The health of businesses and sustained economic growth are becoming greater priorities for the City of Vancouver, as Mayor Ken Sim has launched a new Task Force on Vancouver Business Growth.
On Monday, Sim announced that 12 members have been appointed for this task force, bringing together leaders in technology, finance, tourism, clean energy, real estate, and education, as well as representatives from all three levels of government.
“This is about getting rid of unnecessary barriers, strengthening key industries, and ensuring that our city remains competitive in a rapidly changing global economy. Because let’s be clear, it hasn’t always been easy doing business in the city of Vancouver. We have too many entrepreneurs that have faced unnecessary hurdles. We have too many investors who’ve looked elsewhere,” said Sim during a press conference on Monday.
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“We have too many industries who have been held back by outdated regulations, and we’re going to change that. This task force will be looking at everything from permitting delays to taxation, trade barriers, and economic incentives to ensure that Vancouver isn’t just a great place to live, but a great place to build, invest, and grow,” continued Sim, noting that “we can’t afford to be complacent.”
One of the most prominent figures in this group is Gordon Campbell, who served as premier of British Columbia from 2001 to 2011, and as mayor of Vancouver from 1986 to 1993. Following his tenure in provincial leadership, he was appointed Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, a role he held from 2011 to 2016.
Campbell, one of the most influential and consequential figures in provincial history, has kept a relatively low public profile in local politics over the past decade and a half.
He was a Vancouver city councillor in the lead up to Expo ’86, before becoming the mayor. He oversaw the initial development planning of the former World’s Fair lands in False Creek, as well as Yaletown and Coal Harbour, and the construction of Rogers Arena and the new Central Branch of the Vancouver Public Library at Library Square.
During his tenure as premier, Campbell championed free-enterprise policies, played a key role in bringing the 2010 Winter Olympics to Vancouver, and advanced major infrastructure projects including the SkyTrain Canada Line, the Sea to Sky Highway expansion, the replacement Port Mann Bridge and Highway 1 widening, the West Building of the Vancouver Convention Centre, and the renovation of BC Place Stadium with its signature retractable roof.
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim announcing the new Task Force on Business Growth on April 7, 2025. (Kenneth Chan)
Other notable members on the task force include Bridgitte Anderson, president and CEO of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade; Royce Chwin, president and CEO of Destination Vancouver; Jane Talbot, president and CEO of the Downtown Van BIA; Jill Tipping, president and CEO of the BC Tech Association; Ian Tostenson, president and CEO of the BC Restaurant and Food Services Association; Peter Xotta, president and CEO of the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority; and Wayne Sparrow, chief of the Musqueam Indian Band.
Additional members include Laura Ballance, principal of LBMG Communications; Carly Frey, chair of the BC Alliance for Arts and Culture and Partner at Nordicity; Prem Gill, CEO of Creative BC; and Jeff Stibbard, executive chairman of JDS Energy & Mining.
City councillors Mike Klassen, Lenny Zhou, and Pete Fry will also serve as City Council liaisons to the task force.
Sim reinforced the importance that Vancouver is competing for businesses and economically, not just with Toronto and Calgary, but also with San Francisco, Seattle, and other global markets.
He also vowed the task force will be “proactive, not reactive.”
“Let me be really clear here: this isn’t just another advisory group. It’s a high-impact, solutions-driven team that will be working closely with businesses, industry leaders, and economic experts to deliver recommendations that can be implemented quickly and effectively. And this is just the beginning,” said Sim today.
“Our goal is to make Vancouver the best place in North America to start and grow a business. That means taking bold, decisive action starting today. To all the people that work in our city, business leaders, and entrepreneurs who drive our economy, we hear you, and we have your back.”
The task force is expected to deliver its report to City Council in about six months.
Green city councillor Pete Fry added, “So I think we have an excellent team here to work with, knitting all our various different pieces of what these impacts could mean for business viability, for employment, and for how we can respond best. So I’m really excited to be part of this. I’m really excited to be working together across party lines and really figure out how we can respond nimbly, responsibly, ethically, and fairly to meet the needs of Vancouverites and meet the needs of our economy here in B.C.”
This is the newest action group announced by Sim since last week, when he launched a Retail Security Task Force to tackle shoplifting issues in the city
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