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Agriculture and Seafood

The broad geography and climate of B.C. enables us to produce an impressive number of food products. British Columbians are proud of the over 200 agriculture commodities and 100 seafood species we harvest. In addition, B.C. has more than 1,500 businesses that produce foods and beverages ranging from breakfast cereal to wine to nutraceuticals.

Green economy

• In total, green and local food jobs in Vancouver increased from 16,700 jobs in 2010 to 20,000 jobs in 2013, an increase of 19 per cent over the three-year period (6 per cent CAGR).
• Based on employment estimates for Vancouver, green and local food jobs represent roughly 4.9 percent of all jobs in Vancouver, increasing from 4.2 percent of jobs in 2010.
• Local food is the largest subsector of Vancouver’s green economy. Success has been driven by strong demand from consumers, public sector procurement policies and new supply sources. By way of example, today’s greatly expanded network of local farmers’ markets now provides a $15 million benefit to the local economy, a significant jump over sales in 1994, the first year of operation, when markets earned $40,000 over 11 weeks.
• Green building design and construction is the second-largest sector. Influences on this sector include green building policy and international demand for local expertise, as well as new technology. Rezoning regulations that went into effect in 2010 led to a 56 per cent increase in LEED-certified projects in the period 18 months before and after the regulation came online.
• 25% of Canada’s cleantech companies are based in Vancouver. Many of these cleantech companies are active in export markets, including wastewater treatment specialist BioteQ Environmental Technologies, renewable biofuel leader Nexterra Systems Corp., and advanced natural gas engine-maker Westport Innovations.

Natural resources

Vancouver has deep ties to the natural resource industries. Some 1,200 mineral exploration companies are located in esource-abundant British Columbia, with approximately 800 headquartered in Vancouver. They include Teck Resources Limited and Goldcorp Inc., two of the world’s largest mining companies. Similarly, two-thirds of the province’s largest forestry companies are headquartered here. BC is one of the world’s largest exporters of wood products, with investment opportunities in mills, forestry operations, value-added wood products and biofuels. Almost 60 per cent of the province’s land base is productive forest land, providing rich, diverse, and abundant wood fibre. The forest industry represents 3 per cent of the province’s GDP, and contributes 150,000 jobs in direct and indirect employment.

Life Sciences

In BC, the life sciences industry includes approximately 310 companies involved in biopharmaceuticals, medical devices, bioproducts and bioenergy, and the greater life sciences. The sector employs about 14,000 people, generating more than $800 million per year in revenues and with a total estimated impact of $1.03 billion on the province’s GDP. The industry has proven especially successful in translating commercially promising health research into new treatments that are improving patient outcomes and saving lives.

Metro Vancouver is home to about 70 per cent of British Columbia’s life sciences industry — and highly regarded as a centre of excellence in biopharmaceuticals. Vancouver’s UBC–Broadway Corridor is fast becoming a world-class life sciences cluster thanks to a growing concentration of industry facilities.

In Metro Vancouver, world-renowned research is being conducted in four specific life sciences areas: oncology research; infectious diseases, including a focus on HIV, SARS and prions; neuroscience research; and regenerative medicine.

The industry includes a strong complement of established and next-generation firms such as STEMCELL Technologies and Amgen’s BC-based subsidiary.

IT, video Game and digital media industry

• ‍75,000 professionals work in Tech & ICT in Vancouver, three-quarters of the total for BC
• Vancouver’s startups received a record $583m of investment in 2014
• Vancouver is the home of 3 of Canada's 5 'unicorns'; Slack, Avigilon and Hootsuite
• The Tech industry in BC is growing by 6% per year
• The Tech industry in BC pays 66% more than the average wage
• The median tech wage in Vancouver is $85,000 (Source HR Tech Group Survey 2015)