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Major Projects in British Columbia

SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES

Vancouver Agreement

The Government of Canada has partnered with the Province of B.C. to provide $20 million to the Vancouver Agreement to support revitalization of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside through economic and social investments. The Vancouver Agreement is a five-year collaboration involving the federal, provincial and municipal governments. Signed in March 2000, the agreement focuses on community health and safety, economic and social development and community capacity building. Through the Agreement, many projects are being carried out to promote sustainable socio-economic development in Vancouver's inner city neighbourhood of the Downtown Eastside.

Canada-British Columbia Infrastructure Program

The Canada-British Columbia Infrastructure Program, a joint initiative between the federal and provincial governments, has approved funding for 289 infrastructure projects, with total investments to date totalling nearly $836 million, including more than $514 million from the federal and provincial governments. Project proponents contributed the remaining funds. At least 75 per cent of the program's funding is being directed toward "green" projects – water and wastewater systems, water management, and capital expenditures to retrofit or improve the energy efficiency of local government buildings and facilities. Other funding is being directed to community projects such as cultural and recreational facilities, infrastructure to support tourism, rural and remote telecommunications, high-speed Internet access for public institutions and local transportation.

Sustainable Condo

Western Economic Diversification Canada contributed more than $300,000 to build a prototype of a Sustainable Condo, which illustrates and promotes sustainable building design, products, technologies and systems. It features leading edge green building concepts that reduce environmental impacts and resource consumption, and includes dozens of energy saving appliances and devices. The prototype was first exhibited in Vancouver at Globe 2004, an international conference on the environment, and is intended to serve as the first prototype for the 2010 Olympic village. This concept design will contribute to the first green development in Vancouver's South-East False Creek.

INNOVATION

Genomics Research

Western Economic Diversification Canada has assisted the British Columbia Cancer Foundation to purchase additional genomics research equipment for use at the affiliated Michael Smith Genome Science Centre in Vancouver. This equipment will help the Centre increase its DNA sequencing and mapping capacity to develop better diagnostics and therapies for cancer and other diseases. Equipment purchased with Western Economic Diversification Canada funding will also reduce relative operation costs, better support genomics research projects and support sustainable development of life sciences in Western Canada. The B.C. Cancer Agency also received funding for its Technology Development Office, which works closely with researchers to develop and commercialize promising discoveries. There are significant global opportunities for marketing cancer research and technology. The Technology Development Office will capitalize on these opportunities to generate the funds necessary to advance current cancer research.

Tumour Tissue Repository

With the help of $1.8 million from Western Economic Diversification Canada, the B.C. Cancer Agency's research facility in Victoria is the site of the Tumour Tissue Repository, a unique resource that is revolutionizing the way scientists around the world are able to study and treat cancer. For the past five decades, treatment and outcome data for every person diagnosed with cancer in British Columbia has been compiled and recorded in the Cancer Agency's data bank. Such a large sample of information is allowing researchers to begin to see how genetic variables influence the outcome of cancer treatment.

Fuel Cells Canada

Fuels Cells Canada is a non-profit industry organization created by public and private sector partners to foster industry growth in Canada and the West. Western Economic Diversification Canada has contributed nearly $1 million over three years. This is in addition to $12.2 million that was invested through a federal/provincial partnership in a number of demonstration projects. As well, the University of Victoria's Institute for Integrated Energy Systems received funding from Western Economic Diversification Canada to purchase equipment such as advanced instrumentation for testing and measurements in fuel cells, state-of-the-art high-pressure composite cylinders to store hydrogen and a hydrogen compressor. In addition, through the Western Economic Partnership Agreement for fuel cell research, Western Economic Diversification Canada has provided funding for fuel cell research, including testing and evaluating the next generation of fuel cell bus engines.

Science World Society

Vancouver-based Science World is a non-profit organization that promotes public education in science and technology. Its exhibits, workshops, films, science shows and community outreach programs reach more than 600,000 children and their families annually. Since 2001, Western Economic Diversification Canada has assisted Science World with more than $2 million for ReGeneration, Science World's five-year, $20 million restoration program. This funding has enabled Science World to open Kidspace, a gallery for two to six year olds, a state-of-the-art theatre called the Weyerhaeuser Science Theatre and a major new gallery on sustainable communities called Our World. With this funding, Science World has also done major renovations to Eureka!, the main gallery focussing on the physical sciences.

Neil Squire Foundation

The Neil Squire Foundation is a non-profit society whose members, employees and volunteers work to enhance the daily lives of adults with severe physical disabilities, seniors, and people recovering from illness or injury. Its focus is to research and create devices, technologies and products that facilitate and improve the quality of life for these individuals. Western Economic Diversification Canada has funded the Foundation's Research and Development Group to help implement a strategic business plan for a centre of excellence in enabling technology. These funds will also enhance network opportunities for the centre of excellence and explore the marketability of enabling technologies.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Shedding Light On B.C.'s Export Market

Western Economic Diversification Canada and the British Columbia government partnered to provide funding to Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters to produce a profile of B.C.'s small and medium exporters. This study enables business and government alike to obtain insights into current exporting trends and priorities and help provide direction towards future economic growth and prosperity in B.C.

Rising Tide Micro-loan Initiative

Western Economic Diversification Canada has provided $500,000 over three years towards the Coast Capital Savings Rising Tide micro-loan initiative. Through the partnership of the federal government and the Coast Capital Savings credit union, this micro-loan initiative will allow easier access to financing for small businesses. Rising Tide loans are available for community initiatives and small business ventures that do not qualify for conventional credit. Through this micro-loan fund, Coast Capital Savings provides technical assistance and loans up to $35,000 to qualified clients that can present a financially viable business plan and show a contribution to the social and economic stability of the community. This micro-loan initiative helps address the needs of small and medium-sized businesses and supports the generation of new jobs.

Advice and Business Loans for Entrepreneurs with Disabilities

The Advice and Business Loans for Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Program is funded by Western Economic Diversification Canada and enables VanCity and Coast Capital Savings credit unions to increase loans and provide business advice to entrepreneurs with disabilities . This program improves access to business services and other support mechanisms to entrepreneurs with disabilities who are thinking of starting or expanding a small business.

B.C. Ventures Society

Western Economic Diversification Canada is assisting the B.C. Ventures Society with their annual New Ventures B.C. competition. The competition is designed to support B.C.'s emerging technology industry by providing very early stage entrepreneurs with business basics. New entrepreneurs can enter the business plan competition and can access seminars by business, legal, government and marketing professionals, network with experts, mentors and innovators and gain help to commercialize technology and service ideas.

Gateway to Asia

An innovative partnership between Western Economic Diversification Canada and United Chinese Community Enrichment Services Society (SUCCESS) created Gateway to Asia, a project aimed at developing new Asian markets for Canadian goods and services. Gateway to Asia is a unique initiative that brings together Asian-Canadian exporters who want to develop new markets in their former homeland with trade organizations and Canadian suppliers. It aims to increase the number of B.C. businesses exporting to China and other regions of Asia, the volume of export sales from B.C., and the number of new products and services tailored to the Asian market.

Community Futures Development Corporations

Western Economic Diversification Canada provides funding to 34 Community Futures Development Corporation offices across British Columbia. Community Futures advance local entrepreneurship and promote, coordinate and implement a variety of community development initiatives within their respective regions . They also offer business counselling , loan programs and business information to community members interested in starting or expanding their own businesses.