BIV Today

Perrin Beatty, the CEO and President of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, discusses the federal cabinet shuffle, the early priorities of the Justin Trudeau government, and the state of the economy and the business environment in this conversation with BIV publisher and editor-in-chief Kirk LaPointe. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael Audain, CEO of Polygon Homes, art collector and supporter, philanthropist and one of British Columbia’s most respected leaders, has written a memoir on his many twists and turns in life, many of them surprising. He discussed One Man In His Time, published this week, with BIV publisher and editor-in-chief Kirk LaPointe. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode of EDI on BIV looks at maternity leave — how it's viewed in the corporate world, and how it impacts women and their careers. Jen Murtagh and Sonja Baikogli Foley, co-founders of the newly launched initiative Maturn, discuss the motherhood penalty, and support for mothers in the workplace. Chantelle Krish, CEO of the KidSafe Project Society, joins  BIV  executive e...

The pandemic has exposed many of the inequalities and economic hang-ups that were easier to ignore pre-COVID. But it has also opened the door to change the way we live and the way our economy functions. While we’ve seen the rapid adoption of remote working, employment opportunities for many women have dropped significantly amid the pandemic. So where do we go from here? Earlier this month, t...

 Kendra Johnston, president and CEO of the Association of Mineral Exploration (AME), discusses the resumption of its annual Roundup conference and how the resource industries have contended with the pandemic. She is in conversation with BIV publisher and editor-in-chief Kirk LaPointe. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Expa is the brainchild of Canadian Uber co-founder Garrett Camp. It’s in the business of building startups in cities such as Vancouver. One of the B.C. companies to emerge, cybersecurity firm Cmd, was acquired by Elastic over the summer. So what does it take for a startup studio to build success here in the city? Expa general partner Milun Tesovic joins BIV Today to delve into the city&rsquo...

Dr. Mark Britnell, KPMG vice-chair and an international authority on health care spending, believes there are more effective and efficient ways to finance and sustain the health care sector. He is in conversation with BIV publisher and editor-in-chief Kirk LaPointe. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode of EDI on BIV examines steps companies can and are taking to change their recruitment processes. Michael Dha, managing director of Strive Recruitment, discusses trends related to recruitment, and how employers can consider equity, diversity and inclusion when hiring. Barinder Bhullar, principal of Mainland Strategies, joins BIV executive editor Hayley Woodin as a co-host. See omnystud...

Semiconductors have been thrust into the public consciousness this year like never before amid ongoing global shortages. B.C. firms, meanwhile, have been making significant advances in the development of these microchips critical to electronic components. Vancouver-based Epic Semiconductors was recently accepted into Canada’s only semiconductor-focused incubator. Chief technology officer Wol...

About a dozen unicorns have emerged from B.C. in less than a year. The surge of startups reaching these US$1-billion valuations is unprecedented for the local tech ecosystem. While IPOs and exits have been responsible for many of these valuations, startups have also been going south of the border to seek investors willing to put up big-time capital. Natasha Allen, partner at Foley & Lardner LL...

Retail-Insider.com’s Craig Patterson join BIV Today to check in on the retail landscape in Canada. He and host Tyler Orton touch on everything from rapidly rising food costs to Lululemon’s forays into the home fitness market.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vancouver-based Netcoins Inc. is officially the first crypto-trading platform registered in B.C. following a recent nod from regulators. Company president Mitchell Demeter joins BIV Today to break down what it means to be regulated within a space often considered to be a Wild West of sorts. Tyler Orton hosts.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Covering everything from animation to visual effects; from video games to virtual reality, B.C.’s creative technologies is one of the most dynamic components of the provincial economy. A new report from the Information and Communications Technology Council and industry association DigiBC sets about benchmarking where the sector stands at the moment and the challenges ahead. DigiBC executive...

Emmie Fukuchi, the executive vice-president and digital and marking officer of Co-operators financial foundation firm, discusses a new survey that reveals how Canadians have developed their financial planning habits and how the pandemic has affected them. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The life sciences sector is booming, but how do firms protect their ideas and innovations? Our expert panel provides advice for businesses aiming to shield intellectual property. Brian Kingwell of the Gowling WLG  law firm’s life science and intellectual property group and Wendy Hurlburt, president and CEO of LifeSciencesBC, discuss the challenges with BIV publisher and editor in chief...

The Metro Vancouver Regional District unveiled the new face of its economic development organization this week. Invest Vancouver is seeking to draw global investors to the region, fine-tune local economic policies and ensure competitiveness in the era of an innovation-first economy. Jacquie Griffiths, executive vice-president of Invest Vancouver, joins  BIV   T oday to discuss the mandat...

The Trade Accelerator Program (TAP) has in four years built up the export markets for British Columbia businesses. Austin Nairn, the executive director of the World Trade Centre Vancouver, oversees the program and discusses its growth and plans with BIV publisher and editor-in-chief Kirk LaPointe. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pierre Cléroux, chief economist at the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), discusses a BDC report today that chronicles the labour shortage in Canada, the challenges for the economy, and the strategies for businesses to adapt. He is in discussion with BIV publisher and editor-in-chief Kirk LaPointe. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Demand for take-out has reached new heights during the pandemic. The trend has heightened pressure on the waste produced through packaging. Gone are the days of dining in, and relying on plates and cutlery that could be washed and reused. So how are businesses coping? Jason Hawkins is the co-founder of Vancouver-based startup Reusables.com. He joins BIV Today to discuss the innovative way his comp...

Between the explosion of US$1-billion unicorns across B.C. and major global firms announcing expansion plans for the province, demand for tech talent has reached levels never seen before. Ilya Brotzky, CEO of tech recruitment firm VanHack, joins BIV Today to discuss how local firms are competing with the giants, the impacts of remote working and where demand goes from here amid major labour shorta...

Mario Canseco, president of the Researchco public opinion firm, discusses the implications of the federal election with BIV publisher and editor in chief Kirk LaPointe.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As businesses grapple with an accelerated pivot towards digital, it’s leaving many in the financial services sector trying to reach customers in ways they never had to before. Nicky Senyard is the CEO of Fintel Connect, a Vancouver-based startup that launched just before the pandemic. She joins Tyler Orton on BIV Today to unpack what it means for companies to deliver results in this new era...

Pangaea Ventures just secured a sizeable return on an investment made a decade ago in B.C. chipmaker Redlen Technologies. Following Redlen’s sale to Canon — a deal that values the company at more than $400 million — Pangaea general partner Chris Erickson joins BIV Today to discuss his firm’s focus on investing in advanced materials. Tyler Orton hosts. See omnystudio.com/lis...

Bridgitte Anderson, CEO and president of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, shares the findings of a new poll for the board on business and general public attitudes about the economy that indicate apprehension about the future. She is in conversation with BIV publisher and editor-in-chief Kirk LaPointe. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A leap in computing is underway — one with the potential to streamline everything from medicine to finance. Under development at Simon Fraser University’s Surrey campus is the Quantum Algorithm Institute, set to open next year. The QAI is meant as an innovation hub, drawing researchers and business together. It recently put out a call for additional partners in B.C. looking to take thi...