Life Sciences British Columbia

Sector Talent Council

Life Sciences BC Talent Council 2025/26 

The Life Sciences BC sector Talent Council is a result of the 2024 BC Life Sciences Labour Market Intelligence Report which identified the sector talent gap as well as challenges and opportunities in training, recruitment, and retention. The Talent Council works in a coordinated fashion to establish and support initiatives to train, recruit, and retain the skilled talent BC’s life sciences sector needs to support sector growth.  

Establishing a talent council is one of seven recommendations stemming from the Labour Market Intelligence Report.  The Talent Council is renewed annually. 

2025/26 Committee Members 

  • Wendy Hurlburt (Co-chair) – President & CEO. Life Sciences BC
  • Janet Teasdale (Co-chair) – SVP, Team Development, AbCellera
  • Lisa Chu – Dean, Health Sciences, BCIT 
  • Jess Hickman – Director, People and Culture, StarFish Medical 
  • Candice Hollingsworth – VP People Services, Kardium Inc 
  • Kim Kiloh – Head of Team Development, Aspect Biosystems 
  • Shelley Mcloskey – Executive VP Human Resources, Xenon Pharmaceuticals 
  • Robert McMaster – Co-lead Immuno-Engineering and Biomanufacturing Hub, UBC  
  • Laura O’Connor – VP Human Resources & DEI, Zymeworks 
  • Christine Zacharuk – CEO, Research Universities Council of BC 

Committee Support: 

  • William Burrows – Director of Operations, Life Sciences BC 
  • Lisa Carver – Projects/Stakeholder Relations, Life Sciences BC 

Sector Immigration Resources

Provincial 

BC Provincial Nominee Program  

  • The BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) is an economic immigration program. It lets the Province select economic immigrants who will live in B.C. and help fill job vacancies or operate businesses. 

PNP Concierge Program 

  • Assistance for life sciences, tech employers, Health Authority HR staff, a community economic development representative or local government staff.  
  • Employers seeking help understanding and navigating the system can contact the PNP Concierge at:  PNPConcierge@gov.bc.ca 

Federal 

Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)  

  • IRCC maintains provincial outreach officers in BC to assist employers with info sessions on Talent mobility – in person or virtually. 

 

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