That said, you are right that making BC a leading tech development centre is still the, uhm, central motivation to the PTC’s work, and that it is unlikely that all of BC, especially the rural areas, will be able to participate equally. I can only guess that the focus on the potential benefit to BC as a whole is an essential part of the government’s focus on “the heartlands” and central to their ability to get re-elected and get the job done.

What I observe is that Vancouver lacks forums to openly share ideas. Such forums, where people from orthogonal or even competing companies come together and discuss similar technical problems, are more common in the valley than in Vancouver.

I have heard stories of meetings where someone presents a problem they are trying to solve at work and others in the technical community help solve it. With IP theft such a big worry these days, forums such as these seem to be less common than before, but paradoxically they could help jumpstart a local technology industry.

My guess is that Vancouver and to a lesser extent the rest of BC would be more of a high tech superpower if there wasn’t as much cool stuff to do, leaving more time for geeks to mingle and ferment.

Clearly the same activities are accessible from Silicon Valley, but are they as accessible? Does the same culture exist?

r.

With respect to outdoor activities: yes, there’s a fair amount of outdoor stuff here, and people seem pretty engaged in them, although I do think it’s safe to say the per-capita participation in these activities is probably lower that in BC. On the other hand, it’s sunny most of the year – maybe that makes up for it (same amount of activity spread over more of the year?).

I was actually quite surprised by the rural nature of Silicon Valley – once you get south of 280, it’s all grassland and hillsides until the coast. If you take a drive out through Woodside on a weekend, there’s zillions of bicyclists, as well as roving gangs of accountants posing as Harley-Davidson/Kawasaki Ninja enthusiasts. There’s a lot of sailing in the bay, and there’s a decent ultimate scene, though nowhere near as well-organized as in Vancouver.

As for skiing, well, you really can’t compare. I think I ruptured something when I first arrived when someone pointed out excitedly that Tahoe is a mere three hour drive away. I swear, as I was holding the laughter in, I’m certain I heard something pop.

That said, people are kind of workaholics here, which probably factors into its record of success, though I’m not certain it’s a beneficial as you might think. After all, there’s only so much the human body can do in a day before it loses the ability to focus.