Christy’s Asian persuasion

B.C. Premier Christy Clark is in Asia this week on her latest jobs and trade mission, this time going to Japan, Korea and the Philippines. Building on the success of her first trade mission, the Premier is making the business case for investment in the province, for resource and project developments that will create more jobs in B.C.

“Our BC Jobs Plan is tremendously successful in seeking out new markets, and we are expanding on the long-standing relationships that we have in countries like Japan and expanding the opportunities for B.C. businesses in Korea. Just yesterday, we received great news that our unemployment rate continues to drop and nearly 20,000 new jobs were added to our economy last month alone. We have a skilled labour force, low tax rates and an abundance of natural resources. We need to get out and tell our story to investors. These trade missions build and strengthen our presence in growing markets and have enormous, long term, positive impact on our economy,” said Premier Clark.

“When private industry has good relationships and confidence in British Columbia, they bring investments to our province that creates jobs,” continued Premier Clark. “That’s why I’m delighted to be here on the day that our friends at Japan Airlines are announcing plans to upgrade their aircraft to bring 90 additional passengers per flight to B.C. Those extra business people and tourists will translate to more dollars spent in hotels, restaurants and businesses all over our province,” she said before leaving for Asia.

“British Columbia is a business-friendly environment and will easily accommodate our future plans,” said Steve Chen, District Sales Manager, Japan Airlines. “We are happy Premier Clark has chosen to travel on our airline so we can demonstrate the quality of Japan Airlines.”

Premier Clark’s first stop will be in Japan to meet with government and business officials to talk about the opportunities available in British Columbia’s natural gas, technology, and mining sectors.

Japan and Korea are the top two importers of LNG in the world, respectively. Both countries are looking to diversify their energy supply and are looking at increasing the use of natural gas and bioenergy as clean energy alternatives.

The Premier will then travel to Korea on May 16 to discuss clean energy options such as LNG and bioenergy with government and business leaders in Seoul and Suwon.

“As we continue to advance our LNG Export Joint Venture project with PETRONAS, we feel it is vital to engage with potential LNG buyers in the premium markets of Korea and Japan,” said Michael Culbert, President & CEO of Progress Energy. “By participating in Premier Clark’s trade mission, we are able to demonstrate to potential buyers the commitment that the Province of British Columbia has to building a viable LNG industry.”

Finally, the Premier will fly to the Philippines on May 19 to meet with government officials in Manila to discuss labour mobility barriers, as well as opportunities for British Columbia to assist the country in growing their economy through strategic partnerships with B.C.

All of the sectors of focus for the Second Jobs and Trade Mission are identified in “Canada Starts Here: The BC Jobs Plan.”

 

Who is on the mission

 

Forest Sector

BC Wood Specialties Group

BC Wood Specialties Group, Japan

Canada Wood Group

Canada Wood Group, Japan

Canada Wood Group, Seoul

Canfor Coast Forest Products Association

Forest Innovation Investment (FII)

Interex Forest Products Ltd.

Interfor Western Forest Products

Transpac Fibre

 

Technology, Clean Technology and Green Building Sector

BC Bioenergy Network

Cannon Design - Vancouver

CB Williams Energy Group

Applied Science Technologists and Technicians (ASTTBC)

Englobe Enterprises Ltd.

Fibre Co Inc.

Equilibrium Consulting Inc.

Fast+Epp/StructureCraft Builders

Structurlam

Super E Housing Office/Energy Efficient Exporters Alliance (EEEA)

Paradigm Environmental Technologies Inc.

Mott Electric

 

International Education Sector

BC Council for International Education

Asia Pacific Gateway Skills Table (APGST)

Royal Roads University

Langara College

University of British Columbia

University of Northern British Columbia

 

Mining Sector

Canadian Kailuan Dehua

Fortune Minerals Limited

Yellowhead Mining

Getty Copper Inc

Hard Creek Nickel Corporation

Imperial Metals Corporation

 

Energy and LNG Sector

Compliance Energy Corp.

EnCana

EOG Resources Canada Inc.

LNG Direct Rail Ltd.

Nexen Inc.

Petronas

Progress Energy

Spectra Energy Transmission

Shell Canada Ltd.

Kivalliq Energy Corporation

Arctic Construction Ltd.

 

Legal, Financial and Professional Services Sector

Deloitte & Touche Corporate Finance Canada Inc.

Fasken Martineau

Bank of Montreal

Borden Ladner Gervais

KPMG

New East Consulting Services

 

Transportation

Philippine Airlines

Port Metro Vancouver

Gitxsan First Nation

Vancouver Airport Authority

 

Immigration Services

Health Match BC

Happy Homes Immigration Services

 

Commercial Sector

Natural Glacial Waters Inc.

Pacific Western Brewing

 

 

Japan and BC

Japan continues to be a leading global innovator and early technology adopter, making it a key partner for British Columbia in life sciences, information and communications technology, and alternative energies.

Did you know?

Japan is third largest trading partner after the United States and China.

Japan is a key partner for British Columbia life sciences, information and communications technology, and alternative energies.

In 2011, British Columbia exported almost $4.6 billion worth of goods to Japan; the top three commodities were coal, copper and lumber.

 

South Korea and B.C.

South Korea is British Columbia’s fourth largest trade partner, after the United States, China and Japan.

Did you know?

South Korea remained B.C.’s third largest goods export market to Asia, accounting for $1.9 billion of B.C.’s commodity exports in 2010.

Total exports to South Korea in 2011, valued at $2.7 billion, were up 45 per cent compared to 2010.

Coal, valued at $1.7 billion, made up 62 per cent of all B.C.’s exports to South Korea in 2011.

South Korea was the second largest source of temporary foreign workers and international students, and the third largest source of tourists from Asia.

 

Philippines and BC

Philippines ranked #17 as a destination for BC origin exports in 2011 with $153.1 million dollars. British Columbia’s exports to Southeast Asia, including the Philippines totalled over $600 million, making the region B.C.’s fifth largest export market.

Did you know?

In 2008, Southeast Asia had a combined GDP of $2.8 billion, making it the world’s seventh largest economy, calculated on a purchasing power parity basis. The main economic drivers in the region are the six major markets of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The top exports to Philippines from B.C. are copper ores and concentrates, lumber, meat and edible offal of domestic poultry, fresh, chilled or frozen, unwrought zinc and chemical wood pulp.