Raymond Szabada's Dream

By JOE MILLICAN
Abbotsford News

The brains behind the next generation of Intel computer processors put their heads together to identify a niche that will help keep them at the forefront of their industry.

Looking out of their office window, they see a group of Apple researchers in the next building busy brainstorming ways to revamp their iPod products.

It’s the same story for Hewlett-Packard, Google, Adobe and eBay; just a handful of the hundreds of globally renowned companies that call Silicon Valley their home. The high-technology hub, located in and around San Jose, is situated more than 4,000 kilometres south of Abbotsford and has revamped the area in northern California since the 1950's.

North of the border, the high-technology industry is booming in Mississauga, Ont. and in Calgary, where an organization called Calgary Technologies Inc. oversaw the building of a new technology park behind the city’s university.
 
Abbotsford’s Raymond Szabada admits that transforming B.C.’s fifth-largest city into a new version of Silicon Valley – a concept that took decades to develop – is far too ambitious.
 
That being said, the businessman sees no reason why Abbotsford cannot follow the lead of the two Canadian examples.
 
Szabada is chairman of the not-for-profit Sumas Regional Consortium for High Tech (SRCTec), which was formed in 2006 and is looking at ways to attract technology companies to the Fraser Valley.
 
The group’s work will not only target Abbotsford, but also Chilliwack and Mission.
 
Initially, according to Szabada, SRCTec will look at attracting businesses that focus on information technology and services, telecommunications and wireless technology.
 
“Our member companies will include some of the most successful and well-recognized technology companies in the world, as well as small, energetic, entrepreneurial companies that have chosen to locate and thrive in this region,” he explained.

Szabada said SRCTec’s efforts will “elevate the region as a global technology leader,” and will focus on investing in education, research and a technically skilled workforce.
 
According to Szabada, SRCTec has already received the blessing of the local governments in all three Fraser Valley communities.

Local and regional educational facilities have also been contacted, he pointed out.
 
Szabada said SRCTec has a “neutral view” and depending on the “fit” in a community, said it would assist a high-tech business establish itself in Abbotsford, Chilliwack or Mission.
 
“This is very close and dear to many people here locally,” he said.
“The timing is correct because the population base is exploding out here. All the ingredients are available and present. It is just a case of spearheading the initiative.”

Szabada said the push will be split into at least two phases. The first, he said, will focus on building a technology park including a research facility that could host an educational institution. He hopes a formal plan for that part of the project will be drawn-up by late next year,
 
The second phase, according to Szabada, would incorporate a conference centre that could host trade shows.
 
Here in Abbotsford, Szabada said formal meetings have already been held with city officials.
 
“We want to attract qualified skilled labour and industries to Abbotsford,” he continued.
 
“I think the general comment is that if this area is going to be industrialized, people are all for it because it is going to be clean form of industrialization. We will be creating a white-collar workforce as opposed to facilities which can be harmful to their way of life.”
 
Because the aerospace industry is so prevalent in Abbotsford, Szabada said the technology park could in part focus on businesses that market their services to that community.
 
And due to the fact a cancer centre is being built in the new Abbotsford hospital, Szabada said the park could also look at attracting healthcare-related businesses.
 
“We have tremendous momentum. I can’t say there’s a group I have spoken to that has not given us positive feedback or said ‘we are all behind this,’ ” he said,
 
Szabada said Abbotsford Coun. Moe Gill has been one of the strongest supporters of the SRCTec’s proposals.
 
Commenting on the project last week, Gill said he sees parallels between the Abbotsford initiative and what has happened in Silicon Valley.

The councillor pointed to a 20 to 30 acre site in the Mount Lehman area that that could be developed into a high-tech industrial park.

And highlighting that further discussions will be held in January, Gill pointed to the Abbotsford International Airport as one reason that a Mount Lehman development could work.
 
“I see this as California coming north,” said Gill.
 
“I know they are doing that in the film industry, and it would be wonderful for them to come to Abbotsford.

“If we bring the high-tech in it will bring in a lot of jobs. It would also designate more tax to the city. It would be a plus-plus and we would probably see more high-tech businesses moving in from Vancouver.”
 
In July 2005, the provincial Agricultural Land Commission ruled that Abbotsford would be permitted to remove approximately 400 acres of land, that formerly sat in the Agricultural Land Reserve, for industrial development. A large chunk of that sits in the Mount Lehman area.
 
“There’s no point in having all this land (removed) if we are not going to use it,” Gill said, describing the potential opportunities for Abbotsford as “very exciting.”
 
“We would like to see him (Szabada) come back and discuss this further with us. We are looking forward to bringing all kinds of industry into Abbotsford.”
 
Jay Teichroeb, the City of Abbotsford’s economic development manager, said he would continue to back Szabada and the members of SRCTec.
 
“We are here to help facilitate these things to the extent we can, and we would really encourage him,” he added.