Today is a pretty depressing day in Vancouver. A major bridge on a rush hour corridor route was on fire over the weekend and will be out of commission for at least a month. This morning saw announcements for a few more housing projects that can’t get enough financing to get to completion. Some 2010 Olympic infrastructure is also experiencing financing problems. The recession has finally hit BC in a number of sectors. Even the Daily Mail says that today may well be the most depressing day ever. [READ] It’s been a pretty depressing month overall. However, there are some things to look forward to that I want to highlight in an effort to cheer you up.

Global Warming

Global warming is bad news for most people. Some pundits say that British Columbia (particularly the South Coastal areas) may become warm enough to grow sugar cane this century. If the polar ice caps melt, water levels could rise by 20 feet. That means that where I live, I’ll have water-front property all of a sudden. Sweet! Maybe I can grow sugar cane in the back yard. [Check out the flood map to see where your property will sit] I’m not saying we shouldn’t worry about global warming but you can’t blame a guy for trying to find the bright side!

Labour Shortages

By 2015, there will be more jobs than able-bodied adults in BC. That means one important thing for people like me who are still in the early days of my career – bigger pay. When demand outstrips supply, the price of labour goes up. I’m making good money now but I can’t imagine what my time will be worth when people are literally going out of business for lack of labour. Mwahahahahahahahaha. There’s also a ton of work that needs to be done post-2010. There is a lot of aging infrastructure in BC that needs to be replaced or retrofitted in the years to come.

New Technology

I’ll admit it – I’m a gadget freak. I’m really excited about what the next few decades are going to bring in terms of technology. Organic LED (OLED) displays are coming. That means (eventually), display screens that cover a whole wall and go up like wallpaper. New energy-efficient technology and distributed node infrastructure might mean that I make my own electricity at home and potentially sell it to the grid. There’s also exciting new vehicle and transportation technology coming.

So forgive me if I sound chuffed but I am looking forward to a bright future where I can enjoy mojitos on my waterfront sugar cane plantation while I telecommute for ridiculously over-inflated pay and lounge in my hover-chair.