VICTORIA — The B.C. Government today released summaries of costs for Premier-led and Minister-led missions and their accompanying delegations on travel to Europe, the United States and Asia in 2014.

Costs and mission highlights are now available for Premier Christy Clark and Minister Amrik Virk’s India Trade Mission; Minister of International Trade Teresa Wat’s Trade Mission to China, South Korea and Japan; Premier Clark and Minister of Natural Gas Development Rich Coleman’s LNG development trip to Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong; Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Steve Thomson’s forestry mission to China, Japan and Korea; Finance Minister Mike de Jong’s European and North American Investor Tours; Minister of Agriculture Norm Letnick’s agriculture tour to China; Minister Andrew Wilkinson’s Technology and Life Sciences trip to San Diego; and Premier Clark’s trip to New York to promote B.C.’s LNG sector.

As in 2013, the majority of trade missions and business development trips focused on British Columbia’s top priority markets in Asia where the premier and ministers participated in the signing of co-operation agreements, attended high-level meetings with multiple levels of government, and promoted B.C. resources and products at events and receptions.

The missions featured sectors such as finance, clean technology, life sciences, film, digital media, education, forestry, natural gas, seafood, agrifoods and processed foods, and helped to diversify B.C.’s export markets and attract new investment to the province.

The 2014 trade missions fulfil government’s commitment made in the BC Jobs Plan to strengthen existing relationships between B.C. and Asia by opening doors for new relationships and setting the stage for future opportunities.

See the attached backgrounders for detailed breakdowns from the Office of the Premier and individual ministries.

Office of the Premier: http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/downloads/BG_PO_Missions_Costs.pdf 

Ministry of Agriculture: http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/downloads/BG_AGRI_Missions_Costs.pdf

Ministry of Finance: http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/downloads/BG_FIN_Missions_Costs.pdf

Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations:
http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/downloads/BG_FLNRO_Mission_Costs.pdf

Ministry of International Trade:
http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/downloads/BG_MIT_MissionsCosts.pdf

Ministry of Natural Gas Development:
http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/downloads/BG_MNGD_Missions_Costs.pdf

Ministry of Technology, Innovation and Citizens' Services:
http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/downloads/BG_MTICS_Missions_Costs.pdf

Media Relations
Ministry of International Trade
250 356-7293