Welcom to the energy boom!Â
As you’ve no doubt heard by now, folks from Haida Gwaii to Dawson Creek are talking about the boom in the natural gas sector in northeast B.C. that has created thousands of jobs and pumped millions of dollars into provincial revenue streams that support healthcare and education services, among other things.
But what’s becoming more and more apparent, meantime, is how closely tied the long-term viability of the natural gas industry is to the slew of liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals proposed along the northwest coast.
In fact, it’s not a stretch to say that the traditionally disparate economies of northwest and northeast regions of this province are more closely tied than ever before – working together to help this industry thrive for the long term.
That’s why we’ve decided to explore how these two regions are creating new political ties to achieve common goals in the latest edition of Building a Stronger North.
In this issue, we also explore how the natural gas industry has transformed Fort Nelson’s Second World War-era airport into one of the busiest runways in the country.
To the west, we’ve uncovered a mining boom near Dease Lake that’s being driven by demand in China for B.C.’s official gemstone. We also feature the launch of the two latest investment portals, Invest North Central BC and Invest Northeast BC, which are a result of an unprecedented collaboration among municipalities and regional districts in each region.
And don’t forget to check out the back page of the latest edition of Building a Stronger North, where you’ll be directed to a short video story on our website about new economic activity in Stewart.
There’s loads of information packed into this month’s issue about Northern Development’s funding projects as well as business success stories across central and northern B.C. – we hope you’ll take the time to dig in!
And don’t forget to connect with us on Twitter and Facebook to keep up to date with breaking news from northern B.C.
Click here to read Northern Development’s Report to the Region – November 2012 edition.
About Northern Development                                                                                                                      Â
Northern Development Initiative Trust is an independent regional economic development corporation focused on stimulating economic growth and job creation in central and northern British Columbia.
- To date, $111 million in funding has been committed to 1,000 projects in communities throughout central and northern British Columbia.
- 5,154 jobs have been created.
- Funding has been partnered with 1,831 organizations, attracting over $1 billion in new investment to the region.
- 73% of investments are in small communities with populations less than 5,000.
- $199 million has been invested in new capital and employee training by supported companies.
- Over 3,000 grant writers have been trained to date, 274 hired by communities including 124 by First Nations since 2007.
For information on Northern Development and the community economic development projects being led in communities throughout central and northern British Columbia, visit: http://www.northerndevelopment.bc.ca.
