- Business in Vancouver

While this stage of the North American trade war has been settled we might have won the battle but not the global trade war.  U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs on Canadian imports  are expected to be removed along with the retaliatory tariffs imposed by Canada. However, the tariff […]

After nearly a year long trade war with our neighbours to the south, the white flags have been raised on both sides the boarder and a cease fire has been struck. The tariffs imposed by the U.S last June on steel and aluminum products imported from Canada of 25% and 10% respectively are expected to […]

British Columbians put in orders for an estimated 1,300 electric vehicles in a span of just two weeks, according to Blair Qualey, CEO of the New Car Dealers Association of BC. To put that in context, a total of 3,270 EVs and hybrids sold in B.C. for the entire year in 2017, according to […]

Finding efficiencies in duplicated northern bus services remains under discussion for B.C.’s Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure and the Northern Health Authority, Minister Claire Trevena says.   “We continue to talk with Northern Health to ensure we are being cost […]

A Utah-registered limited liability company and a Colorado man are suing Frederick and Thomas Sharp and several companies they control, claiming the pair aided a business associate in avoiding a $9.3 million court judgment by using “sham foundations” and shell companies to transfer and […]

I couldn’t stifle the laughter when the defence team for Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou said it was requesting documents under the federal Access to Information Act to fight her extradition. I can only hope for her sake that the renovation of her $10 million Shaugnessy home will be […]

April brought no joy for the real estate sector as the housing market recession in the Lower Mainland deepened. Multiple Listing Service home sales in the combined Metro Vancouver and Abbotsford-Mission area reached 3,158 units, marking a 25.5% decline from a year ago and the lowest same-month […]

How do you protect your brand in a world where it is one viral tweet away from a potential disaster? With this book list, selected by Vancouver Public Library’s experts, learn how to avoid branding calamities, or how to rebuild after one. Plus, read about other people’s epic mistakes to […]

Conflict over Canada’s detainment of Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. CFO Meng Wanzhou has brought repeated calls in government, trade promotion and academic circles for Canada and B.C. businesses to divert trade away from the Chinese market. But for B.C.’s forestry-products sector – […]

What happened: Vancouver will soon be one of a select number of cities handling disputes over domain names such as .com or .org Why it matters: The new designation is poised to boost Vancouver’s reputation for international arbitration Disputes over domain names featuring .ca are old hat […]

What happened: Alternating rounds of export tariff increases between the U.S. and China are poised to hike prices for consumers while potentially cutting into corporate profits, thereby slowing the global economy. Why this matters: B.C. exporters would likely be pummelled if the global economy […]

Clerk of the Legislative Assembly of B.C. Craig James has retired and reached a “non-financial settlement” with the B.C. government following findings of misconduct, House Leader Mike Farnworth announced Thursday (May 16). It’s unclear if that settlement addresses a one-year, or […]

Each week, BIV staff will share with you some of the interesting stories we have found from around the web. Mark Falkenberg, deputy managing editor: Robert Lighthizer, chief U.S. negotiator of the so-called United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement – as a trade agreement name it calls to mind […]

What happened: Vancouver-based software firm secures US$71-million investment Why it matters: Growth capital comes as the company has more than doubled its headcount since the beginning of last year A Vancouver-based B2B software firm has its eye on strategic acquisitions and boosting research […]

Langley-based cannabis producer Blissco Cannabis Corp. (CSE:BLIS) has reached a definitive agreement to sell itself to Toronto’s Supreme Cannabis Co. Inc. (TSX:FIRE) for $48 million, the companies announced May 16. Blissco founder and CEO Damian Kettlewell, who plans to stay with the […]

What happened: New report concludes feuding B.C. and Alberta have the ‘closest economic ties’ among any two provinces Why it matters: Strains between the neighbouring provinces are growing amidst a dispute over expanding the Trans Mountain pipeline Political tensions may be running […]

B.C.’s mining sector generated $12.3 billion in gross revenue in 2018 – a nearly $4 billion increase over 2016 – according to a new PwC report. Higher prices for metallurgical coal and copper helped boost net income for B.C. minersto $3.5 billion in 2018, according to a PwC […]

Public hearings on the environmental impact of a proposed $3 billion container port terminal at Roberts Bank kicked off in Delta this week with several parties urging the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency review panel to widen the scope of its assessment mandate before going any […]

Vancouver's tech hub aims to produce technological solutions to world problems, but what about the problems technology creates? TTT Studios is a custom software development company that has witnessed first-hand some of the problems created by technology. “The co-founder of the company is my […]

Retailers have started using drones to deliver products to customers in remote parts of Canada, and with companies around the world improving drone-delivery systems, an increasing number of Canadians are likely to soon be able to receive purchases by drone. Google parent Alphabet Inc.’s […]

Whether you observe Victoria Day or the Journée nationale des patriotes, the third weekend of May unofficially marks the start of gardening season in Canada. British Columbians may have had a head start over the rest of the country in the past few weeks, thanks to the record-high […]

The CEO of a tech company with Metro Vancouver roots is urging B.C. businesses to pursue opportunities in China despite continuing friction between Ottawa and Beijing. Jacob Cooke, who helped his brother Joseph found Beijing-based Web Presence in China (WPIC) in 2009, said there was a short period […]

By 2023, the number of commercial drones is expected to triple to about 800,000, according to the Federal Aviation Administration in the U.S. While most drones use rechargeable batteries – sometimes with a small gas-powered engine for backup – Burnaby-based Ballard Power Systems Inc. […]

BC Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources Minister Michelle Mungall marked Mining Month last week by acknowledging that the industry provides 30,000 direct jobs in B.C. and will play a critical role in the global decarbonization effort. Indeed, because of the role it plays in providing the metals […]

If you’re enjoying a seawall stroll on a sunny June Saturday and the enticing aroma of a seafood-studded paella being prepared and the sounds of glasses of crisp rosé clinking waft your way from one of the city’s chicest waterfront patios, you’re going to want to be the one […]

Pleas for a break from crippling tax assessments from a Calgary inventor who created shipping technology to be tested in B.C. ports are being passed from office to office in Ottawa. David Elderfield claims he’s almost penniless, his family is fractured and his business and reputation have […]

Core business BC Tree Fruits Cooperative has purchased 85 acres near Kelowna International Airport for a new packing plant and cider facility as part of the ongoing consolidation of its real estate holdings. The new site, on Old Vernon Road, will let the co-op develop a state-of-the-art packing […]

If it makes us feel any better, we can all recall how John Horgan only months ago threw shade on the need for a money laundering inquiry: too time-consuming, too resource-greedy, too distractive, too little a province could directly do, anyway. But really, was there any doubt his government would […]

The number of provincially approved cannabis stores in Vancouver just doubled, with the government this week giving the green light to three new stores in the city. The B.C. government's fourth approval of a cannabis store this week was for a store in Salmon Arm, and that brings the total […]

B.C. Premier John Horgan announced Wednesday his government will launch a public inquiry into money laundering activities across the province. Speaking in Victoria, Horgan cited the province’s sharp rise in real estate prices and opioid deaths as primary reasons for a public inquiry. […]

Bargain hunters hoping Metro Vancouver’s dramatic housing downturn would churn up a wave of foreclosures are facing disappointment. Housing sales in Greater Vancouver plunged 46% in March from the same period a year earlier to the lowest level in 33 years and were down 26.6% in the Fraser […]

National hotel construction and sales volume is expected to exceed historical averages this year, according to a new forecast.  In 2019, new supply is expected to increase by 2% – the highest annual rate of growth since the financial crisis of 2008. The increase in hotel starts has been […]

The Donnelly Group is turning one now-defunct Vancouver pub into a brand new one, as it launches The Ballyhoo Public House in the space previously occupied by The Winking Judge. Situated at 888 Burrard Street (at Smithe), renovations are underway at the site in preparation for an early June open. […]

Think of it. The North Shore to downtown in a matter of minutes. Express service. No traffic. The province is set to begin the first-ever study into the feasibility of a rapid transit line connecting the North Shore and downtown Vancouver. Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Claire Trevena […]

What happened: Telus says it’s donated $150m to charitable organizations over the past year Why it matters: Vancouver-based company says one of its donations is among the largest made by a publicly traded company Telus Corp. (TSX: T) says it’s contributed $150 million and one million […]

What happened: Financial technology company Koho raises $42 million in capital Why it matters: The company, which maintains an office in Vancouver, will be using the capital to accelerate growth and build new products A Canadian financial technology company that traces its roots to Vancouver is […]

The first battle lines in the extradition hearing of Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. CFO Meng Wanzhou have been drawn after the Chinese tech executive appeared in a Vancouver court last Wednesday, requesting a delay of almost half a year for her defence to seek additional information from Canadian […]

What happened: B.C.’s inflation rate hit 2.7% while the national rate rose to 2% Why it matters: Inflation rising highest in parts of Canada with “most challenged local real estate markets and economies,” according to one economist Inflation rose highest in B.C. compared with […]

There’s a prevailing perception among business leaders and investors and even within some First Nations communities that you can’t get a resource development project built in B.C. Of course, that’s not necessarily the case. There are numerous examples of successful resource […]

The province’s largest technology companies grew by an average of 10.5% in 2019, according to data collected for Business in Vancouver’s Top 100 Tech Companies in B.C. list. Despite this recent growth, the top 100 tech companies employ 2%, or 805, fewer people than the top 100 tech […]

While stand up paddle boarding offers a great workout during the day, Vancouver Water Adventures hosts a mesmerizing Light the Night tour. Not only do the paddle boards light up, but they illuminate the water with vibrant colours. Groups are led out at dusk and make their way across Vancouver […]

As Vancouver’s largest car free day event, Main Street Car Free Day spans an impressive 21 blocks and offers a variety of food, shopping, and entertainment. From funky artisan shops to popular food vendors, family-friendly activities to live performances, there are a number of things to see […]

There has been only a meagre spring awakening when it comes to B.C. home sales this year, with April maintaining the trend for dampened activity. A total of 6,652 residential unit sales sold via the MLS in April, a drop of 18.9 per cent from the same month last year, according to British Columbia […]

British Columbia’s northern Prince Rupert port plans to quadruple its container-handling capacity long term and double it by 2022, the Prince Rupert Port Authority has announced. Recently concluded master planning has concluded that there is potential for further expansion of the existing […]

Victoria-based cannabis producer Tilray Inc. (Nasdaq:TLRY) saw shares rise about 5% after hours following the company revealing sales that were ahead of analyst forecasts. Tilray generated US$23 million in revenue in the first three months of 2019, or nearly triple the US$7.8 million that it […]

Business in Vancouver has launched a new awards event aimed at celebrating chief information officers, chief technology officers and others in top IT roles across B.C. with the goal of recognizing standout technology leadership and breakthrough innovation at all types of companies. The inaugural […]

After suffering their first-ever defeat Sunday (May 12) since joining the Overwatch League in February, players from the Vancouver Titans are now turning their attention to the stars. Four players from the Vancouver esports team will be represented this week at the league’s 2019 All-Star […]

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency has kicked off the public hearing process on the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority's proposed $2 billion to $3 billion Roberts Bank Terminal 2 project. The hearings, which started Tuesday in Tsawwassen with motions on procedural matters, are scheduled to […]

Questions swirl around whether taxpayer money was used wisely in courting the Parq Vancouver entertainment complex development given that project’s financial woes. Other uses for the land, such as condominium development, may have been more profitable for taxpayers, suggest critics. Parq […]

When TransLink concluded its original multi-decade strategic plan in 1993, technology was often considered complementary or an augmentation for organizations, according to Andrew McCurran. “But it’s increasingly like every company is a technology company and every plan and every […]