With the global marketplace expanding, attracting business and improving productivity means being competitive.

Minister of State for Tourism and Small Business Naomi Yamamoto and Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training Shirley Bond released the following statements to kick off Small Business Month in British Columbia.

With the global marketplace expanding, attracting business and improving productivity means being competitive.

B.C.'s two tourism ministers have offered their congratulations to Air Canada for its new direct route from Vancouver to Osaka, Japan:

The Province has announced the 13 finalists for the 2014 Open for Business Awards, which recognize communities that support small business through local-government measures aligned with the BC Small Business Accord.

Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour Shirley Bond has issued the following statement in recognition of Labour Day, observed this year on Sept.1:

More skilled immigrants will be able to have their professional qualifications recognized in B.C. with the renewal of the Foreign Qualifications Recognition (FQR) funding agreement between the federal government and the Province of British Columbia.

The Government of British Columbia and Encana are teaming up to fund the production of an Ending Violence Association of BC (EVA BC) video to support better workplace practices and interventions to end violence against women.

Congratulations are in order for the best and brightest skilled trade and technology students from B.C. who competed at the Skills Canada National Competition held in Toronto from June 4-7, 2014.