Author: Debbie Adler, CEO, Global LA
I grew up in the suburbs of Washington DC in the 1990s. It was an idyllic upbringing in a sheltered, middle-class neighborhood just 15 minutes from downtown DC. In high school, I participated in any kind of activity that would have me. Somehow, that ended up including the high school choir, which was an essential validation of any meager talent I had since my older brother was an accomplished singer. The best part of being in the choir is that we got to go on an exchange trip to another city - and that year we went to Toronto.
It was my first trip out of the country so I had to get a passport. I had no idea what to expect or picture, but the reality turned out to far exceed my imagination. Toronto felt safe, peaceful, clean (so much cleaner than Georgetown), and lush. I don’t remember anything about the actual choir experience. My most vivid memory is still seared in my brain. We stayed with host families and mine had two sons. The elder brother made me a mix-tape and it changed me. I knew of Barenaked Ladies by this point, but I didn’t know other songs on the album that made them an international hit. More importantly, he introduced me to The Tragically Hip and Crash Test Dummies, among so many other incredible songs and bands. My life completely opened up from that point – I learned that music is the gateway to learning about new places and people. And I wore that tape down to shreds.
Fast forward many years – I’m now a long-time Angeleno (despite my east coast roots, I never quite felt like I fit in there). Music was also my gateway to landing here – my first job in LA was at the radio station KCRW where I got to cross paths with incredible Canadian musicians. Today, my role is much bigger and the perspective much wider.
Global LA launched a few months ago as the first organization dedicated to promoting Los Angeles as a destination for innovative, game-changing businesses across key industries - entertainment, of course, as well as fashion and beauty, sustainability, logistics and transportation, life sciences, aerospace, and more. As the first CEO to expand our international relationships, the connections to Canada are close to my heart.
Canada is our fourth-largest source of Foreign Direct Investment and Foreign Owned Enterprises. Organizations including the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service, LAEDC’s Canada-SoCal desk, the Québec Government Office in Los Angeles, MAPLE Business Council, and the Canadian Consulate General – Los Angeles, are fantastic resources that enable the investment and collaboration between our two regions. But it also helps to know that you’ve got a wide network of businesses already entrenched in the LA ecosystem.
Canadian companies leading the way in Greater LA include Gildan Activewear, Manulife Financial, Lionsgate Entertainment, Royal Bank of Canada, and Thomson Company, with noted Southern California brands American Apparel, John Hancock Life Insurance, Starz, City National Bank, Brookfield, and Thomson Reuters are among the standouts.
In the creative fields - gaming, entertainment, and tech - the links between the LA Region and Canada are deep. Companies like Lionsgate, one of the leading global entertainment companies, have their roots in Canada. The company produces, finances, and distributes motion pictures, television programming, and digital content for markets around the world. In 2016, it was the only Canadian company to make it onto Variety’s list of the world’s 50 most valuable entertainment brands, coming in at #32 with a brand value of $5.73 billion.
Canadian tech companies with a presence in LA include Hootsuite, Shopify, and Wattpad. Hootsuite, a social media management platform, was founded in Vancouver in 2008 and now has over 16 million users in 175 countries. The company has a strong presence in LA, with an office in downtown LA that opened in 2013. Shopify also has an office in LA, which opened in 2013. Wattpad, a social media platform for stories, was founded in Toronto in 2006 and now has over 65 million users and an office in LA, which opened in 2012.
Gaming is a critical sector in both SoCal and Canada with Canadian gaming companies such as Ubisoft, headquartered in Montreal, with a large presence in LA. The company has an office in El Segundo, which opened in 1996.
Beyond entertainment, the LA region and Canada share many values, including a commitment to environmental protection, innovation, and social progress. These shared values make LA an ideal location for Canadian businesses looking to expand their operations. You will find clients, partners, and employees that share your values and are driven to ensure you succeed.
A leader in environmental protection, Los Angeles has a stated commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting sustainable development. L.A.’s Green New Deal will guide our city’s transition to an equitable and abundant economy powered by 100% renewable energy, supporting the creation of thousands of green jobs in all of our communities. LA is working towards this goal through a variety of initiatives, including electric vehicle infrastructure development and promoting the use of renewable energy.
The LA region is also a global center for innovation, with a thriving startup ecosystem and a commitment to supporting new and innovative businesses. For technology and sustainability companies and other startups, we have a number of hubs including the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator, LA Biostart, Idealab, PortTech Los Angeles, Hub 101, and 27 other incubators. The region also has 73 co-working spaces, 33 accelerators, and 91 VC firms.
As I know from personal experience, exploring the world as a student creates indelible impressions that can expand one's horizons. Canadian students are an important pipeline of talent into our Universities, including the University of Southern California, University of California Los Angeles, Cal Tech, and Pepperdine University. These schools and over 100 others offer a variety of programs that attract students from north of the border, including business, engineering, and media production.
The LA metro area is one of the most diverse regions in the world, with over 200 different ethnicities and languages represented. This diversity is a major strength of the LA economy, as it provides a large and growing workforce and consumer base for businesses of all types. The population is also relatively young and highly educated, making for a skilled and productive workforce, allowing businesses to scale.
Los Angeles hosts the second largest community of Canadian ex-pats in the US, with over 40,000 Canadians living in the metro area. This large community of Canadians provides a great support network for businesses looking to locate in LA.
Whether you are coming here for an education, to scale your start-up, grow your corporation’s footprint, or perform at The Hotel Cafe, LA is a long-time friend and collaborator for so many incredible Canadians.
I never got to see The Tragically Hip play live but I love this quote from Gord Downie: "Music brings people together. So my function in anything I do is to help bring people closer in." I’d like to think I’m also driven to bring people closer in. Every business needs solid relationships and increasing networks of people to help you grow and scale. Global LA can help make that possible in Los Angeles. And then we can go to a show together to see some great music.
Debbie Adler is Global LA’s first President and CEO. She is responsible for leadership, strategy, and membership of GLOBAL LA, working closely with the board and its partners. Previously, Debbie worked for the British government as the North America Sector Director for the Creative, Media, and Sports Economy team with the UK’s Department for International Trade (DIT).
We wish to thank the Consulate General of Canada Los Angeles, the LAEDC, and the MAPLE Business Council for their June 2019 report: Canada & Southern California: United though collaboration, defined by partnership, sustained by friendship that was indispensable in the creation of this column. Please see the full report at https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54c85166e4b03a5492fe6e90/t/5d1b90a47a34da0001b0fc28/1562087607907/LAEDC+Canada+Socal+Report+0701D.pdf