VANCOUVER—At an address to the Vancouver Board of Trade today, Mayor Gregor Robertson announced a number of economic development initiatives, including the introduction of ‘Vancouver Green Capital,’ a new economic branding strategy for the City.
“The Olympics are a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and we need to do everything we can to help our local economy capitalize on it,” said Mayor Robertson. “That means being aggressive in terms of how we market ourselves to the world. The ‘Vancouver Green Capital’ branding strategy allows us to define Vancouver on our terms.”
Mayor Robertson also announced several other strategic initiatives aimed at fostering business development and investment in the City. These include:
■ The Vancouver Economic Development Commission’s Economic Development Strategy for Vancouver, which will be released in November – the first economic development strategy for Vancouver in two decades.
■ Metro Vancouver Commerce, an unprecedented collaboration with local municipalities to target new businesses and market the region as a whole. Metro Vancouver Commerce will be the most aggressive business development program in Metro Vancouver’s history and will be rolled out in October.
■ Vancouver House, which will showcase ‘Vancouver Green Capital’ to the world during the 2010 Games. Vancouver House will provide a launching pad for local businesses, entrepreneurs and industries to gain access to a global audience during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
■ The development of a Low carbon economic development zone. Designed to spur economic activity and create jobs, these zones include financing mechanisms, government incentives and technology exchanges. Mayor Robertson has been in talks with US cities in the Pacific Northwest to collaborate on low carbon economic zones, and intends to enter into an agreement with the State of California this year.
“We’ve got cutting-edge businesses, we have the opportunity to lead the world in green technology research and development, and we have a dynamic, highly educated and creative workforce,” said Mayor Robertson. “With the new strategies and programs the City and the VEDC are rolling out, and in particular our business brand of ‘Vancouver Green Capital,’ we’re saying we’re open for business and the days of Vancouver being seen as a sleepy, laid-back West Coast town are in the past.”
The ‘Vancouver Green Capital’ global branding strategy has been developed over the last several months by the City of Vancouver and the Vancouver Economic Development Commission. It creates a positive, clear and consistent image of Vancouver to market the City around the world – particularly during the 2010 Games. Up until now, the city has had no such strategy.
“Vancouver Green Capital is the business global branding strategy Vancouver needs going into the 2010 Games and beyond,” said Vancouver Economic Development Commission CEO Phil Heard. “I’m very pleased that the VEDC has been able to work closely with the City to develop a clear plan to put Vancouver’s businesses in front of customers the world over.”
More information on the city’s economic development strategies can be viewed at www.vancouvereconomic.com
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