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/813780
32 BCBUSINESS MAY 2017 TOP: ADAM BLASBERG; BOTTOM RIGHT; ALBERTAPOLITICS.CA WORK IN PROGRESS 1970: In the '70s, B.C. gets two new sports franchises: the Vancouver Canucks (entering the NHL in 1970) and the Vancouver Whitecaps (originally of the North American Soccer League, in 1974, and, since 2011, Major League Soccer). Both teams fare better than the NBA's ill-fated Vancou- ver Grizzlies, who crash and burn 25 years later. 1971: Outdoor gear icon Mountain Equipment Co-op launches in Vancouver with six members and $65 in operating capital. Today, it's the epitome of B.C.'s active-lifestyle cult, with more than 4.5 million members and retail stores across Canada. Lifetime memberships still sell for just $5. Industrial Strength At mixed reality trailblazer Finger Food Studios, the Holodeck offers a glimpse of manufacturing's future part from the gleaming tractor unit in the middle of the room, the Holodeck looks like a big empty warehouse. Have I come to the right place? I slip on a pair of Micro- soft HoloLens glasses, tightening the band against the back of my skull. Turning to the truck, I see that it has a new holographic hood; by reaching out and pinch- ing a menu hovering in front of me, I can choose from several other styles. Beside the vehicle is a 3D scale model with a trailer attached; shooting along its body and that of the real truck are green trails that I later learn represent airflow. When I change glasses and walk toward a nearby wall, the blank space becomes a kitchen showroom where I can switch appliances, door handles—even counter height. After putting on a third pair, I'm taken to a square of light floating on the floor. "Build," I com- mand, and a highrise springs up. "Zoom in": now I'm standing in the lobby. The 25,000-square-foot Holodeck, which opened late last year on a quiet street in Port Coquitlam, is the From resource giants to tech triumphs, we chart the evolution of B.C. business over the past 45 years BY MATT O'GRADY NEW VISION Ryan Peterson sports Microsoft HoloLens glasses, for which his company creates applications