Metro Vancouver has endorsed the business plan for a new Regional Economic Prosperity Service in an effort to attract new strategic investment that will contribute positively to the region’s livability and sustainability.
The new service, to be delivered by Metro Vancouver, will work closely with Metro Vancouver members and public and private sector stakeholders to identify investment priorities and to collect and analyze relevant data, while leveraging the regional district’s considerable resources and positive reputation.
The service aims to enhance the region’s economic prosperity by helping member jurisdictions attract the right kind of large-scale investments and complement and amplify the economic development work they are already doing, as well promote foreign investment that will increase the number of well paying, high quality jobs in the region.
The annual operating budget will start at $0.4 million for 2019 and is expected to increase to $2.5 million by 2023. Over the next several months Metro Vancouver will appoint a Management Board to provide oversight in the development of the marketing strategy and will begin recruitment for an executive director and resources for the new function.
The business plan was developed by a steering committee and advisory group that include the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, Surrey Board of Trade, The Motion Picture Industry Association of BC, Telus, the UBC, SFU, Seaspan, BC Chamber of Commerce, Mustel Group and others.