Ravi Parmar, British Columbia’s Minister of Forests, says that his “heart is with the people of the Fraser Valley.”
“An atmospheric river hits the region just weeks after people throughout the province came through another challenging wildfire season,” Parmar laments. “In moments like this, we have to come together.”
The Integrated Marketplace delivered by Innovate BC is launching a province-wide Forestry Innovation and Emergency Management Testbed that will focus on supporting projects tackling wildfire and flood prevention, emergency response systems, and related areas.
“We’re creating this new testbed to invite innovators here in British Columbia to help solve real-world problems with made-in-B.C. solutions,” says Parmar.
The projects will generate insights and data that can be scaled and implemented throughout the province in order to improve emergency response systems, streamline processes, and build new efficiencies throughout the forestry sector, according a memo released this week by the provincial government.
The Forestry Innovation and Emergency Management Testbed “will test innovative technologies that will protect B.C. forests and communities,” stated Gregor Robertson, federal Minister of Housing and Infrastructure.
“By protecting our forests, we are protecting our forestry workers, keeping our communities safe from wildfires and floods, and ensuring we have the Canadian wood to build more homes across Canada,” Robertson said.
Created by the Government of B.C. in partnership with PacifiCan and Innovate BC, the Integrated Marketplace launched in 2023 to help local companies test, deploy, and scale innovations while aiming to de-risk technology adoption for partnering industry customers.
The Integrated Marketplace “is an incredible catalyst to growth,” says Sam Goldman, founder of Skyward Wildfire Technologies.
This Forestry-focused launch marks the fifth testbed announced under the Integrated Marketplace, joining the others focused on innovation in airports, marine ports, and health care.
“The Integrated Marketplace offers innovators a platform to test, deploy and scale their technologies in real-world settings and help turn their bold ideas into meaningful, tangible impact, often with global application,” comments Peter Cowan, chief executive officer of Innovate BC.
“This new testbed will see made-in-B.C. solutions enabled and supported to address wildfires and other forestry-related priority areas that affect people in B.C. every year, while at the same time, giving local innovators a pathway to proving their products, growing their business and contributing to economic prosperity for the province,” Cowan remarked.
This work is part of the Province’s Look West plan for jobs and industry, which outlines B.C.’s vision to deliver jobs and opportunities by strengthening the workforce to develop a more independent economy.
“Through our Look West plan, we’re creating growth opportunities for local companies to test and scale their technologies in real-world settings,” stated Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs and Economic Growth. “These testbeds will help de-risk made-in-B.C. wildfire technologies and accelerate commercialization, helping communities become more resilient, while creating good jobs and driving economic growth throughout the province.”
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