The CORE Cleantech Cluster is a project spearheaded by Foresight Cleantech Accelerator Centre and commissioned by Western Economic Diversification Canada, The Province of British Columbia and Vancity, to produce a strategic plan for the formation of a cleantech cluster in British Columbia.
In June 2019, after consulting with the founding sponsors, Jeanette Jackson, Foresight CEO, appointed Catriona Power, Foresight Director of Partnerships & Strategy, to lead the BC Cleantech Cluster Initiative. Power’s mandate was to create a strategy to support a cleantech cluster – a strategy that supports making bold moves to position our Province as a world leader in an emerging clean technology economy.
The CORE Cleantech Cluster project was supported by a 15-member Advisory Board, made up of representatives of the Government of Canada, the Province of British Columbia, municipal leaders, prominent local industries, organizations and stakeholder groups. The focused engagement process resulted in an estimated 1000 individual contacts with stakeholders.
The word CORE means the most basic and important part of something, the centre. The very heart of the earth is called the earth’s core. It represents the importance of this work to the future of our province. We believe cleantech is the core of our future economy.
– CORE Cleantech Cluster Report, July 2020
Process
The strategy and vision in this report was informed by engagement activities with stakeholders, with a focus on SMEs, industry and investors.
25
ROUNDTABLES
1000
EXPERTS
500+
NEWSLETTER
20+
SECTOR EVENTS
+30
1:1 MEETINGS
The CORE Cleantech Cluster Team
Jeanette Jackson
Jacob Malthouse
Julie Strilesky
Elizabeth Thorsen
Karen Speirs
Advisory Board Members
A diverse group of business and community leaders helped guide the project:
Max Blouw – President, Research Universities Council of BC
Heather Conradi – Director, Impact Investing, VanCity
Karen Hamberg – VP, External Affairs & Sustainability, Westport
Tammy Huston – Global Accounts Director, Cleantech, Export Development Canada
Bob Lindstrom – Co-ordinator BioAlliance, BioAlliance
Jonathan Moser – Head, Environment & Public Affairs, LaFarge
Shahrooz Nabavi – Partner, Fasken
Genevieve Pinto – Partner, Renewal Funds
Ben Sparrow – CEO, SaltWorks
Anna Stukas – VP, Business Development, Carbon Engineering
Peter Wan – Lead, Technology & Innovation, Teck
Mark Warren – Director of Innovation, Fortis BC
Denise Williams – CEO, First Nations Tech Council
Engagement Partners & Consultants
Many of our sector, regional, and stakeholder engagement sessions and roundtables were held in partnership with organizations and consultants who provided sector and regional expertise, logistical support and access to their local and industry-specific networks and contacts. Their assistance was instrumental in generating the grassroots, responsive engagement process and resulting insights that form the foundation of this report. Thank you to the following:
Vancouver Economic Commission
City of Prince George
City of Campbell River
CMC Research Institute
Bluetech Research
Vantec Angel Network
British Columbia Bioenergy Network
Canadian Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Association
Zen Energy Solutions
FP Innovations
UBC Bioproducts Institute
BioAlliance
Fasken
University of British Columbia Okanagan
City of Squamish
Four Our Future Indigenous Economics Ltd.
Temixw Planning
SpiritWolfe Consulting & Associates
BC Cleantech CEO Alliance
BC Government: Food Security Task Force
Natural Products Canada
Vancity Savings & Credit Union
PARTNERS
