I want to do an even handed and dutiful reporting job about the 2021 Cascadia Innovation Corridor conference. But I’m in an downtown Vancouver hotel with my second negative Covid test of the week and a television talking about catastrophic flooding that’s cut the city off from (checks notes) Canada. Nothing will ever be even handed or dutiful ever again. Conferences promoting big ideas have to address whether their ideas are big enough this moment. CIC2021 tried, but missed.
For two days the conference discussed issues and cooperation across the the Cascadia supernational region. CIC brings together universities, businesses, and governments from British Columbia, Washington and Oregon with the goals of creating opportunity and prosperity across the megaregion. Over the last few years the Innovation Corridor has championed high speed rail and alliances between research groups.
The Urbanist has followed the work of the Cascadia Innovation Corridor for several years. We’ve reported their reports, cheered some ideas, and questioned others. What’s different this time is that the conference occurred looking up at a pandemic fifth wave and inside the eye of a swirling, climate change-fueled weather event. The deluge from all sides to add gravity to the festivities.
In Person Conferencing!
The 2021 Cascadia Innovation Conference kicked off with some success. This year’s conference included the announcement of a framework between British Columbia’s Premier John Horgan, Washington’s Governor Jay Inslee, and Oregon’s Governor Kate Brown to start developing a governance structure for ultra high speed ground transportation. This is the next step after the idea received favorable business case review and public opinion survey.
The meeting was hosted by Christine Gregoire and Greg D’Avgnion. As the former governor of Washington and the head of the B.C. Business Council respectively, they brought the appropriate heavy hitters. Brad Smith, President of Microsoft, gave the opening keynote. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Grahnolm called in from D.C. as the closing plenary speaker and touted the infrastructure bill President Biden recently signed and its promised climate-focused followup Build Back Better Act. Between them were speakers representing the leaders of first nations, universities, startups talking to regional activists, elected officials, and folks in businesses that rely on a connected border. And a bald weirdo here for the beer.
