With a mission to inform, empower, celebrate and advocate for British Columbia's current and aspiring business leaders, BCBusiness go behind the headlines and bring readers face to face with the key issues and people driving business in B.C.
Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1508543
OCTOBER 2023 BCBUSINESS.CA 33 that's one where we need some alignment. BA: Many of Radha's clients work in the energy and mining sectors. It's not acceptable for them to have to wait a decade to get through environmental assessment processes and per- mits for government approval. Those investors will put their dollars elsewhere. RC: We have people who say, We could invest in Canada but we're not. Governments talk about renewable energy, but what steps have been taken to get to a process that's respon- sible but is also streamlined to allow these [projects] to happen? That's what we want to discuss. JS: We want to draw and attract more businesses to come into our province and country, as Radha is saying. And if they choose not to because of the punitive envi- ronment for them, then we're missing out. That means that jobs and the economy will suf- fer and the province will suffer. And, worse than that, compa- nies that are headquartered here pick up and leave. It's not conducive for them to operate in the margins they want. BCB: When you talk about the punitive environment, you're talking about permits and restrictions as you mentioned, but also taxes as well? BA: Some of the biggest pain points are taxes—the employer health tax has meant $4 billion from businesses over the last couple of years. There are addi- tional mandatory days off, stat holidays, sick days, corporate tax. In addition, we suffer from one of the greatest shortages of industrial land in North America. Businesses here that are looking to expand—if they can get through a regulatory permitting process—there isn't always the available land they need. I look at the life sciences sector, for example: many of those companies are looking for wet lab space, and there's a distinct shortage. The agtech space is another one. Food security is one of the critical issues in our communities and agtech needs changes to be able to grow. So they're looking at other jurisdictions within Canada and outside of it. Eventually, that will catch up with B.C. That's something that needs immediate attention. JS: We haven't talked about the impact of AI, especially on jobs. We need to be ahead of that, and we're already super behind as a collective. I could tell you lots of great things [Telus is] doing as an organiza- tion to harness it and retrain employees to do other things and so on. We're capable of doing that because we're a large organization. What about a small or medium business— what are they going to do? And they need the efficiency the most. As a large organization, we're thinking about how we can help the smaller ones so that they're not left behind. I can think of numerous indus- tries that this is going to be catastrophic for if they're not prepared for it. RC: It's going to impact every- thing we do. BA: It already is. RC: Yes, the future is already here on that. BCB: In a couple of words, how would you describe the two people sitting next to you? BA: Do I have to only use two words? That's not ample. Dynamic, smart, caring, kind, connected. I'm so fortunate to work with both Radha and Juggy, they're my mentors, sounding board, friends. And incredible business leaders. For them to contribute to the GVBOT in a voluntary capacity when they already have such full careers and personal lives, I don't take that lightly. I feel incredibly fortunate. I can't just choose two. JS: I love what you said, Bridgitte, right back at you. Two words: powerful and inspiring. RC: Impactful, driven. They'll continue to impact the world. This is just the beginning. BCB: In the next year or so, what are some things you want to accomplish in your personal and profes- sional lives? JS: I dedicate my time where I can have the most impact. Now, in my life, creating better health outcomes for people has been at the core of what I do. And I've been doing it on a domestic basis for some time. With the acquisition of LifeWorks in the fall of last year, we're now global, we're in 160 countries. That's a great opportunity to make a much more meaningful impact than we are currently. That's where I'm looking. One aspect of business that we didn't talk about is that a lot of people are expecting more from their employers— more care, more pay, better retirement benefits and better health care. Public systems cannot withstand the demand. Employers are becoming able to provide more care, espe- cially in the mental health space. That's the opportunity in front of me for the next few years. RC: Helping businesses navigate the uncertainty of what we're facing right now and about to face with every- thing from the energy transi- tion to food scarcity, supply chain issues, environmental and human rights issues. All those complex things where businesses are having to make commitments or take stands. All those things they've never been called upon to do and will be now. And finding innova- tion in the way we practise law with those things in mind. On a personal front, always having an impact on the people closest to me. BA: One of the first things I did when I became CEO of the Board of Trade—which I have to tell you was a bit of a dream come true—it was something I