Thursday February 17, 2022 | VICTORIA, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
An updated Stronger BC economic plan was released today by Premier John Horgan together with Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation, along with representatives of the BC Institute of Technology (BCIT).
The update was needed due to the changing economic, social and community conditions resulting from the lengthy COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, which now continues into a third year.
The plan was built with the belief that an economy can grow and thrive, while addressing two core issues: inequality and climate change. The province says their StrongerBC Economic Plan puts the province on this path by working toward inclusive and clean growth, as well as identifying six missions to achieve these goals:
- supporting people and families;
- building resilient communities;
- advancing true, lasting and meaningful reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples;
- meeting B.C.’s climate commitments;
- leading on environmental and social responsibility; and
- fostering innovation throughout B.C.’s economy.
Summer 2021 info gathering:
Today’s presentation — including a detailed PDF presentation available online, made enthusiastic reference to the many participants who engaged in consultation about the economy and social conditions, but didn’t identify who those participants were or where the input was sourced from.
The virtual consultations (and some written reports) took place in the summer of 2021, notably before the last two waves of the pandemic (Delta and Omicron) that generated further shifts in economic and social conditions in BC and across Canada.
Bracing for a potential worker shortage:
Baby boomers are retiring and together with emerging new industries this is opening up as many as 1 million job opportunities in the BC job market in the coming 10 years, Horgan outlined today.
Kahlon said BC has weathered the impacts of the pandemic well because we “sacrifice for one another and trust one another” and that the BC NDP government has put people first.
A big part of today’s announcement was that the BCIT will have a new Trades and Technology Complex with 300 new educational spaces in four new buildings, offering 20 programs to more than 12,000 full- and part-time students. The facility will be launched with a $136.6 million price tag.
Jobs are needed in health care as the population ages, and in a broad range of technological and service-sector positions as society becomes more diversified, high-tech and complex.
In today’s news release, it was stated by Anne Kang, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Training: “Investing in new trades training infrastructure at BCIT is a crucial part of equipping students for the jobs of the future while supporting a clean, innovative economy.” The high-tech sector needs talent and scaling-up to support the generation of new manufacturing opportunities.
“The new Trades and Technology Complex will help ensure future students have access to the best tools, instruction and equipment needed to meet the demand for an estimated 85,000 new trades jobs expected over the next 10 years,” said Kang.
Agri-tech sector drawing attention:
The agri-tech sector will benefit from this new educational programming, with an announcement on that coming next week from Minister Kahlon and Agriculture Minister Lana Popham, it was revealed by Horgan today.
When there’s provincial investment in a building, there’s community benefit, said Horgan, explaining that “putting public resources into spaces” will help BC meet “the skill shortages”.
Horgan said that businesses in BC have said loud and clear that skilled workers are needed in order for businesses to be part of a economy that thrives and grows.
Directions for Budget 2022:
“Economic growth is not an end in itself,” it was emphasized in today’s announcement.
“BC’s gross domestic product could outpace the world, but if people aren’t feeling the benefits of the economy in their lives and in their communities, then the economy may be growing, but it’s not working,” it was stated in the Stronger BC for Everyone document.
The new or adapted directions of the updated StrongerBC Economic Plan was evidently based heavily on input from what was heralded today as a wide-ranging engagement process. The source of input was not identified, other than to say it was
Meanwhile, Horgan defended the idea that the quality of life is going up because of improved services, and including the buoyant impact of MSP premiums having been eliminated a few years ago already and the costs of child care services starting to drop.
The cost of accommodation — whether purchasing and owning a home or renting an apartment, condo or townhome — has skyrocketed to generally unsustainable levels for most individuals and families in BC [see January 2022 west shore housing prices]. If housing is too costly it’s hard to attract workers and business investment to the region. Today’s StrongerBC presentation included a table showing that the number of rental units has increased in BC under the Horgan NDP government.
The BC Budget 2022 will be delivered by Finance Minister Selina Robinson on Tuesday February 22 around 1:30 pm.
===== GOVERNMENT LINKS:
StrongerBC: A Plan for Today, a Vision for Tomorrow, visit: https://strongerbc.ca/plan (https://strongerbc.gov.bc.ca/plan)
StrongerBC Economic Plan, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/StrongerBC_Economic_Plan_2022.pdf
Economic indicators for StrongerBC: A Plan for Today, a Vision for Tomorrow: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/Economic_Plan_Tracking_our_Progress_2022.pdf
The new Trades and Technology Centre at BCIT, visit: https://www.bcit.ca/facilities/campus-development/current-initiatives/trades-technology-centre/
