Minister of Natural Gas Development Rich Coleman has issued the following statement following TransCanada Corporation's successful mainline Open Season process:

The Province’s agrifood processing industry is producing quality, great-tasting products for British Columbians made by local processors in communities all over B.C.

The challenge is clear. While British Columbia’s forest sector has a distinct advantage in market development, there are untapped opportunities related to innovation.

British Columbia’s value-added food companies will increase their chances of having their products sold outside of Canada by participating in a Government of Canada- and British Columbia-funded program to help them meet international food safety and traceability requirements.

In the 1970s a number of events occurred at the same time which led to B.C. becoming a significant supplier of softwood lumber to the U.S.

B.C.’s agrifood and seafood sector had 6,100 more employees in 2016 according to data from Statistics Canada.

British Columbia’s agritech sector will benefit from the $240,000 that the winners of the Agritech Innovation Challenge will receive to develop and adopt new technology.

A new international market development strategy is the latest item on the menu offering B.C.’s agrifood and seafood products to the world. The strategy aims to build on the record $3.5 billion worth of B.C. products exported in 2015.