposal poses a “low risk to the environment.” This

82 |

INVEST IN BC 2016 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

Northeast

Dave Steele (centre), CEO of Western Canadian Properties Group of Vancouver, is busy building and selling multi-family developments in Fort St. John | WESTERN CANADIAN PROPERTIES GROUP

Building permit values

A wood sort at Chetwynd: Paper Excellence has reopened

$300

a former pulp mill in Chetwynd to produce specialty paper for

Millions of dollars

250

global clients | SUBMITTED

200 150 100

Re

sid en Ind tial us t Co mm rial erc ial To ta l

50

Jan–Nov 2014 Jan–Nov 2015 SOURCE: BC STATS

Economic snapshot Top five sectors by number of employees

Construction Wholesale & retail trade Forestry, fishing, mining, oil & gas

1,0

00 2,0 00 3,0 00 4,0 00 5,0 00 6,0 00 7,0 00

Transportation & warehouse Health care & social services

SOURCES: STATISTICS CANADA, LABOUR FORCE SURVEY, CHARTERED PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA,BC REGIONAL CHECKUP 2015

is a crucial ruling and nudges the $36 billion project closer to reality.

Also, TransCanada Corp. has received a Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency certificate for its Coastal GasLink pipeline that would convey natural gas from the Northeast to the northwest coast.

Construction has already begun on the new $860 million Sunrise gas processing plant near Dawson Creek, and construction is expected to start this year on a $715 million gas plant near Fort St. John, both being built by Cutbank Ridge Partnership, with includes Encana Corp., Mitsubishi Corp. and Veresen Inc. The LNG plants would be game-changers for the entire Northeast.

“I think that there’s a possibility, if we can make sure that they’re globally competitive, that we could have one or two [LNG plants approved] in 2016,” says David Keane, president of the BC LNG Alliance. “I’m going to hedge my bet and say the middle of the year.”

Natural Gas Minister Rich Coleman is even more optimistic. He thinks four LNG projects could get the green light in 2016. “I think it’s possible to see two major, larger plants [reaching final investment decisions] in 2016 and two smaller ones,” Coleman says.

Meanwhile, the historic coal town of Tumbler Ridge has seen a $480 million wind farm project enter the final environmental assessment process. Red Willow Wind

| 83

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hopes to have regulatory permits in hand this year, begin construction in 2017 and be operating by late 2018.

The Meikle Wind project, with six turbines capable of supplying enough power for 54,000 homes, is already under construction near Tumbler Ridge and

Crews install water pipelines for Site C work camp construction | BC HYDRO

VILLAGE OF POUCE COUPE

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he Village of Pouce Coupe is a quaint historical Village, located in the northeast corner of British Columbia. Also known as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pioneer Capital of the Peace Regionâ&#x20AC;?, 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 heritage house, trapperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cabin, caboose, and the original Northern Alberta Railway Station 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 police barracks for the region.

Rich with tradition, Pouce Coupe holds its annual July 1st Celebration with enthusiasm that brings the historical village to life. This celebration 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

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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Northeast

Aerial view of the north bank of the Site C dam site. Temporary trailers house workers as they build a 1,600-person worker accommodation facility | BC HYDRO

scheduled to complete late this year.

Electricity is now flowing through the Dawson Creek and Chetwynd area transmission line marking the official end of the two-year project. The line, estimated at $296.4 million, was built to plug local gas drillers into the B.C. power grid.

In Chetwynd, Richmond-based Paper Excellence

reopened the former Tembec paper mill and put it back into production, with 13 workers, last year. The future appears bright.

“We have all industries – oil and gas, farming, sawmills, pulp. There is pure grit here. No matter what happens in the global economy, we can adapt,” says Chetwynd economic development officer Ellen McAvany. É

FORT ST JOHN Fort St. John: Come for the job and stay to play

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Advance your career & energize your lifestyle Two hundred years of natural resource experience

fortstjohn.ca

he Fort St. John population is dynamic, young and energetic. With a median age of 30.6, Fort St. John is one of the youngest municipalities in Canada.

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. They are not ready, set go – They’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.

Fort St. John offers top notch recreation facilities including three indoor ice rinks and three free outdoor rinks located in city parks.

There’s also an indoor lap pool and leisure pool; an indoor field house for soccer, rugby lacrosse and track; a free indoor rubber running track; an indoor speed skating oval (one of only 3 in North America); a cultural centre and a curling rink.

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 also many hiking, mountain biking, cross country skiing, and snowmobiling trails in town and at the vast parks just outside of town.

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.

Chetwynd COMMUNITY CARVED BY SUCCESS

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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

North Peace

The North Peace is a fastpaced environment that is ready for you!

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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, newcomers 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.

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, and final investment decisions are expected to occur in 2016. 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.

The summer of 2015 saw construction on 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 rich with opportunities and welcomes your entrepreneurial spirit!

Here.We.Go!

Dawson Creek N

ow in its 80th year, Dawson Creek, or the “Mile Zero City,” is a thriving community defined by high quality of life, economic diversity, and abundant opportunity. In 2014, Cities Journal rated Dawson Creek the #1 Small City in Canada and this year, BC Business has declared it the #2 Best City for Work in BC. Make a Life, Not Just a Living Dawson Creek offers a broad range of services for residents and visitors. Whether your priorities are education, health and recreation, or arts and culture, there are many ways to become involved and to gain from Dawson Creek’s volunteer-rich community.

Dawson Creek is the administrative centre for School District #59 which provides education services to the region, including alternative education methods, and dual-credit trades programs. The community also supports several daycares and preschools, early learning centres, adult literacy programs, and three private schools. Northern Lights College provides trades and professional training, and has the only internationally-certified Wind Turbine Maintenance Technology program in BC. Other educational assets include the newly renovated Municipal Public Library, Walter Wright Pioneer Village, N.A.R. Station Museum, Alaska Highway House, and the BC Oil and Gas Commission Resource Centre.

Within the city there are several clinics, doctor’s offices, wellness studios, and a hospital with full medical and surgical services. To promote healthy living, there are fitness programs, gym facilities, yoga and physiotherapy practices, and martial arts studios. The City’s multiplex features the Kenn Borek Aquatic Centre, Wayne and Bev Dahlen Walking Track, a climbing facility, and the Lakota Agriculture Centre for equine and bovine activity. Popular winter recreation facilities include two full-time arenas, a curling rink, outdoor oval, Bear Mountain Ski Hill, Nordic Ski Trails, and Paradise Valley Snowmobile Trails. Our long summer daylight hours are ideal for summer sports, and residents can become involved at the Dawson Creek Golf & Country Club, Farmington Fairways, Harry Morrow Ball Park, and Paul Loiselle Soccer Fields. A seniors’ fitness park, horseshoe pits, and a large outdoor swimming area are just some of the features located along the Dawson Trail, one of Dawson Creek’s many greenspaces.

Dawson Creek is proud of its vibrant arts and culture, with three major public facilities: the Dawson Arts Creek Art Gallery, a converted grain elevator turned into an exhibition space; the Calvin Kruk Centre for the Arts, a restored federal heritage building supporting the performing arts; and the Encana Events Centre, a 4,500-seat stadium which brings in headlining shows and events year-round through Spectra Venue Management.

Opportunities in a Diverse Economy To complement the excellent quality of life, Dawson Creek is poised to maintain its cutting-edge economic diversity for years to come in strong agriculture, energy, and tourism sectors. Farms in the region have historically enjoyed advantageous mid-to-low land prices and optimal soil conditions, and produce a wide variety of grain, oil seed, and grass seed.

Ranching and other livestock operations also show broad potential for growth. Dawson Creek is home to a major research facility with the BC Grain Producers Association and several businesses in the city provide services aimed at agricultural growth. Other prominent industries are forestry and retail sectors, and a lively downtown with restaurants, boutiques, and corporate opportunities.

Energy is one of the largest economic drivers in Dawson Creek, with active oil and gas operations, renewable energy, and gas transmission projects. The northeast is currently the only area of BC producing commercial quantities of oil and gas, with innovative exploration, development, production, and transportation. The Bear Mountain Wind Park, developed south of the city by the Peace Energy Cooperative, features 34 wind turbines that have the capacity to generate power for the entire area. The City of Dawson Creek actively promotes sustainable living, with partnerships in energy efficiency, a brand-new reclaimed water facility and ongoing watershed and waste-management initiatives.

Dawson Creek is fortunate to be a tourism hot-spot. With its unique position at “Mile 0” of the Alaska Highway, we welcome visitors from across BC, North America, Europe, and Asia. Tourism Dawson Creek is the only provincial Destination Marketing Organization in the northeast, and serves as a liaison between Dawson Creek residents and stakeholders, regional tourism operators, and the Northern BC Tourism Association.

Dawson Creek prides itself on being open for business, and several avenues are already in place to support investors. These include Dawson Creek’s Mayor and Council, Community Futures Peace Liard, and the Dawson Creek & District Chamber of Commerce. Join us in the #1 Small City in Canada as we work towards our collective prosperous future.

Mayor Dale Bumstead, City of Dawson Creek 10105 - 12A St, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 3V7 (250) 784-3636 mayorbumstead@dawsoncreek.ca www.dawsoncreek.ca Austin Weaver, Tourism Dawson Creek 10201 – 10 St, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 3T5 (250) 782-4714 austin@tourismdawsoncreek.com www.tourismdawsoncreek.com Kathleen Connolly, Dawson Creek & District Chamber of Commerce 10201 – 10 St, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 3T5 (250) 782-4868 kathleen@dawsoncreekchamber.ca www.dawsoncreekchamber.ca Sue Kenny, Community Futures Peace Liard 904 – 102 Ave, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 2B7 (250) 782-8748 skenny@communityfutures.biz www.communityfutures.biz

WELCOME TO

DAWSON CREEK

A GREAT PLACE TO… Peace Liard

LIVE. WORK. PLAY.

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

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

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

NORTHERN ROCKIES REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY Population 5,290 Regional Development in the Northern Rockies: A place to call home!

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he Northern Rockies Regional Municipality lies on the east side of the Rocky Mountains, and comprises approximately 10% of the total area of the province of British Columbia. Primarily made up of heavily forested areas, mountainous terrain, and waterways, the abundance of untouched natural resources provides an unparalleled opportunity for both regional economic development and personal lifestyle to blend seamlessly together.

The endless natural resource opportunities within the 85,000 square kilometers that make up the Northern Rockies Region include an abundance of mixed wood stands (coniferous and deciduous species) and three world-class natural gas reserves (the Cordova, Horn River, and Liard basins). The Fort Nelson Timber Supply Area is the second largest in British Columbia covering approximately 9.8 million hectares of mixed stands containing mainly spruce and aspen. A high-level business case was completed in 2015 to assess the best opportunities for forestry in the area. The assessment revealed that a â&#x20AC;&#x153;clusteringâ&#x20AC;? of a number of cooperating, synergistic operations with a view to achieving maximum efficiency would best fit the timber resource in the Northern Rockies 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. With feasibility studies complete, interest points to an opportunity for modular LNG facilities in the region to provide a more economic and environmentally friendly energy choice for commercial and industrial customers north.

With the richness of natural resources and potential for regional economic growth the communities in the Northern Rockies welcome industry and new residents. The largest community in the Northern Rockies, Fort Nelson is full of community pride, events, local groups and volunteering opportunities. The local independent businesses bring character and personality to this vibrant community. Fort Nelson is family and recreation oriented enjoying all of the benefits of a brand new, modern recreation facility including swimming pool, dual arenas, curling rink, rock climbing wall, and indoor walking track. Additional outdoor resources include parks, the community trail, a beautiful golf course, ball diamonds and kids spray park.

For those looking for a lifestyle of adventure and nature experiences the Northern Rockies region offers endless options. Hiking trails range from half an hour to 8 days, and lakes, rivers, fishing, hunting with so much more are all accessible in the region just off the historic Alaska Highway. Lifestyle, work and business opportunities await when you experience the Northern Rockies.

Contact: Invest Northern Rockies, Email: ecdev@northernrockies.ca Tel: 250-774-2541, www.InvestNorthernRockies.ca

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Nechako

UNLEASHING POTENTIAL Nechako’s dramatic geography has yielded riches for more than a century – and new technology ensures that continues

22.2%

Share of B.C. land area

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

Scattered over a vast area

JANE STEVENSON

covering more than one-fifth of British Columbia, Nechako’s 11 separate towns, villages and First Nation reserves are linked to the rest of B.C. – and its ports - by hundreds of kilometres of rail lines | CN RAIL

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he first surveyors walked across this vast Nechako region in the late 1800s and noted the dramatic landscape as well as the agricultural, mineral and forestry potential of the lands. Today, this potential is being realized.

The agricultural land near Vanderhoof is growing premium-quality alfalfa and grass forage. Companies such as Tophay and Nechako Valley Agri Industries compress crops in Vanderhoof and truck their product to nearby Prince George where it is loaded onto railcars and shipped to the Port of Prince Rupert and on to the voracious agricultural markets in Japan, Korea, China, Dubai and United Arab Emirates.

“Currently the U.S. dollar is high and the Chinese market is stumbling, but our business model is still working,” says Jason Hawkins, general manager of Nechako Valley Agri Industries.

“We provide the best forage in the world, the timothy grows best here with the cooler nights, and China is an exploding market that can’t get enough of our product,”Hawkins says.

Mineral exploration in the area is subject to changing global markets, with Thompson Creek’s Endako mine in full closure status and Imperial Metals’ recent suspension of its open pit operations at its Huckleberry mine near Houston. Exploration and development work continues throughout the Nechako, and New Gold’s Blackwater project south of Vanderhoof is a prime example.

The North West Transmission Line, which runs north from Terrace, allows for clean-energy investments, such as Forrest Kerr, AltaGas’ run-of-river 195-megawatt hydroelectric project on the Iskut River.

Large sawmills continue to operate in the area: Hampton Lumber Mills’ Decker Lake Forrest Products, Hampton’s Babine Forest Products, and West Fraser’s Fraser Lake Sawmill and Pacific Inland Resources in Smithers.

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Nechako

Vanderhoof companies such as Tophay Agri-Industries compress premium crops and ship the products to customers in Asia and the Middle East for use in feedlots | SHUTTERSTOCK Pinnacle Pellet CEO Robert McCurdy with a sample of fuel pellets, now being shipped worldwide from plants in Houston and Burns Lake | CHUNG CHOW

Near Fort St. James are the Apollo Forest Product mill and the Tl’oh lumber mills.

Local governments and First Nations are increasingly utilizing the wood waste from harvest operations, lumber shavings and sawdust. Biomass systems are operating in Fort St. James, Burns Lake and Telkwa. Even the small community of Granisle, located on beautiful Babine Lake, has invested in green energy with a biomass system heating its firehall.

Smithers’ Northern Engineered Wood Products was a past manufacturer of panel board and through a stateof- the-art retrofit has transitioned to a pellet plant with intentions to begin production in 2016. Others that are taking advantage of the value-added forest product are Pinnacle Pellet, operating in both Houston and Burns Lake, and Premium Pellet in Vanderhoof.

After being founded in Houston, Pinnacle Pellet has become one of the world’s largest pellet producers, shipping 1.2 million tonnes per year of product, according to

Millions of dollars

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Economic snapshot Top seven sectors by number of employees

The town of Smithers added fibre-optic service last year and the network is being rolled

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

out across the region by its

SOURCE: CHARTERED PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS OF BC, BC `REGIONAL CHECKUP 2015

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company CEO Robert McCurdy.

Advances in communication networks are expected to attract investment. Smithers welcomed cutting-edge fibre-optic service in 2015 with CityWest opening an office in the community and committing to improving high-speed coverage for the region.

“We know investors are looking for reliable, highspeed coverage,” says Allan Stroet of the Bulkley Valley Economic Development Association. “The fibre-optic network is a key piece of infrastructure that allows businesses to compete globally.”

Nechako’s rugged terrain covers an area the size of Scotland, but it is knitted together by rail lines. Canadian National and Canadian Pacific railways help link the 11 Nechako communities to the North American market.

Tourism, accommodation, sport fishing and guide outfitting remain important economic drivers for the large and scenic region. Houston is considered one of the best places to snowmobile in Western Canada. Echoing the sentiments of the surveyors of the late 1800s, the Nechako region’s enormous beauty and the wide variety of abundant natural resources allow people to enjoy living and working in the area for decades to come. É

REGIONAL DISTRICT OF BULKLEY-NECHAKO

T

he Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako (RDBN) represents eight municipalities and seven surrounding rural areas and is home to 39,208 residents. It is strategically located between Prince George and Prince Rupert, boasts a connected transportation and communication network, prosperous forestry, mining, agriculture, and tourism industries and extensive year-round recreational opportunities.

Forestry Timber harvesting and lumber production are dominant in the RDBN economy. Harvestable forests have been affected by the Mountain Pine Beetle, which has created new opportunities to diversify the industry beyond dimensional lumber production. These emerging opportunities include pulp and pellet plants, silviculture operations, bioenergy facilities, and value added wood production. The region is built on the forest industry and it continues to be the dominant economic driver. The RDBN has abundant opportunities for investment in the forest industry.

Mining The RDBN is well positioned for more mining support services, exploration, and new mining operations. With two regions (Omineca and Skeena) the geology of the area within the RDBN lends itself to prospecting for a wide range of metals including magnesium, niobium, rare-earth elements, molybdenum, nickel, copper, zinc, lead, silver, and gold. The RDBN supports the mining sector through projects that identify mineral potential and exploration opportunities (for example GeoScience BCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s QUEST-West project). Strong industrial infrastructure and regional transportation linkages further position the RDBN for increasing future development in the mining sector.

Agriculture Agriculture is a long standing tradition in the RDBN. Opportunities exist in animal and hay production as well as potential for emerging commercial greenhouse operations. Quality, affordable, and available forage, range, and pasture lands create an ideal platform for cattle production both in meat and cow/calf operations. Development in biofuels and other energy sources could provide farm businesses and commercial greenhouses with an energy advantage. With this strong support and awareness in agriculture the region provides investment opportunity.

Tourism The RDBN is known for its natural beauty and outdoor adventure opportunities. The attraction base is primarily the natural environment with an abundance of lakes, pristine rivers, and mountains. The RDBN is recognized as a world class destination for hunting, fishing, and mountain biking. An extensive trail network provides existing infrastructure for tourism businesses. The top three markets of origin are British Columbia, Alberta, and Alaska. Tourism is well supported through local and regional marketing campaigns. Given the diverse geographic terrain and robust natural beauty the stage is set for an increase in investment opportunities.

The RDBN and local municipalities demonstrate a strong commitment to investment in the region through regional and local economic development action plans. The 2015 creation of the Bulkley-Nechako Strategic Workforce Opportunities team ensures a focus is put on a skilled labour pool that meets regional labour demands. The RDBN welcomes entrepreneurs, developers, and investors ready to realize their next adventure.

Look us up today! opportunites.rdbn.bc.ca

Ad

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INVEST IN BC 2016 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

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 Dave Birdi, Councillor District of Fort St. James P.O. Box 640, Fort St. James, BC V0J 1P0 p: 250-996-8233 e: dbirdi@fortstjames.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 Tom Clement, CAO District of Vanderhoof Box 900, Vanderhoof, BC V0J 3A0 p: 250-567-4711 e: cao@district.vanderhoof.ca Kevin Crook, Chief Administrative Officer District of Fort St. James P.O. Box 640, Fort St. James, BC V0J 1P0 p: 250-996-8233 e: cao@fortstjames.ca Maureen Czirfusz, Manager, Economic Development Officer Houston & District Chamber of Commerce P.O. 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 Heather Gallagher, Manager Smithers District Chamber of Commerce 1411 6 Ave, Smithers, BC V0J 2N0 p: 250-847-5072 e: heather@smitherschamber.com Lina Gasser, Local Government Management Intern District of Fort St. James P.O. Box 640, Fort St. James, BC V0J 1P0 p: 250-996-8233 e: intern@fortstjames.ca Carol Gibson, Administration Community Futures of Nadina PO Box 236, Houston, BC V0J 1Z0 p: 250-845-2522 e: carolg@cfnadina.ca Brenda Gouglas, Councillor District of Fort St. James P.O. Box 640, Fort St. James, BC V0J 1P0 p: 250-996-8233 e: bgouglas@fortstjames.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

Rodney Holland, Chief Administrative Officer Village of Fraser Lake P.O. Box 430, Fraser Lake, BC V0J 1S0 p: 250- 699 6257 e: rjholland@fraserlake.ca

Gerry Thiessen, Mayor District of Vanderhoof Box 900, Vanderhoof, BC V0J 3A0 p: 250-567-4711 e: mayor@district.vanderhoof.ca

Erin MacQuarrie, Research Assistant UNBC - Community Development Institute 3333 University Way, Prince George, BC V2N 4ZN p: 250-960-5952 e: erin.macquarrie@unbc.ca

Gavin Ireland, Local Government Intern District of Vanderhoof Box 900, Vanderhoof, BC V0J 3A0 p: 250-567-4711 e: intern@district.vanderhoof.ca

Leonard Thomas, Economic Devlopment Officer Nakâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;azdli Band PO Box 1329, Fort St. James, BC V0J 1P0 p: 250-996-7171 e: leonardt@nakazdli.ca

Lucy Martin, Economic Development Manager McLeod Lake Indian Band General Delivery, McLeod Lake, BC V0J 2G0 p: 250-640-7428 e: lmartin@mlib.ca

Murray Labrash, Treasurer Community Futures of Nadina PO Box 236, Houston, BC V0J 1Z0 p: 250-845-2522 e: l&mmiller@telus.net

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

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

Dwayne Lindstrom, Mayor Village of Fraser Lake P.O. Box 430, Fraser Lake, BC V0J 1S0 p: 250- 699 6257 e: dwaynelindstrom@fraserlake.ca Steve Little, Councillor District of Vanderhoof Box 900, Vanderhoof, BC V0J 3A0 p: 250-567-4711 e: steve644@live.ca Rob MacDougall, Mayor District of Fort St. James P.O. Box 640, Fort St. James, BC V0J 1P0 p: 250-996-8233 e: mayor@fortstjames.ca Jean Marr, Director Community Futures of Nadina PO Box 236, Houston, BC V0J 1Z0 p: 250-845-2522 e: jean.marr@investorsgroup.com Kim Martinsen, General Manager Community Futures of Nadina PO Box 236, Houston, BC V0J 1Z0 p: 250-845-2522 e: kmartinsen@cfnadina.ca Brad Miller, Councillor District of Fort St. James P.O. Box 640, Fort St. James, BC V0J 1P0 p: 250-996-8233 e: bmiller@fortstjames.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 Kris Nielsen, Councillor District of Fort St. James P.O. Box 640, Fort St. James, BC V0J 1P0 p: 250-996-8233 e: knielsen@fortstjames.ca Lianne Olson, Director Community Futures of Nadina PO Box 236, Houston, BC V0J 1Z0 p: 250-845-2522 e: lianne.olson@riotinto.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

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

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

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

Marleen Morris, Co-Director UNBC - Community Development Institute 3333 University Way, Prince George, BC V2N 4ZN p: 250-960-5952 e: marleen.morris@unbc.ca

CARIBOO David Anderson 995 11th Ave N, Williams Lake, BC V2G 2M6 p: 250-267-6678 e: davidaanderson@shaw.ca Melissa Barcellos, Manager, Economic Development City of Prince George 1100 Patricia Blvd, Prince George, BC V2L 3V9 p: 250-561-7583 e: melissa.barcellos@princegeorge.ca Darron Campbell, Manager of Community Services Cariboo Regional District 180 3rd Ave, Williams Lake, BC V2G 2A4 p: 250-392-3351 e: dcampbell@cariboord.ca Joanne Doddridge, Planner District of 100 Mile House P.O. Box 340, 385 Birch Ave., 100 Mile House, BC V0K 2E0 p: 250-395-2434 e: jdoddridge@dist100milehouse.bc.ca

Bahar Mostofee-Afshar, Business Development Officer City of Prince George 1100 Patricia Blvd, Prince George, BC V2L 3V9 p: 250-561-7633 e: bahar.afshar@princegeorge.ca Amy Reid, Economic Development Officer Quesnel Community and Economic Development 339A Reid Street, Quesnel, BC V2J 2M5 p: 250-992-3522 e: areid@quesnel.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 Amy Thacker, CEO Central Cariboo Economic Development Corporation Williams Lake, BC p: 250-392-2226 e: amy@landwithoutlimits.com

CORPORATE

Karen Eden, General Manager Community Futures Cariboo Chilcotin 266 Oliver Street, Williams Lake, BC V2G 1M1 p: 250-392-3626 e: karen@cfdccariboo.com

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

Lyn Hall, Mayor, City of Prince George City of Prince George 1100 Patricia Blvd, Prince George, BC V2L 3V9 p: 250-561-7600 e: lyn.hall@princegeorge.ca

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

Greg Halseth, Co-Director UNBC - Community Development Institute 3333 University Way, Prince George, BC V2N 4ZN p: 250-960-5952 e: greg.halseth@unbc.ca

Talia Beckett, Director, Communications & Research Advantage BC Suite 3093, Three Bentall Centre; 595 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC V7X 1C4 p: 604-683-6629 e: tbeckett@advantagebc.ca

Jordan Hammond, Regional Economic/Community Development Coordinator Cariboo Regional District 180 3rd Ave, Williams Lake, BC V2G 2A4 p: 250-392-3351 e: jhammond@cariboord.ca Keenan Hopson, Economic Development Officer City of Prince George 1100 Patricia Blvd, Prince George, BC V2L 3V9 p: 250-561-7582 e: keenan.hopson@princegeorge.ca

David Bennett, Director, External Relations Fortis BC 16705 Fraser Highway, Surrey, BC V4N 0E8 p: 604-592-7850 e: DavidA.Bennett@fortisbc.com Shelley Besse, Chair Surrey Board of Trade 101-14439 104 Avenue, Surrey, BC V3R 1M1 p: 604-634-0342 e: sbesse@envisionfinancial.ca

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Indra Bhan, Membership Services Manager Surrey Board of Trade 101-14439 104 Avenue, Surrey, BC V3R 1M1 p: 604-634-0342 e: indra@businessinsurrey.ca Kevin Boothroyd, Director, Sales & Marketing PaciďŹ c Coastal Airlines 209-4440 Cowley Cresent, Richmond, BC V7B 1B8 p: 604-214-2388 e: kevin.boothroyd@pacificcoastal.com Kelsey Borland, Community Relations Northern Gateway Pipelines 408, 355 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC V6C 2G8 p: 604-801-6830 e: kborland@communica.ca Gerard Bremault, Immediate Past Chair Surrey Board of Trade 101-14439 104 Avenue, Surrey, BC V3R 1M1 p: 604-634-0342 e: gerard@centreforchilddevelopment.ca

Marilyn Hutchinson, Director Sustainability and Growth Grieg Seafood BC Ltd 106 - 1180 Ironwood Street, Campbell River, BC V9W 5P7 p: 250-286-0838 e: marilyn.hutchinson@griegseafood.com Mackenzie Kyle, Partner Meyers Norris Penny LLP 2300-1055 Dunsmuir Street, 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 Street, Surrey, BC V3R 0S4 p: 604-585-2788 e: jleech@asttbc.org Helene Lemieux CN e: Helene.Lemieux@cn.ca

Keith Britz, Partner Meyers Norris Penny LLP 45780 Yale Road, Suite 1, Chilliwack, BC V2P 2N4 p: 604-792-1915 e: keith.britz@mnp.ca

Dave McGrath, Business & International Manager Surrey Board of Trade 101-14439 104 Avenue, Surrey, BC V3R 1M1 p: 604-634-0342 e: international@businessinsurrey.ca

Gordon Brown , President Azam Dinamik Canada Inc. 4685 Cook Avenue, Powell River, BC V8A 5C3 p: 604-485-7157 e: azam@telus.net

Matt Morrison, Executive Director PNWER 2200 Alaskan Way, Suite 460, Seattle, WA 98121 p: 206-443-7723 e: matt@pnwer.org

Paulina Cameron, Business Development Manager Futurpreneur Canada 425 Carrall Street, Suite 580, Vancouver, BC V6B 6E3 p: 604-598-2923 e: pcameron@futurpreneur.ca

Anne Murray, Director, Aviation Marketing Vancouver Airport Authority PO Box 23750 APO, Richmond, BC V7B 1Y7 p: 604-276-6008 e: anne_murray@yvr.ca

Jill Earthy, Regional Director, BC Futurpreneur Canada 425 Carrall Street, Suite 580, Vancouver, BC V6B 6E3 p: 604-598-2923 e: jearthy@futurpreneur.ca

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

Allison Gavin, Global Account Executive ConferenceDirect 9396 203 Street, Langley, BC V1M 3Y8 p: 604-614-5788 e: allison.gavin@conferencedirect.com

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

Victor Godin, CEO StartingOver BC Inc. 8651 Minler Road, Richmond, BC V7C 3V1 p: 604-264-4474 e: startbc@shaw.ca

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

Marlyn Graziano, Director, External and Government Affairs Kwantlen Polytechnic University 12666 - 72nd Avenue, Surrey, BC V3W 2M8 p: 604-599-2913 e: marlyn.graziano@kpu.ca

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

Colleen Hamilton, Planning Associate EcoPlan 24-1306 Bidwell Street, Vancouver, BC V6G 2L1 p: 604-314-5132 e: colleen@ecoplan.ca Colin Hansen, President & CEO Advantage BC Suite 3093, Three Bentall Centre; 595 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC V7X 1C4 p: 604-683-6627 e: chansen@advantagebc.ca Paul Harris, Publisher Business in Vancouver Magazines 102 - 4th Avenue East, Vancouver, BC V5T 1G2 p: 604-608-5156 e: pharris@biv.com Colleen Houston, Corporate Communications and Marketing Advisor CAPP 2100, 350-7 Avenue SW, Calgary, BC T2P 3N9 p: 403-267-1150 e: colleen.houston@capp.ca Anita Huberman, CEO Surrey Board of Trade 101-14439 104 Avenue, Surrey, BC V3R 1M1 p: 604-634-0342 e: anita@businessinsurrey.ca George Hunter, CEO Small Business BC 82 - 601 West Cordova Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 1G1 p: 604-775-5525 e: hunter.george@smallbusinessbc.ca

Trudy Parsons, Partner MDB Insight 600 Crowfoot Crescent NW, Suite 340, Calgary, AB T3G 0B4 p: 1-855-367-3535 Ext 237 e: tparsons@mdbinsight.com

Wayne Robert, Economic Development/Management Consultant Urban Systems 304-1353 Ellis Street, Kelowna, BC V1X 1Z9 p: 250-762-2517 e: wrobert@urbansystems.ca

Lindsay Bisschop, Regional Manager, Lower Mainland/Fraser Valley Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training Suite 200, 10470 152nd Street, Surrey, BC V3R 0Y3 p: 604-930-7121 e: lindsay.bisschop@gov.bc.ca

Anita Rogers Legacy PaciďŹ c Land Corporation 428, 44550 South Sumas Road, Chilliwack, BC V2R 5M3 p: 604-824-8733 e: anita@legacypacific.com

Karen Borden, Executive Coordinator Northern Development Initiative Trust 301 - 1268 Fifth Avenue, Prince George, BC V2L 3L2 p: 250-561-2525 e: karen@northerndevelopment.bc.ca

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 2461 p: 617-314-6527 e: chris@ic-associates.com Cynthia Stewart, Director, Community Relations Intl Council of Shopping Centers 555 12th Street, NW, Suite 660, Washington, DC 20004 p: 864-968-9324 e: cstewart@icsc.org Greg Thomas, 1st Vice-Chair Surrey Board of Trade 101-14439 104 Avenue, Surrey, BC V3R 1M1 p: 604-634-0342 e: gthomas@g3consulting.com Anatalio Ubalde, CEO & Co-Founder GIS Planning One Hallidie Plaza, Ste. 760, San Francisco, CA 94102 p: 415-294-4771 e: ubalde@GISplanning.com Jamie Vann Struth, Principal Vann Struth Consulting Group 2395 Lakewood Drive, Vancouver, BC V5N 4T8 p: 604-762-6901 e: jamie@vannstruth.com Ken Veldman, Director, Public Affairs Prince Rupert Port Authority 200- 215 Cow Bay Road, Prince Rupert, BC V8J 1A2 p: 250-627-2526 e: kveldman@rupertport.com Kelley Williams, Management Consultant Boston Bar First Nation PO Box 54; 848 5th Avenue, McBride, BC V0J 2E0 p: 250-569-4110 e: kelley@dundascollege.ca

GOVT/INDUSTRY Garry Angus, EDP Provincial Coordinator Community Futures Development Association C230 - 7871 Stave Lake St, Mission, BC V2V 0C5 p: 604-289-4222 Ext 226 e: gangus@communityfutures.ca

Anne Peterson, Social Policy Team Surrey Board of Trade 101-14439 104 Avenue, Surrey, BC V3R 1M1 p: 604-634-0342 e: policy@businessinsurrey.ca

Jim Anholt, Senior Manager, Infrastructure & Professional Services Ministry of International Trade Suite 730-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1 p: 604-775-2275 e: Jim.Anholt@gov.bc.ca

Mike Porter, Business Development Manager Futurpreneur Canada 425 Carrall Street, Suite 580, Vancouver, BC V6B 6E3 p: 604-598-2923 e: mporter@futurpreneur.ca

Robert Arthurs, Senior Manager, Agrifood & Forestry Ministry of International Trade Suite 730-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1 p: 604-660-3358 e: Robert.Arthurs@gov.bc.ca

Ray Proulx, Community and Aboriginal Affairs Coordinator Teck Coal Ltd. P.O. Box 1500, Tumbler Ridge, BC V0C 2W0 p: 250-242-6335 e: ray.proulx@teck.com

Harbs Bains, Senior Manager, Innovation Ministry of International Trade Suite 730-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1 p: 604-660-2241 e: harbs.bains@gov.bc.ca

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

David Baleshta, Portfolio Manager; Investment Capital Branch Ministry of International Trade PO Box 9800, Stn Prov Govt, Victoria, BC V8W 9W1 p: 250-952-0614 e: David.Baleshta@gov.bc.ca Chris Bechard, Policy & Program Management Analyst Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training P.O. Box 9853 Stn Prov Govt, Victoria, BC V8W 9N7 p: 250-953-4258 e: chris.bechard@gov.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 Gerri Brightwell, Regional Manager, Invermere Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training PO Box 9837 Stn Prov Govt, Victoria, BC V8W 9T1 p: 250-342-4207 e: Gerri.Brightwell@gov.bc.ca Myles Bruns, Regional Manager Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training Suite 250 - 455 Columbia Street, Kamloops, BC V2C 6K4 p: 250-371-3931 e: myles.bruns@gov.bc.ca Tuan Bui, Senior Manager, Natural Resources Ministry of International Trade Suite 730-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2C5 p: 250-356-5589 e: tuan.bui@gov.bc.ca Nina Cagic, Director, Technology & Innovation Ministry of International Trade Suite 730-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2C5 p: 604-775-2039 e: nina.cagic@gov.bc.ca Janet Cho, Manager, China Ministry of International Trade Suite 730-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2C5 p: 604-660-5919 e: janet.cho@gov.bc.ca David Collier, Director, Technology & Innovation Ministry of International Trade Suite 730-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2C5 p: 604-660-1714 e: david.collier@gov.bc.ca Emily Colombo, Regional Manager, Cariboo Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training PO Box 9837 Stn Prov Govt, Victoria, BC V8W 9T1 p: 250-992-4442 e: emily.colombo@gov.bc.ca Tamara Danshin, Regional Manager Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training Room 120A, 10600 - 100th Street, Fort St John, BC V1J 4L6 p: 250-787-3351 e: tamara.danshin@gov.bc.ca Carrie Dusterhoft, Community Adjustment Manager Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training Box 9837 Stn Prov Govt, Victoria, BC V8W 9T1 p: 250-356-0728 e: carrie.dusterhoft@gov.bc.ca Greg Eidsness, Director - Americas & SE Asia Ministry of International Trade Suite 730-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2C5 p: 604-660-5910 e: greg.eidsness@gov.bc.ca Tess Elo, Accounting Coordinator Northern Development Initiative Trust 301 - 1268 Fifth Avenue, Prince George, BC V2L 3L2 p: 250-561-2525 e: tess@northerndevelopment.bc.ca Ken Ewan, Manager, Americas & SE Asia Ministry of International Trade Suite 730-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2C5 p: 604-660-5910 e: ken.ewan@gov.bc.ca Jeff Finkle, President & CEO International Economic Development Association 734 15th Street NW / Suite 900, Washington, DC 20005 p: 202-223-7800 e: jfinkle@iedconline.org

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INVEST IN BC 2016 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

BC Economic Development Association

Sarah Fraser, Executive Director, Regional Economic Operations Branch Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training 2nd Floor, 800 Johnson Street, Victoria, BC V8W 9N7 p: 250-952-0644 e: sarah.fraser@gov.bc.ca

Brian Krieger, Executive Director, Technology & Innovation Ministry of International Trade Suite 730-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1 p: 604-660-3358 e: brian.krieger@gov.bc.ca

Penny Gardiner, Executive Director Economic Developers Association of Canada Suite 200, 7 Innovation Drive, Flamborough, ON L9H 7H9 p: 905-689-8771 e: gardiner@edac.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

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 Greg Goodwin, Executive Director, Regional Economic Policy & Projects Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training PO Box 9853 Stn Prov Govt. 7th Floor, 1810 Blanshard Street, Victoria, BC V8W 9T5 p: 250-356-0778 e: greg.goodwin@gov.bc.ca Leann Hackman-Carty, Executive Director Economic Developers Alberta Suite 127, 406 917-85th Street, SW, Calgary, AB T3H 3Z9 p: 403-214-0224 e: leann@edaalberta.ca Henry Han, Executive Director - International Markets Ministry of International Trade Suite 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 Suite 730-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1 p: 604-775-2187 e: javed.haque@gov.bc.ca Chris Heine, Manager, Korea Ministry of International Trade Suite 730-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2C5 p: 604-775-2217 e: chris.heine@gov.bc.ca Lori Henderson, Director, South Coast Region Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training 2nd Floor, 800 Johnson Street, Victoria, BC V8W 9N7 p: 250-952-0607 e: lori.henderson@gov.bc.ca Sara Hipson, Manager, Community Industry Liason Northern Development Initiative Trust 301 - 1268 Fifth Avenue, Prince George, BC V2L 3L2 p: 250-561-2525 e: sara@northerndevelopment.bc.ca Michael Hoher, Manager, Economic Initiatives Columbia Basin Trust Suite 300 - 445 13th Avenue, Castlegar, BC V1N 1G1 p: 250-304-1627 e: mhoher@cbt.org Marc Imus, A/Director, Southern Interior Region Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training PO Box 9837 Stn Prov Govt, Victoria, BC V8W 9T1 p: 250-851-1441 e: marc.imus@gov.bc.ca Paul Irwin, Executive Director - East Asia Ministry of International Trade Suite 730-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1 p: 604-660-5906 e: paul.irwin@gov.bc.ca Salima Jethani, Manager, Intâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;l Education & Life Sciences Ministry of International Trade Suite 730-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2C5 p: 604-660-3356 e: salima.jethani@gov.bc.ca Paul Kan, Senior Manager, Oil & Gas, LNG & Mining Ministry of International Trade Suite 730-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1 p: 604-775-2198 e: paul.kan@gov.bc.ca Renata King, Director, Business Development Northern Development Initiative Trust 301 - 1268 Fifth Avenue, Prince George, BC V2L 3L2 p: 250-561-2525 e: renata@northerndevelopment.bc.ca

Kathy Lachman, Regional Manager, North Vancouver Island/Coast Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training PO Box 9837 Stn Prov Govt, Victoria, BC V8W 9T1 p: 250-334-1256 e: kathy.lachman@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 Suite 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 Suite 730-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1 p: 604-660-1691 e: jeanette.lam@gov.bc.ca Vivian Lui, Information Officer Ministry of International Trade Suite 730-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2C5 p: 604-660-5871 e: vivian.lui@gov.bc.ca John McDonald, Executive Director, Natural Resources Ministry of International Trade Suite 730-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1 p: 604-660-6835 e: john.mcdonald@gov.bc.ca Joel McKay, Director, Communications Northern Development Initiative Trust 301 - 1268 Fifth Avenue, Prince George, BC V2L 3L2 p: 250-561-2525 e: joel@northerndevelopment.bc.ca Dean McKinley, Director, Economic Development Northern Development Initiative Trust 301 - 1268 Fifth Avenue, 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 PO Box 9837 Stn Prov Govt, Victoria, BC V8W 9T1 p: 250-751-3217 e: cheryl.mclay@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 Michael Nicholas, Director, Natural Resources Ministry of International Trade Suite 730-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2C5 p: 604-775-2144 e: michael.nicholas@gov.bc.ca Pavan Nirwan, Manager, I&PS Ministry of International Trade Suite 730-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2C5 p: 604-660-0889 e: pavan.nirwan@gov.bc.ca Janine North, Chief Executive Officer Northern Development Initiative Trust 301 - 1268 Fifth Avenue, Prince George, BC V2L 3L2 p: 250-561-2525 e: janine@northerndevelopment.bc.ca Larry Olson, Regional Manager, Cariboo-Chilcotin Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training Suite 109 - 540 Borland Street, Williams Lake, BC V2G 3N9 p: 250-490-8261 e: larry.olson@gov.bc.ca

Edwina Ramirez, Manager, ICT Wireless Ministry of International Trade Suite 730-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2C5 p: 604-775-2192 e: edwina.ramirez@gov.bc.ca

Ashleigh Volcz, Director of Member Initiatives BC Economic Development Association 102-9300 Nowell Street, Chilliwack, BC V2P 4V7 p: 604-795-7119 e: ashleigh@bceda.ca

Denice Regnier, Project & Corporate Administrator Island Coastal Economic Trust 108 - 501 4th Street, Courtenay, BC V9N 1H3 p: 250-871-7797 e: denice.regnier@islandcoastaltrust.ca

Dale Wheeldon, President & Chief Executive Officer BC Economic Development Association 102-9300 Nowell Street, Chilliwack, BC V2P 4V7 p: 604-795-7119 e: dwheeldon@bceda.ca

Dale Richardson, Director, Northern Region Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training Ste 220 - 132 West 1st Avenue, Prince Rupert, BC V8J 1A8 p: 250-624-7499 e: dale.richardson@gov.bc.ca

Paul Wiest, Executive Director Community Futures Development Association C230 - 7871 Stave Lake St, Mission, BC V2V 0C5 p: 604-289-4222 Ext 225 e: pwiest@communityfutures.ca

Line Robert, Chief Executive Officer Island Coastal Economic Trust 108 - 501 4th Street, Courtenay, BC V9N 1H3 p: 250-871-7797 e: line.robert@islandcoastaltrust.ca Clark Roberts, Assistant Deputy Minister Ministry of International Trade Suite 730-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2C5 p: 604-660-5896 e: clark.roberts@gov.bc.ca Richard Sawchuk, Director - Japan & Korea Ministry of International Trade Suite 730-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1 p: 604-775-0030 e: richard.sawchuck@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 & Forestry Ministry of International Trade Suite 730-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1 p: 604 660-5918 e: Joy.Shi@gov.bc.ca Jianye (Jason) Si, Senior Manager - China Ministry of International Trade Suite 730-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2C5 p: 604-660-5911 e: jianye.si@gov.bc.ca Khris Singh, Director, Infrastructure & Professional Services Ministry of International Trade Suite 730-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2C5 p: 604-660-1045 e: khris.singh@gov.bc.ca Karan Suri, Manager, India & Europe Ministry of International Trade Suite 730-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2C5 p: 604-660-1569 e: karan.suri@gov.bc.ca Leslie Teramoto, Director - Oil & Gas, LNG, Mining Ministry of International Trade Suite 730-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1 p: 604-775-2201 e: Leslie.Wada@gov.bc.ca Emily-Anne Therrien, Finance Coordinator Northern Development Initiative Trust 301 - 1268 Fifth Avenue, Prince George, BC V2L 3L2 p: 250-561-2525 e: emily-ann@northerndevelopment.bc.ca Verona Thibault, Executive Director Saskatchewan Economic Development 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 Richard Toperczer, Regional Manager, South Okanagan/Boundary Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training 138 - 2501 4th Avenue, Vernon, BC V1T 8Z1 p: 250-550-2204 e: richard.toperczer@gov.bc.ca Michelle VanderVelden, Client Services Clerk Northern Development Initiative Trust 301 - 1268 Fifth Avenue, Prince George, BC V2L 3L2 p: 250-561-2525 e: michelle@northerndevelopment.bc.ca

Raymond Zhu, Senior Manager - China Ministry of International Trade Suite 730-999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2C5 p: 604-660-5910 e: raymond.zhu@gov.bc.ca

HONOURABLE Peter Monteith, Chief Administrative Officer City of Chilliwack 8550 Young Road, Chilliwack, BC V2P 8A4 p: 604-793-2966 e: monteith@chilliwack.com

KOOTENAY Doug Allin, CAO City of Grand Forks PO Box 220, Grand Forks, BC V0H 1H0 p: 250-442-8266 e: dallin@grandforks.ca Norma Blissett, Councillor City of Cranbrook 40 - 10th Avenue South, Cranbrook, BC V1C 5V7 p: 250-426-4211 e: norma.blissett@cranbrook.ca Lyle Burt, Chair Community Futures of Boundary PO Box 2949, Grand Forks, BC V0H 1H0 p: 250-442-2722 Danielle Cardozo, Councillor City of Cranbrook 40 - 10th Avenue 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 Avenue South, Cranbrook, BC V1C 5V7 p: 250-426-4211 e: wesly.graham@cranbrook.ca Isaac Hockley, Councillor City of Cranbrook 40 - 10th Avenue South, Cranbrook, BC V1C 5V7 p: 250-426-4211 e: isaac.hockley@cranbrook.ca Alan Mason, Director of Community Economic Development City of Revelstoke P.O. Box 2398, Revelstoke, BC V0E 2S0 p: 250-837-5345 e: amason@cityofrevelstoke.com Wendy McCulloch, General Manager Community Futures of Boundary PO Box 2949, Grand Forks, BC V0H 1H0 p: 250-442-2722 e: wendy@boundarycf.com Ron Popoff, Councillor City of Cranbrook 40 - 10th Avenue South, Cranbrook, BC V1C 5V7 p: 250-426-4211 e: ron.popoff@cranbrook.ca Lee Pratt, Mayor City of Cranbrook 40 - 10th Avenue South, Cranbrook, BC V1C 5V7 p: 250-426-4211 e: Lee.Pratt@cranbrook.ca Tom Shypitka, Councillor City of Cranbrook 40 - 10th Avenue South, Cranbrook, BC V1C 5V7 p: 250-426-4211 e: tom.shypitka@cranbrook.ca

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Wayne Staudt, Chief Administrative Officer City of Cranbrook 40 - 10th Avenue South, Cranbrook, BC V1C 5V7 p: 250-426-4211 e: wayne.staudt@cranbrook.ca Terry Van Horn, Economic Development Officer Lower Columbia Initiatives 1 - 1355 Pine Avenue, Trail, BC V1R 4E7 p: 250-364-6461 e: tvanhorn@lcic.ca Kevin Weaver, Economic Development Officer City of Cranbrook 40 - 10th Avenue South, Cranbrook, BC V1C 5V7 p: 250-489-0232 e: kweaver@cranbrook.ca Kevin Wilson, Economic Development Officer City of Kimberley 340 Spokane Street, Kimberley, BC V1A 2E8 p: 250-427-9666 e: kwilson@kimberley.ca Sarah Winton, Deputy Corporate Officer/ Communications City of Grand Forks PO Box 220, Grand Forks, BC V0H 1H0 p: 250-442-8266 e: swinton@grandforks.ca

MAINLAND SOUTHWEST Bob Andrews, Economic Development Coordinator Township of Langley 20338 - 65th Avenue, Langley, BC V2Y 3J1 p: 604-532-7548 e: bandrews@tol.ca Carolyn Armanini, Planning Analyst City of New Westminster 511 Royal Avenue, New Westminster, BC V3L 1H9 p: 604-527-4536 e: carmanini@newwestcity.ca Stephen Au-Yeung, President Hope and District Chamber of Commerce PO Box 588, Hope, BC V0X 1L1 p: 604-249-1246 e: info@hopechamber.net Mark Bakken, Chief Administrative Officer Township of Langley 20338 - 65th Avenue, Langley, BC V2Y 3J1 p: 604-534-3211 e: mbakken@tol.ca Pietra Basilij, Sustainable Community Development Vancouver Economic Development Commission 1055 West Georgia Street, Suite 2480 Box 11102, Vancouver, BC V6E 3P3 p: 604-632-9668 e: pbasilij@vancouvereconomic.com

Bryan Buggey, Director, Strategic Initiatives & Sector Development Vancouver Economic Development Commission 1055 West Georgia Street, Suite 2480 Box 11102, Vancouver, BC V6E 3P3 p: 604-632-9668 e: bbuggey@vancouvereconomic.com Gary Buxton, General Manager of Development Services and Public Works District of Squamish 37955 Second Avenue, Squamish, BC V8B 0A3 p: 604-892-5217 e: gbuxton@squamish.ca Claire Campbell, Marketing/Branding Coordinator Vancouver Economic Development Commission 1055 West Georgia Street, Suite 2480 Box 11102, Vancouver, BC V6E 3P3 p: 604-632-9668 e: cwang@vancouvereconomic.com Susan Chapelle, Councillor District of Squamish 37955 Second Avenue, Squamish, BC V8B 0A3 p: 604-892-5217 e: schapelle@squamish.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 Lily Chen, Coordinator, Asia Pacific Centre Vancouver Economic Development Commission 1055 West Georgia Street, Suite 2480 Box 11102, Vancouver, BC V6E 3P3 p: 604-632-9668 e: lchen@vancouvereconomic.com Brian Coombes, President CEPCO 46093 Yale Road, Chilliwack, BC V2P 2L8 p: 604-792-7839 e: Coombes@ChilliwackPartners.com Stacey Crawford, Economic Development Coordinator District of Mission Unit B - 7337 Welton St, Mission, BC V2V 3X1 p: 604-820-3789 e: scrawford@mission.ca Courtney Crichton, Research & Engagement Strategist Vancouver Economic Development Commission 1055 West Georgia Street, Suite 2480 Box 11102, Vancouver, BC V6E 3P3 p: 604-632-9668 e: ccrichton@vancouvereconomic.com

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

Carly Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Ambrosie, Office Administrator Vancouver Economic Development Commission 1055 West Georgia Street, Suite 2480 Box 11102, Vancouver, BC V6E 3P3 p: 604-632-9668 e: cdambrosie@vancouvereconomic.com

Chris Bishop, Director of Development Services District of Squamish 37955 Second Avenue, Squamish, BC V8B 0A3 p: 604-892-5217 e: cbishop@squamish.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

Jason Blackman-Wulff, Councillor District of Squamish 37955 Second Avenue, Squamish, BC V8B 0A3 p: 604-892-5217 e: jblackman-wulff@squamish.ca

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

Christine Blair, Director, Corporate Administration Township of Langley 20338 - 65th Avenue, Langley, BC V2Y 3J1 p: 604-534-3211 e: cblair@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

Sandy Blue, Councillor City of Abbotsford 32315 South Fraser Way, Abbotsford, BC V2T 2W7 p: 604-851-4168 e: Sblue@abbotsford.ca

Wendy Dupley, Economic Development City of Abbotsford 32315 South Fraser Way, Abbotsford, BC V2T 2W7 p: 604-851-4167 e: wdupley@abbotsford.ca

Cheryl Britton, Manager - Administration CEPCO 201- 46093 Yale Rd, Chilliwack, BC V2P 2L8 p: 604-792-7839 e: britton@chilliwackpartners.com

Joan Elangovan, Director, Asia Pacific Centre Vancouver Economic Development Commission 1055 West Georgia Street, Suite 2480 Box 11102, Vancouver, BC V6E 3P3 p: 604-632-9668 e: jelangovan@vancouvereconomic.com

Erin Brocklehurst, Corporate Media Liaison Township of Langley 20338 - 65th Avenue, Langley, BC V2Y 3J1 p: 604-534-3211 e: ebrocklehurst@tol.ca

Sean Elbe, Sector Development Manager, Technology Vancouver Economic Development Commission 1055 West Georgia Street, Suite 2480 Box 11102, Vancouver, BC V6E 3P3 p: 604-632-9668 e: selbe@vancouvereconomic.com Karen Elliott, Councillor District of Squamish 37955 Second Avenue, 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 Brenda Fernie, Director Seyemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 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 Avenue, Squamish, BC V8B 0A3 p: 604-892-5217 e: sfoofat@squamish.ca Blair Fryer, Communications and Economic Development Manager City of New Westminster 511 Royal Avenue, New Westminster, BC V3L 1H9 p: 604-527-4688 e: bfryer@newwestcity.ca Valerie Gafka, Senior Manager, Corporate Adminstration Township of Langley 20338 - 65th Avenue, Langley, BC V2Y 3J1 p: 604-534-3211 e: vgafka@tol.ca

Colleen Hurzin, Economic Development Assistant City of Coquitlam 3000 Guildford Way, Coquitlam, BC V3B 7N2 p: 604-927-3905 e: churzin@coquitlam.ca 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 Delia Ke 791 Eyremount Drive, West Vancouver, BC V7S 2A3 e: kiarakey3@gmail.com Peter Kent, Councillor District of Squamish 37955 Second Avenue, Squamish, BC V8B 0A3 p: 604-892-5217 e: pkent@squamish.ca Andrea Khan, Economic Development Coordinator City of New Westminster 511 Royal Avenue, 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: 604-463-5221 e: akopystynski@mapleridge.ca

Cori Lynn Germiquet, CEO New Westminster Chamber of Commerce 201 - 309 6th Street, New Westminster, BC V3L 3A7 p: 604-521-7781 e: nwcc@newwestchamber.com

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

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

Neonila Lilova, Economic Development Manager City of Richmond 6911 No. 3 Road, Richmond, BC V6Y 2C1 p: 604-247-4934 e: economicdev@richmond.ca

Amanda Gleave, Film Liaison City of Coquitlam 3000 Guildford Way, Coquitlam, BC V3B 7N2 p: 604-927-3000 e: agleave@coquitlam.ca

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

Linda Glenday, Chief Administrative Officer District of Squamish 37955 Second Avenue, Squamish, BC V8B 0A3 p: 604-892-5217 e: lglenday@squamish.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

Michelle Graham, Administrative Assistant CEPCO 201- 46093 Yale Rd, Chilliwack, BC V2P 2L8 p: 604-792-7839 e: graham@chilliwackpartners.com

Andrea Madden, Economic Advisory Commissioner City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-467-7320 e: andrea@ridgemeadowschamber.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

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

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

Elyse Marlo, Administrative Assistant City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-467-7320 e: emarlo@mapleridge.ca

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

Patricia Heintzman, Mayor District of Squamish 37955 Second Avenue, Squamish, BC V8B 0A3 p: 604-892-5217 e: pheintzman@squamish.ca Paul Holden, President & CEO Burnaby Board of Trade 201-4555 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC V5H 4T8 p: 778-877-3605 e: paul@bbot.ca

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

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INVEST IN BC 2016 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

BC Economic Development Association

Sarah McJannet, Planner District of Squamish 37955 Second Avenue, Squamish, BC V8B 0A3 p: 604-892-5217 e: smcjannet@squamish.ca

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

Emily Taylor, Economic Development Coordinator City of Abbotsford 32315 South Fraser Way, Abbotsford, BC V2T 2W7 p: 604-864-5529 e: etaylor@abbotsford.ca

Ian McKay, CEO Vancouver Economic Development Commission 1055 West Georgia Street, Suite 2480 Box 11102, Vancouver, BC V6E 3P3 p: 604-632-9668 e: imckay@vancouvereconomic.com

Cory Redekop, Events Manager Burnaby Board of Trade 201-4555 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC V5H 4T8 p: 604-412-0100 e: cory@bbot.ca

Alice To, Film & Economic Initiatives Coordinator District of North Vancouver 355 West Queens Road, North Vancouver, BC V7N 4N5 p: 604-991-2241 e: aliceto@dnv.org

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

Katrina Tu, Manager, Marketing & Events Vancouver Economic Development Commission 1055 West Georgia Street, Suite 2480 Box 11102, Vancouver, BC V6E 3P3 p: 604-632-9668 e: ktu@vancouvereconomic.com

John McPherson, Sector Development Manager, Cleantech Vancouver Economic Development Commission 1055 West Georgia Street, Suite 2480 Box 11102, Vancouver, BC V6E 3P3 p: 604-632-9668 e: jmcpherson@vancouvereconomic.com 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: 604-851-4184 e: amitchell@abbotsford.ca

Jake Rudolph, Deputy City Manager City of Abbotsford 32315 South Fraser Way, Abbotsford, BC V2T 2W7 p: 604-853-2281 e: jrudolph@abbotsford.ca Marisol Sanchez, Membership Services Manager Burnaby Board of Trade 201-4555 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC V5H 4T8 p: 604-412-0100 e: marisol@bbot.ca Natalie Scopaz, Economic Development Coordinator District of Squamish 37955 Second Avenue, Squamish, BC V8B 0A3 p: 604-892-5217 e: nscopaz@squamish.ca

Eric Unmacht, Communications Strategist Vancouver Economic Development Commission 1055 West Georgia Street, Suite 2480 Box 11102, Vancouver, BC V6E 3P3 p: 604-632-9668 e: eunmacht@vancouvereconomic.com Tessa Vanderkop, Marketing Manager Burnaby Board of Trade 201-4555 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC V5H 4T8 p: 604-412-0100 e: tessa@bbot.ca

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

Juvarya Veltkamp, Manager, Green Economy Initiatives Vancouver Economic Development Commission 1055 West Georgia Street, Suite 2480 Box 11102, Vancouver, BC V6E 3P3 p: 604-632-9668 e: jwarsi@vancouvereconomic.com

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

Claire Wang, Manager of Finance Vancouver Economic Development Commission 1055 West Georgia Street, Suite 2480 Box 11102, Vancouver, BC V6E 3P3 p: 604-632-9668 e: cwang@vancouvereconomic.com

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

Stephanie Shortt, Economic Development Liason Bowen Island Municipality 981 Artisan Lane, Bowen Island, BC V0N 1G2 p: 604-947-4255 e: sshortt@bimbc.ca

Elaine Naisby, Planner District of Squamish 37955 Second Avenue, Squamish, BC V8B 0A3 p: 604-892-5217 e: enaisby@squamish.ca

Cathy Williams, Executive Assistant Vancouver Economic Development Commission 1055 West Georgia Street, Suite 2480 Box 11102, Vancouver, BC V6E 3P3 p: 604-632-9668 e: cwilliams@vancouvereconomic.com

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

Larry Orr, Manager, Business Services City of North Vancouver 141 West 14th Street, North Vancouver, BC V7M 1H9 p: 604-990-4221 e: lorr@cnv.org

Lino Siracusa, Economic Development Manager City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-467-7319 e: lsiracusa@mapleridge.ca

Tania Parisella, Director, Marketing & Research Vancouver Economic Development Commission 1055 West Georgia Street, Suite 2480 Box 11102, Vancouver, BC V6E 3P3 p: 604-632-9668 e: tparisella@vancouvereconomic.com

Craig Speirs, Councillor City of Maple Ridge 11995 Haney Place, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6A9 p: 604-463-5221 e: cspiers@mapleridge.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 Nancy Mott, Manager, Digital & Entertainment Vancouver Economic Development Commission 1055 West Georgia Street, Suite 2480 Box 11102, Vancouver, BC V6E 3P3 p: 604-632-9668 e: nmott@vancouvereconomic.com

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

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

Ted Prior, Councillor District of Squamish 37955 Second Avenue, Squamish, BC V8B 0A3 p: 604-892-5217 e: tprior@squamish.ca

Patrick Stafford-Smith, Chief Development Officer North Vancouver Chamber of Commerce 102-124 West First Street, North Vancouver, BC V7M 3N3 p: 604-987-4488 e: patrick@nvchamber.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

Randy Stoyko, General Manager of Business and Community Services District of Squamish 37955 - 2nd Avenue, Squamish, BC V8B 0A3 p: 604-815-5217 e: rstoyko@squamish.ca

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

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

James Raymond, Manager, Research & Analysis Vancouver Economic Development Commission 1055 West Georgia Street, Suite 2480 Box 11102, Vancouver, BC V6E 3P3 p: 604-632-9668 e: jraymond@vancouvereconomic.com

Netty Tam, Manager of Business Development CEPCO 201- 46093 Yale Rd, Chilliwack, BC V2P 2L8 p: 604-792-7839 e: info@chilliwackpartners.com

Kate Zanon, Director of Operations and Development Services City of Pitt Meadows 12007 Harris Road, Pitt Meadows, BC V3Y 2B5 p: 604-465-9481 e: kzanon@pittmeadows.bc.ca

NORTH COAST 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

Tanis Shedden, Community Economic Development Officer Central Coast Regional District PO Box 186, Bella Coola, BC V0T 1C0 p: 250-799-5291 e: cedo@ccrd-bc.ca Nelson Silveira, Economic Development Officer Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine 300 - 4545 Lazelle Avenue, Terrace, BC V8G 4E1 p: 250-615-6100 e: nelsons@rdks.bc.ca Paul Vendittelli, Economic Development Officer Prince Rupert Port Edward EDC 464 - 3rd Avenue West, Prince Rupert, BC V8J 1L7 p: 250-627-5138 e: paul.vendittelli@princerupert.ca

NORTH EAST Lori Ackerman, Mayor City of Fort St. John 10631 - 100 Street , Fort St. John, BC V1J 3Z5 p: 250-787-8160 e: lackerman@fortstjohn.ca Martina Bancroft, North Peace Coordinator North Peace Economic Development Commission 9505 100th St , Fort St. John, BC V1J 4N4 p: 250-785-5969 e: info@npedc.ca Carol Bishop, Chief Administrative Officer Village of Pouce Coupe PO Box 190; 5011 - 49 Ave., Pouce Coupe, BC V0C 2C0 p: 250-786-5794 e: cbishop@poucecoupe.ca 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 Street, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 3T5 p: 250-719-4868 e: kathleen@dawsoncreekchamber.ca Elaine Davis, Economic Development Assistant District of Chetwynd PO Box 357, Chetwynd, BC V0C 1J0 p: 250-401-4125 e: edavis@gochetwynd.com Paul Gevatkoff, Councillor City of Dawson Creek Box 150, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 4G4 p: 250-784-3600 e: pgevatkoff@dawsoncreek.ca

Darla Blake, Chief Administrative Officer Central Coast Regional District PO Box 186, Bella Coola, BC V0T 1C0 p: 250-799-5291 e: cao@ccrd-bc.ca

Mike Gilbert, Community Development Officer Northern Rockies Regional Municipality Bag Service 399 5319 - 50th Avenue South, Fort Nelson, BC V0C 1R0 p: 250-774-2541 Ext 2043 e: mgilbert@northernrockies.ca

Wendy Kingsley, Administrative Assistant Central Coast Regional District PO Box 186, Bella Coola, BC V0T 1C0 p: 250-799-5291 e: aa@ccrd-bc.ca

Moira Green, Economic Development Officer City of Fort St. John 10631 - 100 Street, Fort St. John, BC V1J 3Z5 p: 250-787-5787 e: mgreen@fortstjohn.ca

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

Colin Griffith, Director of Strategic Initiatives Northern Rockies Regional Municipality Bag Service 399 5319 - 50th Avenue South, Fort Nelson, BC V0C 1R0 p: 780-733-9054 e: cgriffith@northernrockies.ca

Bert Mercer, Economic Development Manger Nisgaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;a Nation 2000 Lisims Drive, P.O. Box 231, New Aiyansh, BC V0J 1A0 p: 250-633-3000 e: bertramm@nisgaa.net Danielle Myles, Economic Development Manager City of Terrace 5003 Graham Avenue, Terrace, BC V8G 1B3 p: 250-615-4030 e: dmyles@terrace.ca Tyler Noble, Business & Communications Officer District of Kitimat 270 City Centre, Kitimat, BC V8C 2H7 p: 250-635-8900 e: tnoble@kitimat.ca

Dianne Hunter, City Manager City of Fort St. John 10631 - 100 Street, Fort St. John, BC V1J 3Z5 p: 250-787-8150 e: dhunter@fortstjohn.ca Sue Kenny, General Manager Community Futures Peace Liard 904- 103 Avenue, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 2B7 p: 250-782-8748 e: skenny@communityfutures.biz

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Jaylene MacIver, Economic Development & Tourism Officer Northern Rockies Regional Municipality 5319 - 50th Avenue South, Bag Service 399, Fort Nelson, BC V0C 1R0 p: 250-774-2541 Ext 2040 e: jmaciver@northernrockies.ca Ellen McAvany, Economic Development Officer District of Chetwynd PO Box 357, Chetwynd, BC V0C 1J0 p: 250-401-4113 e: emcavany@gochetwynd.com 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 Laura Prosko, Director, Community Services, Economic Development and Tourism District of Taylor 10007 - 100 A Street, Taylor, BC V0C 2K0 p: 250-793-7321 e: lprosko@districtoftaylor.com Tonia Richter, Executive Director Chetwynd Chamber of Commerce PO 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 Street, Fort St. John, BC V1J 3Z5 p: 250-787-8150 e: krogers@fortstjohn.ca Cheryl Shuman, Councillor City of Dawson Creek Box 150, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 4G4 p: 250-784-3600 e: cshuman@dawsoncreek.ca Jack Stevenson, Director of Planning Northern Rockies Regional Municipality Bag Service 399 5319 - 50th Avenue 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 Avenue South,, Fort Nelson, BC V0C 1R0 p: 250-774-2541 Ext 2049 e: kvandersteen@northernrockies.ca

Debbie Arnott, General Manager Community Futures of Sun Country PO Box 1480, 203 Railway Avenue, Ashcroft, BC V0K 1A0 p: 250-453-9165 e: darnott@cfsun.ca

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

David Arsenault, General Manager Community Futures Thompson Country 230 - 301 Victoria Street, Kamloops, BC V2C 2A3 p: 250-828-8772 e: darsenault@communityfutures.net

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

Peter Aylen, Treasurer Venture Kamloops 297 1st Avenue, Kamloops, BC V2C 3J3 p: 250-828-6818 e: paylen@absorbentproductsltd.com

Kim Goodall e: mkgoodall@shaw.ca

James Baker, Mayor District of Lake Country 10150 Bottom Wood Lake Road, Lake Country, BC V4V 2M1 p: 250-766-6671 e: baker@lakecountry.bc.ca Lorianna Bennett, Director Venture Kamloops 297 1st Avenue, Kamloops, BC V2C 3J3 p: 250-828-6818 Rick Berrigan, Mayor Village of Chase PO Box 440, Chase, BC V0E 1M0 p: 250-679-3238 e: berrigan@telus.net Don Brogan, Board Chair Destination Osoyoos 8701 Main Street, Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-5070 e: dbrogan@walnutbeachresort.com Richard Brownlee, Director Venture Kamloops 297 1st Avenue, Kamloops, BC V2C 3J3 p: 250-828-6818 e: rdb4@telus.net Peter Bueschkens, Treasurer Destination Osoyoos 8701 Main Street, Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-5070 e: safari.g@telus.net Mike Campol, Director Destination Osoyoos 8701 Main Street, 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 Martin Connolly, Director Destination Osoyoos 8701 Main Street, Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-5070 e: mcvcg@telus.net Robyn Cyr, EDO/Film Commissioner Columbia Shuswap Regional District Box 978, 781 Marine Park Drive N/E, Salmon Arm, BC V1E 4P1 p: 250-832-8194 e: rcyr@csrd.bc.ca

Diana Waddington, Executive Assistant City of Fort St. John 10631 - 100 Street, Fort St. John, BC V1J 3Z5 p: 250-787-8150 e: dwaddington@fortstjohn.ca

Derek de Candole, Business Attraction Specialist Venture Kamloops 297 1st Avenue, Kamloops, BC V2C 3J3 p: 250-828-6818 e: derek@venturekamloops.com

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

Alberto De Feo, Chief Administrative Officer District of Lake Country 10150 Bottom Wood Lake Road, Lake Country, BC V4V 2M1 p: 250-766-6671 e: adefeo@lakecountry.bc.ca

Shaely Wilbur, Councillor City of Dawson Creek Box 150, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 4G4 p: 250-784-3600 e: swilbur@dawsoncreek.ca

Cindy Dueck, Office Manager Venture Kamloops 297 1st Avenue, Kamloops, BC V2C 3J3 p: 250-828-6818 e: cindy@venturekamloops.com

THOMPSON OKANAGAN

Nancy Egely, Councillor Village of Chase PO Box 440, Chase, BC V0E 1M0 p: 250-679-3238 e: nancy24@telus.net

Jim Anderson, Executive Director Venture Kamloops 297 1st Avenue, Kamloops, BC V2C 3J3 p: 250-828-6818 e: jim@ventureKamloops.com

Corie Griffiths, Manager Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission 1450 KLO Road, Kelowna, BC V1W 3Z4 p: 250-469-6234 e: cgriffiths@investkelowna.com Leslie Groulx, Chief Administrative Officer District of Clearwater Box 157, Clearwater, BC V0E1N0 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 Road, Penticton, BC V2A6G5 p: 250-493-2566 Ext 202 e: maryellen@cfokanagan.com Joni Heinrich, CAO Village of Chase PO Box 440, Chase, BC V0E 1M0 p: 250-679-3238 e: cao@chasebc.ca Bob Holden, Director Venture Kamloops 297 1st Avenue, 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 Chad Jensen, Director Destination Osoyoos 8701 Main Street, Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-5070 e: chad@socp.ca Jim King, Councillor Town of Osoyoos Box 3010, Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-6515 e: jking@osoyoos.ca Mark Koch, Director of Community Services District of Lake Country 10150 Bottom Wood Lake Road, Lake Country, BC V4V 2M1 p: 250-766-6671 e: mkoch@lakecountry.bc.ca Randy Lambright, Chief Administrative Officer District of Logan Lake 1 Opal Drive, Logan Lake, BC V0K 1W0 p: 250-523-6225 e: cao@loganlake.ca Tina Lange, Councillor City of Kamloops 8 Victoria Street West, Kamloops, BC V2C 1A3 p: 251-828-3311 e: tlange@kamloops.ca David Lepsoe, Councillor Village of Chase PO Box 440, Chase, BC V0E 1M0 p: 250-679-3238 e: david.lepsoe@chasebc.ca Calum Lloyd, Business Development Officer Community Futures Thompson Country 230 - 301 Victoria Street, Kamloops, BC V2C 2A3 p: 250-828-8772 e: clloyd@communityfutures.net Sherri-Lynne Madden, Services Coordinator Thompson Nicola Regional District 300 - 465 Victoria Street, Kamloops, BC V2C 2A9 p: 250-674-3530 e: smadden@tnrd.ca

Ali Maki, Councillor Village of Chase PO Box 440, Chase, BC V0E 1M0 p: 250-679-3238 e: alimaki.villageofchase@gmail.com Glenn Mandziuk, President & CEO Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association 2280-D Leckie Road, Kelowna, BC V1X 6G6 p: 250-860-5999 e: ceo@totabc.com Rob Marshall, Executive Director Community Futures Shuswap 101 - 160 Harbourfront Dr N.E., Salmon Arm, BC V1E 4P9 p: 250-803-0156 e: rmarshall@futureshuswap.com Jamie Mayes, Business Retention & Expansion Specialist Venture Kamloops 297 1st Avenue, Kamloops, BC V2C 3J3 p: 250-828-6818 e: jamie@venturekamloops.com Jamie McEwan, Community Development Manager District of Lake Country 10150 Bottom Wood Lake Road, Lake Country, BC V4V 2M1 p: 250-766-6671 e: jmcewan@lakecountry.bc.ca 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 Street, Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-5070 e: len@mcleanconstruction.ca Joanne Muirhead, Director Destination Osoyoos 8701 Main Street, Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-5070 e: ken.jo@telus.net Greg Munden, Director Venture Kamloops 297 1st Avenue, Kamloops, BC V2C 3J3 p: 250-828-6818 e: gmunden@mundentrucking.ca Patti Noonan, Executive Director Armstrong Spallumcheen Chamber of Commerce 3550 Bridge Street, Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0 p: 250-546-8155 e: manager@aschamber.com Colin O’Leary, Manager, Business Retention & Expansion Venture Kamloops 297 1st Avenue, Kamloops, BC V2C 3J3 p: 250-828-6818 e: colin@venturekamloops.com Mike O’Reilly, Manager, Business Attraction Venture Kamloops 297 1st Avenue, Kamloops, BC V2C 3J3 p: 250-828-6818 e: mike@venturekamloops.com Colleen Pennington, Economic Development City of Penticton 171 Main Street, Penticton, BC V2A 5A9 p: 250-493-3323 e: colleen.pennington@penticton.ca John Perrott, Business Development Officer City of West Kelowna 2760 Cameron Road, West Kelowna, BC V1Z 2T6 p: 778-797-2215 e: john.perrott@westkelownacity.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 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

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INVEST IN BC 2016 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

BC Economic Development Association

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

Pat Wallace, Councillor City of Kamloops 7 Victoria Street West, Kamloops, BC V2C 1A2 p: 251-828-3311 e: pwallace@kamloops.ca

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

Carol Youngberg, Director Destination Osoyoos 8701 Main Street, Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-5070 e: carol.osoyoos@gmail.com

Michelle Quail, Director Destination Osoyoos 8701 Main Street, Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-5070 e: mquail@ocubc.com

Carol Youngberg, Councillor Town of Osoyoos Box 3010, Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-6515 e: cyoungberg@osoyoos.ca

Rob Rausch, Vice Chair Destination Osoyoos 8701 Main Street, Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-5070 e: rob@wakepilot.com

John Zubak, Director Venture Kamloops 297 1st Avenue, Kamloops, BC V2C 3J3 p: 250-828-6818

C J Rhodes, Councillor Town of Osoyoos Box 3010, Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-6515 e: cjrhodes@osoyoos.ca

VANCOUVER ISLAND/COAST

Tammy Robertson, Business & Client Services City of Kamloops 10 Victoria Street West, Kamloops, BC V2C 1A5 p: 251-828-3311 e: trobertson@kamloops.ca Barry Romanko, CAO Town of Osoyoos Box 3010, Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-6515 e: bromanko@osoyoos.ca A.J. (Tony) Ryan, Director Venture Kamloops 297 1st Avenue, Kamloops, BC V2C 3J3 p: 250-828-6818 Lee Sapach, Director Destination Osoyoos 8701 Main Street, Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-5070 e: gm@golfosoyoos.com Paul Scanlon, Treasurer Destination Osoyoos 8701 Main Street, Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-5070 e: pscanlon@watermarkbeachresort.com Gail Scott, Managing Director Destination Osoyoos 8701 Main Street, Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0 p: 250-495-5070 e: gscott@destinationosoyoos.com Steve Scott, Councillor Village of Chase PO Box 440, Chase, BC V0E 1M0 p: 250-679-3238 e: stevescott23@yahoo.ca Reyna Seabrook, Corporate Services Manager District of Lake Country 10150 Bottom Wood Lake Road, 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 Lincoln Smith, Director Venture Kamloops 297 1st Avenue, Kamloops, BC V2C 3J3 p: 250-828-6818 e: lsmith@tru.ca Jerry Sucharyna e: jerrysucharyna@hotmail.com David Trawin, CAO City of Kamloops 9 Victoria Street West, Kamloops, BC V2C 1A4 p: 251-828-3311 e: dtrawin@kamloops.ca Valentina Trevino, Business Development Officer Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission 1450 KLO Road, Kelowna, BC V1W 3Z4 p: 250-469-6283 e: vtrevino@investkelowna.com

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 Street, Powell River, BC V8A 1V4 p: 604-485-6291 e: lyn@careerlinkbc.com Mark Anderson, Economic Development Committee City of Powell River 6910 Duncan Street, Powell River, BC V8A 1V4 p: 604-485-6291 e: markanderson19@shaw.ca Helena Bird, Economic Development Committee City of Powell River 6910 Duncan Street, Powell River, BC V8A 1V4 p: 604-485-6291 e: bird483@telus.net Ross Blackwell, Economic Development Commission Board Member Cowichan Region Economic Development Commission 135 Third Street, Duncan, BC V9L 1R9 p: 250-746-7880 e: rblackwell@cvrd.bc.ca Kim Burden, Executive Director Parksville & Dist. Chamber of Commerce PO Box 99, Station Main, Parksville, BC V9P 2G3 p: 250-248-3613 e: kim@parksvillechamber.com Lori Camire, Executive Director Community Futures Alberni Clayoquat 4757 Tebo Ave, Port Alberni, BC V9Y 8A9 p: 250-724-1241 e: lcamire@cfac.ca Marty Cattermole, Economic Development Committee City of Powell River 6910 Duncan Street, Powell River, BC V8A 1V4 p: 604-485-6291 e: marty.cattermole@firstcu.ca Matteus Clement, Economic Development Commission Board Member Cowichan Region Economic Development Commission 135 Third Street, Duncan, BC V9L 1R9 p: 250-746-7880 e: mclement@cvrd.bc.ca Jeff Cook, Chief in Council Huuayaht First Nations 3483 - Third Ave., Port Alberni, BC V9Y 4E4 p: 250-723-0100 e: jeff.c@huuayaht.org Pat Deakin, Economic Development Manager City of Port Alberni 4850 Argyle Street, Port Alberni, BC V9Y 1V8 p: 250-720-2527 e: patrick_deakin@portalberni.ca Dan Devita, Economic Development Committee City of Powell River 6910 Duncan Street, Powell River, BC V8A 1V4 p: 604-485-6291 e: dandevita@shaw.ca James Edwards, Executive Director Huuayaht First Nations 3483 - Third Ave., Port Alberni, BC V9Y 4E4 p: 250-723-0100 e: james.e@huuayaht.org

Glenn Farenholtz, Economic Development Commission Board Member Cowichan Region Economic Development Commission 135 Third Street, Duncan, BC V9L 1R9 p: 250-746-7880 e: glenn.farenholtz@gmail.com Dave Formosa, Mayor City of Powell River 6910 Duncan Street, Powell River, BC V8A 1V4 p: 604-485-6291 e: Davic83@gmail.com John Hankins, CEO Nanaimo Economic Development Corporation 104 Front Street, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5H7 p: 250-824-0152 e: john.hankins@investnanaimo.com Roger Hart, Economic Development Commission Board Member Cowichan Region Economic Development Commission 135 Third Street, Duncan, BC V9L 1R9 p: 250-746-7880 e: roger@island.net Blair Herbert, Vice-Chair, Economic Development Commission Cowichan Region Economic Development Commission 135 Third Street, Duncan, BC V9L 1R9 p: 250-746-7880 e: blairherbert@royallepage.ca John Jack, Councillor Huuayaht First Nations 3483 - Third Ave., Port Alberni, BC V9Y 4E4 p: 250-723-0100 e: john.j@huuayaht.org Russ Jenkins, Economic Development Commission Board Member Cowichan Region Economic Development Commission 135 Third Street, Duncan, BC V9L 1R9 p: 250-746-7880 e: russjenkins@telus.net Andrea Knowles, Media & Promotions Campbell River Community Economic Development 900 Alder Street, Campbell River, BC V9W 2PG p: 250-830-0411 Ext 4 e: andrea.knowles@campbellriver.ca Pam Krompocker, Executive Director Community Futures of Powell River 4717 Marine Ave. 2nd Avenue, Powell River, BC V8A 2L2 p: 604-485-7901 e: pam@prfutures.ca Amrit Manhas, Economic Development Officer Nanaimo Economic Development Corporation 104 Front Street, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5H7 p: 250-824-0156 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 Street, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5H7 p: 250-824-0151 e: peter.mcgee@investnanaimo.com Sean Melrose, Economic Development Committee City of Powell River 6910 Duncan Street, Powell River, BC V8A 1V4 p: 604-485-6291 e: sean.melrose@prcic.ca Judy Mills, Cowichan Valley Regional District Executive Assistant, Economic Development Dept.

135 Third Street, Duncan, BC V9L 1R9 p: 250-746-7880 e: jmills@cvrd.bc.ca David Morris, Economic Development Committee City of Powell River 6910 Duncan Street, Powell River, BC V8A 1V4 p: 604-485-6291 e: dgm_mcp@shawcable.com

Chris Nicholls, Executive Director Gibsons & District Chamber of Commerce PO Box 1190, Gibsons, BC V0N 1V0 p: 604-886-2325 e: exec@gibsonschamber.com Jim Palm, Councillor City of Powell River 6910 Duncan Street, 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 Street, Powell River, BC V8A 1V4 p: 604-485-6291 e: arlette.raaen@viu.ca Scott Randolph, Manager of Economic Development City of Powell River 6910 Duncan Street, 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 Street, Duncan, BC V9L 1R9 p: 250-746-7880 e: g.robbins@shaw.ca Sandra Russell, Communications Manager City of Colwood 3300 Wishart Rd, Colwood, BC V9C 1R1 p: 250-478-5999 e: srussell@colwood.ca Karen Skadsheim, Councillor City of Powell River 6910 Duncan Street, Powell River, BC V8A 1V4 p: 604-485-6291 e: kskadsheim@cdpr.bc.ca Rob Southcott, Councillor City of Powell River 6910 Duncan Street, Powell River, BC V8A 1V4 p: 604-485-6291 e: rsouthcott@cdpr.bc.ca Shawn Standley, Director of Economic Development Huuayaht First Nations 3483 - Third Ave., Port Alberni, BC V9Y 4E4 p: 250-723-0100 e: shawn.s@huuayaht.org Marsha Stanley, Economic Development Commission Board Member Cowichan Region Economic Development Commission 135 Third Street, Duncan, BC V9L 1R9 p: 250-746-7880 e: marsha.stanley@mnp.ca Ross Tennant, Economic Development Commission Board Member Cowichan Region Economic Development Commission 135 Third Street, 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 Street, 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 Street, Duncan, BC V9L 1R9 p: 250-746-7880 e: Warren.Weir@viu.ca Jay Yule, Economic Development Committee City of Powell River 6910 Duncan Street, Powell River, BC V8A 1V4 p: 604-485-6291 e: jay.yule@sd47.bc.ca Jason Zroback, Economic Development Committee City of Powell River 6910 Duncan Street, Powell River, BC V8A 1V4 p: 604-485-6291 e: jason@landquest.com

Northwest B.C.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy is brimming with opportunity thanks to more than $60 billion in major projects proposed in the region, ranging from LNG and mining to global cargo, transportation and clean energy initiatives.

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Maple Ridge

Alouette River Trail

It’s your time...

Work-life balance happens when you make the right choices.

When you find a great place for your business that’s also a great place to live. Start by choosing an exceptional community— one that balances growth and opportunities with lifestyle and affordability. Seek balance, not compromise.

Maple Ridge offers accessible and affordable commercial and industrial land with incentives for qualifying businesses.

Maple Ridge is more than a great place to start your business, it’s a place you’ll be proud to call home.

Make the right choice for your business and your family.

Contact the Economic Development Department at 604-467-7320 or invest@mapleridge.ca for more information.

Your Business. Your Future. Your Home.