Image Credit: Flickr / Province of BC

By Andrew Mercier, Parliamentary Secretary for Skills Training

SOUND OFF

SOUND OFF: Our economic plan – building on our strengths

Feb 23, 2022 | 10:30 AM

BRITISH COLUMBIA IS LEADING CANADA’S ECONOMIC RECOVERY FROM THE PANDEMIC. Right now, in B.C., there are 100,000 more people working than there were before the pandemic began.

But in order to sustain this strong recovery, and tackle the challenges of the future, we need to address some of the lessons learned over the course of the last two years. That’s what our economic plan, introduced last week, will help us do.

It’s no secret that the pandemic has not treated us all equally. Women, people of colour, people with disabilities, Indigenous people, and low wage earners were hit the hardest. Through our recovery, we’ve shown that by investing in people and the services they need – like child care, skills training, and health care – we can build an economy that works for everyone.

In the last two years, extreme weather events have reminded us of the urgency of tackling climate change. Floods, heat domes, and fires have impacted our homes, our families, and our communities. We must immediately accelerate our efforts to meet our climate goals, and foster growth and innovation in the low-carbon economy.

Economic growth isn’t an end in itself. The purpose of growing our economy is so that everyone can experience the benefits. If people aren’t feeling their lives improve, then the economy is simply not working for all.

Sound Off

SOUND OFF: Culturally appropriate food goes beyond the ingredients on a plate

22h ago

Two and Out

PETERS: Whether building up or tearing down, Kamloops is what you make it

Dec 13, 2024

Sound Off

SOUND OFF: How to reduce food waste in Kamloops during the festive season

Dec 13, 2024

Our plan lays out how we will build an economy that works for everyone through inclusive and clean growth.

We’ll promote inclusive growth through more skills training, so people are ready for the good-paying jobs of the future. As a first action, we’re building a new Trades and Technology Complex at BCIT, to train more students to enter high-demand trades. Construction of the complex itself will prioritize hiring tradespeople who are Indigenous, women, and other underrepresented groups in the trades.

Our plan will also speed up the timeline to connect all communities across the province to high-speed internet. This will not only help businesses grow, it will also improve equity by helping people in rural communities to access education, training, and jobs.

We are going to continue to encourage clean growth by helping businesses transition to clean energy sources and investing in the development of low-carbon goods and technology.

We will also support innovative ways to add value to our natural resources. Mass timber delivers up to seven times the value of milling logs for lumber, and our Mass Timber Action Plan will support business opportunities for Indigenous communities, while finding new markets for this low-carbon forest product. More workers will get skills training in mass timber construction to seize opportunities in this growing field.

These are just a few of the things we’re doing to build an economy for everyone. By focusing on our greatest strength – people – we will continue to grow and lift up everyone in B.C.

—

Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.