There will be an economic development and investment readiness workshop for local government and First Nations officials tomorrow in Burns Lake.

As part of collaborative efforts in response to January's mill explosion, the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training (MJTST) has been working with municipal and First Nations leaders and union and industry representatives to help the community recover.

Monday's workshop, which is sponsored by MJTST and facilitated by the Economic Development Association of British Columbia (EDABC), will provide participants with a detailed overview of the role of community leaders related to economic development and tips for making the most of potential opportunities. It will include sessions on strategic planning and a full range of business development policies for attracting investment and supporting new and existing ventures.

The workshop starts at 10 a.m. and runs until 2:30 p.m. at the Vineyard Fellowship Church (457 Highway 16W, Burns Lake).

This builds off the efforts of EDABC, which assembled a quick-response team of economic development experts to work with the community and provide recommendations to assist Burns Lake with its recovery.

Quick Facts:

• Government hosted a BC Jobs Start Here jobs fair in Burns Lake last Tuesday with over 20 businesses, post-secondary institutions, industry associations, training authorities and health authorities.
• To overcome barriers to employment in the trades, funding is being provided to eligible participants in Burns Lake through the Canada-British Columbia Labour Market Agreement. The College of New Caledonia Lakes District Campus will provide a series of skills training programs.
• A Labour Market Partnership agreement is also currently underway with the Ministry of Social Development. This will provide funding for short-, medium- and long-term labour market strategies to be developed for the Burns Lake area.
• Since the Babine Forest Products mill accident in January, the Province has accelerated over $17.4 million in investments into the Burns Lake region to support job creation and community recovery.

Learn More:

For more details about the Economic Development Association of British Columbia, visit: http://www.edabc.com/

Media Contacts:

Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training
250 356-8177