oe

Tech-based cos.
well-represented
on North Shore

THE NORTH Shore is home to
more technology-based businesses
than anywhere else in the pro-
vince, according to provincial
statistics.

Locally the numbers add up to
300 companies providing about
1,000 jobs.

Said North Shore Economic
Development Commission

Michael
Becker

HIGH TECH

(NSEDC) economic development
officer Bonnie Pyplacz, ‘‘! think
probably what it is, is that we've
certainly got one of the highest
educated, highest income popula-
dons in the province. Because of
the education component, people
are tending to start businesses that
are more technology-oriented. |
think that’s why we see so much
more here — it’s a_ lifestyle
choice.”

Pyplacz. said more computer
hardware and custom software
firms are choosing to set up shop
here.

The main reason they come here
continues to have more to do with
the fact that the principals of such
companies tend to live on the
North Shore rather than the phe-
nomenon being a gathering of
firms following similar
microchip-embedded pathways.

Meanwhile, to mitigate the ex-
odus of bursting-at-the-seams suc-
cess stories fleeing the North
Shore in search of cheaper indus-
trial square footage, space at a
new business park at Maplewood
is expected to begin coming to
market later this year.

Said Pyplacz, ‘‘The Maplewood
business park area is moving
ahead very quickly. It’s at the
point where the geotechnical work
has been done. And we've done
some market research with the
Province in terms of specially-
niched business parks across

Ss)

9.125%} 9.50%

“Clint Shaddock

Regional Sales Manager

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Canada, looking at those that
have been successful and not suc-
cessful."*

The new business park will be
located above Dollarton Highway
on vacant land west of the Cana-
dian International College.

Pyplacz anticipates that about
30 acres of the 40-acre site will be
developed, with approximately 12
to 15 acres on the eastern side of
the site becoming available later
this year.

But said Pyplacz, **The fact still
remains we have limited land. Ei-
ther Burnaby or Richmond have
10 times the available space at any
one time. The thing that has been
better for the North Shore is that
Richmond prices are almost North
Vancouver prices now.”*

in 1989 the NSEDC began an
effort to determine the direction
of economic development on the
North Shore.

Funding for economic devel-
opment projects is provided by the
provincial Ministry of Develop-
ment, Trade and Tourism and
through the Community
Organizations for Economic De-
velopment Program.

The high-tech firms identified as
active on the North Shore have
been in business focally for an
average of 10 years. More than
half of the companies averaged $1
million in revenue in the last fiscal
year, Each company employs
about 19 employees, of which
42% five on the North Shore.

An updated version of the
NSEDC’s handy directory of
technology companies active con
the North Shore is expected to be
released in May.

NSEDC ECONOMIC develop-
ment officer Bonnie Pyplacz...
many computer firms are
choosing the North Shore as a

base.

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Sunday, April 28, 1991 - North Shore News - 23
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