Sponsor organization: Indigenous (formerly Aboriginal) Business and Investment Council
An advisory Council to the Minister of Jobs, Trade and Technology, Government of British Columbia
IBIC’s mandate:
- Fostering Aboriginal peoples participation in the economy,
- Promoting economic certainty in the province by encouraging economic growth in Aboriginal communities,
- Promoting First Nation and Industry partnerships.
Description
The purpose of this panel is to raise awareness on the economic value of land, and how First Nations communities can think about it in terms of commercial value. Secondly, the panel will discuss the issues about attracting investment and understanding the investment mindset.
Participants will Learn
- The commercial value of land
- The experience of Indigenous leaders in negotiating an agreement for the use of land for commercial or industrial purposes.
- How foreign investors think about land development opportunities
- The BC Government’s Major Investment Office’s clients and their interests
- The increasing importance of new standards and certification schemes to qualify that a piece of land is ready for development.
Presenter
Greg Goodwin
Panel Moderator
Executive Director, Design, Coordination & Outreach Branch, Economic Development Division Ministry of Jobs, Trade and Technology
Ron Bronstein
Panelist
Senior Executive, Major Investment Office, Workforce Development and Immigration Division, Ministry of Jobs, Trade and Technology
John McDonald
Panelist
Kimberley Baird
Panelist
Principal, Kim Baird Strategic Consulting
Greg Richards
Panelist
Chief Economist
Fiscal Realities Economists
Presenter Biographies
Greg Goodwin has been with the British Columbia Public Service since 1993 (Ministries of Small Business, Tourism and Culture, Forests, Community Development, Regional Economic Development), serving in Victoria, Prince George and Nanaimo. He took a leave of absence from the provincial government to work in Egypt from 2001 to 2006. Greg holds a Masters in Natural Resource Management (University of Manitoba – 1977) and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Conservation (McGill University – 1975).
Ron Bronstein leads a team of senior staff that works collaboratively with partner agencies to accelerate investment and job creation in British Columbia on significant projects that range from major all season resorts to land development. Ron has held successively senior positions in the public service, beginning with the Federal Government), Alberta Environment, and the BC government in several resource ministries. Ron is a Registered Professional Forester and graduate from the University of British Columbia.
Greg Richards has a number of years of experience with government working in economic development, intergovernmental liaison and fiscal relations. He is thoroughly familiar with government policies and decision-making. He has experience in public finance, facilitating investment projects, the economics of innovation and intergovernmental liaison. Greg holds an MA in Economics from the University of Victoria.
Kim Baird was the elected Chef of the Tsawwassen First Nation for six terms, from 1999-2012. She had the honour of negotiating and implementing British Columbia’s first urban modern treaty on April 3, 2009 and has since overseen numerous economic and institutional development projects for TFN. She initiated the Tsawwassen Mills project, a commercial real estate development on Tsawwassen First Nation land, currently estimated to be a 780 million dollar project. Kim is a member of the Indigenous Business and Investment Council.