Smart cities are urban areas that collect information from citizens and devices to create efficiencies and improve sustainability in traffic, waste management, hospitals and other community services. In the small town of Fujisawa, Japan, all of its houses are equipped with solar panels and fuel generators. This gives the town the ability to function off the grid for up to three days. Closer to home, the city of Vancouver uses a technology known as “The Dashboard” to organize the data from the thousands of emails and calls the city receives to better prioritize which issues need immediate attention. Being able to use d... continue reading

Animal companionship is highly valued for both urban and rural lifestyles, where pets are commonly seen as family members. In Asia, the rapidly growing middle class is leading an incredible growth in the pet industry. This presents an export opportunity for British Columbia companies that specialize in premium pet products. The Canadian federal government, in partnership with British Columbia and Alberta, is organizing a Canadian pavilion at the K-Pet Fair (Nov. 23-25, 2018), the largest pet food and product industry exhibition in South Korea. The British Columbia trade and investment representative office in Seoul will support ... continue reading

British Columbia exported a record-breaking $3.9 billion worth of agrifood and seafood products to 157 markets in 2017. Canada and British Columbia governments are now helping food producers and processors increase exports to other parts of Canada and around the globe through the $5-million B.C. Agrifood and Seafood Market Development Program.   The B.C. Agrifood and Seafood Market Development Program provides federal and provincial government cost-shared funding support for B.C.’s agriculture, food and seafood sectors to undertake domestic and international export market development projects and activities. The prog... continue reading