• BC Business House bringing long-lasting economic benefits after World Cup

  Source: British Columbia - Government News
  Date: 2026-09-09 19:45:00.0
  Tags: [British Columbia, Economy, Trade, Tourism, Industry, Technology]

  The Government of British Columbia hosted the BC Business House during the FIFA World Cup 2026 matches at BC Place in Vancouver, welcoming over 2,300 attendees from 25 countries to build international trade and investment relations. The initiative, part of the Province's Look West strategy, featured 22 business-related sector showcase events covering technology, life sciences, mining, energy, agriculture, food processing, and tourism. Survey results indicated that 91.5% of attendees rated the experience positively and 81.2% reported successfully establishing new business connections. Delegations and business representatives from organizations such as the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, AI Network of BC, Simon Fraser University, Invest Vancouver, and CNANO Pharmaceuticals participated in the economic development programming.

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• Helping B.C. companies showcase their new tech

  Source: British Columbia - Government News
  Date: 2026-09-09 16:00:00.0
  Tags: [British Columbia, Economy, Technology, Industry, Trade]

  The Government of British Columbia, through the Ministry of Jobs and Economic Growth and Innovate BC, is launching a second call for applications under the Integrated Marketplace platform's Early-Stage Demonstration Call (ESDC) backed by $2 million in funding. Eligible early-stage B.C. tech companies can apply for pilot-scale demonstrations receiving up to 40% of project costs to a maximum of $500,000 per project to prove performance and validate new technologies in real-world environments. The application intake runs from September 28 until October 30, 2026, building on a previous round that supported 14 companies with nearly $3.5 million. The program is part of the Province's Look West strategy to foster an independent economy, support local startups like Mostar Labs, and help companies navigate U.S. tariffs.

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