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MCQUARRIE HUNTER LLP New Westminster means business. Your business. Whether you’re new to the area or well-established, we find legal solutions that help you succeed in this vibrant and growing region.

We take your business seriously.

EXPERTISE

BUSINESS SOLUTIONS

COMMUNITY ROOTS

We support businesses just like yours, from small and mid-sized to very large companies, representing a variety of industries in New Westminster and beyond.

Whether you are growing, planning, reorganizing or retiring, our team is well equipped and experienced to help you transition to your next stage.

We love finding solutions that work for our business clients.

Our team is skilled in resolving commercial matters of all kinds.

From large corporations to small not-for-profits, independent business owners to real estate developers, our legal strategies are designed to align with your business goals.

Our roots in New Westminster are deep. When we started our firm here nearly 50 years ago, we shared a commitment to the community that continues today with our longstanding support of the Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation, New Westminster Rotary, Douglas College and other important community organizations.

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INSIDE

THIS ISSUE FALL 2016

OUR HERITAGE

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8

SMALL BUSINESS

14

LOCAL SUCCESS

18

Publisher: Lara Graham Editor & Photographer: Mario Bartel Art Director: Matt Blair This publication is produced by The New Westminster Record and is the exclusive property of Glacier Media Inc., copyright 2016.

OUR FUTURE

21

INTELLIGENT CITY

28

MAYOR FROM THE

A century ago, New Westminster was known as a centre of commerce for our region. Today, we’re reclaiming that status with innovation, infrastructure investment and a businessfriendly attitude, all combining to make this a great city in which to live, work and play.

While the news is out that New Westminster is experiencing resurgence and revitalization, there are still many opportunities to take advantage of all that our city has to offer.

Our formula for success lies in working together to tackle some of the pressing issues we face, like transportation and affordable housing, and identifying new opportunities for economic growth, such as our Intelligent City fibre broadband network initiative and IDEA Centre economic health-care cluster work in Sapperton. By recognizing, seizing and, in some cases, making our own opportunities, we will ensure New Westminster’s economy continues to prosper.

Moving forward, collaboration with business stakeholders will play a critical role in our efforts to create a positive business environment and livable community. Whether your business is big or small, I encourage you to capitalize on the tremendous opportunities that exist here and Invest New West.

Jonathan X. CotĂŠ Mayor | New Westminster

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Whether your business is big or small, I encourage you to capitalize on the tremendous opportunities that exist here and Invest New West.

INVEST NEW WEST | FALL 2016 | 7

BUSINESS OF

HERITAGE

OUR HERITAGE OUR STRENGTH The bikes on the floor at Gord Hobbis’ Sapperton shop are made of the latest high-tech materials like carbon fibre and hydroformed aluminum.

But to sell those bikes Hobbis relies on the values and acumen developed by his father, Cap, who first opened his neighbourhood bike shop in 1932.

Having one foot planted firmly in the past while stepping boldly into the future is one aspect of New Westminster’s business community that sets it apart from its neighbours.

Gord Hobbis at the helm of his latest acquisition for his Cap’s Bicycle Shop and Museum, a Singer sociable tandem trike from the late 1800s. Hobbis owns more than 50 vintage bicycles, most of which are displayed in his Sapperton shop.

8 | INVEST NEW WEST | FALL 2016

The business of heritage is good business, says Eric Pattison, a local architect who’s helped restore a number of the city’s historic commercial buildings and homes.

“You want a place that’s been there for a while, survived the ups and down.

Seeing buildings from every decade into the past reinforces that sense of place,” says Pattison.

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BUSINESS OF HERITAGE New Westminster is British Columbia’s oldest city, founded in 1858. For eight years it was even the provincial capital. Until the first decade of the 20th century, it was also the province’s largest city.

“We’ve always been an important city, right from the start,” says Julie Schueck, New Westminster’s heritage planner. “We didn’t grow up as an add-on to another city. We are a city, we have a downtown. Our past is important to us.”

That historic commercial core distinguishes the city, says Pattison.

“Residential heritage is all well and good, and creates a lifestyle. But it’s more of a challenge to have your community branded as heritage without a historic downtown.”

A historic downtown is made up of more than just old buildings, says Pattison.

It’s character is also determined by the width of streets, the lanes and alleys that connect those streets, the pocket squares that allow people to gather and create a neighbourhood vibe.

The walkable nature of historic commercial districts and the varied services that reside there is becoming increasingly attractive to enterprising businesses that are turning their backs on generic suburban industrial parks.

They’re seeking to offer employees more than just a cubicle experience.

“Our strongest takeaway from our work in historic districts is the strength of the area will come from the passion and commitment of the business owners we work with,” says Robert Fung, president of The Salient Group that recently completed redevelopment of the historic Trapp + Holbrook blocks on Columbia Street into modern condos with commercial spaces at street level.

New Westminster’s heritage planner, Julie Schueck, checks progress of the transformation of Front Street. The removal of the western half of the Front Street parkade has shone new light along a number of heritage storefronts.

Still, preserving heritage takes constant care and attention.

“You have to overcome the impression that the infrastructure is dated as well,” says Schueck. “Old buildings can be rehabilitated and have all the new services and modern technology put into them.”

“It’s an education,” says Pattison. “You have to be willing to take risks, and some of those risks might involve saving the building and repurposing it.”

“You have to get people to see that heritage is not a hindrance,” says Schueck.

That was the case with the Trapp + Holbrook project, says Fung.

After languishing as an empty shell for years as various redevelopment proposals by a series of owners came and went, Salient Group painstakingly preserved the block’s historic facade while constructing a sleek, modern condo tower behind it. It’s a model the company successfully implemented in Vancouver’s historic Gastown district that sparked its resurgence from a tacky tourist backwater to a lively urban neighbourhood of stylish boutiques, trendy restaurants and bistros and upscale condos.

Fung says a similar revitalization is underway in New West.

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Developer Robert Fung, of The Salient Group, left, checks on the progress of restoration work on terracotta blocks from the facade of the historic Trapp building on Columbia Street.

The original blocks were removed, cleaned and repaired before being reinstalled as part of the project to construct a modern condo highrise behind the facades of the Trapp and Holbrook buildings.

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BUSINESS OF HERITAGE “We believe that Trapp + Holbrook is a model for the evolution of downtown New Westminster.”

Pattison says as more owners realize the potential of preserving heritage, it gains momentum.

“You can’t take heritage for granted. You have to work as hard or harder than other communities that don’t have the heritage resources we have.”

The payoff goes far beyond just having a nice collection of old commercial buildings, says Hobbis.

“A key part to a business being successful is consistency. Having that keeps you on pace, you don’t chase the trends.”

Schueck says the city’s current initiatives to reclaim its historic waterfront which include the construction of Westminster Pier Park, the partial demolition of the Front Street parkade, a relic from the car-centric 1950s, and the reconfiguring of the newly opened streetscape into a pedestrianfriendly mews, will further enhance New Westminster as a commercial centre with more to offer than just glass and steel.

“Our access to the river is one of the reasons the city was put here in the first place,” says Schueck. “There’s a real interest in getting back to that connection.”

Giving businesses, their employees and their customers an opportunity to connect with their roots can forge a strong bond.

“In this age of relentless digital communication, it’s almost too scattered a lifestyle for many people, so they’re grasping for authenticity,” says Pattison.

“Everything has to resonate with legitimacy and character, and heritage has that in spades.”

Hobbis couldn’t agree more. Above the lithe carbon fibre road bikes and huge shock-absorbing downhill mountain bikes on the sales floor of his bike shop hangs his father’s collection of more than three dozen vintage bikes from as far back as 1869.

“If we expose our heritage to people, show them where we’ve come from, what we’re doing, it becomes a real strength,” says Hobbis. “It gives us a deep well of knowledge to feed new ideas.”

New Westminster architect Eric Pattison says the city’s combination of heritage and modern structures like the Anvil Centre make its downtown unique from neighbouring communities.

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SMALL

BUSINESS

HELPING

SMALL

BUSINESS

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The 20 colourfully iced cakes lined up on the island in Sheila Comer’s kitchen told her it was time to start her own business.

But the prospect of taking her cake baking out of her home kitchen and into a storefront was daunting. She already had a job she loved.

But she loved baking and decorating cakes even more.

So she made the leap.

“My customers were getting to the point where they wanted to sit down and have consultations,” says Comer.

“They wanted to come and try what I had to offer.”

Comer signed a three-year lease in a new commercial space at the base of a condo tower on Sixth Street.

But even as the ink of her signature was drying, she says she had no idea what she was getting herself into.

There are more than 3,800 open business licences in New Westminster; 3,344 can be considered small businesses with fewer than 50 employees, and 2812 of those have less than five employees.

“Having a diversity of businesses is important for the economic health of the city,” says Blair Fryer, New Westminster’s communications and economic development manager.

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SMALL BUSINESS Providing the resources and knowledge to ensure those businesses thrive is in the community’s best interest, says Fryer. “Residents continue to show strong support for small, local businesses and are proud of the unique character and offerings they bring to New Westminster.”

The road to success often starts with the city’s licensing coordinator, who can work with business owners to ensure their plan and proposed location conforms to zoning regulations. The licensing coordinator can also work with various city departments to help move a business application through the licensing process.

Another valuable resource is the Self-Employment Program at Douglas College.

Since the program was launched 20 years ago at the college’s New Westminster campus, and then added at its Coquitlam location, it has helped 4,000 individuals gain the skills they need to develop a sound business plan and implement marketing strategies.

“The program forces you to think about things you may not have thought of,” says Travis Moss, an instructor in the program and an experienced business consultant. “It forces you to think before you buy inventory or even register your company name.”

Comer already had a name for her bakery, Pink Ribbon, in honour of her grandmother’s battle with breast cancer and her own commitment to pledge a portion of her sales to breast cancer research.

But that’s about as far as her business acumen went.

“I just decided to go ahead and do it,” says Comer.

She did research on YouTube. Conversations with Fraser Health enlightened her about the health and safety requirements for her bakery, like the need to install three sinks. She had meetings with people from the city’s licensing and planning offices to learn about city regulations and bylaws.

“I didn’t even know I needed a business licence,” says Comer. “Everybody that I dealt with was extremely helpful, willing to give me any info they could.”

The City of New Westminster’s newly redesigned website offers a wealth of resources for prospective business owners, including demographic and employment statistics, economic indicators and snapshots as well as links to the licences required by various types of businesses, online application and renewal forms and even information about bylaws governing signage.

Fryer says his department is also available to help by improving processes, finding solutions and making connections with potential resources and partners.

Moss says launching a successful business starts with researching and writing a good business plan. “(It) gets you to think about potential pitfalls, have a road map to follow.”

In their excitement and enthusiasm to launch their own business, Moss says many entrepreneurs neglect important considerations like time management and hidden costs like printing business cards, developing a marketing plan that will generate a steady flow of revenue, hiring staff.

“You can spend a lot of time on the operational end but neglect key things to get your business out there, make sure you’re developing a client base,” says Moss.

16 | INVEST NEW WEST | FALL 2016

For the first few months on her own, Comer was a one-woman band; she baked and decorated all the cakes, closed up the storefront to do deliveries, even slept on a mattress in the back.

“Everything was pretty in the moment,” says Comer. “Everything was just about baking cakes.”

In addition to giving entrepreneurs the tools they need so they won’t be overwhelmed by the challenge they’ve taken on, the 48-week program at Douglas College also connects independent business people to coaches and mentors. They check in regularly as projects are actually launched.

“We give them the tools, but it is the confidence and commitment to execute on it that leads to success,” says Moss.

And having successful small businesses in the city breeds even more economic success, says Fryer.

“A variety of retail and commercial services allows residents to meet their day-to-day needs,” he says. “(It’s) also important for employers who consider the provision and type of services for their employees when they consider where to locate their businesses.”

Comer says a major turning point on her path to entrepreneurial success came when she started hiring staff.

“My biggest fear was letting go of some control,” she says. “I was worried about bringing someone into my world that I had so independently grown.

But I know you can’t have a successful business without a successful team.”

Comer now has three employees working for her. That’s freed her up to spend more time with her young daughter.

And think about new ways to grow her business beyond New West. ❖

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LOCAL

SUCCESS

The FAT Paint Company is a New Westminster success story.

It started on a kitchen counter when Victoria Lambert and her brother, Bradford, were refinishing some furniture pieces.

Bradford worked in the film industry and he was familiar with a technique of mixing paint and chalk used by set decorators to give wood a weathered, authentic look. The chalk paint, known in the biz as “fat paint,” was versatile, easy to work with and dried quickly.

The refinished furniture pieces were a hit. The siblings decided to can their paint and share their technique.

Today the Lamberts and their staff develop, mix, can and market their FAT Paint from a 3,065-square-foot production facility in a converted auto repair garage at the foot of 11th Street. More than 100 retailers across North America, from St. John’s, Newfoundland to San Antonio, Texas to Fort Nelson, British Columbia, sold 357,359 cans of their paint last year.

FAT Paint is available in nine provinces and 14 states, with plans to expand overseas in 2017.

But much of the work to make FAT Paint is still done by hand.

Top: Victoria Lambert and her brother Bradford started the FAT Paint Company on a kitchen table in 2012, mixing their chalk paint in an old KitchenAid mixer. Their FAT Paint is now available at more than 100 retailers across North America with plans to go international in 2017.

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Until a recent move to automate the mixing process, the chalk and paint were combined in an old, repurposed industrial bread mixer.

Pouring the paint into one-litre cans, sealing the lids and affixing the brand’s distinctive black and white labels gets the human touch.

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LOCAL SUCCESS

Shelby Mattin-Abbott glues labels to cans at The FAT Paint Company’s 3,065-square-foot production facility in an old converted auto repair garage.

ABOVE: Until The FAT Paint Company recently upgraded to a more automated mixing process, all the mixing was done in an old industrial bread mixer.

BELOW: Fresh cans of FAT Paint await lids.

20 | INVEST NEW WEST | FALL 2016

Jamie Wandell pours a freshly-mixed batch of FAT Paint into a drum. The ratio of chalk to paint varies with each colour.

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INTELLIGENT

FUTURE

BUILDING A BRIDGE

to the city’s future

Already reeling from a fire that burned his small web development company out if its offices on Front Street, Nate King was about to endure another shock.

After months of running Twisted Lime from the dining room table of his New Westminster home, King had a promising lead on space in the Mercantile Building just down Columbia Street from his previous location. But when he enquired with one of the major telecommunication companies about the possibility of getting the building connected to a fibre optic cable for highspeed internet, he was told it would cost $100,000.

The City of New Westminster is in the process of absorbing that sticker shock.

In the process, it will make the city a more attractive landing place for hightech businesses and entrepreneurs, as well as create a new business opportunity for the city.

In August the city completed the first phase of a $9-million investment that will allow businesses and residents of multi-dwelling buildings to connect to a high-speed fibre optic cable network.

BridgeNet, as the network is being called, will stretch from one end of New Westminster to the other, and out to Queensborough.

22 | INVEST NEW WEST | FALL 2016

The city will own and operate the network as a utility, leasing access to it to Internet Service Providers (ISPs) who will, in turn, connect it to their customers. Already four have signed on; AEBC, Novus, Uniserve and Urbanfibre.

Fibre optic cable uses glass conductors to transmit digital data by pulses of light rather than electrical signals that move data over conventional copper phone and coaxial lines. It’s faster and more reliable. Data can travel up to 1 gigabyte per second over fibre optic; that’s more than 16 times faster than the maximum upload speeds of 60 megabytes per second of a Very-highbit-rate Digital Subscriber Line (VDSL).

That kind of speed and reliability is key to attracting new, high-tech employers in education, medicine, research and development and e-commerce, says Alvin Chok, the head of New Westminster’s IT department.

“We have to invest in the digital economy,” says Chok. “People are techsavvy; they want to be connected to the world.”

New West councillor Bill Harper, a leading proponent of the fibre optic initiative, says being able to provide businesses with a fibre optic connection to the internet is “absolutely essential” to the city’s economic development.

“Jobs are being created in technology,” says Harper. “We hope the tech startups come here and stay here. We want innovators in our city.”

INTELLIGENT FUTURE One of those innovators is CG Masters Academy, which trains the next generation of filmmakers and video game designers in the art and science of creating digital effects.

More importantly, it will put New Westminster on the radar for visual effects giants like Sony Pictures, Imageworks and Industrial Light + Magic as they look to expand or relocate studios they’ve already established in Vancouver.

Making an explosion takes 1,000 gigabytes (one terabyte) of digital ones and zeros for every frame, explains Nicholas Boughen, the co-founder and chief instructor at CG Masters. Four seconds of that explosion requires 96 frames, each made up of 20 or more layers of data. To render that data from digital code to an actual visual effect can take one to two hours for each layer. Add it all up, and a few moments of movie or game magic can take days to be realized.

Harper says New Westminster is perfectly positioned to be a fibre optic innovator.

In other words, says Boughen, his students require a whole lot of computer horsepower, far more than the 80 cores he’s put together in a closet at the school.

“The fibre network will allow us to access 10,000 cores at vast remote computer centres built specifically to crunch data,” says Boughen. “It will mean our training programs become more capable.”

“We’re centrally located, we’re compact, we own our own utility. It’s easy for us to bring fibre optic cable in over time.”

Already the city has installed 9.3 kilometres of fibre optic backbone to connect its own facilities. Another 1.6 km is being added this year and the final 2.6 km will go in next year. Over the next four years, more than 17 km of fibre optic will then be connected to commercial and multi-unit residential buildings.

Already the city is sending representatives to high-tech trade shows and conferences to spread the word and attract new employers.

“It doesn’t take that much of a selling job,” says Harper.

Judy Hamilton has already bought in.

Judy Hamilton’s Terratap Technology doesn’t have an office, but she says gigabyte internet will make it easier for her programmers to develop their interactive information systems for museums and cultural institutions without having to worry about file sizes.

INVEST NEW WEST | FALL 2016 | 23

24 | INVEST NEW WEST | FALL 2016

INTELLIGENT FUTURE

The New Westminster native chose to locate her high-tech startup, Terratap Technology, in her hometown. Her company creates cloud-based platforms for arts and cultural institutions to enhance exhibitions with multi-media content that can be displayed on visitors’ mobile devices.

High-speed fibre internet along with wi-fi will allow her clients to make their content richer and more interactive because they won’t have to sweat file sizes and visitors won’t be eating into their personal data plans.

“At the moment we have to be careful about the size of files,” says Hamilton, whose platforms have been implemented in galleries in New West, Penticton and Corner Brook, Newfoundland. “This will take that away.”

Museums and galleries will also be able to analyze how visitors use the interactive content so they can better plan future exhibits or improve existing ones, says Hamilton.

Twisted Lime’s Nate King is counting the days until he can connect his small office on Columbia Street to fibre. Not only will his team of seven coders be able to better service their clients, but gigabyte internet will be an incubator for other tech companies to set up in New Westminster.

“Tech is leading us into the next century,” says King. “BridgeNet will help put New Westminster in the driver’s seat.” ❖

Gigabyte internet will allow my students access to more computer power for their projects and create opportunities for digital effects companies to expand into New Westminster.

Nicholas Boughen, CG Masters School of 3D Animation and VFX

INVEST NEW WEST | FALL 2016 | 25

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WHAT IT IS? A network of fibre optic cable using glass conductors to transmit digital data by pulses rather than electrical signals that move data over conventional copper phone and coxial lines.

WHY IS IT BETTER?

COMPARING DOWNLOAD SPEEDS

To download a 2-hour movie in HD (3-4.5 GB file size)

Fibre connections are up to 40 times faster than a DSL (digital subscriber line) connection. See graphic at right comparing download speeds of data using the fibre optic cable versus DSL broadband.

WHERE IS THE CABLE GOING? The city has already been laying the fibre optic cable to connect its own facilities. Over the next four years, more than 17 km of fibre optic cable will be connected to commercial and mulit-unit residential buildings. See map for where the city has installed fibre cable to date and where it plans to install future fibre cable.

1 MBPS BROADBAND

10 MBPS BROADBAND

20 MBPS BROADBAND

1 GBPS FIBRE OPTIC

MINUTES

MINUTES

MINUTES

MINUTE

360

60

FIBRE NETWORK EXTENSION PLAN (connections to buildings): Dates subject to change according to demand 26 | INVEST NEW WEST | FALL 2016

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INVEST NEW WEST | FALL 2016 | 27

IDEA

CENTRE

s a e d i t h brig FOR

SAPPERTON’S

FUTURE 28 | INVEST NEW WEST | FALL 2016

The redevelopment of Royal Columbian Hospital has given the City of New Westminster an idea. Or rather, an IDEA Centre.

As work begins on the $258.9-million first phase of the redevelopment that will add a 75-bed centre for mental health and substance use wellness, a new underground parkade and energy centre as well as lay the groundwork for future expansion, the city is plotting a roadmap that will improve amenities in the surrounding Sapperton neighbourhood, enhance transportation and, ultimately, attract new employers. That map is called IDEA, for Innovation, Discovery, Education and Advancement.

The idea of IDEA Centre is to create an economic cluster around the hospital of innovative employers that support medical research and development, education, business and personal services.

The impact of IDEA Centre will diversify the city’s economy, attract new residents who will be able to live in a range of housing choices and enjoy new parks, green spaces and even a hotel.

“By responding to the anticipated growth in health care and technology, New Westminster can play a critical role in the support of improved health care… and the creation of a network that supports strong economic growth and opportunity,” said a report to council in March.

For that to happen, a number of pieces must fall into place.

The roadmap for developing Sapperton into the IDEA Centre includes more affordable family housing.

INVEST NEW WEST | FALL 2016 | 29

IDEA CENTRE

The city has created a task force charged with making the roadmap a reality.

Members of the task force will work with an IDEA Centre champion to forge relationships in the health care industry, research, education and business.

“The networking of a broad range of partners has been found to be critical to the success of healthcare clusters… creating an environment for further investment and business growth,” said the report.

Another key component already being implemented is the city’s BridgeNet project that will extend high-speed fibre optic internet across New Westminster. That connectivity will be crucial to serve the needs of innovative, leading-edge medical services like remote robotic operations and high-resolution MRI cat scans said Bill Harper, a New West councillor who is a leading proponent of the Gigabit internet project. “We want innovators in our city.”

The stakes for the plan are high.

The health care and social services sector accounted for 25 per cent of New Westminster jobs in 2011, according to the report. They’re well-paying, stable jobs.

Royal Columbian Hospital pumped $66 million directly into the city’s economy in 2014. As the hospital’s expansion proceeds, that’s expected to increase to almost $100 million by 2025, but if 25 per cent of the hospital’s

30 | INVEST NEW WEST | FALL 2016

employees end up living in New West, that could increase to $145 million.

“A number of projects… are intended to make the city, and especially the Sapperton neighbourhood, a more attractive place to live,” said the report.

These include the development of affordable, family-friendly housing, childcare offering non-traditional hours, the creation of a commercial “Great Street” of wide sidewalks, gathering spaces and vibrant commercial businesses along East Columbia Street from Braid to Sherbrooke, as well as enhancements to the neighbourhood’s parks to provide “an enhanced community amenity.” A hotel could also be in the picture, to accommodate families visiting patients at the hospital.

Another key will be improvements to transportation into and through the neighbourhood that will make it easier for pedestrians and cyclists to get around, commuters to access SkyTrain, emergency vehicles to get to the hospital and commercial vehicles to enter and exit the adjoining Braid industrial area.

Sapperton is one of New Westminster’s oldest neighbourhoods; it’s where the Royal Engineers - known as Sappers - were encamped as they built British Columbia’s first capital. As the IDEA Centre plan is implemented over the next 10 years, it will transform into a high-tech hub for medical care and research. It will also serve as a model for the development of future economic clusters in other parts of the city. ❖

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www.familydentalcentres.com INVEST NEW WEST | FALL 2016 | 31

FIBRE OPTIC INTERNET SPEEDS CITY’S JOURNEY TO BECOMING AN INTELLIGENT CITY

INTELLIGENT CITY

32 | INVEST NEW WEST | FALL 2016

Councillor Bill Harper, the co-chair of the City of New Westminster’s Intelligent City Advisory Committee, examines a section of plastic conduit that will house high-speed fibre optic cable (left) to be installed throughout the city over the next two years. The city will operate its new BridgeNet network as a utility, leasing capacity to private internet service providers, which will then sell connections to business and residential customers.

New Westminster’s BridgeNet fibre optic cable initiative will bring high-speed gigabyte internet access to businesses and multi-unit residential buildings across the city.

It’s also a key building block to making New Westminster an “Intelligent City.”

In 2008, the city identified economic development as a key pillar of New Westminster’s emergence as a “livable city,” where residents could live, work and play.

But the city’s industrial tax base was declining, as large industrial employers like Labatt, Canfor, Western Forest Products and Interfor pulled up stakes. That meant future job opportunities would have to come in knowledge-based industries like high-tech, health care and education.

In 2012, a task force of community members and city staff was struck to investigate what New Westminster needed to do to become more attractive to knowledge-based industries and how to leverage that high-tech future to create a better life for all residents.

The task force identified five building blocks to create an Intelligent City: broadband connectivity; knowledge workforce; innovation; digital inclusion; and marketing and advocacy. It also looked at the experience of other cities like Stratford and Windsor in Ontario and Fredericton, New Brunswick, that had shifted their economic growth from industrial employers to a knowledge base.

But to realize that goal, the city needs the communications infrastructure, said the task force’s report.

“Digital infrastructure requires next generation cabling for connecting homes and businesses to the internet, enabling access to content providers, markets, information sources and other services integral to living in New Westminster.”

Civic facilities like city hall, fire halls, public libraries, arenas and engineering operations have been connected to each other by a fibreoptic network since 2006. In addition, the city had also been proactive about the future expansion of that closed network by laying empty conduit into trenches whenever streets or sidewalks were dug up for repair or as part of redevelopment projects.

Owning its own electric utility also makes it easier for the city to expand that network as it already has rights-of-way.

With the fibre optic network in place, New Westminster will be able to focus its attention on using that connectivity to improve services and then to creating policies that will foster the public and private use of the network to create a more prosperous, inclusive city for residents, visitors, governments, institutions and businesses.

“It provides the nervous system to implement a city-wide network for gathering information, managing traffic and parking,” said Judy Hamilton, a member of the Intelligent City committee. “When you can start seeing the patterns, where the herd goes, you can make informed decisions about planning.”

That planning will be critical to the creation of a welcoming environment for new workers and residents keen to take advantage of the opportunities in the city’s knowledge-based industries. ❖

INVEST NEW WEST | FALL 2016 | 33

COMMUNITY LEADERS

Key West Ford prides itself on being community leaders throughout the Lower Mainland. With heavy involvement in over 5 di€erent parades, 6 di€erent local charities, a number of local food banks, community involvement is truly a priority to us at Key West Ford.

The Ford Drive 4 UR Community/School is another program that Key West Ford takes part in hosting over 10 events last summer and raising over $15,000 for schools in the surrounding area.

604-239-5183 www.keywestford.com

34 | INVEST NEW WEST | FALL 2016

301 Stewardson Way, New Westminster, BC

Invest in New West New Westminster: top 10 “Best Cities for Work in BC” & 3rd “Top Place to Start Up a Small Business in Metro Vancouver”

With some of the most affordable office, retail and residential space in Metro Vancouver, New Westminster is a city of opportunity. Businesses that locate here enjoy competitive lease rates and a strong, supportive community. And now, businesses have access to BridgeNet, a City-owned fibre network providing reliable, high-speed internet access and a competitive edge to thrive and grow.

New Westminster Economic Development Office 511 Royal Avenue, New Westminster, BC V3L 1H9 T 604 527 4536 | @investnewwest1 | investnewwest.ca

INVEST NEW WEST | FALL 2016 | 35

INTELLIGENT CITY

Q&A

WITH BLAIR FRYER

Blair Fryer, Manager of Communications and Economic Development at City of New Westminster, is a strong proponent of New Westminster’s Intelligent City initiative.

36 | INVEST NEW WEST | FALL 2016

Q&A WITH BLAIR FRYER What is an Intelligent City?

Intelligent or “smart” cities, apply information and communication technology (ICT) to create a climate of innovation and provide opportunities for businesses, institutions and citizens to prosper in the new digital economy.

In doing so, they enhance economic development and quality of life.

How does a city become “intelligent”?

Intelligent cities recognize the vital role broadband connectivity plays in ensuring continued economic growth and invest in infrastructure, like BridgeNet for example. They also work with education institutions to ensure students learn the skills necessary to fill the knowledge workforce jobs of the future. Just as important, intelligent cities promote digital inclusion so that all citizens have access to the benefits of new technology. And while searching for new and innovative ways to deliver services to the community, intelligent cities share their vision, progress, and lessons learned, with others.

Why is the Intelligent City initiative the right strategy at the right time for New Westminster’s economic growth?

It’s the city’s job to pursue ways to enhance quality of life for citizens and a big part of that is ensuring New Westminster’s economy continues to evolve.

To do that, we need to always be looking through a strategic lens towards the future.

We know that to be successful in today’s economy cities need access to superior digital communications infrastructure. Leveraging ICT is that much easier when you have your own fibre network. New Westminster’s BridgeNet fibre network opens up new possibilities for the businesses located here and by adding this infrastructure we can attract more digital media and techcentric businesses to New West while creating a stronger environment for collaboration and innovation.

What are some of the challenges the city faces on its path to becoming an Intelligent City?

that means while working to introduce new customer-centric tools, platforms and methodologies we don’t toss away practices that are serving us well.

The second challenge is all about creating a plan that moves us forward in a cohesive way. That means ensuring technology is integrated in ways that foster livability and spur economic growth. It’s all about being open to new ideas and approaches. This is why it is so critical that we include community members in our Intelligent City work. We’ve been doing that from the beginning and are reaping positive results from those efforts.

How will the New Westminster we know change or evolve as an Intelligent City?

New Westminster is a special community. Rather than change what makes it a great place to live, work and play, we are focusing our Intelligent City efforts on solving the issues we deal with on a daily basis – like transportation for example. It will be interesting to see how we can use technology to improve congestion and move traffic through our city more efficiently. Public engagement is another. Introducing new applications and processes in this area will enable us to connect with citizens in new and innovative ways, ensuring that our work is reflective of community desires. The word “evolve” is a great way to characterize that. “Progress” is another.

While Intelligent City is largely aimed at developing the city’s economic evolution, how does it trickle down to the quality of life for residents and people who already work and play here?

While Intelligent City grew from an initiative launched by our Economic Development Advisory Committee it has evolved into something that will positively impact the whole community. To do this, we need to continue to involve citizens in what an “intelligent” New Westminster looks like. There are common intelligent city applications, such as smart street light fixtures, smart parking meters and RFID (radio-frequency identification) technology that could be used in animal collar tags, for example, to help you track and find your pet if it gets lost. In the end, continued collaboration and engagement with the community will be critical to ensuring we get things right. ❖

I think one of the biggest challenges is striking the right balance. As a city,

It’s the city’s job to pursue ways to enhance quality of life for citizens and a big part of that is ensuring New Westminster’s economy continues to evolve. To do that, we need to always be looking through a strategic lens towards the future.

INVEST NEW WEST | FALL 2016 | 37

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QUESTIONS

with New Westminster Chamber of Commerce – Lizz Kelly What does your organization do and how does it help the business community of New Westminster?

What other amenities do you think make New Westminster an attractive place to do business, and to live?

Our purpose is to help business succeed. We are one of two chambers or boards of trade in Metro Vancouver that do not receive money from our local government, which allows us independent thinking. We take our members’ investment in the chamber very seriously and do the most to leverage it. We leverage every $1 contributed in membership dues into $3 in revenue and use it to provide members with free services, host networking events, search for business opportunities and advocate for business in New Westminster.

We are a transportation hub and we welcome diversity. Our vibrant, unique heritage and leadership from our city council and administration have ensured that New Westminster’s uniqueness remains intact.

Open for business, adaptive and forward thinking. We are the centre of the mainland, and it only makes sense for businesses to locate here, because we have a 20-minute reach to all areas of Metro Vancouver. Collaboratively, we are working together to welcome diversity in terms of labour and businesses in New West.

What makes the city special?

We are unique, we are innovative, we are a community and we are resilient.

There will be future opportunities in business to support the growth of the emerging sectors, such as health care, education, administration, technology, development and construction. Our BridgeNet network will give tech businesses the edge over others in terms of competitiveness.

Get in touch ...

309 Sixth St #201, New Westminster, BC | V3L 3A7 604-521-7781 | nwcc@newwestchamber.com newwestchamber.com

INVEST NEW WEST | FALL 2016 | 39

CITY PARTNERS

How would you describe New Westminster as a place to do business?

What sort of future opportunities exist for business in New Westminster?

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Many say that being centrally located within Metro Vancouver is what makes us unique, and it’s really nice to be known for that, as being the heart of Metro Vancouver.

QUESTIONS

with Tourism New West – Tej Kainth What does your organization do and how does it help the business community of New Westminster?

What other amenities do you think make New Westminster an attractive place to do business, and to live?

We are the official destination marketing organization for the city of New West. Our role is to market and promote New Westminster’s products, services and experiences to visitors. We operate the visitors’ centre, which is located inside the Anvil Centre, where businesses can have their material displayed with our pay to play initiative. We’re a non-profit organization, and we run various programs throughout the year that any business can participate in, such as advertising programs and a culinary program.

Having five SkyTrain stations and a pretty active transit network in our city is really something. New West is affordable, which is welcoming more families into the city. We’re also a very walkable city. If you want to go to the grocery store, if you want to go check out a restaurant, you can walk there. You’re able to do that on transit or on foot, you don’t have to get into your car. We’ve come a long way in becoming a safe city, too. We have a very proactive police force that keeps our streets safe. We have this small-town charm, with all the ingredients of a big city.

Welcoming, very welcoming. The city departments and the business associations are a great resource for new businesses when they are looking to have their business located in the city.

New West is an up-and-coming city for new businesses to emerge.

Really, the city caters to any kind of business, big or small. Our demographics are changing rapidly, and residents and visitors are now looking for more diverse businesses and options to choose from.

What makes the city so special?

Many say that being centrally located within Metro Vancouver is what makes us unique, and it’s really nice to be known for that, as being the heart of Metro Vancouver. It’s an asset we should be proud of, but what truly makes us special are the people behind the products and services that we offer, the business owners. Each business owner has a great story of why they chose to invest in New Westminster. It’s incredible to see the amount of passion and pride these people have.

What sort of future opportunities exist for business in New Westminster?

I think the tourism industry is going be growing further with the revitalization efforts being done along the riverfront and downtown.

With that, I do see more hotels opening up. There’s this incredible entrepreneurial spirit that New Westminster attracts. Where we are now as a city compared to where we were – it has gone through leaps and bounds, we have really made a mark as New Westminster. People are talking about New West. There’s a lot of energy and buzz about our city, and it’s this momentum that we can’t lose. We have to keep building on it.

Get in touch ...

777 Columbia St, New Westminster, BC | V3M 1B6 604-526-1905 | info@tourismnewwestminster.com tourismnewwestminster.com

INVEST NEW WEST | FALL 2016 | 41

CITY PARTNERS

How would you describe New West as a place to do business?

THE CENTRE OF OUR CITY New Westminster’s Uptown neighbourhood is located in the heart of the city, centred at 6th Street and 6th Avenue.

Bordered by beautiful Queens Park, historic Moody Park, and stretching from Massey Theatre to City Hall, Uptown New West offers something for everyone.

With an assortment of family run restaurants and boutiques, grocery stores and retail chains, recreation activities and professional services, it’s easy to see why Uptown is where the locals go to get things done in New Westminster.

FOOD & DRINK RECREATION SHOP HEALTH & FITNESS LIVE & WORK Work, Play, Eat, Shop, Learn.

MyUptown.ca The Centre of it All. 42 | INVEST NEW WEST | FALL 2016

QUESTIONS

with Uptown Business Association’s Erin Jeffery

The Uptown Business Association is a non-profit organization that represents all businesses and property owners in the uptown business area. The key purpose of the UBA is to develop, encourage and promote business in uptown New Westminster and to generate revitalization and improvement in the region. The UBA does this through the guidance of the board and the four committee pillars: street beautification, outreach, events and marketing.

How would you describe New Westminster as a place to do business?

New West is centrally located and has any service you need available, from large corporations to small mom-and pop-outlets, which makes it easy for businesses to access what they need and form a strong community. Working with city hall is great and they look to reduce the number of bureaucratic speed bumps which can make the process of opening a business challenging.

What makes the city special?

New West has it all. It’s vibrant and walkable and has anything you might need. The people of New West are committed to supporting the business community and are proud of New West and all it has

to offer. It’s a city that has the feel and warmth of a small town.

What other amenities do you think make New Westminster an attractive place to do business, and to live?

A feeling of revitalization and growth and an abundance of green space makes New West attractive. The city is also looking at adding more family-friendly events and activities all the time.

What sort of future opportunities exist for business in New Westminster?

There is space for small technology firms to make New West their home, and the capacity for them to thrive and grow here.

The health-care cluster will have a definite boom. What would be great to see is a few more options for higher-end retail and clothing stores.

Get in touch ...

330-555 Sixth St New Westminster, BC | V3L 5H1 778-789-0054 | ej@myuptown.ca myuptown.ca

INVEST NEW WEST | FALL 2016 | 43

CITY PARTNERS

What does your organization do and how does it help the business community of New Westminster?

Home care that celebrates happier aging!

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44 | INVEST NEW WEST | FALL 2016

QUESTIONS with Downtown BIA’s Kendra Johnston

What does your organization do and how does it help the business community of New Westminster?

What other amenities do you think make New Westminster an attractive place to do business, and to live?

The Downtown New West BIA supports 450 businesses and property owners between Royal Avenue and our redeveloped waterfront. Whether it’s through marketing and promotional efforts, beautification initiatives, producing and attracting events, supporting members through changes in our area or advocating for their best interests, we’re always working with community partners to support sustainable business in downtown New West.

Being right on the SkyTrain line, downtown New West is host to two stations anchoring Columbia Street, making commuting for staff and attracting customers so much easier. Those who work here can enjoy walking the waterfront on their lunch break, and getting their chores done, with shops and services all within a very easy walk.

Downtown New West is attractive to new business owners because of its geographic location, being so centrally located within Metro Vancouver and easily accessible via transit, which helps attract customers and staff alike. Our heritage architecture, coupled with new development and a rising local population, have garnered a lot of positive attention, with millennials taking serious notice.

What makes the city special?

We’re a small town near the big city, only 20 minutes away from Vancouver via SkyTrain and on a stunning waterfront. Our history is appealing, and the sense of community here is like nowhere else. Downtown New West can be the best of all worlds to most people, with new amenities, shops and services opening all the time.

What sort of future opportunities exist for business in New Westminster?

We see much more retail and restaurants opening here in future years. With a rising local population, more services are popping up as well. The tech and health-care sectors, which the City of New Westminster is focusing on, will create new hubs of activity in our downtown core. For entrepreneurial minds, the possibilities are endless!

Get in touch ...

8-552 Columbia St, New Westminster, BC | V3L 1B1 604-524-4996 | info@downtownnewwest.ca downtownnewwest.ca

INVEST NEW WEST | FALL 2016 | 45

CITY PARTNERS

How would you describe New Westminster as a place to do business?

Stokholm Insurance Services Ltd.

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hether it’s home, auto, and life insurance or even investments, understanding what product best meets your needs can be difficult and the choices can be overwhelming. You want security for the future, but you also need to balance your risk.

How do you decide what’s best for you?

Stokholm Insurance can help.

“My focus is to help people see the value of insurance and understand what product will best serve their needs,” says Solvi Stokholm, a Co-operators Financial Advisor since 2009 and a 20-year veteran of the insurance industry.

“When there’s a claim situation, people should know right away if they are insured. You never want to find yourself wondering if you’re covered!”

The Co-operators has been helping Canadians with their insurance needs for more than 70 years. The company started in the Prairies helping farmers and today protects over one million Canadians.

According to Solvi, it’s The Co-operators commitment to personalized service that has made them so successful—a commitment she shares.

“I’m a real people person,” she says. “I take my time with my clients to make sure they walk out feeling good about whatever coverage they’ve chosen. I’m not the pushy type. I simply say, ‘Here are your options. What’s your budget?’ and we go from there.”

While many people question the cost of insurance, Stokholm says the real value is knowing you’re covered.

“Taking care of the people you love is a good feeling,” says Solvi.

“With the right insurance, you can protect what you’ve worked so hard for and safeguard your family’s future against any unforeseen events.”

Even if you already have insurance, Solvi suggests you review it at least once every two years to ensure your coverage still meets your needs.

To find out more about Stokholm Insurance, visit Stokholm Insurance at 506 Sixth Ave in New Westminster, visit cooperators.ca/en/stokholm-insurance-services, call 604-525-6633 or email solvi_stokholm@cooperators.ca.

46 | INVEST NEW WEST | FALL 2016

QUESTIONS

with Sapperton Business Association’s Gord Hobbis What does your organization do and how does it help the business community of New Westminster?

What other amenities do you think make New Westminster an attractive place to do business, and to live?

The Sapperton Business Association is a volunteer, ad hoc group of anyone who has a business in the Sapperton area, and we will meet when there is an issue in the business community that needs addressing. We keep an email database and we send out information as it becomes available, to share it with our committee members. The big thing the Sapperton Business Association does is sponsor the Sapperton Day Street Festival, which is a one-day festival that brings people out to the streets to see Sapperton and experience the community. It’s where the businesses will have a chance to expose themselves to the community.

I think New West is unique in its school system. Everyone funnels through one high school, so that really creates a community. I call New Westminster a small town in a big city – I’ll see my customers walking past my house in the morning when I go to work, I’ll meet them at Starbucks when I go for my morning coffee, and then they’ll be coming in the store, so it’s a very connected community.

New Westminster has a lot going for it. There’s a lot of businesses in Sapperton, and I know some businesses in Sapperton like to do their business within a two-kilometre radius, and there’s other businesses here that draw from all over the Lower Mainland because of New Westminster’s central location. The key is being so centrally located.

What makes the city special?

The fact that we have the heritage is something we’re using in our marketing and rebranding, so heritage is something we can draw from in our city.

The density and the population is going to grow, and people are going to migrate to New West as they begin to find Vancouver and Burnaby unaffordable, so we’re going to experience pretty incredible growth here. When you have more customers in a smaller area and more people choosing to go car-less, then I think that’s good for some business. More people is always better.

Get in touch ... info@shopsapperton.com shopsapperton.com

INVEST NEW WEST | FALL 2016 | 47

CITY PARTNERS

How would you describe New Westminster as a place to do business?

What sort of future opportunities exist for business in New Westminster?

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SHOPS AT NEW WEST A 200,000 sq. ft. retail complex located at the bustling New Westminster SkyTrain Station. With over 250,000 people passing through the station each day, Shops at New West is a hub of activity that represents a tremendous opportunity for any retail business.

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48 | INVEST NEW WEST | FALL 2016

|

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QUESTIONS

with West End Business Association’s Liz Brabbins

The purpose of West End Business Association is to promote the West End and its businesses through festivals and other events.

We also work on crime prevention and to beautify the area. The West End Business Association promotes a clean and safe business environment so that businesses may thrive free of crime and graffiti.

How would you describe New Westminster as a place to do business?

New Westminster is a great place to do business as it is such a close-knit community. People are very loyal to their local businesses. Since the West End has some of the lower rents in the city, it is good place to endure the growth of a start-up as it establishes its clientele.

What makes the city special?

People here are passionate about their community and its development, and the ethnic diversity of our culture and our city is reflected in our business community.

What other amenities do you think make New Westminster an attractive place to do business, and to live?

New Westminster has a rapidly changing demographic, as housing prices and rising rents affect people’s bottom line. Safe, familyfriendly neighbourhoods, parks, schools and good transit systems are important amenities needed to sustain local businesses.

What sort of future opportunities exist for business in New Westminster?

The future is bright for businesses in New Westminster – there is a strong ‘buy-local’ movement and good support for small businesses.

Get in touch ... newweba@gmail.com | newweba.ca

INVEST NEW WEST | FALL 2016 | 49

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