Lifestyle

On Trend: Coworking facilities find their groove

Co-working facilities with various specializations find their groove in B.C.

By Felicity Stone /

GOOD WORKS

Those devoted to social impact can find like-minded coworkers at the Dock in downtown Victoria plus several spots in Vancouver. Two are in Gastown: the Hive and the Amp, the latter in the old B.C. Electric Railway building and also home to Ecotrust Canada. Not far away, 312 Main is intended to be a global centre for economic and social innovation.

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING

Co-working spaces for B.C. techies tend to be associated with related organizations. Kamloops Innovation offers space for tech entrepreneurs, Victoria’s Fort Tectoria is an initiative of VIATEC (Victoria Innovation, Advanced Technology and Entrepreneurship Council), and Lighthouse Labs, which teaches coding across Canada, opened Devhub for software developers in Vancouver last November.

CREATIVE OPTIONS

Writers, designers, photographers and other creative types can find inspiration at L’Atelier Vancouver Co-working in Gastown, HelloSpace in Richmond, Adrian Wagner Studio in Nelson and Victoria’s Club Kwench, expanding soon to a 25,000-square-foot heritage space on Store Street.

ALL THE TOYS

Some Vancouver co-working outfits offer specialized equipment. MakerLabs provides tools for cutting, welding, sewing, 3D printing and more. Subculture at Creative Coworkers has a studio for photography and audio recording, while Podstream Studios caters to music and audio professionals.