Metro Vancouver suburbs are upping their game in a bid to attract company headquarters, sometimes from Vancouver’s downtown.
“A number of factors tend to drive these decisions in the suburbs,” said Avison Young principal Bill Elliott.” One of the most important factors is human resources — where staff live, [and] where clients located.”
Hemmera Envirochem Inc. an environmental consultancy, recently shifted its corporate headquarters from Vancouver to the Metrotower complex in Burnaby’s Metrotown hub.
“Our old space was worn, outdated, and we were somewhat isolated on the edge of the downtown core,” Hemmera president and founder Paul Hemsley explained. “We felt that a new space would help us attract and retain great staff, would better accommodate a collaborative work environment, and provide easy access for people living anywhere in Metro Vancouver using any transportation mode.
“The Lower Mainland is growing rapidly in the south and east where homes are more affordable. We see our current and future staff living in these areas. Our new office location is more accessible to the majority of our staff.”
The City of Surrey’s Innovation Boulevard, launched in 2013, concentrates on health care technology. Already, 45 companies including three multinationals have signed on as partners in a hub anchored by Fraser Health, Simon Fraser University and the city.
Conquer Mobile, a mobile technology company formerly based at Discovery Park in Vancouver, was one of the first to dive into the new venture and recently relocated to Surrey.
HUB International Insurance Brokers, the largest insurance broker in Canada, recently relocated its B.C. headquarters within Burnaby where it has resided for half a century.
“It’s a great central location,” said Barbara MacPhail, chief operating officer. “From an employee standpoint it’s easy to get to. From a talent recruitment perspective, a lot of people enjoy not having to go downtown.”
Coast Capital Savings is merging its corporate offices in a new flagship building at Surrey’s emerging King George Station area in September 2015.
“We decided on building in Surrey because 70 per cent of the employees who work in our [current] office buildings live in Surrey,” said Chris D’Silva, Coast Capital’s director of procurement and facilities management.
“That whole King George area is being redeveloped. At our site, our building is only phase A of four different phases and it’s going to be a mix of retail, public space and residential development. Not only that, King George Station is the hub for light rapid transit and expanded transit services out into Surrey and White Rock and Langley. We’re very excited about being there.”
