Economic growth and environmental awareness are building demand for the copper used in clean technologies such as electric vehicles (EVs), solar and wind power. This global shift towards greener economies is stimulating growth in British Columbia’s mining industry. Here on Canada’s west coast, the mountains and river valleys hold minerals the world needs for technology, innovation and society’s transition to a lower carbon future.    Canada has the world’s 10th-largest copper reserves and production, and was the world’s eighth-largest producer in 2016. British Columbia produces over half ... continue reading

Are you an investor who dreams of owning and operating a winery? In British Columbia the opportunities are real, as is the potential to produce high quality, internationally competitive wines. Over the past 30 years, British Columbia’s wine sector has transformed from a virtual unknown to an internationally acclaimed industry with a reputation for excellence. British Columbia wines were first recognized on the global stage in the mid-1990s when Mission Hill Family Estate became the first B.C. winery to win the International Wine & Spirit Competition IWSC Avery Trophy for Best Chardonnay in the World'. Now, every ye... continue reading

A new decade has arrived with many individuals setting new business goals and intentions for 2020. With this in mind, and before glancing into the future, Trade and Invest BC is reflecting on some of the top success stories of 2019. One of many standouts in British Columbia’s business sector last year was technology and innovation. B.C. is home to world class clean technology companies and is home to a progressive and dynamic ICT industry. Innovation is on the rise with companies across sectors implementing new technologies to make their businesses more efficient and competitive. International companies establis... continue reading

Worldwide the frequency and scale of climate-related disasters have grown, alongside the economic damage they cause. When the future impacts of climate change have yet to be fully revealed, how can investors make an informed decision, assess potential climate-related risks and protect new foreign operations?   Climate resilience generally describes the ability to assess, anticipate, prepare for, minimize and recover from disasters. Governments play an important role in resilience planning.  British Columbia is the first Canadian province to officially adopt the United Nations’ Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk... continue reading

British Columbia is fostering a culture of scientific research and education, especially in the field of life sciences. It’s an environment which supports innovation and provides a depth of knowledge that leads to success.   Investors know the value of good research. Prior to making an investment, it is important to gather intelligence about companies, products, market demand and more to estimate the potential return on the investment. British Columbia’s life sciences sector benefits from state-of-the-art research institutions and numerous research centres which produce a strong labour pool, robust innovations ... continue reading

The world market is increasingly interested in clean, renewable and environmental transportation solutions, and British Columbia is working to meet global demands. Through the CleanBC climate action plan, Canada’s Western-most province is spurring innovation, stimulating economic growth and creating new investment opportunities. This is especially true for investors looking to hold environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) investments.   One sector where ESG opportunities are burgeoning in B.C. is green transportation. British Columbia has an abundance of affordable power, with over 98% of its electricity ... continue reading

British Columbia offers a unique blend of lifestyle advantages. The temperate climate, cosmopolitan cities, clean environment and a breadth of outdoor experiences provide a quality of life that draws people from around the world. Businesses say this is a key competitive advantage in recruiting and retaining top talent.   Investment decisions are often based on numbers related to taxes, incentives or other hard figures that help to translate into the highest return on investment for a business location. While British Columbia excels in those hard data categories, the numbers only tell part of the story of B.C.’s recru... continue reading

British Columbia may seem like a well-kept secret, but savvy investors are enjoying its many business advantages.   Why foreign investors choose B.C. is no mystery. International businesses face significant pressures when selecting a location for oversees operations. In an era of global uncertainty, rising trade tensions and forecasts for economic volatility, B.C. offers a stable, and world-class business environment.   B.C. has a reputation for its business friendly environment, with one of the world’s most open trading economies, a welcoming and supportive government, dependable legal system, competitive bus... continue reading

Quantum computing holds a very bright future because of its ability to solve complex problems that are currently beyond the capabilities of a traditional computer.   To harness B.C.’s growing global reputation as a leader in quantum computing, a new Quantum Algorithms Institute is being established at Simon Fraser University’s (SFU) Surrey campus. The institute is part of the B.C. government’s vision to promote the City of Surrey as a second Lower Mainland downtown and to build an innovation corridor that will drive economic growth and create good jobs and opportunity for people in Surrey and the Fraser ... continue reading

There are several thousand companies around the world in the virtual reality/augmented reality (VR/AR) space. Vancouver, British Columbia, is considered one of the top five VR/AR hubs in the world.   What has contributed to Vancouver’s prominence? While various factors come into play, talent and expertise provide the foundation: Vancouver’s VR/AR talent pool runs deep. With a long, firmly established history in film and gaming, Vancouver has benefited from the spin-off of this expertise into VR/AR, where the technologies used in creating visual effects and animation are complementary to creating immersive exper... continue reading