Attracting talent to Vancouver's tech sector: Policy options for future growth

In BC’s shift toward a knowledge-based economy, growth in the tech sector and the ability of start-ups to evolve into globally competitive companies is vital for BC’s future economic viability. Vancouver is a leading centre for tech growth in BC, and an increasing number of firms are doing business in the city. Vancouver is also home to three “tech unicorns” – start-ups valued over $1B – in Hootsuite, Avigilon, and Slack, all of which have helped legitimize the city’s brand as a viable destination to do business. However, the sector faces a dire problem of finding adequate talent supply to fill over 2,000 immediate vacancies and 15,500 vacancies over the next five years in tech, specifically at the executive level. This capstone evaluates policy options using criteria and measures, and recommends changes to Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program and immediate action on Vancouver’s housing affordability to ultimately increase tech talent supply.