On track to meeting its goal to see every British Columbian with access to high-speed Internet, the Ministry of Technology, Innovation and Citizens’ Services is providing $2.5 million in grants to Internet service providers to expand and enhance high-speed Internet service for residents and businesses in rural and remote areas of the province.

More than 7,000 British Columbians will be trained by this fall through a wide range of skilled-trades and employment training projects throughout the province, thanks to $45.4 million from the provincial and federal governments in 2016/17.

Skilled trades students in B.C.’s rural regions will benefit from the majority of funding from a three-year, $15-million investment by the provincial government with the purchase of new trades training equipment to support youth trades programs.

Residents and businesses on Gambier Island, Keats Island, Port Mellon and surrounding areas will be better able to access faster Internet speeds, thanks to the B.C. government's $560,000 investment in a new connectivity project that will soon get underway by Base Technology Ltd.

The Province is investing $175,000 to support marketing of the Sunshine Coast as a tourism destination.

Skilled trades students in two regional school districts will benefit from a three-year, $15-million investment by the British Columbia government to support youth trades programs with the purchase of new trades training equipment.

Government is providing school districts with a total of $95 million to help them extend the life of their facilities, put new supplies in classrooms and buy new school buses. 

Visitors will soon have more camping opportunities on Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast, with the completion of more than 100 new campsites in time for the upcoming camping season.