British Columbia Chamber of Commerce
August 2014

   
Insight
BC Chamber Policy News
BC Chamber calls for fixes to internal trade, labour mobility            
The BC Chamber has partnered with Chambers from across Canada to urge the removal of barriers to Canada's internal trade and labour mobility.

The partner Chambers are urging the Council of the Federation to tackle this at its upcoming meeting in Charlottetown, August 26 to 30.

"Internal trade barriers continue to impede the free movement of people and goods between Canada's provinces," the Chambers wrote in a recent letter to the Council.

 

"Such barriers often arise as a result of minor differences in standards, certifications or regulations. The red tape that these differences impose on businesses and the economic toll they place on our competitiveness have become intolerable."

In This Issue
Internal Trade
Analysis: LNG
Transmission Line
Trades Training
Pulp and Paper
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Analysis: Tourism, gas exports can coexist
The following op-ed, by BC Chamber president and CEO John Winter, was published August 20 in the Vancouver Sun:
 

Is B.C.'s super, natural tourism industry threatened by the LNG sector?

 

Absolutely not.

 

Opponents to the development of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry would have us believe that everything we've come to appreciate and value about our province - pristine oceans, clean air and safe communities - is at risk if LNG tankers join the marine traffic already travelling up and down our coastline. 

 

Most recently, a handful of anti-industry activists waging war against Woodfibre LNG's proposal for an LNG processing and export facility seven kilometres outside Squamish are taking their fight outside the regulatory framework, and frightening mayors and municipal councilors - facing an election in a scant three months - into declaring their opposition to the project. More
 

BC Chamber welcomes Northwest Transmission Line operations              
The BC Chamber welcomes the start of operation of the Northwest Transmission Line (NTL).

"This is a pivotal piece of infrastructure that the Chamber network has long called for," said John Winter, president and CEO of the BC Chamber. "The Northwest Transmission Line creates significant economic potential for B.C.'s northwest and promises to boost the region's economy." 

Winter said Chambers, particularly in B.C.'s northwest, have pushed hard for the NTL, which provides reliable power to a part of B.C. that's never had access to the grid.

Find out more about the NTL here.
Chamber commends action under Skills for Jobs Blueprint               
The BC Chamber of Commerce has welcomed critical new trades-training capacity delivered under B.C.'s Skills for Jobs Blueprint.

The B.C. government announced July 28 that it will fund 272 new trades training seats at BC Institute of Technology starting this fall.


"As B.C. gears up for major northern development and the unprecedented LNG opportunity, there's no time to lose in training British Columbians," said John Winter, BC Chamber president and CEO. "We're very pleased to see government taking needed action on funding trades-training capacity and hope to see further similar announcements at other vocational schools around B.C."


Winter commended government for taking swift action under its Skills for Jobs Blueprint.


"The Blueprint presents a lot of great ideas for more closely tailoring training opportunities to B.C.'s job market, but its success depends on the action it delivers," Winter said. "We're encouraged to see the government taking swift action to deliver on those ideas."

BC Chamber welcomes Power Smart program for pulp and paper industry 
The BC Chamber of Commerce has welcomed a new Power Smart program to reduce electricity costs for pulp and paper producers.

The program provides a financial incentive of up to 75 per cent of investments in more energy-efficient equipment. The program is expected to save pulp and paper producers $17.5 million in annual power costs.

 

"Rises in B.C. energy prices have posed a major challenge to our pulp and paper producers, for whom electricity costs account for up to 30% of operating budgets," said John Winter, BC Chamber president and CEO. "We commend the B.C. government for working with industry leaders to identify a way to support the industry in reducing its power costs."

 

Winter emphasized that affordable power is a critical part of a strong B.C. economy.

 

"Affordable power has long been a competitive advantage for B.C. businesses," he said. "As B.C. power costs rise to pay for needed public infrastructure replacement, it's important that we look for ways to offset this challenge to our businesses. We would encourage the B.C. government to expand this program to other industrial users, so that more B.C. businesses can invest in power-saving technologies."