B.C – ZWWBusiness

B.C. coast seeing growth jump in ocean-related businesses

$8.1-million funding boost from Ottawa’s Pacific Economic Development Agency propels South Island’s Blue Economy into the future of marine technology.

Brandon Wright runs a company out of Oak Bay Marina that designs remote security and monitoring systems for vessels ranging from small sailing and pleasure craft to fisheries and police boats and Canadian warships.

Barnacle Systems Inc. produces the software and hardware to monitor location, cabin status and engine conditions. In more detailed applications, the software can monitor the vital signs of the ship’s operators.

“We’re installed on the RCMP boats, DFO fisheries, search and rescue vessels and big in special forces and the Royal Canadian Navy,” said Wright, who employs 15 people and sells the systems into 40 countries. “We can pull in engine and camera data, environmental data. It gets the whole health of the boat.

“We can also tie in biometric data [through cameras and sensors] so we can understand the stress of the people on the boat that can measure skin temperature and moisture, so someone like special forces can understand during events how stressed they may actually be.”

Wright, a UVic grad, started developing surveillance systems after working for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency and U.S. Air Force.

Barnacle Systems is an example of the region’s deep talent pool and massive potential in the so-called Blue Economy, where research and development is spawning innovation by startup companies in transportation, food, environmental protection and other sectors associated with the ocean.

On Tuesday, the South Island Prosperity Partnership, received $3 million in funding from Ottawa’s Pacific Economic Development Agency to support the ocean and marine technology sectors as well as First Nations groups who are doing ocean monitoring and conservation.

Minister Harjit Sajjan announced a total of $8.1 million in funds that will also support $1.9 million for two projects at the University of Victoria and $820,000 to the Association of British Columbia Marine Industries.

Emilie de Rosenroll, chief executive of the South Island Prosperity Partnership, said the funds will support the development of a marine innovation network and training hub through COAST, the blue economy arm of SIPP dedicated to expanding B.C.’s rapidly growing marine technology sectors. The funding will also expand Indigenous entrepreneurship and the exploration of economic opportunities involving SIPP’s Indigenous-led arm, the Indigenous Prosperity Centre.

SIPP, founded in 2016, has about 70 member organizations including municipal and First Nations governments, industry associations and

Small Business BC receives over $3.6 million to help grow small businesses beyond B.C.

The Government of Canada is making investments to champion small businesses and support their export journey

VANCOUVER, BC, June 2, 2023 /CNW/ – British Columbia’s small businesses are the heart of our communities and the economic engine of our province. To continue fueling the entrepreneurial spirit of British Columbians, the Government of Canada is making investments to support more small businesses in B.C. and introduce them to the world.

Small Business BC receives over $3.6 million to help grow small businesses beyond B.C. (CNW Group/Pacific Economic Development Canada)

Today at the 20^th annual Small Business BC Awards, the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada (PacifiCan), announced PacifiCan funding of $3.65M to help Small Business BC celebrate entrepreneurs and increase the export capacity of small businesses across the province.

An investment of $3.6M over three years will help Small Business BC renew and expand the Export Navigator program to reach more people across B.C. Export Navigator is a free service that helps small businesses become export ready. A network of community-based export advisors provide one-on-one advice that can help small business owners tap into new international markets. With this funding, Small Business BC will expand the program to the Lower Mainland, Greater Victoria, and the Sea-to-Sky Region, so that entrepreneurs in all parts of the province can now access Export Navigator. Small Business BC will also enhance the program’s support for Indigenous entrepreneurs.

Since 2016, nearly 900 B.C. businesses, including those owned by Indigenous, women and youth entrepreneurs, have benefited from the program. The expanded geographic coverage will also help more under-represented business owners, many of whom live in urban areas, access the Export Navigator program and reach new markets. PacifiCan has been a proud supporter of Export Navigator since 2019.

The remaining $50,000 will support the 20^th annual Small Business BC Awards, Western Canada’s largest awards competition dedicated to small businesses. Small Business BC’s marquee celebration recognizes hard-working and resilient entrepreneurs in B.C. that contribute to the rich economic diversity across the province.

Quotes

“Entrepreneurs in B.C. are creating Canadian-made innovations that have a global impact, but it can be challenging to access bigger international markets. Export Navigator helps overcome barriers by providing customized support for small businesses looking to expand to new markets. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and

Former B.C. premier John Horgan joins board of coal business

Former B.C. Premier John Horgan in Ottawa on Nov. 15, 2022.Dave Chan/The Globe and Mail

Former British Columbia premier John Horgan is taking a job in the coal industry, and says he is not worried about the criticism the move may draw.

Mr. Horgan, who before becoming premier was the B.C. New Democrats’ mining and energy critic, is joining the board of Elk Valley Resources, an enterprise that is in the process of being spun off from Vancouver-based Teck Resources Ltd. The new business will focus on producing coal used to make steel.

It’s a corporate turn for Mr. Horgan. Prior to stepping down as party leader last year, he had a major national profile as one of only a few New Democrats to have headed governments recently. He was also chair of the Council of the Federation, a group of premiers and territorial leaders who were making the case for the federal government to increase health care funding.

“I’ve got other things that I am going to be working on that may be more to the taste of those who would kick up some dust, but the people that are kicking up dust, oftentimes, kick it up for the sake of kicking it up,” Mr. Horgan said in an interview.

“I don’t have a lot of time any more, none in fact, for public comment on my world view, or what I am doing with my time. I don’t want to be snippy about it, but there are others that are making policy decisions.”

Mr. Horgan, 64, was premier from 2017 until this past November. He was the first B.C. New Democrat to win two terms in the role. Former attorney-general David Eby succeeded him as provincial NDP leader and Premier.

Mr. Horgan remained an MLA until Friday, when he officially resigned his seat in the B.C. legislature. He represented a Victoria-area riding.

He conceded there may be a “knee-jerk” reaction to his move to coal, but he noted there’s a difference between coal used to make electricity and coal used for metallurgy. While there are better ways to generate electricity, he said, there are not yet better ways to make steel.

In his new role, he said, he will be making sure that the company is meeting its obligations to workers, to First Nations, to the environment and to shareholders.

After enduring treatments for cancer, Mr. Horgan,