Two weeks ago, Web Summit Vancouver welcomed over 15,000 attendees from 117 countries — a remarkable and unprecedented moment for Vancouver to host the largest tech gathering in the world. 

I was fortunate to moderate two panels and connect with many personalities and startups coming to Vancouver. As a result, my outlook for Vancouver has fundamentally shifted. I often packed my bags, moved countries, and went looking for opportunities elsewhere. Primarily due to my uncertainty about what my future is in Vancouver. 

Web Summit offers an opportunity to keep talent thriving in Vancouver, and is an imperative era for future innovations, investments, and collaboration. Since Web Summit concluded, we have to continually ensure Vancouver is a welcoming and vibrant hub for those who have contributed to this city, and for newcomers looking to live on the beautiful West Coast.

Vancouver is a geographical lottery both for its serene nature and for location. Vancouver is notably a quick flight to the Bay Area and Los Angeles. British Columbia is one of the largest hubs for multiple industries such as natural resources, tourism, technology, film and television, healthcare, hospitality, real estate and now, artificial intelligence. With rapidly changing political tensions in the U.S., inevitably people will be forced to pivot. The talent pool in North America will exponentially shift as Trump dials down on reducing work visas in the U.S. while continuing to raise global tariffs as companies are forced to lay off their workers. With crisis, there is opportunity which means it’s time for Vancouver to be resilient during volatile times. 

Many countries have a vision of where they’re going in the future. Some countries even go all in on major investments in transforming their cities – especially the more technologically advanced such as U.S., China, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Japan, and so on. Anyone who is familiar with starting a business in Vancouver is informed of government challenges and sky-high rents. However, in recent years the mentality of Vancouver’s future is changing for the better. It has taken committed individuals, communities, and networks to prove to the world that Vancouver is where talent should stay. Web Summit is just the beginning. 

When I attended a Web Summit press conference with Mayor Ken Sims and co-founder of Web Summit Paddy Cosgrave I wanted to explore several issues with Mayor Ken Sim on what he sees as Vancouver’s future. I grew up in Vancouver. I have lived in a diversity of neighbourhoods and municipalities from North Vancouver, Kitsilano, Commercial, Gastown, East Vancouver, and Burnaby. What I feel strongly about is the exodus of ambitious people leaving Vancouver due to housing and opportunities elsewhere. After hearing Paddy Cosgrave share the persistence of many on how to bring Web Summit to Vancouver, I was reminded how impactful our city can be on the international stage.

Ken Sim responded on camera to my question when I asked about his future vision for Vancouver by saying, “I see Vancouver as the best city on the planet, and a land of opportunity, and a place where people can have a career in the industry they want to. People want to move to Vancouver, and want to live here.” Sim remarked on the significance of Web Summit coming to Vancouver: “Having Web Summit here is a big deal — what you see here now happening over the next few days, and what companies are building you’ll see all over the city, and that’s exciting.” 

I felt a sense of optimism after attending Web Summit. Yes, we have an unaffordable housing crisis. But I believe the only way to solve challenges is by remaining dedicated to Vancouver’s legacy and future. The growing tech community in Vancouver can seize the moment, and maintain the energy, spirit, networking, and communities of Web Summit year-round. Undeniably, we have major challenges in terms of businesses and startups thriving in Vancouver amidst unpredictable politics in North America. If we keep welcoming the world to Web Summit, we can collectively find solutions to ensure talent in Vancouver is here to stay.

Taylor Simone is an international journalist.