Premier Christy Clark has announced the Pacific Gateway Transportation Strategy 2012-2020, which aims to expand trade opportunities with Asia while growing jobs in BC. As part of the Strategy, the Premier committed $700 million in government funding for road and rail transportation projects over the next five years. The Strategy will:

• Increase major road and rail capacity, rural resource transportation capacity, bulk and container terminal capacity at BC ports and air passenger and cargo capacity to meet projected growth through 2020.

• Ensure an attractive climate for investment by supporting a reliable labour supply and marketing BC's advantages to the world.

• Enhance collaboration with partners and stakeholders to integrate industrial land-use planning, and engage with communities and First Nations.

The Strategy targets $25 billion in new public and private-sector investment needed to meet global demand for BC products, particularly in Asia. This new investment is estimated to create at least 17,000 jobs in the province by 2020

An Angus Reid poll released this week indicates that the BC NDP is leading in popular opinion with 43% of decided voters indicating they will support the party in the next election. The BC Liberal Party and BC Conservative Party are tied for second place with 23% of the popular vote each.

The data also shows that BC NDP leader Adrian Dix is leading in approval rating (45%), while Premier Christy Clark stands at 32%. BC Conservative Party leader John Cummins is rated at 28%.

BC's vegetable and floriculture growers will receive $7.6 million from the BC government in carbon tax relief in 2012, Hon. Don MacRae, Minister of Agriculture announced. The tax relief aims to allow producers to focus on competitiveness, and building the greenhouse sector, an industry that contributes to the economy by approximately $500 million per year.

The BC Greenhouse Growers' Association will administer the application process for $6 million in grants for greenhouse vegetable growers, and the United Flower Growers Cooperative Association will administer $1.6 million in grants for greenhouse floriculture growers.

Over the next year, the BC government will be undertaking a comprehensive review of the Carbon Tax and its impact on BC industries.

This weekly report produced for the BC Chamber of Commerce by Fleishman-Hillard.  While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information included in this publication as of the date of issue, events and government policies are subject to frequent change.  Therefore, the BC Chamber of Commerce and Fleishman-Hillard cannot assume any responsibility for actions taken solely or principally on the basis on the information contained herein.