News & Events

The Sumas Regional Consortium for High Tech is a registered non-profit society committed to attracting investment and educational development in Abbotsford and the surrounding Region. Proceeds from events and donations are managed by the Board of Directors.

Please check this web site from time to time for networking, business and community events as well as news.

Sumas Regional Consortium for High Tech initiates discussions and the delivery of a framework for Aboriginal Industry Prep Program in partnership with Stolo: Nations Human Resources Development and First Nations Technology Council

Abbotsford, BC (Jan 21st, 2009)- The Sumas regional consortium for High Tech (SRCTec) has been invited to deliver a proposed framework for The Aboriginal Industry Prep Program at the First Nations Tech Council’s Annual Summit at the Coast Plaza Hotel Feb 19th thru 22nd. The framework and the presentation to be delivered by Raymond T Szabada, Chairman of the Board of SRCTec.

Bridging the Gap with The Rest of Canada.

The Industry Prep Program (IPP) A framework for preparation and education designed to elevate the success rate of Aboriginal candidates as related to employment and careers in the High Tech Sector in order to accommodate the opportunity for Aboriginal communities to produce and then tap in to their own skilled and technical workforce to deliver self made solutions, sustain the required and implemented infrastructures but most importantly to allow such a pool to become resources of the future.

For more information on this alliance, please contact Owen Greaves at the Sumas Regional Consortium for High Tech at 604.217.3668 visit www.SRCTEC.ca

Sumas Regional Consortium for High Tech submits an Expression of Interest to Airport East Business Park for Potential site for the Proposed Abbotsford Technology Park

Abbotsford, BC (October 2008)- The Sumas regional consortium for High Tech (SRCTec) and Airport East Business Park (AEP) and its Partners have initiated proceedings and discussions to jointly consider plans for the proposal to develop the Abbotsford Technology Park on existing Airport East Business Park; just south of the Clearbrook Road overpass on Trans Canada Highway. The Park will plan to host small and medium size technology firms, Research, Education and Training facilities.

“We are very excited about working with the AEP team and discussions are underway to elaborate on the potential for AEP and its partners as well as the City to consider the location for the Proposed Abbotsford Technology Park” commented Raymond Szabada Chairman of the Board for SRCTec.

For more information on this alliance, please contact Owen Greaves at the Sumas Regional Consortium for High Tech at ogreaves@srctec.ca

The Sumas Region Consortium for High Tech (SRCTec) receives an official statement of support from Stream, a Richardson Texas based Contact Service Centre provider.

In a statement, Site Director of Stream Steven Cheeseman relayed that “We fully endorse this partnership. We are thrilled to see SRCTec take the lead in developing the Fraser Valley's prominence in the high-tech industry. As a contact center outsourcer, Stream relies on tech-savvy employees who live and work in the Fraser Valley”. He further communicated that “Technological expertise and strong people skills are critical to our growth as a company, and we believe SRCTec's vision will benefit not just our company, but the entire community. A commitment to technology, its benefits, and the growth opportunities the technology industry offers are just a few things SRCTec embodies. We're excited about the future of this consortium and the positive impact it will surely have in the Fraser Valley.

The Sumas Region Consortium for High Tech (SRCTec) signs an agreement with the Canadian Youth for Business

Abbotsford, BC –, SRCTec, will play a key role in delivering services and assistance to local entrepreneurs and youth business owners through the Community Partner Program of CYFB in the communities east of Surrey, including Mission, Chilliwack and Abbotsford.

Finding the start-up funds and the appropriate mentoring for a new idea, technology or business concept can be overwhelming and can be the difference between growing and folding. This is especially true in the fast-paced sectors of information technology, where the ability to evolve in a rapidly changing environment is essential to survival.

Founded in 1996, the CYBF organization is truly unique. CYBF provides loans of up to $15,000.0, mentoring and plethora of business resources for young Canadians age 18-34 to create their own successful businesses. Since inception, CYBF has invested in more than 2,100.00 young entrepreneurs whose businesses have generated more than $233M in gross sales and more than 12,000 new jobs in Canadian communities.

“CYBF has some very impressive stats. The SRCTec and CYBF alliance is an extremely strategic relationship for us and will become a key and integral element of our service to the Abbotsford and surrounding communities as well as our plans to support innovation and assisting Entrepreneurs through the Abbotsford Technology Park”. Said Raymond Szabada, CEO and Chairman of the Board.

SRCTec hopes to be operational in receiving and facilitating applications for CYBF program late spring to early summer time frame. Applicants in the mean time are encouraged to visit http://www.cybf.ca or http://www.srctec.ca

Contact:

Owen Greaves, Chief Operating Officer SRCTec
Phone: 1.800.306.9488
Cell: 1.604-217-3668
E-mail: Ogreaves@srctec.ca

Mailshine is proud to announce there sponsorship and support of SRCTec's initiatives!

What is Mailshine?

“Mailshine Technologies is a Fraser Valley based spam filtering service provider. In the face of ever-growing volumes of spam and other unsolicited email, Mailshine Technologies empowers clients to retake control of their email systems. If your company needs to get spam under control or if your existing spam solution does more harm than good, we can help.”

Mailshine is a business email filter designed to eliminate spam, viruses and phishing email from your inbox. Mailshine cleans your email before it reaches your email server. This eliminates the need to install software on your computer, which can be complicated and costly to maintain.

If spam is overwhelming your company, or if your current spam filter isn't working as advertised, give us a call and find out what Mailshine can do for you.

To find out more visit Mailshine's website at http://www.mailshine.com

Aerospace or health care focus at airport park
By Joe Millican - Abbotsford News - December 01, 2007

Raymond Szabada, the chairman and CEO for the Sumas Regional Consortium for High Tec, peers outside the terminal building at Abbotsford International Airport. Szabada’s group is hoping to create a 7.2 acre business park on airport land.

A local group is finalizing a plan that could see a high-technology business park take flight at Abbotsford International Airport.

The Abbotsford-based Sumas Regional Consortium for High Tech (SRCTec) has already identified a 7.2 acre parcel of land off Mount Lehman Road which it hopes will house the new Abbotsford Technology Park.

Situated on airport land, the 120,000 square foot facility would focus on businesses with an aerospace or health care focus.

Raymond Szabada, SRCTec’s chairman and CEO, told the Abbotsford News that an expression of interest for the land will be forwarded to airport manager Mike Pastro in a matter of days.

And should all go well, he hopes a leasing deal and a more detailed plan for the site will be finalized inside six months.

The not-for-profit SRCTec has been working since 2006 to secure a future for a business park in Abbotsford to house companies with a high-tech focus.

“Just to build that (park) will bring a tremendous amount of traction for this region. It will bring jobs and investment. With what we are trying to initiate, there has to be a start and this is a start,” Szabada said.

“We have been at this for a year and a half and it now feels like we are almost there.”

The Abbotsford Technology Park, Szabada explained, will be the first of two phases and focus on attracting “small and medium-sized businesses” that specialize in information technology, information services and telecommunications/wireless technology.

Once phase one is complete, and Abbotsford and the rest of the region has developed a reputation as a strong base for high-tech businesses, Szabada said SRCTec will work alongside internationally-recognized companies to attract them to the Fraser Valley.

Describing the airport site between Mount Lehman Road and Firecat Avenue as “ideal,” Szabada stressed that his group has not yet been awarded the land.

But should that happen, Szabada said there will major benefits for aviation businesses to have their operations so close to the airport.

There has already been a “tremendous amount of response” from potential tenants from both Abbotsford and other Greater Vancouver communities, he pointed out.

Pastro described the proposed business park as “very exciting.”

“They have come to us with a concept and we are supportive of that concept,” he said. “It will bring development to the airport and would generate jobs.”

Pastro said he is awaiting the formal expression of interest, at which point he said further details could be discussed.

Negotiations would then take place between SRCTec, airport staff and the Abbotsford Airport Authority, he explained, with any building application going to council for final approval.

“It’s important for the airport to develop a diversified base of aviation companies,” he continued.

“I think it’s good news for the airport and good news for the city. It’s very exciting.”

Szabada said he and the rest of the board have worked tirelessly for the past 18 months.

And despite hitting some roadblocks at city hall, he said Abbotsford Mayor George Ferguson and airport representatives have all expressed their support.

Meanwhile, he said SRCTec is working with Simon Fraser University, UCFV and School District 34 to determine how the new enterprise could provide educational opportunities.

There are a number of benefits to having high-tech businesses in Abbotsford, according to Szabada, not least because they are considered “clean” and less harmful to the environment than many other forms of industry.

By creating jobs in technology, he said people with those types of skills will be able to stay in Abbotsford rather than have to move to Vancouver or California’s Silicon Valley.

The group has secured the services of Giffels Management, according to Szabada, who he said will build the facility at no cost to the city.

And having spent the past months expending a “tremendous amount of personal resources,” the businessman said he and the rest of the board are happy to see their efforts paying off.

“We are not going to go away and we are going to make this happen,” he said.

“We have struggled somewhat but I think we have gained a tremendous amount of credibility with organizations that share our vision.

“It (the technology park) is not going to cost the city any money but will provide dividends for many years into the future."

n SRCTec is inviting members of the business community to an official launch of the vision for the Abbotsford Technology Park at 10 a.m. on Wednesday. The event will be staged in the Coast Abbotsford Hotel and Suites, 2020 Sumas Way.

Sumas Regional Consortium for High Tech forms alliance with SFU for Educational and Research as related to the High Tech Sector

October 18’ 2007

Abbotsford, BC (October 2007)- The Sumas regional consortium for High Tech (SRCTec) and Simon Fraser University (SFU) have initiated proceedings and discussions to jointly promote and implement programs related to Advanced Tech Education, Specialized Continuing Education programs for the Technology sector and plans for the Research and Technology Transfer capability from the future and proposed Abbotsford Technology Park (ATP).

“We are very excited about working with the SFU team from the Surrey Campus of SFU and discussions are underway to elaborate on the areas of collaboration between our respective organizations, and expect to continue the progress that has already been established to date” commented Raymond Szabada Chairman of the Board for SRCTec.

The partnership between SFU and SRCTec is a progressive example of the changing face of the East Fraser Valley and these parties have taken the lead to initiate the strategic approach to Economic and Educational development of The Region.


For more information on this alliance, please contact Owen Greaves at the Sumas Regional Consortium for High Tech at 1-800-306-9488or visit www.SRCTEC.ca

The Sumas Regional Consortium for High Tech announces the addition of Greg Dyck to its Advisory Board

Abbotsford, BC., September 04, 2007 – In accordance with its plan to expand its Board and also the Advisory Board, SRCTec announced today a very welcome addition to its Advisory Board, Greg Dyck, CIO of Prospera Credit Union.

 "We are most excited about Mr. Dyck’s involvement as he is a seasoned IT professional and a long standing member of the community” commented Owen Greaves, Director and COO of SRCTec. "We're looking forward to input from Mr. Dyck on corporate and community relationships and leveraging his vast background in the technology sector to expand SRCTec’s vision and operations in the Region”, said Owen Greaves.

Fraser Valley new high-tech haven?
Szabada shares his dream

By JOE MILLICAN
Abbotsford News
Dec 2006

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.

February 25th, 2007 – Abbotsford News

Raymond Szabada announces to media and the community “if Abbotsford commit to a Technology Park, clean industrialization will follow and tech companies will come”.

Mr. Szabada further communicated to the media today that his ambitious plans to implement strategies that will facilitate the attraction of private sector investment in the Region, are critical to attracting national and international skilled technical labour and retaining graduating and future students. Part of the strategy will require support from local politicians and key private sector partners to launch the Abbotsford Technology Park in Phase I of the proposed initiative. The Abbotsford Technology park will host start-up as well as established companies, a research facility and IT training Campus.

“Once the park is completed, and research and high tech activity are evident, we can then start to brand the Region in an effort to attract larger technology players; therefore Phase I is critical” said Mr. Szabada.

FULL STORY >>

May 17th, 2007 SRCTec Incorporates

The Sumas Regional Consortium for High Tech formally incorporates and has launched phase One of it's strategy.