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Engagement key to creating jobs in the Barriere - McBride corridor

Engagement key to creating jobs in the Barriere - McBride corridor
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At the gateway to Barriere looking north. The Barriere - McBride regional economic development plan pilot project forum


‘Canada Starts Here: The BC Jobs Plan’ will continue moving forward, as the Barriere - McBride regional economic development pilot project forum is set for Monday, Jan. 16 in Valemount.

The forum will be hosted by Pat Bell, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation, along with area MLAs Shirley Bond who represents Prince George-Valemount, and Terry Lake representing Kamloops-North Thompson.

The Regional Economic Investment Pilot is part of the Province’s initiative to engage the public to generate ideas aimed at attracting investment and job creation in areas consistent with the BC Jobs Plan.

“It’s clear from a variety of indicators that the northern regions of B.C. are going to be serious economic drivers for the province, and we want to make sure that every community has a chance to maximize its potential and take advantage of the BC Jobs Plan. This forum will be our time to engage the folks that live in these communities and discover how we are going to drive investment and create jobs throughout the Barriere - McBride region,” said Bell.

The forum will include representatives from local government, business, industry, First Nations and education. Through sharing ideas on investment opportunities and overcoming barriers, an inventory of potential projects will be created, as well as an action plan detailing how the provincial government will assist the communities in the Barriere - McBride corridor to capitalize on opportunities.

“This forum is part of the Province’s ongoing engagement with our communities and First Nations partners to diversify their economic opportunities and create good jobs for families,” said Lake.

Valemount Mayor Andru McCracken, said, “This corridor has some epic opportunities: Tourism, geothermal power, run of the river hydro, aquaculture and wood manufacturing. MLA Shirley Bond and Minister Pat Bell understand we need a hotline to just about every provincial ministry to pursue our future. This pilot gathers the resources to make way for these projects so we can attract new investment, new talent to bolster our communities.”

A number of people from the community of Barriere will be participating in the forum including District of Barriere Mayor Bill Humphreys, CAO Colleen Hannigan, and Economic Development Officer Andrew Hayward.

“This focus around promoting a regional economic growth plan is the driver for the forums being held by the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation,” says Humphreys,  “The manager for our area, Myles Bruns has been working long hours to ensure the most progress for all the participants in the Valemount forum. His efforts and the efforts of the rest of the Ministry team are much appreciated now, and will be in the future when their hard work bears fruit.”

The North Fraser communities of Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge and Mission were the first to participate in a forum and attracted over 100 participants.

The Campbell River forum has been scheduled for Monday, Jan. 30. A decision on a fourth community, a First Nation, will be announced in a short time.

To find out more about BC Jobs Plan, visit: http://www.bcjobsplan.ca/

On the website you can share your own ideas on how to create jobs in your community, getting BC products and services to markets, and ideas on how the province can open and expand new markets for BC products and services?

To view video and photos from the first forum in Maple Ridge, visit:

http://www.jti.gov.bc.ca/economic_pilots/index.htm