Lark Group Welcomes UBC to the Health and Technology District

(See also the press release from the Government of BC here.)

Surrey, BC (June 23, 2022) – Lark Group is pleased to welcome the University of British Columbia (UBC) to the Health and Technology District in Surrey, as announced in today’s event at the District. UBC’s newly purchased space within the Health and Technology District’s HealthTech Innovation HUB will be transformed to become home to its Master of Physical Therapy program in the Fraser region.

The Health and Technology District is a unique innovation ecosystem where a cluster of professional, health, technology and academic based organizations have been focused on BC’s emerging health, education and technology economy.

With the distinct advantage of being strategically located adjacent to Surrey Memorial Hospital, one of Canada’s busiest hospitals, the District is home to a network of researchers, entrepreneurs, educational institutions, multinational and start-up companies that are collaborating with patients and clinicians in a number of health care environments to accelerate the implementation of technologies and solutions to achieve health care improvements.

With support from the Government of BC, UBC has purchased the second floor of the City Centre 1 building. The space will be transformed to create teaching and laboratories, seminar rooms, student learning commons and multi-purpose space for a range of activities including assessment, treatment and health promotion. The space is expected to open to students in fall 2023.

The new site also paves the way for the future expansion of other UBC health professional programs, such as occupational therapy and midwifery, to create local training opportunities for students and better serve the needs of patients and communities across the Fraser region.

“We are excited about the arrival of UBC to Surrey and we’re honoured that UBC has chosen to locate these programs here in the Health and Technology District,” says Kirk Fisher, Senior Vice President of Lark Group. “We look forward to the expanded engagement, leadership and opportunity this will have for all of Surrey especially since we share incredible synergies in vision, commitment and investment to accelerate and reinforce Surrey’s ever-growing opportunities in healthcare innovations.”

Lark Group envisioned the growth of the health-tech sector in Surrey and created the District as a series of eight commercial buildings, and is currently working on its City Centre 4 and 5 buildings. Upon completion, the District will consist of over 1 million square feet, creating an estimated 15,000 jobs, and will contribute over $1.1 billion annually into BC’s economy.

The District also plays a strategic role in helping drive the economic growth and innovation in Surrey, and is aligned with a number of like-minded organizations like the Surrey Board of Trade, Downtown Surrey Business Improvement Association, Science World and Start-Up Surrey.

The District has also established a number of partnerships to further their mission of bringing real world results through innovative solutions with clear patient impact, including alliances with the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation, the Conference Board of Canada, Canadian Entrepreneurs in Life Science, Thin Air Labs, and Halo Health’s Angel Investor Group of Canadian Physicians.

“We are delighted that UBC has taken such an interest and commitment to becoming a part of the District,” says Rowena Rizzotti, Strategic Advisor at the Health and Technology District. “The arrival of the UBC Surrey site will further connect and enhance the networks of collaborations and innovations that the District has generated in Surrey particularly with partners from the health, technology, life sciences, post-secondary and education sectors.”

For more information, visit www.healthandtechnologydistrict.com.

About Lark Group:

The Lark Group is a family owned and operated development, construction and facility management company successfully developing real estate in British Columbia since 1972. Based in Surrey, B.C., the Lark Group has built a trusted reputation in the North American market by leading world-class institutional, residential, and award-winning healthcare and long-term care developments. It has developed the Health and Technology District in Surrey, a series of eight high-tech buildings immediately adjacent to Surrey Memorial Hospital, as a rapidly expanding ecosystem of innovators and entrepreneurs collaborating with tech companies, scientists, educators and health professionals, working together to transform research, science and technology into global healthcare innovations. www.larkgroup.com

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Media contact:

Rowena Rizzotti, (604) 240-4322, [email protected]