Green Jobs Plan for BC

Ministry of Jobs, Tourism Skills Training Minister Responsible for Labour Government recognizes the importance of the green economy to job creation and continues its efforts to advance it. Liquefied natural gas LNG presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for British Columbia and one of the key priorities of BCs LNG strategy is to maintain our Provinces leadership on climate change and clean energy. Together, with industry, communities and First Nations, the Province is committed building the worlds cleanest LNG facilities. Natural gas is the worlds cleanest-burning fossil fuel and BCs LNG exports can significantly lower global greenhouse gas emissions by replacing coal-fired power plants and oil-based transportation fuels with a much cleaner alternative. The development of BCs LNG sector will create significant employment opportunities in the construction, supply, service, operation and maintenance of LNG facilities and pipe lines. These opportunities will include: -21,600 jobs directly involved in the building of LNG export facilities and associated pipelines at peak construction expected to occur in 20162017. -41,900 jobs in the industries that supply goods and services during peak construction. -2,400 permanent jobs to operate and maintain the plants and pipelines. -61,700 jobs to support LNG operations, including workers required to drill, produce, process and transport the natural gas required to feed the export facilities. The Province is working with the BC Natural Gas Workforce Strategy Committee to build the workforce to take advantage of the tremendous employment opportunities created by LNG. Supporting green jobs through training and collaboration across sectors to support green job creation efforts across the economy, the Province provides a range of programs that support sectors in understanding and responding to the emerging human resource opportunities and needs related to the green economy. For example, several sectors have used the provincial Labour Market Partnership Program LMP to understand how emerging green technologies will impact their workforce needs. These LMPs include residential construction LMP changing training requirements related to green building were highlighted as a key driver of a recent LMP that researched the feasibility of developing alternative delivery models for apprenticeship training in the residential construction industry. Identifying essential training needs for aboriginal youth in BCs eco-energy sector, building on a Globe Foundation LMP, which assessed the job creation potential in BCs clean economy and the recent Fraser Basin LMP improved human resources capacity for supporting renewable energy by developing strategies to increase participation among aboriginal youth, young people in general and other under-employed segments of BCs population. To support job creation efforts, the Province also provides a range of training programs funded by the Labour Market Agreement. Programs targeting green job opportunities include: The Targeted Skills Shortages Program, which targets the clean technology and the green economy sectors. Through the program, local service providers help businesses with fewer than 100 employees identify Labour Market Agreement-eligible, low-skilled employees, develop training plans and access funding for training. The Employment Skills Access program funded the Northern Lights Colleges Clean Energy Training Program, has trained participants to work with clean energy, including wind and solar energy. Through the Aboriginal Community Based Delivery Program, the Province is funding training for environmental restoration at the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology, Building Restoration at the Kwantlen Polytechnique, and Ecological Restoration at the BC Institute for Technology. At this time, government does not have plans for a stand-alone, green jobs plan. Initiatives to grow the green economy will continue to be captured under the existing, over-arching framework of Canada Starts Here: The BC Jobs Plan.