Vancouver's tech scene is growing faster than ever before, and officials at every level of government have been working hard to convince those in the industry to make the city their home.There's hope that after decades of local talent heading south of the border in search of higher wages and a lower cost of living, the winds of change are now blowing north..Among those who sense a shift is Alan Mackworth, professor emeritus in the Department of Computer Science at the University of British Columbia."I've been here for 50 years or so, and it really bothered me that my students were going south," he told the Western Standard in front of the packed BC Pavilion at the Web Summit conference in Vancouver. "I used to keep a list of my graduate students who'd gone south, and whenever a company set up here, I'd say 'look, talk to these guys, try and bring them back'.".Mackworth said the main problem was that the salaries in BC were "not competitive," and that given the region's reputation as a "cheap market," companies were rather conservative and didn't offer employees things that came standard at many of those in the states."That has changed," he said. "It's taken decades, but we're finally building a tech ecosystem here that will spin off lots of new companies, and then if you have these companies that are successful, then employees get equity, then they start up their own company — this is the dynamic of Silicon Valley."Mackworth explained that Vancouver's tech scene is finally starting to get "exciting," and that this just so happens to coincide with rising instability — politically, economically, and socially — in the US."My friends are asking me, 'how do I get into Canada?'," he said. "It's not just because of the president ... There's a whole energy and dynamism we're seeing here.".Mackworth noted that another major factor was Ottawa's long overdue recognition that Vancouver has a tech scene..BC to put $30 million into Integrated Marketplace program to help ignite tech sector."We compete with Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa," he said. "The federal government, they think Canadian tech is in Toronto or Montreal; it's here now. We've got the university talent, the researchers, and people who are risk takers, they tend to come to BC."Mackworth, who helped launch the AI Network of BC, called on the federal government to expand its Pan-Canadian AI Strategy — which currently only reaches as far west as Edmonton — to truly go from coast to coast..Highly anticipated tech conference kicks off in Vancouver.He said Web Summit has been "just brilliant" at showcasing all Vancouver and BC have to offer tech companies and workers, predicting it will do wonders to bolster the region's reputation as a desirable place to build a company, a career, and a life..The Western Standard spoke with a number of students, recent graduates, and workers in the tech industry, some of whom had left Vancouver and others who were committed to staying long term.Among those who fell into the latter camp was a UX designer who had just completed her studies in Langara's Web and Mobile App Design and Development program."I love Vancouver's people and the nature," she said. "It's just so beautiful ... and I just couldn't leave that behind."She noted that while high salaries in the US were tempting, she'd rather take a position that simply "pays the bills" in BC."As long as I can survive, I'll be happy here," she added, smiling..For others, however, money was the deciding factor. A UBC graduate who now works for Meta in the Bay Area told the Western Standard that the sole reason he left Vancouver was because for the same job, he was making twice, if not three times more there than in BC — and in USD.Those who had left Vancouver but still had connections to the city made it clear they intended on coming back. Another graduate of UBC's Computer Engineering program said his plan was to find a high-paying position in the US, save up enough money to afford a house in Vancouver, then return and settle down with a comfortable amount of savings..Mayor Sim committed to ensuring tech workers choose to stay in Vancouver.Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim admitted that the high cost of living was impacting talent retention, but noted that the city was working with other levels of government to try and fix that problem.
