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Israel trip pays off, Hepner says

Surrey's mayor is expected to announce allegiances with Israeli firms for Innovation Boulevard
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Mayor Linda Hepner says she has drummed up some business for Innovation Boulevard in Israel.

Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner is back from Israel and says she will soon be rolling out proposals with high-tech companies that will both provide goods and services and locate here.

Hepner and the City of Surrey's Manager of Economic Development Donna Jones have returned from Israel after a week-long international academic event called "Brain Tech."

Hepner was hoping to lure companies to come and locate along Surrey's Innovation Boulevard, a high-tech corridor between SFU and Surrey Memorial Hospital.

Hepner said Thursday she signed a partnership agreement with the mayor of Be'er Sheva, a city a little less than half the size of Surrey in approximately the geographic centre of Israel.

She also plans to unveil some initiatives involving companies interested in Innovation Boulevard.

Hepner would not provide details at this point about which companies are interested or what role they might take.

She added that the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs footed the bill for her travel to Israel.

Taxpayers covered Jones' trip.