On October 30, the Coordinated Accessible National (CAN) Health Network, a national partnership of leading health organizations and companies across Canada, held their annual fall conference and awards ceremony in Toronto. The ceremony recognizes leading healthcare providers, companies, partners, and individuals who are transforming healthcare and other industries across Canada.
At the event, our very own Lucie Hiltner, Managing Director, Integrated Marketplace, was recognized with the Shape Award, which celebrates individuals who lead transformative change beyond the healthcare sector through the application of the Integrated Marketplace model. Originally developed by the CAN Health Network, Innovate BC utilizes the Integrated Marketplace framework to drive innovation that strengthens critical regional industries and boosts sector productivity and competitiveness, creating a prosperous economy for British Columbians while advancing government priorities like climate change and healthcare.
Lucie spearheads Innovate BC's Heavy-Duty and Zero Emission Vehicles Trucking (HDZEV) project, a collaborative initiative between industry, government and regional stakeholders aimed at accelerating the adoption of low- and zero-emission vehicles in British Columbia and beyond. Through the unique, demand-driven framework of the Integrated Marketplace, a series of zero and low-emission trucks are now operating out of the Port of Prince Rupert, and data from their performance will inform a broader understanding around the viability of the technology and the opportunity it represents to the transportation sector.
“We’ve found during our project that fleet operators are eager to adopt innovation but there are obstacles,” Lucie describes. “[Through the Integrated Marketplace] Innovate BC has been able to provide the resources to de-risk this adoption through the matching of tailored solutions to challenges around decarbonization, funding, and project management - culminating toward the sharing of real-world performance data with other fleet operators who also have the need and desire to adopt clean technologies.”
“This model is such an effective way to support domestic clean tech suppliers and demonstrate how their technology works in a real-world setting.”
Lucie’s recognition highlights not only the immense impact that demand-driven technology adoption can have on equipping our province to be more competitive, cleaner and progressive, but also the adaptability of the Integrated Marketplace model in support of enhancing a variety of high-priority industries seeking innovative solutions.
Gerri Sinclair, Chief Planning, Prioritization, and Performance Optimization Officer (C3PO) at Vancouver Airport Authority and former B.C. Innovation Commissioner, emphasized the value of demand-driven innovation: “The success of this program at Innovate BC and the recognition from the CAN Health Network, illustrates the clear demand in the market for industry-driven innovation. Canadian industry is both eager and willing to adopt new and innovative clean tech solutions; their challenge however is finding support in translating their business problems into technical requirements and procuring solutions that actually work.”
“The HDZEV project combined with Innovate BC's success in deploying the Integrated Marketplace program in B.C., is a testament to the current state of industry in a rapidly evolving world where environmental sustainability and innovation are key priorities.”
To learn more about the HDZEV project, as well as other applications of the Integrated Marketplace model at Innovate BC, visit innovatebc.ca/programs.
