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Province unveils million-dollar mining program to The Vancouver Board of Trade
December 02, 2011
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Minister Rich Coleman speaks at The Vancouver Board of Trade's Mining Forum 2011. Photo by G. Hoekstra
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By Greg Hoekstra
B.C.’s mining industry received a $1-million boost today, with the announcement of a new program to support training for people to work in the growing industry.
The Hon. Rich Coleman, B.C.’s Minister of Energy and Mines, broke the exciting news to a room of 300 industry leaders Friday afternoon at The Vancouver Board of Trade’s Mining Forum 2011.
The program, said Coleman, will provide a total of $1,069,000 to the Association for Mineral Exploration BC, the Mining Association of BC, the Aggregate Producers Association of BC, and their industry partners.
The three-year program is intended to “identify industry-specific training, educational and promotional needs required to keep pace with a growing industry facing a shortage of skilled workers.”
In the next decade, said Coleman, the mining sector could generate as many as 10,000 new jobs. But it needs support in order to do so.
“We will need thousands of people trained,” Coleman told Board of Trade members. “This is critical...we’re facing an explosion in the need for skilled labour.”
Coleman said today’s announcement was part of the government’s BC Jobs Plan, which Premier Christy Clark unveiled to The Board of Trade Sept. 22.
In addition to new training opportunities, the government also plans to accelerate the approval of mine proposals.
“Once the permitting backlog is reduced, the turnaround and notices of work for mines will be 60 days,” said Coleman, to a round of applause.
To learn more about Canada Starts Here: The BC Jobs Plan, visit www.bcjobsplan.ca.
Check out the full recap and photo gallery from Mining Forum 2011.
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