Vancouver Economy Report: Winter 2022/23
A quarterly update on Vancouver’s economy
In the latest Vancouver Economy Report, the Vancouver Economic Commission spotlights some local changemakers, and explores how even traditional, successful industries delivering films and food can transform to provide businesses and communities with greater benefits. This issue touches on the following questions:
- Do economists think about poverty differently than the average person?
- What is the secret sauce to our competitive global film industry (and how do we keep serving it up)?
- Which Vancouver businesses are treating food waste as an opportunity?
What you’ll find…
Economic Snapshot
How does employment in Metro Vancouver compare to pre-pandemic levels? Are hard-hit industries like tourism bouncing back? What’s the story on office vacancy rates and the top venture capital deals of the year? Read our economic snapshot for a full debrief.
Beyond GDP Metrics
In each issue of our Economy Report, we deep dive into research of alternative indicators and metrics that are just as important as GDP to maintaining a healthy economy. This edition looks at income inequality, food insecurity, and post-secondary education attainment.
Film & TV
Over the past 50 years, Vancouver’s film industry has become embedded into the city’s cultural fabric. We set the stage by celebrating the myriad ways film and TV excels in Vancouver, from outstanding outdoor backdrops and world-class studios and soundstages, to deeply talented crews and pioneering efforts in sustainable production.
Circular Economy of Food
We need to change the way we think about food – particularly with one in nine Vancouver households experiencing some level of food insecurity. In this section, we explore how a circular economy of food makes the most of the ingredients we have while designing waste out of the system.
Poverty
Most families living in poverty in BC and Canada are hard at work to make ends meet – so why can’t they get ahead? We break down the numbers while addressing the rising cost of living and ongoing legacies of colonization and dispossession that have deprived entire populations from opportunities for self-subsistence.
Doughnut Economics
Doughnut economics aims to recalibrate the way people think about economics with a wider context that considers planetary boundaries. We share findings and resources from the Doughnut Economics Action Lab (DEAL) that applies doughnut economics to some of the fundamental elements that make up businesses.