A new kind of economy is growing in Vancouver’s inner-city, one that is both environmentally and socially sustainable. At the heart of it, people are coming together from every sector to cultivate a ‘green’ economy that addresses both climate change and economic sustainability.

According to the UBC Centre for Sustainability and Social Innovation, the green economy is comprised of businesses, non-profits, social enterprises, trade unions, consumers, and various levels of government, who together develop the right business climate, demand, and support for the green economy to flourish in Vancouver’s inner-city. Essentially, the green economy and its various components are focused on moving processes and people towards a more sustainable future.

Kristina Welch, a Graduate Fellow at the Centre, is currently conducting focused research on what the green movement means for Vancouver’s inner-city. “The aim of the current environmental movement is to encompass everyone in the pursuit of a better sustainable community,” she says.

“A good thing about green jobs,” Welch continues, “is that many of them have low barriers to entry”. Some examples of green jobs include landscaping, urban agriculture, mechanical services relating to biodiesel, and energy retro-fitting.

An expert in the field of green collar job training systems, Majora Carter, has seen first-hand the benefits of environmental and economic sustainability working together. A pioneer in successful green collar job training and placement systems in America, Carter founded Sustainable South Bronx, an environmental justice non-profit as well as the Majora Carter Group, a green-economic development consulting firm based in New York’s Bronx.

As the keynote speaker of Sustainability 2.0: The Evolution of Green — a sustainability expo hosted by the Strathcona Business Improvement Association (BIA), Carter came to Vancouver’s inner-city on April 2 to share her experiences of “greening the ghetto” in her own state’s inner-city. She was sponsored by Vancity.

“We are in the middle of an economic crisis and an environmental crisis,” Carter said. “We must recognize that we can use the same tools to alleviate poverty and to remediate the environment”. She gave numerous illustrations of this, including an instance where high quality wooden crates that were used for shipping food products, instead of being thrown out after use, were used to make furniture. This not only saved material from the landfill, but also enabled job creation.

Businesses play an integral role in this emerging green economy. This was clearly seen at the Sustainability 2.0 Expo as panel speakers from businesses including Social Purchasing Portal suppliers Frogfile Office Essentials and Saul Good Gift shared how their own businesses have benefitted and profited from working with other local businesses on sustainability initiatives.

“There are lots of advantages to getting to know your [business] neighbours,” Strathcona BIA Executive Director Cathy Kwan says. “This neighbourhood’s landscape really lends itself to getting in touch and building a sense of collaboration”. The Strathcona BIA is one community agency that is actively working towards sustainable business solutions. Out of their Sustainability Committee that was launched in 2006, numerous initiatives are coming to fruition. The Sustainability 2.0 expo was one of them; they are also working with BC Hydro Power Smart to implement an energy conservation challenge that aims to reduce their members’ overall energy consumption by 5% in a year’s time.

BOB also recognizes the vital role businesses have to play in this sustainability movement, and recently launched the new Green Inner-City Cluster (GIC) and will bring together interested participants on June 10th. Andrew McKay, BOB’s coordinator of industry clusters, describes the purpose of the initiative as “seeking to contribute to the sustainable and inclusive revitalization of the inner-city through the creation of green jobs and the growth of sustainable and socially conscious enterprises”.

“It does this by networking and connecting individuals and businesses to work together on green initiatives that will benefit everyone,” McKay says.

“There’s something greener and more beautiful out there,” Carter says. “If we work hard, and work together on this, everybody wins because the future isn’t black or white... it’s green”.

For more information about Majora Carter please visit www.majoracartergroup.com

For more information about BOB’s Green Inner-City Cluster please email Andrew McKay at andrew.mckay@bobics.org or call 778-328-7672.

For more information about more of Strathcona BIA’s Green Initiatives for your business please visit www.strathconabia.com.

To learn more about the UBC Centre for Sustainability and Social Innovation please visit www.sauder.ubc.ca/cssi

For more information about the green movement in the inner-city visit www.greeningtheinnercity.ca

Some Green businesses located within and/or are partners with Vancouver’s inner-city:

Frogfile Office Essentials Inc
A one-stop shop to find well-designed office products that are easy on the environment.
121 Heatley Avenue, Vancouver, B.C.
Phone: (604) 669-5949
www.frogfile.com

Recycling Alternative
An inner-city owned and operated leader in recycling services ranging from recycling pick-up to confidential shredding to biodiesel fuel.
360 Industrial Ave, Vancouver, B.C.
Phone: 604-874-SAVE (7283)
www.recyclingalternative.com

M Smart Design
A lifestyle store specializing in ethical and sustainable decor, locally made eco-friendly furniture and organic mattresses.
Unit H5 925 Main St, Park Royal South, West Vancouver, B.C. (coming soon to the inner-city)
Phone: 778-280-3610
www.m-smartdesign.com

Landscaping with Heart
Professional construction landscaping, garden planting, lawn and garden maintenance and power washing.
295 East 11th Ave, Vancouver, B.C.
Phone: 604-764-6337
www.coastmentalhealth.com/landscaping.html

The Cleaning Solution
A Vancouver-based contract cleaning company with a mandate of providing environmentally friendly cleaning services as well as meaningful employment for local residents who have experienced mental illness but who are now ready to return to work.
175 West Broadway, Vancouver B. C.
Phone: 604-707-0227
www.cleaningsolution.ca

Offsetters
Canada’s premier provider of high quality solutions for individuals and organizations seeking to understand, reduce, track and offset their climate impact. Services include consultation, customizing carbon neutral strategies and emissions calculators.
#300 – 157 Alexander Street, Vancouver, B.C.
Phone: 604-688-6791
www.offsetters.ca

Wa-2! Water Co.
A BC-based firm specializing in sustainable water-filtration systems for both residential and business settings.
1795 Powell Street, Vancouver, B.C.
Phone: 604-689-4009
www.wa2.ca

Eclipse Awards
A carbon neutral awards supplier, specializing in crystal and glass awards for all recognition needs.
614 Alexander St, Vancouver, B.C.
Phone: 604-482-0166
www.eclipseawards.com

Saul Good Gift Co.
Responsibly packaged gift options filled with premium local and organic products.
Phone: 604-880-8398
www.itsaulgood.com

Mission Possible Enterprises
This social enterprise specializes in graffiti removal and paint restoration services while working to break the cycles of poverty in Vancouver’s inner-city.
543 Powell Street, Vancouver, B.C.
Phone: 778-322-4469
info@mission-possible.ca
www.mission-possible.ca

Environmental and social responsibility come together to form an emerging hybrid of sustainability. At the forefront of this movement is one Vancouver inner-city firm that has had its roots in this movement even before blue-boxes began appearing on doorsteps. Locally owned and operated, The Recycling Alternative is a green enterprise dedicated to waste diversion and reduction.

From its beginnings in 1989, Recycling Alternative’s co-owners Louise Schwarz and Robert Weatherbe have seen and been an integral part of Vancouver’s ‘green movement’: the shift towards increasing sustainable practices and decreasing carbon footprints. The firm currently offers an array of green services ranging from recycling pick-up to confidential shredding to biodiesel fuel.

“Part of our advantage,” Schwartz says, “is that we’re really close to the city, and we’re able to service it with inexpensive turnaround... it’s very much a part of our vision and our micro way of working to have a small environmental impact, a small footprint, but be far-reaching in the work we do.”

While the majority of their work centers around the pre-processing aspect of basic materials (i.e. plastics, paper, metals), they are continually adapting to meet the needs of the growing green economy. Currently, the firm is working towards diversifying into the recycling of electronics and organics.

In addition to working towards environmental sustainability, Recycling Alternative is a model for social and economic sustainability, hiring inner-city residents through BOB’s Employment Services.

“We’ve always employed individuals with barriers to employment,” Schwarz says, “This type of job is very hands-on and has low barriers to entry.”

“A lot of these jobs are low-tech,” Weatherbe adds, “but it’s a first step for many of them to increase their skill set in this light industrial context, and it’s all within a context of green business. They’re doing something that’s really contributing to the bigger picture environmentally.”

“These materials are being pulled from the community and employing people from the community. This is a great opportunity to blend social imperative and environmental imperative.”

For more information about The Recycling Alternative please visit www.recyclingalternative.com

To learn more about BOB’s Employment Services please contact Liz Charyna at 778-328-7669 or liz.charyna@bobics.org.

BOB’s Economic Development Model has three targets: investment identification, business support and human resource services. These three targets are inter-connected and inter-dependent: success in one program area will lead to success in another.

Investment Identification increases the competitiveness and growth of inner-city businesses by applying industry clustering strategies, creating networks and strategic partnerships and providing information and research to support investment in the community.

BOB’s Business Support services strengthen the capacity of inner-city businesses through the provision of information and advice on business issues, increased awareness and access to resources and the facilitation of partnerships, and cooperative agreements.

Thirdly, Human Resource services increase employment opportunities for inner-city resident through inner-city workforce development, employment readiness, skill development training, job postings, and job retention and support.

For more information about BOB’s Economic Development Model please visit www.buildingopportunities.org

Business Advisory and Support Services are integral components of BOB’s Economic Development Model which are supported by the Vancouver Agreement with funds from Bell Canada and Western Economic Diversification Canada. Our Business Support Services currently include:

• The Vancouver Social Purchasing Portal (SPP) — A web-based application that integrates Corporate Social Responsibility into existing business-to-business purchasing and supplier relationships that create local employment. To date, the SPP has helped secure over $2.5 million worth of transactions and currently has 217 registered partners: 185 purchasers and 32 suppliers.
• Industry Clusters — BOB's cluster strategy is modelled on successful initiatives founded by Harvard professor Dr. Michael Porter and works to bring together private and public sector stakeholders to drive innovation and growth to the benefit of all the companies in the cluster. Currently, clusters are active in: Tourism & Hospitality, Construction, Creative Industries, Information/Communication Technologies and the Green Industries.
• Business Loans — This program seeks to increase the availability of loan capital for establishing, expanding, modernizing and improving small and medium-sized businesses in Vancouver’s Inner-city, including the downtown eastside. Re-launched in January 2008, the program to date has 4 loan clients with a total of $141,000 allocated. From these funds, $282,500 has been leveraged in additional investment from our financial partners that include Ecotrust Capital, Renewal Partners, Vancity and CCEC Credit Union.
• Consultant Grants — BOB provided small, non-repayable grants (up to $10,000) to businesses and social enterprises working to benefit the inner-city revitalization effort. The intent of these grants funded by WD was to assist local businesses, enterprises and entrepreneurs to hire external consultants to provide the expertise they needed to meet immediate business needs. In total, 15 grants were approved resulting in $131,550 being dispersed and an additional $474,839 was leveraged. These funds have been 100% dispersed and not replenished.
• Free Consulting Services — a business development consultant whom BOB makes available for 2-hour consultations to any inner-city business or social enterprise.
• Business Development Seminars — BOB and SAP Business Objects are partnering to deliver monthly business development seminars to inner-city business and social enterprises. Please see Eastside Events for more information.
• Hastings Renewal Strategy — BOB is working closely with the City of Vancouver Great Beginnings program to improve building facades, employ local residents and bring new retail, street-level, tenants back to the vacant buildings on Hastings between Cambie and Main St.
• Business Expansion and Consultation — BOB offers access to business professionals as well as to our extensive network of contacts and resources. Our staff can provide valuable insight in the business planning stage and can help you find the location and funding and guide you through the City processes necessary to make your business a success.

Here are the results from some of our clients:

• The Chinatown Pedicab Project — A Chinatown revitalization initiative headed by the Vancouver Chinatown Business Improvement Association (VCBIA). BOB’s Tourism and Hospitality Cluster was instrumental in bringing together community agencies and funders to bring the project to fruition. “Working with BOB was very encouraging,” VCBIA President Albert Fok says, “they helped us track sponsorship, and helped point us in the right direction and to the right personnel”. Additionally, a Consultant Grant from BOB enabled the hiring of a consultant to prepare a business plan which received Bell Canada funds from the VA. A strategy for training and hiring inner-city residents was developed with the help of the BOB BusinessLinks program which is also funded by Bell.
• Hope in Shadows — A project managed by the downtown eastside legal advocacy group Pivot Legal Society, Hope in Shadows gives local residents an opportunity to showcase their community through photography while offering tangible financial benefits through the selling of Hope in Shadows’ calendars. Through a WD Consultant Grant provided by BOB, the project was able to hire a consultant company to implement training workshops. “BOB helped pay for the first training session,” Pivot’s Publication Manager Paul Ryan said, “if it wasn’t for them we wouldn’t have done it”. Subsequently, 45 people were able to receive training and calendar sales increased.
• M Smart Design — Specializing in green decor, eco-friendly furniture and organic mattresses, M Smart Design was granted WD funds to develop a business plan and assessment for relocating to the inner-city. A local consultant was hired and a business plan developed that identified environmental and economical advantages to moving to the inner-city. In addition to confirming the inner-city as a viable and strategic place to relocate to, the project consultation equipped M Smart Design with a better understanding of its market, extensive financial information about the budgets and forecasts for current and future years.

Affectionately known as “Muskie” to most who know him, Andrew McKay joined the BOB team in April 2008 as Industry Initiatives Coordinator.

After earning his BSc in Computing Science from the University of Victoria and MBA from the University of British Columbia, Andrew went on to work in a range of positions in the business development field, including with the Korean Consulate.

Drawn to BOB’s mandate of developing local inner-city businesses, Andrew brings his wealth of experience into his role of Industry Initiatives Coordinator. He leads the current five industry clusters: construction, tourism & hospitality, creative, information communication technology, and the recently launched ‘green’ cluster.

“These clusters strive to bring people together,” he says, “individuals, businesses and universities collaborate to work on initiatives that will benefit the whole industry. A lot can be accomplished when people come together.”

Are you:

• A business looking for business development support, to locate or connect to other inner-city businesses?
  E-mail Brian at brian.smith@bobics.org or call 778-328-7668
• An employer willing to hire from the inner-city with support from BOB?
  t E-mail Liz at liz.charyna@bobics.org or call 778-328-7669
• A socially responsible business or social enterprise who wants to join the Social Purchasing Portal?
  Go to www.sppvancouver.org
• A corporation, foundation or individual that wants to support BOB's work?
  E-mail Shirley at shirley.chan@bobics.org or call 778-328-7670; or
• An inner-city resident looking for employment opportunities?
  Email Lani at lani.johnson@bobics.org or call 788-328-7674.

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