BC Business
The B.C. technology industry hasn't escaped the ravages of COVID-19, but it's faring better than many other sectors of the provincial economy. As local tech businesses large and small contend with falling revenue and trim costs to improve their odds of surviving the pandemic, dozens of them are still in hiring mode....
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The B.C. technology industry hasn’t escaped the ravages of COVID-19, but it’s faring better than many other sectors of the provincial economy. As local tech businesses large and small contend with falling revenue and trim costs to improve their odds of surviving the pandemic, dozens of them are still in hiring mode.
“Even in the COVID environment, B.C.’s tech companies continue to create many more jobs each year than we have the talent to fill,” says Jill Tipping, president and CEO of the BC Tech Association. “It’s a real challenge for our tech companies and one of the reasons why BC Tech puts such a focus on reskilling programs to help people pivot into careers in tech. Many of these new employment opportunities come from the companies included in our 2020 Ecosystem Map.”
The provincial tech sector consists of more than 10,000 companies generating some 106,000 jobs and more than $17 billion in gross domestic product, according to the British Columbia technology report card published in 2018 by BC Tech and KPMG.
The 2020 Ecosystem Map, divided into Companies, Accelerators, Adopters, Talent and Capital, shows how much the various players rely on each other. “Each year, we update our Ecosystem Map to highlight the tech companies with the most growth potential and the great anchor tech companies we have in our ecosystem,” Tipping says.
“B.C.’s tech sector has tremendous potential to deliver even more economic value and create even more jobs for British Columbians,” she adds. “At BC Tech, we’re determined to make B.C. the best place to grow and scale a tech company—there is so much more to do, and the 2020 Ecosystem Map helps us understand where we are today on our journey.”
In surveys since the pandemic started, BC Tech has found that 50 percent of the province’s tech companies are still looking for workers. However, 80 percent have seen negative revenue or order impact, with half of the businesses in that group down 30 percent or more. Meanwhile, nine out of 10 companies surveyed have cut costs to make the most of their existing capital. And 60 percent of them have pivoted in response to COVID, by launching new offerings or providing pro bono services and support.
The tech companies that are hiring right now range from multinational giants Amazon.com and Microsoft Corp. to locally based players Bench Accounting and Global Relay. Also recruiting: Vancouver-headquartered Riipen, co-founded by 30 Under 30 winner Dana Stephenson, which connects employers, educators and postsecondary students for experiential learning. Vancouver’s East Side Games, winner of our first Business of Good award for Indigenous prosperity, made the list, too.
Here’s a longer rundown: