Brenda Bailey, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation, has issued the following statement on the release of Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey for August 2023:

New funding for the University of Victoria’s (UVic) Experimental Ocean Climate Change Lab (EXCEL) will support research on the impact of climate change on the environment and the promotion of resilience and sustainability for B.C.’s marine sector.

British Columbia will become the first province in Canada to systematically amend provincial laws to remove outdated gendered and binary language, better reflecting the diversity of the province and ensuring everyone can access provincial programs and services.

As government works to make life better for people and communities, and to create a clean and inclusive economy, the Province is releasing the Better Regulations for British Columbians annual report.

A new agreement signed between the Province of B.C. and the group Japan Overseas Infrastructure Investment Corporation for Transport and Urban Development (JOIN) will help deliver innovative and clean solutions for future transportation projects and priorities.

To reduce barriers in accessing services and to ensure more people better see themselves in government regulations, the Province is removing almost 750 additional instances of gendered language across 16 ministries.

B.C.’s latest Labour Market Outlook (LMO) forecasts more than one million job openings into the next decade, creating opportunities for students and jobseekers to develop their skills and find rewarding jobs of the future.

The B.C. government is appointing an advisory committee to help develop a long-term provincial shipbuilding strategy to ensure the continued growth of this vibrant sector and create good, family-supporting jobs.