Cybele NegrisAs a board member of the Vancouver Economic Development Committee and a member of the 2010 taskforce, I was invited to attend the press conference yesterday announcing the Metro Vancouver Commerce (MVC) 2010 Host Program.
This historic announcement marked the first time nine Metro municipalities have collaborated on a regional economic development initiative. Mayors Gregor Robertson of Vancouver, Dianne Watts of Surrey and Malcolm Brodie of Richmond, who were the founding municipalities of the program, spoke at the conference. Assistant Deputy Minister of Western Economic Diversification also spoke. Three other Mayors – the Mayors of North Vancouver City, North Vancouver District and Coquitlam – attended to demonstrate their support. Other municipalities taking part in the Metro Vancouver Commerce 2010 Business Program are New Westminster, Port Moody and Maple Ridge who had staff representatives at the event.
Under the program, 50 small and medium-sized international companies will be invited to send two top-level executives to the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. They will pay for their own flight and spend four days with the program which will connect them to local businesses, their specific industry association and business events that will demonstrate the strength of the region’s strong business community. Their accommodations will be covered and some Olympic event tickets made available. Stringent criteria and due diligence is being conducted to ensure participants are strong candidates for future investment. The hope is that at least half of the participating companies will invest in or open branches or head-offices here and create local jobs.
Read a related story published in the Vancouver Province newspaper.