Time to invest in green firms, conference told

By Susan Taylor

OTTAWA, May 20 (Reuters) - A group of Canadian green energy and technology companies pitched for investment on Wednesday, saying they are poised to flourish from government stimulus spending and tougher environmental regulations.

Governments around the world are plowing billions of dollars into renewable energy and energy-efficient products and services, said Vicky Sharpe, chief executive of Sustainable Development Technology Canada, which manages C$1.05 billion ($920 million) in Canadian federal government funding.

"Why are they doing this? Because green creates jobs," she said via webcast at an investor forum organized by her nonprofit agency and the Toronto Stock Exchange.

"There is a market, it's a massive market, it's moving quickly and ... you can really play in what is going to be an amazingly good opportunity to make money."

The half-day event in Vancouver, British Columbia, featured a handful of private companies making pitches for funding along with established, publicly traded companies that laid out their growth plans.

"This is a time when you should get into the market, look and support these companies," said Sharpe. "I believe that you will do very well and make a lot of money, but also help the world be a better place."

An executive from MSR Innovations Inc told investors they could take a 25-percent stake in the solar energy roofing company in return for a C$750,000 investment.

"The market we're in, the green building market, is a fairly robust market, it seems to be doing well in these lean times and we're offering a generous equity stake for C$750,000," said Bill Richardson, vice-president of marketing and business development.