British Columbia Continues to Generate Jobs

3,800 new jobs were created in B.C. during April.

• The unemployment rate in the province is just 4.5 per cent.
• Since December 2001, over 298,000 new jobs have been created, including 74,400 in the past 12 months.
• 2,500 jobs for 15-24 year olds were created in April.  1,031,900 women are currently employed in B.C., an increase of 5,200 from March and a new record high.

Phase One of Community Consultation Nears End

Phase One of the community consultation for the Port Mann/Highway 1 section of the Gateway Project ends on Monday, May 8.  Residents are encouraged to submit their feedback forms.

Province Provides Funding to Improve Emergency Rooms

The provincial government and a wide range of health care leaders have agreed to work together to implement an action plan to improve the province’s largest and busiest ER’s, announced Health Minister George Abbott.

• $7 million will be made available for small short-term investments that can be used to buy minor equipment, data collection, patient comforts and other support to patients in ER’s.
• A key part of the action plan will see emergency departments naming one doctor and one nurse to work with a senior health authority lead to drive innovation.
• The teams will report back to the deputy minister throughout the month.  A meeting will take place on May 26 to review actions taken and discuss preliminary results and further steps required.

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Government to Create Representative for Children and Youth

The B.C. Government is acting quickly to implement key recommendations of the Hughes Report including introducing legislation to establish a new Representative for Children and Youth as an independent officer of the Legislature, announced Attorney General Wally Oppal.

• The Representative will be an independent officer of the Legislature with the powers recommended in the Hughes report.
• The powers include advocating on behalf of children and families, ensuring accountability and investigating critical injuries and deaths of children in our child welfare system.
• The legislation also establishes the role of an all-party Select Standing Committee on Children and Youth to work with the Representative in fostering greater awareness and understanding of the child welfare system.

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Living Rivers Trust Fund Boosted to $21 Million

The B.C. Government is tripling funding to preserve and restore B.C.’s rivers with a $14-million contribution to the Living Rivers Trust Fund, bringing the total contribution to $21 million, announced Premier Gordon Campbell.

• The additional $14 million will provide support to river and watershed restoration, enhancement and research projects across the province.
• The Trust Fund was established in 2002 with $2 million in funding and received an additional $5 million in 2004.
• One of the Province’s Five Great Goals is to lead the world in sustainable environmental management, with the best air and water quality and the best fisheries management, bar none.

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$150 Million Investment in eHealth

Patient care will be improved and modernized throughout British Columbia with the investment of $150 million towards eHealth initiatives, announced Health Minister George Abbott.

• The investment will promote major transformation and modernization in health-care, providing better care for patients and maximizing the return on taxpayers’ investment.
• B.C.’s eHealth strategy is comprised of 22 projects grouped into nine areas: primary care, hospital care, home and community care, public health, laboratories, pharmacies, diagnostic imaging, Telehealth and foundational projects.
• The Canadian Health Infoway has agreed to allocate approximately $150 million between 2005-06 and 2008-09.  The Ministry of Health is providing an additional $30 million over the same period.

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“SafeBC” Safety Initiative Launched

A new Provincial Council on SafeBC was introduced by Labour and Citizens’ Services Minister Mike de Jong.

• The government-led council will work with public and private-sector stakeholders and non-profit agencies with the goal of making B.C. the safest province in Canada.
• Injuries that occur at home, on the job, on our roads and during leisure activities are, in the overwhelming majority of cases, preventable.  The direct costs of injuries are approximately $852 million a year in B.C., with indirect costs totalling $1.2 billion.
• This week was North American Occupational Safety and Health Week.

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