Thrive Series: Engagement in the 2018 local elections
Hon. Iain J.S. Black
As we approach the local elections on October 20, 2018, businesses and voters are in an anxious mood about the future of the Greater Vancouver region. Our recently-released VoteLocal Survey, in which many GVBOT Members participated, reveals that small and medium sized businesses feel extraordinary pressures: to attract and retain workers amid a housing affordability crisis, to keep your businesses resilient in the face of rising costs, and to compete when red tape (such as the lack of a mobile business license) constrain you from expanding and growing.
Why you should attend:
- Hear from the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade's CEO, Hon. Iain Black, who will share his thoughts about the importance of businesses being informed and engaged during the local election campaigns.
- He will also share the work that the Board of Trade is undertaking on your behalf: via our Local Election Dashboard, and in particular our 2018 Local Elections Handbook.
- The Handbook features four major topics and advocacy priorities, based on our research via the Greater Vancouver Economic Scorecard 2018, and the VoteLocal Survey:
- Housing
- Transit and Transportation
- Regional Coordination and Governance
- Addressing the Fiscal Setting
About the speaker:
Iain Black has lead the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade since October 2011. Over these seven years, the iconic 130-year-old organization has experienced a modern renaissance, with dramatic membership growth and a rediscovered relevancy for 21st-century business, government and thought leaders. Prior to the Board, Iain spent 15 years in the technology and new economy sectors, culminating in increasingly complex CEO assignments in both private and publicly-traded companies. He then pursued a lifelong passion of public service, successfully seeking election twice to the provincial legislature (in 2005 and 2009), where he was appointed minister in three different cabinet portfolios.
