IN THE KNOW:
COAST launches Blue Action Accelerator
COAST, Pacific Canada’s hub for the sustainable blue economy, has launched Blue Action Canada, Canada’s first startup accelerator dedicated 100% to the ocean economy. The program is held in partnership with global venture leaders Founders Factory (London) and Blue Action (Bahamas).
Blue Action Canada (BAC) responds to a wave of demand for venture support from ocean companies on the west coast and will run as a pilot starting in January of this year.
The first cohort of eight startups will access global expertise, investors, strategic partners, and new markets through BAC’s content and leadership team, who are among the world’s foremost experts in venture acceleration and blue tech.
The program builds on the success of Founders Factory and Blue Action’s collaboration, Blue Action Accelerator. This launch marks a strategic first move into Canada for these partners, where the ocean opportunity is monumental and innovation is surging, particularly on the west coast.
Jason Goldsworthy, Executive Director of COAST, says “British Columbia is home to both a legacy of success and a rising tide of innovation in the blue economy—from AI-enabled ocean conservation to marine renewable energy. Through COAST’s partnership with Blue Action and Founders Factory, the Blue Action Canada pilot will bring international partners and industry-leading experts to support B.C.’s Ocean founders, and cement Pacific Canada’s position as a global hub for ocean innovation.”
The Blue Action Canada pilot will culminate in a residential program this May, bringing startups to Vancouver and to the Vancouver Web Summit.
Victoria Chamber announces new Board of Directors
The Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce has named its 2025 Board of Directors.
Christina Clarke, Executive Director of the Indigenous Prosperity Centre, takes on the role of Board Chair, while James Gatsi, Business Development Manager with Tecnet, becomes the new Vice-Chair. Kris Wirk, Partner at Dusanj and Wirk, assumes the role of Past Chair after serving for two years as Chair.
Joining the board for their first term are Ashka Wirk, Principal of Wirk Consulting; Corey Gillon, CEO of Peninsula Co-op; Elizabeth M. Brown, President and CEO of the Victoria Airport Authority; Mary Lou Newbold, Chief Eyewear Officer of Mayfair Optometric Clinic; and Spencer Walker, Director and Team Lead at CIBC Commercial Banking.
“Greater Victoria’s business community is exceptionally well-represented on the 2025 Chamber Board of Directors and I’m excited to continue our work — building good business and great community,” incoming Chamber Chair Christina Clarke said. “I’d like to thank Kris for everything he did over the past two years to lead our organization as we adapted and evolved to increase our resiliency during challenging economic times.”
Victoria Foundation’s Community Grants Program distributes record amount
The Collaboration Stream of the Victoria Foundation’s Community Grants Program has distributed $721,318 to support 17 non-profit and charitable collaborations in the capital region. This funding will help meet the growing need for resources in the philanthropic sector and will help organizations work together to address solutions to the complex challenges facing the region.
The funding is made up of discretionary endowed funds, the Foundation’s Community Action Funds, and $270,000 in one-time funding by the Government of British Columbia through the Community Prosperity Fund.
It represents an eight per cent increase in the total amount of Collaboration Stream funding recommended over 2023. This year, a record 39 applications were submitted for a total request of $2.4 million. 25 of the submissions were from first-time applicants.
Grant recipients were chosen with an emphasis on an equitable distribution across the region’s geography and equity-deserving populations, while prioritizing organizations working on key Vital Signs issue areas.
This funding announcement comes in light of the latest State of the Sector report, titled ‘Under Pressure.’ The report found that many non-profits in BC today are grappling with high costs of inflation and skyrocketing demand for services, that they often experience burnout, and that they’ve seen a decline in revenues and volunteerism, among other findings.
The 2024 Community Grants Program has two grant streams, including the Vital Stream and the Collaboration Stream. Starting in 2024, the grant streams had separate intake timelines, to better recognize the distinct program goals for each stream and to align better with the community’s capacity for collaborative projects.
Nominations sought for BC Achievement Awards
The BC Achievement Foundation has opened nominations for its Achievement Awards, which celebrates and honours individuals and organizations whose contributions lead and inspire others.
Nominations are open for the following programs:
• Community Award
• BC Reconciliation Award
• Indigenous Business Award
• Polygon First Nations Art Award
• Sam Carter Applied Art + Design Award
The nomination deadline is February 15, 2025.
Construction underway for Uptown Mobility Hub
Windley Contracting has begun construction of the Ravine Way Transit and Active Transportation Improvements at the Uptown Mobility Hub.
Construction of a new roadway, active transportation and transit infrastructure will include four new bus stops with shelters (two of which will be on the Trans-Canada Highway) and dedicated bus lanes.
The project will also improve pedestrian safety and active transportation surrounding the hub by improving crosswalks and intersections and creating new multi-use pathways to build connections to the adjacent Galloping Goose Regional Trail network.
Funding for the Uptown Mobility Hub was announced in September 2024, with the Province investing $15.5 million and the federal government investing $4.5 million through its Public Transit Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.
The work will connect all transit services in the region and follows other transit and active-transportation improvements, such as the Highway 1 Bus-On-Shoulder-Lanes project, the Colquitz Bridges Widening project and BC Transit’s transit-priority lanes in the Six Mile area of View Royal.
The project is expected to be completed in summer 2025.
FROM THE PAGES OF DOUGLAS:
When life is busy and business is busier, maybe it’s time to outsource. Read our guide to doing just that.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR:
JANUARY
January 23: Canadian Digital Marketing Summit
January 26 – 29: IMPACT Sustainability Travel & Tourism Summit
January 28: Westshore Chamber of Commerce Coffee Talk: Great Start Canada Immigration and Recruitment
FEBRUARY
February 20 – 21: 6th Western Angel Investment Summit
MARCH
March 4 – 6: Rising Economy conference
MAY
May 4 – 9: International Seaweed Symposium
JUNE
June 4: Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce Business Awards