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Climate Smart, carbon offsets, and other green business tools for 2021
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. -
Invitation to Project Zero & a recap of Vancouver circular economy webinar series
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. -
What Vancouver’s Next Era of Climate Action Means for Business
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. -
Low-Carbon Resilience in Buildings: Must-read Resources from Understanding Risk 2020
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. -
From Waste to Wealth – Vancouver’s Deconstruction Economy Potential
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. -
Why the call for a global clean restart?
COVID-19 may have caught the world by surprise, but the climate crisis has been predicted for decades. Can we act now to “flatten the curve” on climate change? -
SPUD’s “Stay Home” Program is a Model of Economic Resilience
Vancouver-based grocery delivery service SPUD has introduced the “Stay Home” program to support at-risk individuals, frontline workers, the elderly and others facing difficulties accessing vital nutrition during the global pandemic. -
Looking Back at GLOBE 2020
“2050 is a single mortgage away.” These simple yet evocative words from author David Wallace Wells set the tone for the 30th annual GLOBE Conference, the world’s longest-running sustainable... -
Six Sustainability Initiatives We Need to Implement in Vancouver
The C40 World Mayors Summit, held in Copenhagen this past October, welcomed political and business leaders from 94 cities around the world, all sharing one imperative goal: identify and implement systemic changes that will halt and reverse the damaging effects of climate change. -
Environmental Activist David Wallace-Wells Will Keynote GLOBE 2020
At GLOBE 2020, thousands of corporate leaders, all levels of government, NGOs, technology innovators and strategic investors will convene to identify climate solutions, act on clean economy opportunities and seek inspiration from environmental trailblazers like David Wallace-Wells, whose keynote promises to shake up the status quo, drastically shift perspectives and spark the urgency required to make radical change. -
Radical Change Requires Radical Action: Inside the C40 World Mayors Summit
Political and business leaders from around the world convened in Copenhagen this past October for the C40 World Mayors Summit, where urgency and excitement fueled heated discussions about the need to take immediate and drastic action to win the battle against climate change. -
VEC Partners with Sustainable Production Forum 2019
VEC's Meg O'Shea hosted two workshops at the 4th annual Sustainable Production Forum. She was joined by government and industry experts to discuss the future of fleet transportation and the critical path to zero emission vehicles in the film industry. -
In Solidarity with #GlobalClimateStrike
On September 27, an estimated 15,000 people are expected at the Vancouver #GlobalClimateStrike , and we will walk out of our office to join them, adding our voices in solidarity and respect for the leadership of our young people, our peers, and our elders. -
Foresight wins RFP, joins VEC & regional partners to deliver Tech Deployment Network
The Vancouver Economic Commission is pleased to announce that we have selected Foresight Cleantech Accelerator Centre (Foresight) to assist in the activation and expansion of VEC’s Tech Deployment Network (TDN), following a competitive bid. -
Government of Canada invests in BC’s growing digital and clean technology sectors
British Columbia’s digital and clean technology sectors are ripe for investment that will stimulate innovation, business development, and job growth in new markets. That’s why Western Economic Diversification Canada announced new funding for two projects led by the Vancouver Economic Commission. -
Retooled Capital Mentorship Program provides valuable training opportunity for startups
Brought to you by the Vancouver Economic Commission (VEC) and Spring, Discovery Foundation’s Capital Mentorship Program returns in 2019, featuring robust new content and a better startup experience than ever. -
New TransLink and VEC Partnership to Showcase Green, Digital Ideas on Transit
TransLink and the Vancouver Economic Commission (VEC) today formalized an agreement allowing local and international organizations to showcase green and digital technologies and services on TransLink assets. -
Leveraging the Green Building Boom
Between the Vancouver Zero Emissions Building Bylaw and the regional adoption of the BC Energy Step Code, a total of $3.3 billion in high-performance building systems and materials will be needed for buildings in the Lower Mainland to meet these two policies. -
VEC forecasts $3.3B demand for greener buildings in Metro Vancouver
Today, the Vancouver Economic Commission launched a report quantifying the potential economic impact of the BC Energy Step Code (ESC) in Metro Vancouver, identifying a $3.3 billion market opportunity resulting from materials and manufacturing for newly constructed buildings to meet ESC energy requirements between 2019–2032. -
Cooking with Potential: An Interview with Alexa Pitoulis and Goodly Foods
Goodly Foods is a social impact enterprise that takes unsellable produce from local suppliers and turns them into delicious soups and sauces, creating living-wage opportunities for people with barriers to traditional employment.