Economic Development
12,000 people work in Vancouver’s green economy. Green sectors are growing at 3-6 percent every year – much faster than the rest of the economy. 10 percent of green jobs are low barrier jobs.
A couple examples of green jobs are:
- Electric vehicle mechanics
- Energy managers
- Green roof specialists
- Compost collectors
- Recycling facility operators
- Urban farmers and beekeepers
- GHG emissions auditors and carbon traders
- Green renovation contractors
GREENEST CITY
Green economy is one of the ten goal areas of the greenest city initiative. This is part of Vancouver's vision to be the greenest city in the world by 2020.
- Long term goal: gain international recognition as a mecca of green enterprise transportation options
- Target 1: double the number of green jobs in the City by 2020, over 2010 levels
- Target 2: greening existing businesses target under development
Watch this video to learn more about Vancouver's green economy plans.
Economic Development
Economic development is the engine that creates jobs for workers, opportunity for entrepreneurs and prosperity for the community. It generates the revenue necessary to provide public services, enhance quality of life and reduce inequities. Economic development strategies (EDS) are essential elements in planning the future of a city.
Vancouver Economic Development Commission
Vancouver Economic Development Commission (VEDC) is Vancouver’s economic development agency, charged with formulating and executing programs to grow the local economy. They adhere to six economic development guiding principles including "improving sustainability". Their role is to:
- Advise and support City leaders on economic issues, directions and programs;
- Design and deliver an integrated business retention and expansion program;
- Create world class industry clusters and develop a business attraction program;
- Strengthen the green economy and facilitate the greening of all businesses in the city;
- Deliver research, analysis and policy advice on issues and opportunities to advance the economy;
- Market the City’s economy to local, national and international audiences;
- Engage the community in dialogue around economic development issues and opportunities;
- Advocate for measures to advance the local economy with City departments, other governments, the business community and others; and
- Track and measure the economic performance of the city and the region.
Vancouver Green Capital
Vancouver has a diversified economy with many strong assets:
- Strong Canadian banking sector
- Most competitive tax structure of the G8 countries
- Success of the 2010 Olympic Games
- Strong, fast growing green sectors
- Pacific rim location with extensive ties to China and Asian countries
- Inclusive, multicultural, highly educated workforce
- A talent-rich environment and world-renowned quality of life
- High proportion of entrepreneurs
- Six world class post-secondary institutions
Vancouver Green Capital provides a business brand for the city, supported by an economic development strategy that focuses on a Business Retention, Expansion and Attraction (BREA) program that engages the whole community in the economic development process, a workforce development strategy, and other key elements that contribute to healthy economic and community development.
Green Economy
Vancouver has a strong and diversified green economy that includes over 3,000 jobs in the clean technology sector, and an additional 9,000 green jobs in other green clusters ranging from green buildings and recycling to carbon finance and urban agriculture. Vancouver has a goal to be a Green Capital, and secure a reputation as an international mecca for green enterprise. To this end, the Greenest City 2020 initiative has identified several strategies to double the number of green jobs in Vancouver by 2020. Strategies under consideration include:
- develop a Green Enterprise Zone that will be the ‘greenest place to work’ and will attract and grow green businesses
- demonstrate key technologies and infrastructure projects that will help to launch companies working in clean tech, energy management and other green sectors
- support for employment programs that provide opportunities for those with barriers to employment in sector such as recycling, urban agriculture and building deconstruction
- develop the Campus-City Collaborative, a collaboration amongst all local post-secondary institutions and the City to use applied research, inter-disciplinary programs, interns and other institutional resources to advance the city’s green economy
- monitor and research of the green economy, documented in a series of Green Economy Working Papers (ongoing)
- create opportunities in clean tech and other green sectors through tTrade-focused business development programs
The City has also has strategies in place to engage the private sector in the green dialogue and help businesses green their operations:
- A public consultation program under the Greenest City Program
- One Day at work initiative with tips and resources to help companies green their workplaces and business practices
- Corporate Climate Leaders program aimed to help Vancouver businesses to reduce their GHG emissions
