Good morning,
If you haven't heard of BC Founders Day, it's worth knowing about. The idea is simple: Vancouver has a lot of talented founders building within a few blocks of each other who never actually meet. The event, now in its second year, tries to fix that.
This time it's moving outdoors to South Flats next to Emily Carr on August 20, with a morning of panels and office hours — where experienced founders and investors wander around in Hawaiian leis so newer builders can find them — followed by an afternoon open to the wider ecosystem.
This year's lineup includes leaders from Clio, Koho, Moment Energy and Soma Energy, and the day wraps with a debate on whether to build here or move south. We'll be there. Use code VTJ_READER for a discount on tickets.
The rest of the week's news is below.
—Emily
Events
From The Journal
Funding, Deals, and More
The federal government has announced $30.5 million in funding for 24 B.C. businesses through its Regional Tariff Response Initiative, including investments in Burnaby-based clean tech company Quadrogen and manufacturers in Coquitlam and Parksville. Read more →
TELUS has committed $2 million in support for B.C. communities affected by wildfires, including free data for evacuated customers, emergency kits, and direct funding to First Nations and local charities on the ground. Read more →
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In Other News
B.C. Finance Minister Brenda Bailey has announced she was recently diagnosed with early-stage, treatable cancer and will take a leave of absence for treatment this summer, expecting to return in October. Read more →
Premier David Eby has announced three cabinet changes following Bailey's leave: Josie Osborne moves to Finance, Ravi Kahlon moves to Health, and Bailey shifts to Jobs and Economic Growth with Adrian Dix covering the portfolio in the interim. Read more →
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