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Hepner headed for Israel

Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs paying for Surrey mayor's business trip to Tel Aviv next week.
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Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner is travelling to Israel next week to drum up business for her city.

Mayor Linda Hepner is going to Israel next week to shop for companies interested in the city's Innovation Boulevard.

Hepner and the City of Surrey's manager of economic development Donna Jones are heading to Israel for a week for an international academic event.

Hepner said she was amassing the names of several companies that might expand or relocate to Surrey.

"The world brain conference, called Brain Tech, is happening in Tel Aviv at that same time," Hepner said Monday. "And Canada is actually doing a presentation panel."

Ryan D'Arcy, the neuroscientist and brain trust behind Innovation Boulevard, will be making a presentation at the conference.

Innovation Boulevard, unveiled by the city in 2013, envisions having a high-tech hub between Surrey Memorial Hospital and Simon Fraser University's Surrey campus.

It would largely be driven by the private sector. Hence, the impetus for Hepner's visit to Brain Tech.

The high-tech medical areas Hepner will be primarily targeting  during the Israel visit will be companies that work with dementia and Alzheimer's, she said.

She added that the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) is footing the bill for her. Taxpayers are footing the bill for Jones to take part in the trip.

An official with the CIJA confirmed with The Leader it was covering the costs for Hepner.