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
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AT FORESIGHT
Jeanette Jackson is the CEO of Foresight, a cleantech ecosystem accelerator that is empowering entrepreneurs and energizing a world-class cleantech industry across Canada. She is a multi-award winning sustainability champion, a sought-after public speaker, and a leading advisor to the cleantech industry.
Catriona Power
DIRECTOR OF PARTNERSHIPS & STRATEGY AT FORESIGHT
Catriona Power is Foresight’s Director of Partnerships and Strategy, delivering high profile programs around clusters, partnerships, collaborations and communications. She has worked at the intersection of business, sustainability and technology for the last nine years with organizations in Canada, UK, Europe and India.
John Tak
SPECIAL ADVISOR & BOARD MEMBER AT FORESIGHT
John Tak is an experienced executive in the cleantech sector. He is the former CEO of the Canadian Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Association (CHFCA) and prior to that managed Mitsubishi Canada’s multi-million dollar specialty chemicals business and was a Senior Representative for the BC Trade and Development Corporation.
Diane Currie Sam
CONTENT & RESEARCH MANAGER AT FORESIGHT
Diane Currie Sam is a communications professional with a broad base of experience in technology and entrepreneurship. Her ability to combine solid research with good storytelling has been instrumental in securing multi-million dollar investments and business opportunities for technology companies across Canada and the US.
Advisory Board Members
A diverse group of business and community leaders helped guide the project:
Steven Slater
Anna Stukas
Raghwa Gopal
Stephen Brydon
Mark Warren
Janice Larson
Wal Van Lierop
Mischa Steiner
John McPherson
Waler Mérida
Mark Kirby
Rose Klukas
Melissa Barcellos
Jonathan Rhone
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
