Premier Christy Clark launched her much-anticipated job creation plan Monday, prompting one economist to say it contained some good elements, but the Opposition New Democrats to pan it as a recycled plan from her unpopular predecessor.
Clark was in Prince Rupert on Monday to announce a rail and road expansion project for the city's port facility, her first major policy initiative since she became premier earlier this year.
She also travelled to Kitimat Village and met with First Nations to promote plans for a natural gas pipeline and liquefied natural gas terminal in northwest B.C.
The $90-million first phase of the port project will create about 570 construction jobs, with the potential of a further 4,000 operation jobs once the facility is fully developed, Clark said.
The B.C. government will kick in $15 million for the first phase of a port expansion project, while CN Rail and the Port of Prince Rupert will add $30 million each, Clark said.
"It's an opportunity for Canada and it begins here at this port in Prince Rupert," she said. "Our plan is called Canada Starts Here."
Clark said Prince Rupert, about 750 kilometres northwest of Vancouver, represents Canada's best opportunity to cash in on the burgeoning Asia-Pacific market because the city has an expanding port facility that is closer to China than any other seaport in North America.
"From here we are two or three days closer to any other port on the North American continent," she said. "A century ago this was where a lot of maps ended, but now this is where the map of the future begins."
The NDP has been calling on the government to invest heavily in skills training to ensure B.C. has a qualified workforce to take advantage of any new jobs.
New Democrat Opposition critic Carole James said she expected more from the jobs announcement, which she said was a recycled version of the 2006 announcement former premier Gordon Campbell made when he said B.C. must take advantage of the Pacific gateway.
Read it on Global News: Global BC | Clark's job plan starts in Prince Rupert with $90-million rail-transport plan...
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