Whether seeking fresh investment opportunities, a diversified portfolio or low operating costs and taxes, it’s time for US investors to cast their attention across the border – and the first step is downloading the Vancouver Cross-Border Investment Guide.

While both business and consumer markets for “sustainability” and “green” products and services have steadily grown year-over-year, a green business also refers to enterprises with low-carbon or even zero-emission operations. VEC just renewed our Climate Smart certification for 2020, and we're taking a moment to celebrate this with a quick explainer of what it means, and share some tools available to businesses getting ready to embark on a similar journey.

Throughout the month of October, Vancity and the Vancouver Economic Commission co-hosted a three-part series on Vancouver’s growing circular economy. Titled Success and Opportunity in Vancouver’s Circular Economy, the webinars highlighted key local organizations and businesses leading the way, convened businesses and community support for circularity, with presenters making the case for new circular ventures and for existing businesses to transition to circular practices.

VEC’s new Economy Report strives to apply 21st-century economics to real-world issues in Vancouver and beyond. Read the October 2020 issue today for a look into how Vancouver’s economy is performing, as seen through key statistics and global rankings curated by our research team.

More than 1,500 jurisdictions around the globe – mostly cities – have declared a climate emergency, signaling the global concern about the climate crisis and the need for accelerated, coordinated and innovative action to forge a path forward. Addressing this crisis could unlock lucrative opportunities for businesses and form another cornerstone of the strong foundation necessary for economic recovery from the pandemic.

Despite massive strides made over the last several decades in the fight for gender equality, the research is clear: women still make less than men. When Unbounce realized they were also dealing with a gender wage disparity, they took immediate steps to close the gap, and spent the next two years developing systems and processes to reduce the chances of it happening again. Now, they’ve launched Pay Up for Progress, an initiative that shares learnings and aims to inspire other companies to follow suit.

Understanding Risk BC 2020 is an online, collaborative symposium and event series that fosters place-based risk reduction strategies to proactively enhance resilience and improve disaster recovery pathways in BC. On September 22, leading practitioners and researchers from across the region will gather for a Vancouver Economic Commission-moderated panel.

Vancouver’s virtual, augmented and extended reality (VR/AR/XR) industry is accelerating at an unprecedented rate, as the local and global technology landscape evolves towards rich, intuitive and immersive experiences.

Vancouver Economic Commission’s Bryan Buggey explains why COVID-19 should inspire a clean reset at Business in Vancouver’s 30 Ideas in 30 Minutes Digital Salon, aired August 25, 2020.

First Nations Technology Council (“Technology Council”) CEO Denise Williams sat down remotely with Information and Communications Technology Council analyst Faun Rice to talk about the impact COVID-19 has had on Indigenous peoples living in BC. Immediate impacts on First Nations communities extend far beyond the ability to work remotely and include access to education, healthcare, and benefits.

The $170 billion industry employees some 1.4 million people in every community and city across the country. And yet, there remains room for improvement in this mainstay industry – arguably one of our oldest and one of our most traditional.

Digital health is skyrocketing with the lockdowns and physical distancing necessitated by the global pandemic. Dr. Chandana Unnithan with Lifeguard Digital Health, a Vancouver-based medical technology manufacturer, dives into the importance of healthcare technology.

Creative technology is flourishing in Vancouver and BC, and lockdowns resulting from the global pandemic have facilitated an even greater surge in consumption. Brenda Bailey, executive director of DigiBC, discusses the creative industry’s evolution, current challenges and future prospects.

Working with a team of BCIT Sustainable Business Leadership Students, Adam Corneil and George Benson, VEC’s Sector Manager for the Built Environment, have now completed a study on the potential value of deconstructed and salvaged materials across the whole of Metro Vancouver.

Under Phase 3 of the BC Restart Plan, motion picture and television production has been given the green light to resume, albeit with restrictions that ensure the ongoing safety of cast, crew, suppliers and other workers.

You may have that noticed the Vancouver Economic Commission website and social media channels have switched over to a refreshed brand identity system.