Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation, has released the following statement about an upcoming trade mission to Seattle from Sept. 8-12, 2022, to showcase B.C.’s competitive advantage and to develop new economic opportunities:

“When I think of the Cascadia corridor and our neighbours to the south, I think of an innovation superhighway. B.C., Washington state, California and Oregon share not just borders, coastline and mountain range, but also reputations as clean-tech pioneers, rising to the challenges of climate change and building a sustainable economy that works for people.

“That’s why I’m heading to Washington state, where I will connect in person with organizations that champion high-tech, low-carbon growth, and will conclude the trip by attending the 2022 Cascadia Innovation Corridor (CIC) Conference. The event has become a showcase for exploring meaningful actions, and I’m thrilled to join Premier John Horgan; Jay Inslee, governor of Washington state; Gavin Newsom, governor of California; Kate Brown, governor of Oregon, and other leaders to collaborate on the next steps in building a cleaner and more inclusive region to work and live.

“I’m excited to showcase our common bond in Seattle and Washington state to promote B.C. as a front-runner in tech innovation – a sector that is developing at lightning speed, generating billions of dollars in economic activity and providing tens of thousands of good jobs for British Columbians. This is also a great opportunity to highlight the power of trade between B.C. and our Cascadia partners – Washington, Oregon and California – who collectively account for 46% of B.C. goods exported to the U.S. in 2021. We are committed to supporting this growth.

“Two years ago, B.C. and Washington state established the Clean Grid Initiative, which provided the framework for both regions to work together to advance innovation and build sustainable economies. As the minister responsible for innovation, I will look to build on this momentum when I meet with organizations, such as Nortal, Washington Maritime Blue and Microsoft, and host a roundtable with a diverse group of Seattle investors to discuss unlocking new trade opportunities.

“The pandemic has made visiting even our closest trade partners challenging. As we move forward, I’m excited to re-establish our strong relationships and work together to attract more investors and more jobs to the Pacific Northwest.

“Through these relationships, we will create more opportunities for British Columbians today and better prepare our province for the future.”

Learn More:

For the StrongerBC Economic Plan, visit: https://strongerbc.gov.bc.ca/plan

For more information about the Cascadia Innovation Corridor Conference, visit: https://connectcascadia.com/

For more information about trade and investing in B.C., visit: https://www.britishcolumbia.ca/