Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour Shirley Bond has issued the following statement in response to the July 2013 Labour Force Survey:

"The BC Jobs Plan is a long-term plan to grow B.C.'s economy in order to protect and create jobs for decades to come. The jobs plan is working, even with a weak global economic recovery.

"In July we had a net decline of 11,700 jobs, with most of the losses coming in part-time positions. We know that monthly fluctuations in job numbers are to be expected, and in three of the past five years, our province has experienced July job losses.

"Despite these losses, we are better off than where we were a year ago, with B.C. placing third in the country in terms of job creation since the launch of the jobs plan. While we'd like to be first, job losses across the country remind us that global economic recovery is fragile and we must continue to focus on the long-term picture.

"At 6.7 per cent, the province's unemployment rate still remains below the national average of 7.2 per cent. We're also seeing positive economic signals through increased exports, job gains in the construction sector and overall stronger business confidence levels.

"Job creation remains our government's top priority. Tremendous economic opportunities lie ahead for our province - opportunities that will translate into one million job openings by 2020 in sectors including liquefied natural gas (LNG), mining, forestry and others.

"Since the release of our BC Jobs Plan, one new mine has opened, five more are under construction and six existing mines have announced expansions. The five LNG plants that are planned are expected to deliver over $1 trillion in GDP benefits to B.C. by 2046 and LNG means more than 75,000 new jobs throughout our province, once the five proposed plants are fully operational."

Contact:

Media Relations
Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Responsible for Labour
250 387-2799