Capital Report~April 3, 2008
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Health Minister George Abbott announced $2.8 million in new diagnostic equipment and renovations to improve care at BC Children’s Hospital. March 27, 2008.

B.C. Leads Nation in Interprovincial Migration

New figures from Statistics Canada show British Columbia led all provinces in interprovincial migration in 2007, attracting nearly 13,400 people, a 31 per cent increase over 2006.

  • During the fourth quarter of 2007, the population of British Columbia grew by an estimated 11,042 people, resulting in a growth rate of 1.5 per cent between Jan. 1, 2007 and Jan. 1, 2008.
  • Since December 2001, British Columbia has created more than 400,000 new jobs, and reached a 31-year record low in unemployment in 2007.
  • As outlined in WorkBC, the provincial action plan to address skills shortages, B.C. needs to bring in 30,000 workers per year to address current and projected skills shortages, including 10,000 from interprovincial migration.

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B.C. Expands Program to Scrap Inefficient Automobiles

The Province is investing $15 million to enhance and expand the successful Scrap-It program across British Columbia, giving people real incentives to take old automobiles with higher greenhouse gas emissions off the road. Scrap-It is a voluntary program that provides incentives to help British Columbians to trade in pre-1993, high-polluting vehicles for cleaner kinds of transportation with lower emissions.

The Scrap-It program was previously available only in the Lower Mainland. Through this new investment, the program will be expanded across the province and redesigned to put a greater emphasis on reducing CO2 from older vehicles.

  • The $15 million in additional funding will go towards doubling the largest incentives to $2,000, which would apply to the choices with the largest GHG reduction, such as a hybrid car or transit passes.
  • A base incentive of $500 would apply to choices with low GHG-reduction benefits, and a new middle level incentive of $1,000 will be created.
  • It’s expected the program will “scrap” between 10,000-20,000 older vehicles over the next three years. If an average of three tonnes a year of CO2 is secured from 15,000 “scrapped” vehicles for a three-year remaining life, it would reduce CO2 emissions in B.C. by an estimated 135,000 tonnes.

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Province Provides $8.75 Million for Trades Training Equipment

Public post-secondary institutions are receiving $8.75 million for new equipment that will update and enhance trades training programs around British Columbia.

  • Fifteen of B.C.’s public post-secondary institutions offer trades training.
  • This year they provided more than 25,000 trades training spaces, up from about 16,500 in 2001.
  • Government funding of trades training spaces at private institutions has also increased, from just over 1,300 spaces to 4,500 spaces.

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Friday, April 4

Minister of Advanced Education Murray Coell will be a guest on CBC’s Almanac from 1:00-1:30pm to discuss government funding in post-secondary education.

Saturday, April 5

Minister of State for ActNow BC Gordon Hogg will be featured on Shaw TV’s Constituency Report from 8:00-8:30am and 5:00-5:30pm.

Sunday, April 6

Minister of State for ActNow BC Gordon Hogg will be featured on Shaw TV’s Constituency Report from 8:00-8:30am and 5:00-5:30pm.

MLA for West Vancouver-Capilano Ralph Sultan will be featured on Shaw TV’s Constituency Report from 8:30-9:00am and 5:30-6:00pm.

Thursday, April 10

Minister of Agriculture and Lands Pat Bell and Minister of State for Mining Kevin Krueger will be guests on Shaw TV’s Voice of BC from 8:00-9:00pm.

Quotes This Week

“Five years ago, the unemployment rate in B.C. was pushing ten percent, so it gave people a strong incentive to relocate to Alberta. But over the last five years, B.C.'s unemployment rate has been cut in half. So people are capitalizing on that by moving back to B.C.”
Richard Corriveau, Economist - Prairie Region, Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Edmonton Journal, Apr. 1st, 2008.

“The government's decision to cover acupuncture might encourage other provincial health ministries to take action. It also gives the treatment some recognition that has been long overdue…”
Editorial, Victoria Times Colonist, Apr. 2nd, 2008.

“[TILMA] is important because it addresses a number of irritants that stop goods, services and people moving between our two provinces.”
Laura Jones, Vice President, Western Canada, Canadian Federation of Independent Business, commenting on the first anniversary of the Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement between B.C. and Alberta. CKNW, April 1st, 2008.


Did You Know?

  • Sport Business International magazine has named Vancouver the top city in the Americas and the fifth in the world among “Ultimate Sports Cities.”
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  • The March 26, 2008 sale of oil and gas rights brings B.C.’s total for the 2007-2008 fiscal year to a record high of more than $1.2 billion.

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