NEWS
Discover the latest news from SOMA, our clients, relevant industries and beyond.
B.C. wildfire tech firms aiding in the fire fight at home and abroad
As wildfires intensify across B.C., companies like Nova are equipping firefighters with real-time hotspot data using drones, aircraft, and satellites to improve early response. Backed by organizations like NorthX Climate Tech, these innovations are helping modernize firefighting tools and give crews a critical edge on the front lines.
Nvidia-Backed Energy Startup Raises $28 Million To Improve The Grid
An NVIDIA-backed startup, ThinkLabs AI, has raised $28 million to help modernize power grids using AI-driven simulations that dramatically speed up planning and decision-making.
Its technology aims to help utilities manage rising energy demand and integrate cleaner power sources more efficiently, addressing growing strain on grid infrastructure.
Recycle BC Expands Curbside Pickup in RDCO Starting May 2026
Recycle BC officially launched its expanded curbside recycling program at a recent announcement event, introducing new pink and grey bins for flexible plastics and glass across RDCO communities starting May 2026. The update is designed to improve accessibility while boosting recycling rates.
CPI Pilot Turns Construction Plastic into Building Innovation
Light House and partners showcased how construction waste can be repurposed into innovative materials during a live CPI pilot. The demonstration underscores the growing momentum behind circular solutions in the built environment.
Health Matters: Choices Lottery supports kids receiving treatment at BC Children’s Hospital
Lilah Rickson's family discusses Lilah's treatment at the hospital and how proceeds from the Choices Lottery help support the BC Children's Hospital Foundation
Myriad Uranium doubles size of Wyoming project
Myriad Uranium has effectively doubled the size of its Copper Mountain uranium project in Wyoming, from around 9,439 acres to about 18,351 acres, by staking newly identified target areas flagged in recent geophysical surveys.
The expanded land position now covers a larger portion of historic uranium anomalies and enhances the company’s control over key targets across the district.
BC Children’s Hospital Foundation’s 2026 Choices Lottery Going Strong
BC Children’s Hospital Foundation’s 2026 Choices Lottery funds life-saving research and care for kids across B.C. Tickets available until April 10.
Waste from old mines on Mount Sicker could prove valuable for Vancouver-based company
Work may begin soon on a project that would see the processing of large quantities of waste rock on Mount Sicker, left over from mining operations that occurred on the mountain from 1895 to 1915, for valuable minerals.
As well, the project, proposed by the Vancouver-based mineral exploration firm Sasquatch Resources, would also involve a major clean-up of the site where more than 300,000 tonnes of sulphide-bearing waste rock was left exposed when the mining ceased.
Largest deconstruction project in B.C. paving the way for more sustainable construction projects
The deconstruction of an old dairy processing plant in Burnaby is on track to be the largest project of its kind in the province. Materials are being repurposed into new homes and part of a new energy centre for the city. As the CBC's Janella Hamilton reports, it's an example of some of the sustainable construction projects happening in B.C.
Recycle BC rolls out curbside flexible plastic recycling to meet 50% collection goal
Recycle BC will add flexible plastic and some non-deposit glass to its curbside collection program for residents in the Regional District of Central Okanagan of British Columbia starting in May.
Health Matters: VCH Adult ADHD Clinic expands to offer support to more people
Undiagnosed and untreated ADHD in adults can have severe and lasting consequences but now there are more supports available for adults in Vancouver with the condition. Dr. Summer Telio is a psychiatrist and the Medical Director of the Vancouver Coastal Health Regional Adult ADHD Clinic. She speaks with Global News Morning about diagnosing and treating adult ADHD.
New Vancouver conference created to support Indigenous tech community
An inaugural tech conference created by and for Indigenous communities is bringing industry leaders together to propel others forward. As CBC's Pinki Wong tells us, organizers call this the largest gathering for Indigenous tech innovation in Canada.
ITC says Canada’s largest Indigenous tech conference aims to break down silos
Next week, the Indigenous Tech Circle (ITC) is hosting its first Indigenous Tech Conference. Set to take place on Jan. 20 and Jan. 21 at the Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel, ITC expects the inaugural event to bring together more than 250 Indigenous founders, tech professionals, investors, community partners, allies, and policymakers, which it says would make the conference Canada’s largest gathering dedicated to Indigenous folks in tech.
Why Lubricant Packaging Needs its Own EPR Pathway
As more states consider their own EPR laws, they should look closely at what the lubricant industry has built. When it comes to EPR, one size does not fit all, and the systems that perform best are those designed by the people who know the materials best.
ThinkLabs AI Teams with Southern California Edison to Deploy Scalable Grid Solutions
ThinkLabs AI, a company specializing in AI-driven grid solutions, today announced results in collaboration with Southern California Edison (SCE), using physics-informed AI digital twins to model and analyze electric distribution and sub-transmission networks. This technology enables AI-powered automation of grid energization requests, accelerating connections and enhancing reliability.
Food Waste Innovation
SOMA worked with one of Light House’s Circular Construction Accelerator (CCA) companies, Ergo Eco Solutions, to raise awareness of a pilot project delivered in partnership with the Malahat Nation on Vancouver Island.
Global News: Holiday recycling
The holiday season can be the both the busiest and confusing time of year for recycling. What gift wrappings can be thrown out into the trash and what can be recycled? Ann Goulding from Recycle BC joins Global News Morning to guide us through the process this Christmas.
Millionaire Lottery dream home blends Shaughnessy’s heritage with sleek Scandi style
Winning the grand prize residence at Whitford Shaughnessy in the 2025 VGH+ Millionaire Lottery would realize a dream of not only having a home in the pricey Vancouver real estate market but also one in the prestigious west side neighbourhood.
Myriad Uranium Corp: Could This Be North America's Largest Uranium Find
SOMA recently secured a media opportunity for Myriad Uranium with StockBox Media, a leading platform for investor-focused interviews and market insights. In the feature, Thomas Lamb, CEO of Myriad Uranium, discussed the company’s ambitions to develop one of the largest uranium projects in the United States.
AI-powered project at Vancouver hospital aims to transform heart failure detection
A Vancouver-based research team is using artificial intelligence to change how doctors detect and diagnose heart failure—a condition experts say is becoming increasingly common across Canada.
Dr. Christina Luong, a cardiologist and co-director of the VGH-UBC Artificial Intelligence Echo Core Lab, is leading the study, which is funded in part by proceeds from the VGH Millionaire Lottery.