Proposed amendments introduced today as Bill 17, the Finance Statutes Amendment Act, 2011, align with government's commitment to simplify and streamline regulatory requirements and will help to ensure statutes are clear, current and effective.

The process of applying for and paying off student loans is simpler, now that the provincial and federal governments have integrated their federal and provincial student loan programs and agreed on a single set of rules and forms.

Bill 18, the Advanced Education Statutes Amendment Act, 2011 introduced in the legislature, will affect the following provincial statutes:

The B.C. government has formed a partnership with the United Steelworkers Union (USW) to pilot new skills training for its members in the North, with a focus in the areas of forestry and mining.

Oak Bay High will be replaced by a state-of-the-art new school with a Neighbourhood Learning Centre that will play host to an array of programs and services to serve local family and community needs.

Aboriginal students at Northern Lights College's Fort St. John and Dawson Creek campuses have access to more resources designed to support their success in post-secondary education, opening doors to greater opportunities for jobs to support their families.