Biv Today

On BIV Today… Investment Industry Association of Canada CEO Ian Russell (6:01) explores the headwinds facing global financial institutions, and the implications for Canadian firms. Tyler Orton and Hayley Woodin host, see more of their work at https://biv.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On BIV Today... It’s summer, which means offices across the province are likely sprinkled with eager, young interns looking to make their mark in the professional world. But what should employers know before taking on an intern to help fill in? Employment lawyer Leslie Whittaker (1:00) from Boughton Law breaks down some of the most common problems employers and interns face. Then, SFU international studies professor Gerardo Otero (8:54) discusses the busy summer ahead for Canada’s international relations as it balances escalating trade measures with the Trump administration with a new populist president in Mexico who does not appear to be a big fan of NAFTA. See more of Kirk LaPointe's and Tyler Orton's work at https://biv.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On BIV Today… Carlo Dade, director of the centre for trade and investment policy at the Canada West Foundation, examines how Mexico’s presidential election stands to impact NAFTA negotiations. Avison Young research manager Susan Thompson discusses the challenges landlords face when vetting prospective retail-cannabis clients. The firm has developed a framework to help clients navigate the unknowns going into a nascent industry where not all actors may be credible.  Kirk LaPointe, Tyler Orton and Hayley Woodin host, see more of their work at https://biv.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On BIV Today... From space tourism to mining meteors, Mike Greenley (1:18) says commercial opportunities are wide open for the space industry. Greenley is the new group president of Vancouver-founded aerospace giant MDA, which is in the midst of transition after its parent company reincorporated as an American entity with a focus on the U.S. defence and intelligence market. He joins the show to discuss where Canada now fits in with regards to the global space industry. Then, BIV’s weekly tech panel featuring Progressa CEO Ali Pourdad and e@UBC’s Amielle Lake (14:20) dive into the latest industry news, including a Canadian hyperloop company’s call for support from Ottawa and how tech employees facing firing may now opt instead to face a jury of their co-workers. See more of Kirk LaPointe's and Tyler Orton's work at https://biv.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On BIV Today... Economist Jock Finlayson (1:29) from the Business Council of B.C. expands on his latest column in Business in Vancouver  examining how the region’s high housing costs are dissuading inter-provincial migrants from moving to B.C. It’s not as if expensive housing is a new phenomenon here, so Finlayson looks at the changes in historical patterns behind this trend. Then KMAC Group CEO Keith McIntyre (14:43) recounts his career landing athlete sponsorship deals with some of the world’s top brands. The author of On Your Mark discusses how working with Wayne Gretzky, Shaquille O’Neil, Catriona Le May Doan and Steve Yzerman influenced the way he does business. See more of Tyler Ortons's work at https://biv.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On BIV Today… The author behind the Lower Mainland money laundering review commissioned by the B.C. government joins BIV Today to walk through the report, its findings and his recommendations for the province. Peter German (0:49) is a lawyer, a former RCMP deputy commissioner and the author behind Dirty Money. Vancouver Economic Commission industrial initiatives manager Pietra Basilij (14:32) reviews the VEC’s brand new industrial insights report, and offers policy recommendations to help businesses cope with a regional land supply crunch. Hayley Woodin and Tyler Orton host, see more of their work at https://biv.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On BIV Today... Amid talk of trade wars and threats of tariffs, consumers are now jumping aboard the “Buy Canadian” bandwagon. But is boycotting U.S. products really that easy? Retail Insider editor-in-chief Craig Patterson (1:45) joins the show to discuss this phenomenon. He also dishes on the latest industry news, including Vancouver’s growing status as a luxury retail hub and plans to launch 100 new Jollibee fast-food outlets across Canada. Later, Gordon Frost (18:52) from Mercer Canada discusses where Vancouver ranks on their cost of living report. The results may surprise you. See more of Business in Vancouver at https://biv.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On BIV Today… Ten per cent of CN’s $3.4-billion capital spend this year is earmarked for B.C. Sean Finn (0:39), executive vice-president corporate services and chief legal officer at the railway company, discusses how CN plans to address capacity issues. BIV’s tech panel (9:47) talks about Shopify’s online cannabis play and PayPal’s acquisition of a Vancouver-founded fintech – a deal worth more than half a billion dollars. Progressa CEO Ali Pourdad and e@UBC entrepreneur-in-residence Amielle Lake also discuss Uber’s right to operate in London. A UK court has given an improved Uber a provisional licence.  Kirk LaPointe and Hayley Woodin host, see more at https://biv.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On BIV Today... It appears there’s tax trouble ahead for Canadian businesses selling to Americans following a court ruling requiring out-of-state vendors to collect sales taxes for any products and services. KPMG’s Noreen Marchand (1:11) discusses how the ruling will cause headaches for Canadian businesses that will have to accommodate 7,000 sales tax jurisdictions in the U.S. Then, BIV examines employment satisfaction among millennials in Metro Vancouver. A new report shows that despite the fact this younger generation likes to switch jobs frequently, as a whole they’re more satisfied with their careers than some might think. Peter ter Weeme (12:02) from Elevator Strategy joins the show to share the latest research. See more BIV at https://biv.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On BIV Today… Sean Mullin (0:38), executive director of the Brookfield Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, examines Canadian digital literacy. Surrey Board of Trade CEO Anita Huberman (12:43) looks at the latest progress on Surrey’s LRT line. Kirk LaPointe and Tyler Orton host, see more of their work at https://biv.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On BIV Today... It’s official — recreational cannabis will be allowed to hit store shelves this October. But will jurisdictions and producers have enough time to get everything in order? The C.D. Howe Institute’s Rosalie Wyonch (1:07) discusses supply, infrastructure and retail challenges the industry faces over the next 17 weeks. Then, UBC economist Werner Antweiler (14:18) discusses his concerns for the world economy amid escalating tit-for-tat tariffs between the U.S. and China. He explains how these measures are poised to slow global trade and put smaller countries like Canada in the crossfire while it navigates its own trade disputes with the U.S. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On BIV Today… Should Canadian consumers avoid buying shoes south of the border? Is now the time for a $700,000 mortgage? Vancouver-based market strategist Sean Coakley from Cambridge Global Payments analyzes how tariff and trade fears are impacting the markets. He shares too how consumers can respond.   Vancouver’s greenest city action plan relies on green space. Nathan Gurvich, development coordinator at Cressey Development Group, offers a development perspective on the challenges of making green spaces a reality. Kirk LaPointe and Hayley Woodin host, see more of their work at https://biv.com/. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On BIV Today... B.C.’s economy is poised to contract over the next two years. A lot. RBC deputy chief economist Dawn Desjardins walks us through the bank’s latest economic forecast for the province and explains why tight supply and population growth may not be enough to keep the real estate industry chugging along at the same pace it has in recent years. Later, the BIV tech panel discusses the disappointing results from Google’s latest diversity report as well as efforts for the American Internet giant to compete with Alibaba in Asia. The panel also takes a look at warnings from American lawmakers to Canada that Chinese tech giant Huawei may pose a threat to national security. Find BIV’s stories in print and online at https://biv.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On BIV Today… Olympic medallist, Order of Canada recipient and finance executive Leslie Cliff discusses the industry’s need for diversity, and how women can excel in traditionally male-dominated fields like finance. SFU’s new sustainable energy engineering program is the first program of its kind in Western Canada. Program director Dr. Kevin Oldknow sheds light on the industries’ needs and the program’s goals. Kirk LaPointe and Hayley Woodin host, see more of their work at https://biv.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On BIV Today... FootyStats is banking on World Cup fever. The Vancouver startup has developed a platform that tracks advanced World Cup analytics to give fans the edge in predicting the outcome of matchups during the tournament. Founder and CEO Jaime Tatsubana discusses how it works and the state of sports betting in North America. Later, HollisWealth’s Jason Del Vicario discusses how rate hikes from the U.S. Fed and potential hikes from the Bank of Canada are set to influence the North American economy as well as Canadians’ investments. See more of Kirk LaPointe's and Tyler Orton's work at https://biv.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On BIV Today… Ian Russell (0:42), president and CEO of the Investment Industry Association of Canada, discusses how the federal government’s passive income taxation changes will affect small business financing, and exacerbate Canada’s investment challenges. Two guests discuss the story behind a world-renowned sculptor’s Canadian debut at Parq Vancouver. Liberty Wines founder Ian MacDonald and Sotheby’s International Realty Canada agent Christa Frosch (16:38) look at the installation’s expected impact. Kirk LaPointe and Hayley Woodin host, see more of their stories at https://biv.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On BIV Today... What comes next after the historic meeting in Singapore between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un. The leaders have both pledged peace but there are few details on how this will be accomplished. Yves Tiberghien (1:07), director emeritus of the Institute of Asian Research at the University of British Columbia, joins the show to discuss what comes next. Then, Retail Insider’s Craig Patterson (13:57) discusses the latest scathing criticisms of Lululemon from founder Chip Wilson as well as how Canadian retailers are prepping for tariffs. Find Business in Vancouver stories in print and online at https://biv.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On BIV Today… Carlo Dade (0:42), director of the centre for trade and investment policy at the Canada West Foundation, breaks down President Trump’s tough trade talk, and where Canada and U.S. relations go from here. BIV’s weekly tech panel (15:14) discusses Amazon’s labour concerns, and whether Sesame Street’s venture fund can get kids coding for play. Amielle Lake, entrepreneur-in-residence at the University of British Columbia, rejoins the show, along with Linda Fawcus, founder and CEO of Gluu Technology Society. Kirk LaPointe and Hayley Woodin host, see more of their work at https://biv.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On BIV Today... Simmering tensions at the G7 summit in Quebec quickly escalated over the weekend as U.S. President Donald Trump lashed out at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over Twitter. Are trade and diplomatic relations really at their worst point in years or is this part of an effort for Trump to look tough ahead of his historic meeting in Singapore with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un? Daniel Schwanen from the C.D. Howe Institute (1:52) joins the show to recap the biggest developments to come out of the G7 summit. What makes for a good corporate citizen in Canada? From diverse representation in the boardroom to documented reductions in the output of emissions, Corporate Knights CEO Toby Heaps (20:20) discusses his firm’s annual corporate citizenship rankings and where B.C. organizations stack up vs. the rest of Canada. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On BIV Today... Deepak Anand (0:43), vice-president of government relations at Cannabis Compliance, walks through the Senate’s passing of Canada’s legalization bill. Blakes Vancouver partner John-Paul Bogden (13:55) sheds light on some of Canada’s most significant private M&A deals from the past several years. Kirk LaPointe and Hayley Woodin host, see more of their stories at https://biv.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.