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Shawna L. Reibling, BA, Cert. CED Centre for Sustainable Communities Canada

Comprehensive analysis of the water-related environmentally sustainable technology (EST) industry in Western Canada, including SWOT analysis, cluster studies, and reviews of supporting service groups.

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Shawna L. Reibling, BA, Cert. CED Centre for Sustainable Communities Canada

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  1. MEASURING REGIONAL CAPACITY IN SUSTIANABLE WATER, WASTE WATER, WATER REUSE (W3R) TECHNOLOGY SECTOR IN WESTERN CANADA Shawna L. Reibling, BA, Cert. CED Centre for Sustainable Communities Canada

  2. Context Characteristics Findings Comparisons (Multimedia, Biotech) Exciting (Possible) Next Steps Outline of Presentation

  3. Project Participants: CSCC Provincial Ministry of Competition, Science & Enterprise Ministry of Community, Aboriginal & Women’s Services Canadian Institute for Market Intelligence (CIMI) Federal Western Economic Diversification IRAP/ National Research Council Acknowledgements

  4. Not-for-profit virtual business consortium Comprehensive analysis of the Water-related Environmentally Sustainable Technology (EST) Industry in western Canada. This included SWOT & Cluster Studies and reviews of supporting service groups. Centre for Sustainable Communities Canada

  5. A Unique Commodity • Potable water is a finite resource • Finite resource due to fiscal pressures • 16% U of C vs. 28% SFU students drink bottled water everywhere (2002/03 survey of U of C & SFU students) • changing patterns/sources of input (Langford)

  6. Export opportunities and description of sector Venture capital supports Regional Patents Filed Law firms sector support Post-secondary education sector support Governmental program supports International program supports Measuring Cluster Capacity

  7. “…including activities which produce goods and services to measure, prevent, limit or correct damage to water, air and soil...It also includes activities that produce clean technologies, processes, products and services...” Two Categories of Water-related ESTs: resellers/repackagers system integrators/manufacturers Product/service divide is blurry: consultants service is a product W3R- EST Definition

  8. Both technology development and service oriented Firms are mostly small and young (5-10) No large anchor firms, small firms contract out work to other firms 60% of employees are highly qualified personnel Most firms serve the domestic market (foreign market opportunity) Problem specific solutions (products) Partnerships do occur, based on testing & manu. Cluster Characteristics

  9. Breakout of Core WrEST Firms in BC by City Cluster Description Cont.

  10. Cluster Characteristics Cont. Note: We recognize that the system isn’t linear

  11. Investors not aware of sector Not a risk problem, but perceived to have a low return on investment Due diligence is an issue Investors are recovering from “dot com crash” Exposure to water technologies is met with expressions of interest Venture Capital

  12. Patents

  13. Patents Continued

  14. Boutique firms Strong support capacity to file new R&D patents and developments (patent, trade-mark and IP firms) Lawyers also patent agents with technical professional backgrounds Law Firm Support

  15. Academia • Specialized training programs present • Lack of networking with private sector and universities • Professors are consultants and have weak links with industry i.e. Manufacturing • Limited demonstration and testing sites • Canadian universities hold 8% of patents in this area, compared to 2% held by US Universities

  16. Gov’t & Int’l Support • High market demand with leverage of gov't infrastructure programs. • Government does support innovation through post-secondary funding • Gov't programs not appropriate for small R&D • Weak Canadian legislative environment at all four levels of government (innovative policy?)

  17. Both industries are small, young and innovative Both are service industries and technology integrators problem based Both are supported by patent friendly law firms Difference: Multimedia has a champion: Don Mattrick of Electronic Arts Diff: regulation & requirements; channelling Cluster Similarities: Multimedia

  18. Both industries are small, young and innovative Both require specialized lab facilities and have high start up costs Difference: Has an industry champion: Julia Levy of QLT Phototherapeutics Technocentric bias? Cluster Similarities: Biotechnology

  19. Pacific Centre for Water-related Environmentally Sustainable Technologies (PC - WrEST): Case study: Artificial creation of a champion? What does increasing the social capital contribute? Map it? Track it? CEO forum to establish/solidify network connections: Opportunity to direct the formation of networks. Perceptions before and after info exchange. Degree of trust? Verification of innovation policy? Further Research Opportunities

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