B.C. government lays out plan to grow economy, fill 1M jobs over the next decade

The B.C. government has laid out an economic plan with a road map on how to grow the economy and fill around one million jobs over the next decade.

The plan, called StrongerBC: A Plan for Today, a Vision for Tomorrow, focuses on investing in skills training, building resilient communities and positioning B.C. as a world leader in a low-carbon economy.

The plan is short on specific details and funding but does target growth areas including agriculture, technology and skills training.

“Our government understands that people are the economy and that growing the economy cannot mean leaving people behind,” Premier John Horgan said Thursday.

“Our plan provides a framework to create a low-carbon economy that works for everyone. An economy built for all is an economy built to succeed.”

The government’s plan is built on the belief the B.C. economy can grow while addressing inequality and climate change.

There are six ‘missions’ laid out in the economic plan: supporting people and families, building resilient communities, reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, meeting B.C.’s climate commitments, environmental and social responsibility and fostering economic innovation.

The pandemic has had dramatic impacts on various sectors of the B.C. economy including tourism and hospitality.

Even so, B.C. leads Canada in economic recovery with more than 100,000 new jobs added in 2021.

“The pandemic has exposed deep vulnerabilities in our society, and we know we can’t go back to the way things were,” Jobs and Economic Recovery Minister Ravi Kahlon said.

“This plan is your plan. It’s built by British Columbians, for British Columbians and puts people first. By investing in people, we will tackle today’s challenges while growing tomorrow’s economy.”

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Part of the plan is a $136.6 million investment to build a new Trades and Technology Complex at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) Burnaby campus.

The complex will be a hub for skills training and include four new buildings, benefiting more than 12,000 full- and part-time students per year in more than 20 trades and technology programs.

“BCIT is a place where students learn to maximize their potential while gaining hands-on work experience that is applicable to everyday life,” BCIT president Kathy Kinloch said.

“This important investment will facilitate the ongoing transformation of BCIT’s Burnaby campus and our ability to help power B.C.͛s ongoing pandemic recovery by giving trades and technology learners the skills and credentials they need for today and tomorrow.”