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Lkig Fw:The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads
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a mg f Cl J
Bitish Clumbia is blssd with abundant natual capital, stng, vibant cmmunitis
and a spctacula nvinmnt. W wll-psitind t tak advantag f th cnmicpptunitis th nw, gn cnmy will bing.
Hwv, u cnmy is als undging fundamntal stuctual changs. Th glbal
cssin has catd instability and unctainty. Th a gwing cncns abut u
scial cnditin. And abv all this lms th challng f climat chang.
Hw d w build a stng, vibant and gn cnmy that cats jbs and gnats
th walth t pvid a high standad f living and quality scial pgams f all Bitish
Clumbians?
Our Province, Our Future is an initiativ Im lading t bgin a discussin abut hw w
hanss th idas and talnt f Bitish Clumbians t build a plan f th futu, divnby th valus that mak f lng-tm cnmic stability: pspity, pptunity, quity,
inclusin, sustainability.
This discussin pap is th bginning f that cnvsatin.
Authd by Dug McAthu, Pfss f Public Plicy at Simn Fas Univsity, th
pap ffs a thughtful analysis f B.C.s cnmic stngths and waknsss, as wll
as pptunitis. Th auth pss sm imptant qustins t stimulat discussin
and dialgu.
I invit yu t jin in th cnvsatin. Visit u wbsit, ourprovinceourfuture.bc.ca,
wh yu will nd m infmatin abut Our Province, Our Future, and links t a
numb f thught-pvking aticls. I als ncuag yu t sha yu thughts,
idas and actins, pst a pap f yu wn, cntibut t th discussin fum.
Lts kp th dialgu ging. By wking tgth w will nd slutins and u
cmmn gund.
Tgth, w can nw Bitish Clumbias pmis f a btt tmw.
CAroLe JAMeSLad, Nw Dmcat ofcial oppsitin
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Authors Note: The ndings, views and comments contained in this paper are solely those
of the author, and he alone is responsible for any errors or omissions.
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Lkig Fw:The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads
Dug McAthuPfss f Public Plicy, Simn Fas Univsity
A backgund discussin pap cmmissindby th Lad f th Bitish Clumbia
Nw Dmcat ofcial oppsitin
23 April 2010
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads
Itcti
Bitish Clumbias cnmy is ging thugh a
maj tansitin. This is pat f a lag tnd in
th industial wld twad m svics and
lss manufactuing. But B.C. is als uniqu in a
numb f ways.
This pap is abut th B.C. cnmy in
tansitin. It agus that valu catin is
th singl mst imptant cnsidatin in
assssing B.C.s cnmic tansitin. Valu and
walth catin a nt nly imptant t th
pivat sct; thy must als b th fcus f
gvnmnt in stting plicy t guid and assist
th tansitin.Th pap xpls vaius dimnsins f th
valu catin qustin, idntis cnstaints t
alizing maximum valu catin, and pints t
pssibl issus that shuld b addssd.
Gvt i t c
Th cnmy is in ssnc th aangmnts
thugh which matial gds a pducd
and distibutd, and thugh which incm and
walth a gnatd and shad. Whil th is
a lag dg f slf managmnt in a makt
cnmy, th undlying stuctu and sults
a, t a cnsidabl dg, inuncd by
gvnmnt plicy. Many imptant inuncs
n th natu and dictin f any cnmy
cm fm gvnmnt.
Gvnmnt plicy is divn by idas f what
is gd and what is dsid. Ths idas a
td in valus. As a cnsqunc, valus playan imptant pat in dtmining th natu and
dictin f any cnmy. Indd, valu catin
can nly b fully undstd within th cntxt
f valus.
Th has bn livly dbat v th last
30 yas abut th mst ffctiv intatin
f gvnmnt plicy if walth catin is t b
maximizd. This dbat has had cnsidabl
inunc v gvnmnt cnmic plicy
thughut th wld, including in BitishClumbia.
In many ways this dbat gaind mmntum
fm widly undstd failus f cnmic
plicy duing th 1970s. At that tim, much
was pmisd fm gvnmnts basd n an
assumptin that th cnmy wuld sustain
th high ats f gwth and stability f th
1950s and 1960s. Whn this pvd wng and
stagatin st in thughut th wld, thinks
and plitical lads undstandably sachdf altnativs. Ths incasingly mphasizd
f tad, dgulatin f makts, incasd
incntivs f pivat walth catin and
capital accumulatin thugh tax ductins and
subsidis, and a ducd l f gvnmnt.
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads
ovall this appach t plicy mphasizd
makt-intd valus and a blif that pivat
intsts shuld b ncuagd t nd full
xpssin thugh ducd gvnmnt.
rcntly sm plicy analysts hav dbatd
whth th is a nd t cgniz th
valus and plicy gals that tanscnd idas
mbddd in th cnvntinal viw f makts.
Gwing inquality, th dclin f ual aas,
nvinmntal cncns and th cssin
hav fulld intst in ths qustins. It is
suggstd that matial pductin and capital
accumulatin a imptant and addss nimptant aspct f scitys nds, but a just
n f a numb f lgitimat gals infmd by
scitys valus.
oths includ gals infmd by fainss
and scial justic, sustainability f th natual
nvinmnt, and maningful paticipatin in
all aspcts f plitical, scial and cnmic
lif. Ths gals includ, but a nt limitd t
jbs, pptunity basd n substantiv quality,
fulllmnt thugh individual and cmmunitydvlpmnt, inclusin f minitis, gnd
quality and quality gvnmnt svics.
Ths wh ask ths qustins a nt
ncssaily hstil t pivat makts. Th vast
majity cgniz th nmus walth-catin
ptntial gnatd by th ntpis and
ntpnuial ngy f th pivat sct. But
thy d ask whth th mdn cnmy can
mt u bad nds withut gvnmnt and
civil scity playing thi pat in advancing thcnmic intsts f citizns.
Accding t th latt viw, pat f
gvnmnts l is t fam and guid
cnmic activity cnsistnt with scitys
valus and ths gals. Gvnmnt must b
an activ patn with th ky institutins.
Smat gvnmnt is ndd in d t
aliz pspity whil valuing th lag
scial and cnmic utcms that cntibut
t a high quality f lif f all and th lng-
tm sustainability f human lif and natual
systms. Th imptant qustins a abut hw
gvnmnt shuld play that l, and abut
hw t achiv th apppiat balanc amng
gvnmnt, civil scity and th pivat sct.
Th cssin f 2008 was f many an
unxpctd dvlpmnt. It has -fcusd
attntin n th nd f gvnmnt andgvnmnt plicy. It is fcing us t xamin
many assumptins and idas. Th way fwad
will b difcult. rcvy is undway, but
many unctaintis main. Walth catin,
sustainability and quality f pptunity
will b f gat imptanc, if th is t b a
maningful cvy and if th futu cnmy is
t sv human, scial and sustainability valus.
Th st stp in mving fwad is t tak
stck. That is what this pap is ally abut.Valu catin mphasizs sustaining,
cumulativ valu alizd fm pducing pivat
and public gds and svics, cnsving th
natual nvinmnt and natual capital, and
fully alizing human ptntial. It is thus just as
much abut cnsvatin and lifting ppl ut
f pvty as it is abut gds pductin. It
als fcuss n th futu as wll as th psnt,
sinc a naw sht-tm mphasis invaiably
lads t sht-tm gain at th xpns flng-tm lss, which is incnsistnt with
sustainability. Cnsquntly it is als abut
walth catin, sinc walth is simply an
xpssin f valu catd by dcisins tday
summd v th psnt and th futu.
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads
emplymnt tnds a a gd masu f hw
th industy stuctu f th cnmy is and
has bn changing. Th fllwing chats us
mplymnt data t illustat sm f th mst
imptant changs v th lng and immdiat
tms.
Chat 1 sts ut ttal mplymnt in B.C.
sinc 1987. ovall, th pid 1987-1997 was
n f lativly stng jb gwth, as was th
pid 2005-2008.
Chart 1: total employment in B.C.,
1987-009
Th fllwing chats st ut th changs in
mplymnt that hav bn ccuing in slctd
scts.
Chart : Forestry employment
(000s), 1987-009
It itibti i t Biti Clbi c
Chart : manuFaCturing employment
(000s), 1987-009
Chart : ConstruCtion employment
(000s), 1987-009
2,500,000
2,000,000
1,500,000
1,000,000
500,000
0
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
400
200
0
300
200
100
0
Suc: B.C. Stats. ibid.
Suc: B.C. Stats. British Columbia Employment by
Detailed Industries, Annual Averages.
Suc: B.C. Stats. ibid.
Suc: B.C. Stats. ibid.
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads
Chart : oil and gas extraCtion
employment (000s), 001-009
Chart 6: government employment
(000s), 1987-009
Chart 7: health and soCial serviCes
employment (000s), 1987-009
Chart 8: all serviCes employment
(000s), 1987-009
5
0
200
100
0
300
200
100
0
2,000
0
Th chats lagly spak f thmslvs.
Fm this and th data, it is bvius that
th B.C. cnmy has bn ging thugh
quit a pfund shift v th past dcad.
F instanc, fsty and manufactuing hav
dclind, whil th gwth in jbs has bn
lag in th cnstuctin and halth svics
industis. Natual gas jbs hav incasd
althugh thy hav bn small and supisingly
unstabl.
Ptntial pblms a vidnt. Halth
svics jbs a lagly dpndnt n
gvnmnt nancing. Cnstuctin jbs tndt b sht tm and cyclical, and a als
highly dpndnt upn gvnmnt nancing.
Th lng-tm sustainability f cnstuctin
is thus unctain. Natual gas, whil gwing,
is nt a signicant vall jb catin sct,
accunting f 2,500 t 3,500 jbs v th last
v yas. Gains in natual gas hav mad a
much bigg cntibutin t gvnmnt and
cpat vnus than t jbs. Th challng
will b t achiv a futu balanc in jb catinthat maximizs vall valu catin in th B.C.
cnmy.
Suc: B.C. Stats. ibid.
Suc: B.C. Stats. ibid.
Suc: B.C. Stats. ibid.
Suc: B.C. Stats. ibid.
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads6
A cntinuing thm f this pap is that th B.C.
cnmy is in maj tansitin. Sm f this
tansitin is simila t th mdn dvlpd
cnmis xpincing a lativ dclin in
manufactuing and incas in svics jbs. Th
challng f such cnmis is t maintain high
standads f living by nsuing th mix f nw
jbs includs sufcint lng-lasting high valu
jbs t nsu lng-tm valu catin.
Th B.C. cnmy has sm uniqu fatus
t its tansitin as it is cuntly playing ut.
In paticula, th nwabl sucs and
pcssing scts and manufactuing athatnd.
All pvincs hav bn xpincing sm
lativ shift fm high valu gds t lw
valu svics. Th challng is t aliz an
apppiat mix f activitis as svics incas
in imptanc. Th a numus high valu
industis that can hlp sustain th vall valu
mix in th cnmy. It is imptant t nsu
that sufcint industis pducing high valu
gds and svics a catd and/ gw tcmpnsat f lsss in dclining industis.
taBle 1: net eConomiC value per joB,
seleCted seCtors (millions, 00
Constant dollars), 007
High Tch $119,398
Wd Pducts 104,049
Timb Havsting 93,621
Manufactuing 77,236
Tuism 51,153
Cnstuctin 45,632
rtail 35,824
Fd and Accmmdatin 25,860
Suc: B.C. Stats. B.C. GDP by Industry NAICS Aggregations.
acivig vl wlt-ctig titi
Th pblm is nt just n f anings fm
mplymnt; it is als a pblm f tuns t
invstmnt. Th a tw pats t th valu
catin quatin anings fm mplymnt
and tun n capital. Tgth ths cnstitut
th valu gnatd in a sct.
Th nt cnmic valu, labu, capital and
th incm catd p jb in slctd scts
f th B.C. cnmy in 2007 (in cnstant 2002
dllas) is shwn in Tabl 1.
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads 7
Th implicatins f th cnmic tansitin
a f sm imptanc. F an cnmy in
tansitin such as Bitish Clumbias, a sufcint
mix f high valu-addd gwth is ndd
t ffst th invitabl gwth f lw valu
scts and activitis. each fsty-latd
jb in 2007 catd v $100,000 f nt
valu in th B.C. cnmy, and th avag
manufactuing jb catd $77,236. Tuism
jbs catd abut dubl th valu f jbs in
fd and accmmdatin svics, and thus a
lativly valuabl jbs. Manufactuing jbs d
vn btt. rtail, fd and accmmdatinsvics catd fm n-quat t n-thid
that f fsty jbs, and fm n-thid t half
that f th avag manufactuing jbs. High-
tch jbs n th th hand th majity f
which a in high-tch svics nt supisingly
actually add nt valu cmpad t fsty and
manufactuing.
Th a f cus numus cnsidatins
that must b takn int accunt whn pusuing
maximum vall valu catin. Th numbs
in th pcding tabl tll an imptant pat
f th sty but by n mans th whl f th
sty. Maximizing mplymnt is imptant,
and quis that th b a mix f scts with
diffnt valu-catin ptntial, dtmind
in pat by lativ pduct dmands. Nn-
makt cmpnnts f valu must b als b
cnsidd. In th cas f natual sucs,
cnsvatin and dpltin bth hav valus that
ant includd in th valus st ut in th tabl.And th a things such as glbal waming
which can b and a valu dstying, and thus
must b cnsidd whn xamining th impact
f activity in vaius scts. A numb f ths
and th matts will b cnsidd in th
fllwing sctins.
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads8
hig-tc ti
Tw scts f cnsidabl intst in B.C.
a high-tch and tuism. Ths a nt
taditinally dnd scts, and it is nly
lativly cntly that th numbs hav bn
availabl t tack th pfmanc f ths
tw scts. Thy a f paticula intst in
B.C. as th pvinc maks th tansitin t
nw and xpanding scts, sinc bth hav
bn idntid as gwth scts abl t mak
a signicant cntibutin t jbs and walth
catin in th futu.
TaBLe 2: TourIsm and hIGh-TeCh
empLoymenT (000s), 000-008
Ya Tuism High-Tch
2000 102.4 67.1
2001 109.9 71.6
2002 110.1 67.1
2003 112.2 66.0
2004 115.1 68.0
2005 118.5 71.2
2006 123.4 77.5
2007 129.5 81.1
2008 131.0 .a.
Suc: B.C. Stats. B.C. Tourism and High Technology GDP
and Employment.
Ths scts cmbind hav xpincd a
lativly gd gwth at sinc th mid-2000s.
Tgth thy nw pvid m than 200,000
jbs, making up abut 10 p cnt f th labu
fc. This is a signicant pptin f th
vall labu fc and ach, in its wn way,
psnts imptant pssibilitis f th futu.
High-tch jbs a high-wag, high valu-
addd jbs that can hlp ffst th sin f
high-valu jbs in fsty and manufactuing.
Th ability t captu ths jbs will b
imptant if B.C. is t avid a dift int lw-valu
pductin.on avag, high-tch jbs add as much
m walth t th B.C. cnmy as fsty jbs
hav in th past. Hwv high-tch jb gwth
has bn vaiabl and smwhat sluggish.
Tuism is a signicant cmpnnt f th
pivat sct svic cnmy that has had
signicant gwth. Whil tuism jbs a
smwhat diffnt fm high-tch jbs, it
may supis many t nd that tuism jbs n
avag a lativly high-valu jbs, addingv dubl th valu f th avag tail
svics and accmmdatin and fd svics
jb. Tuism is thus f cnsidabl imptanc,
nt nly in cating nw jbs but in tms f th
cntibutin t valu catin.
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads 9
taBle : Cultural industries employment (000s), 00-007
Cultual industis a an imptant suc f
valu catin in th B.C. cnmy, gnating
cls t 200,000 jbs. This is m than twic
th numb in high-tch and cnsidably m
than in tuism. Ths a xtmly imptant
t th jb pfmanc f th cnmy. ovall,
jb gains hav bn disappinting duing th
pid, and als quit vaiabl.
Many f th jbs in cultual industis a
Clt cltl iti
lld by ppl with high lvls f taining and
ducatin and high lvls f cativity. Cultual
sct jbs a gnally high valu, knwldg-
basd jbs. Thy cntibut t th vall scial
capital ssntial t sustainabl dvlpmnt. It
is f cncn that th has bn vy littl jb
gwth sinc 2000 in this sct, and that jb
lsss sinc 2007 a almst ctain t b quit
substantial givn th tw mst cnt budgts.
Ya Inf/ Publishing Mvi Bad- Tlcm. Ats & Pfming HitagCultu casting ent. Ats Inst.
2002 56.8 11.3 10.2 4.0 26.0 49.2 20.7 2.5
2003 51.4 14.2 11.0 3.4 17.1 57.3 17.6 4.0
2004 57.2 15.1 11.0 4.4 20.3 57.6 21.8 2.4
2005 56.0 15.6 9.3 3.7 18.4 56.1 19.6 3.5
2006 56.1 15.0 12.2 4.3 17.6 57.0 19.4 2.3
2007 61.0 15.3 14.7 3.0 21.2 56.8 19.4 3.1
Suc: Statistics Canada. Special Request for NVS, Employment in Cultural Industries.
The last few decades have belonged to a certain
kind of person with a certain kind of mind. But
the keys to the kingdom are changing hands. The
future belongs to a very different kind of person
with a very different kind of mind creators and
empathizers, pattern recognizers and meaning
makers. These people artists, inventors,
designers, storytellers, caregivers, consolers, big
picture thinkers will now reap societys richest
rewards and share its greatest joys.
Dan Pink, A Whole New Mind
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads10
Wg ig
Uniqu amng th pvincs, th has bn a
dclin in avag anings in B.C. v th past
fw yas. This is a wying tnd bcaus f
th imptanc f high-wag, high-knwldg,
and high valu-addd jbs in maintaining living
standads, gvnmnt vnus and svics.
Data fm th yas 2000 and 2005, th last
yas f which cnsus sults a availabl, tll
a sty f a pvinc in sm difculty cmpad
t th st f th cunty. Btwn 2000 and
2005, full-tim mdian anings in B.C. dclind
(aft adjustmnt f inatin). Th nly th
pvinc having a dclin was Qubc, wh th
dp was insignicant lss than n-thid f n
p cnt. Th changs in mdian anings f full
tim ppl in B.C. by ccupatin a pvidd in
Tabl 4. Cmpaativ gus f B.C., Albta and
Canada a cntaind in Tabl 5.
Slctd occupatin (B.C.) 2005 2000 % Chag
Halth Ca Assistants $ 35,660 $ 37,977 -6.1 %
Tchnical Wks 23,983 28,044 -14.5 %
rsuc Wks 29,735 33,764 -11.9 %
Manufactuing 32,065 33,586 -4.5 %
Fd & Bvag 17,178 20,122 -14.6 %
Sni Managmnt 79,977 77,372 +3.4 %
Businss Pfssinals 54,488 52,360 +4.1 %
All occupatins B.C. 42,230 43,715 -3.4 %
taBle : Full time median earnings (00 Constant dollars), 000 and 00
Suc: Statistics Canada. Earnings and Incomes of Canadians Over the Past Quarter Century, 2006 Census.
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads 11
2005 2000 % Chag
All occupatins AB $ 43,964 $ 40,782 +7.8 %
All occupatins BC 42,230 43,715 -3.4 %
All occupatins Canada 41,407 40,443 +2.4 %
taBle : Full time median earnings, all oCCupations, B.C., alBerta and Canada
(Constant 00 dollars), 000 and 00
Suc: Statistics Canada. ibid.
on cnsqunc f th shift in th cnmy
has bn th abv indicatd pssu n
al anings. Dclining al anings, bth in
actual and cmpaativ tms, a a ctin
f th ffcts f th tansitin. BC is falling
bhind, bth v tim and cmpad t th
pvincs. This cntibuts, in tun, t a shift in
th distibutin f incm. Th vall pptin
f familis living in pvty has incasd
whil nly a small numb a njying gat
pspity. Whil wads t pfssins, sni
manags and invsts in th B.C. cnmy
hav bn incasing, th has bn ngativ
pssu n dinay wags du t th intnal
stuctual shifts.
B.C. facs a singula challng. Th anings
gaps indicatd abv a lativly lag givnth pting pid. Th ptd vall gap
in B.C.s plac in Canada can b avtd by
gnating m lng-tm jbs in altnat
high-wag, high valu-addd scts. This,
alng with vall pductivity gains, is ndd
t maintain th wag and anings stuctu that
has pvaild histically. This is claly a high
piity f B.C. v th nxt fw yas.
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads1
Th at f gwth f al GDP has bn lativly
vaiabl, as can b sn fm th tabl blw.
Suc: BC Pgss Bad. Benchmarks Report.
If BC is t impv its lativ psitin in
tms f GDP, it will b ncssay t, amng
th things, plac a gat mphasis n valu
catin.
Gdp i Biti Clbi t t f C
Chart 9: real gdp oF provinCes
per Capita (00 Constant
dollars), 008taBle 6: per Cent real gdp growth, B.C.
(Constant 00 dollars), 198-009
Ya % Ya % Ya %
1983 0.6 1992 2.6 2001 0.6
1984 0.8 1993 4.5 2002 3.6
1985 6.9 1994 2.8 2003 2.3
1986 0.2 1995 2.4 2004 3.6
1987 6.2 1996 2.5 2005 4.7
1988 5.8 1997 3.2 2006 4.21989 3.3 1998 1.3 2007 2.9
1990 1.4 1999 3.2 2008 0.0
1991 0.2 2000 4.6 2009 -2.7
Suc: B.C. Stats. B.C. GDP at Market Prices.
Pat f th xplanatin f lw al anings
is lw gss dmstic pduct (GDP) n a
cmpaativ basis. GDP p capita is wll blw
th btt pfming cnmis in Canada.
GDP is a masu f th dlla valu f incmsand walth, and thus f th mntay valu f
gds and svics, catd within th cnmy
duing a paticula ya. As can b sn fm
Chat 9, a cnsidabl gap xists btwn
B.C.s tw nast wstn nighbus as wll
as with ontai, whs cnmy has bn itslf
stuggling v th past fw yas.
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads 1
Th unmplymnt at in B.C. achd histic
highs in th lat 1980s and aly 1990s and thn
pgssivly dclind thughut th 1990s.
Aft incasing again in th aly 2000s, it again
bgan a dclin in 2003 that lvlld ff in 2007
bf shaply incasing in 2009.
Yuth unmplymnt, cuntly at
appximatly 13 p cnt, is a paticula
cncn.
A valu-maximizing cnmy must cat
sufcint jbs t duc unmplymnt as
much as pssibl. Th ability t st th
unmplymnt at t such a lvl is a majchallng in an cnmy in tansitin.
ult lb kt
Suc: BC Stats. Labour Force Activity for British
Columbia and Canada - Annual Averages.
16%
14%
12%
10%
8%
6%
4%
2%
0%
Chart 10: B.C. unemployment rates,
1976-009
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads1
In d t fully appciat th dictin
f th B.C. cnmy, it is imptant t pay
spcial attntin t th sucs scts.
Th B.C. cnmy is, as with all cnmis, a
pduct f its histy, its ppl and its natual
ndwmnts. Land and sucs w f a vy
lng tim th pimay suc f pspity f
many and th suc f gat ichs f sm.
Th shy, nw in sius if nt fatal dclin,
was at n tim at th c f th B.C. cnmy.
Fsty, always a suc f cnsidabl walth
catin, bcam by th thid quat f th last
cntuy th singl mst imptant cntibut t
B.C.s ascndancy within th Canadian cnmy.
Mining was always a cnsidabl but lss
suc f walth and mplymnt.
All f that has changd. Th nwabl
sucs scts f B.C. a in dclin du t
unsustainabl managmnt and th plicy
and industy failus. Natual gas, and t a
lss xtnt mining, a displacing nwabl
sucs in imptanc. Th changing psitin
f sucs in th pvincial cnmy is
dscibd in th fllwing tabls:
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Fsty $3,185 $3,272 $2,919 $2,584 $2,344 $2,713 $2,487 $2,841 $2,809 $2,641
Fishing,Hunting 201 138 130 140 104 134 133 142 138 131and Tapping
oil and Gas 1,080 803 1,239 3,380 4,161 2,826 4,825 5,160 7,300 6,330
Mining 1,289 1,143 1,007 1,051 1,227 1,233 a a 3,258 3,765
Wd Pducts 3,634 3,189 4,459 4,225 3,623 3,979 3,465 4,910 4,194 3,765
Pap 1,599 1,374 1,723 2,517 1,727 1,453 1,233 1,575 1,678 1,792
taBle 7: resourCes seCtors net value oF produCtion ($millions, Current), 1997-006
Suc: B.C. Stats. B.C. GDP by Industry NAICS Aggregations.
rc i t Biti Clbi c
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads 1
2007 2008 2009
Fsty $2,456 $2,059 $1,441
oil & Gas 6,320 6,580 4,500
Mining 3,686 3,577 2,503
Wd Pducts 3,528 2,888 2,021
Pap 1,785 1,598 1,199
Suc: B.C. Stats. B.C. GDP by Industry NAICS Aggregations
and Auths estimats.
Th dclin in imptant pats f th sucs
scts is a matt f cnsidabl cncn. Th
shift fm th wd-basd scts t th gas
and minals scts vidnt fm th statistics
has ptntial implicatins in tms f walth
catin, jbs, sustainability and ginaldvlpmnt.
As cntly as th lat 1990s, fsty
cntibutd dictly and indictly t v 35 p
cnt f th annual incm and walth gnatin
in B.C. It is nw a shadw f what it was thn.
Th impact n jbs and pivat walth catin is
unpcdntd in B.C.s histy. Fsty-latd
vnus t th B.C. gvnmnt in th fm
f stumpag and vaius taxs a lss than
n-fth f what thy w in th 1990s. Timbhavsting jbs a in f fall t abut n-
thid thi numb in th mid-1990s. Mills hav
clsd all acss th pvinc and m clsus
a xpctd v th nxt tw t th yas.
Pin btls hav dvastatd th fsts f th
Inti, whil v-havsting has laid wast
th castal and Vancuv Island fsts. Th
Sftwd Lumb Agmnt with th Unitd
Stats, sticting and pnalizing th xpt
f sftwd lumb, has mad an alady bad
situatin ws. Fsty is bing subjct t th
lagst jb cuts in any sct in th 2010 B.C.
budgt.
Th a limitd pspcts f impvd
cnditins in fsty. Th is a dvlping
intst in th utilizatin f fst sidu b
in th pductin f lcticity. Nw pspctsin China and a husing cvy in th Unitd
Stats a als pssibl sucs f impvmnt,
but nith is likly t bing damatic chang
in th na futu. Valu-addd wd pducts
manufactuing has always bn a gal, but it
mains lusiv. Th cntinuing challng in
fsty is t nd nw valu-addd pptunitis
as th tansitin pcds.
taBle 8: resourCes seCtors
estimated net value oF produCtion($millions, Current), 007-009
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads16
Sustainability will b a ncssay gal f all
futu cnmic dvlpmnt. This will qui
that all valu-cating activity b assssd
in tms f nvinmntal and th latd
impacts. Th is cnsidabl m f cncn
abut th xtnt that an cnmy vly-
dpndnt n cnstuctin, mining and natual
gas accds with gd sustainability gals. Th
actual valu catd n a full accunting basis
may b much lss than that xpssd by th
cunt mthd f pting.
Gn ngy is als cgnizd as imptant
t a futu high-valu cnmy. Again hwv,th is cnsidabl cncn that many f th
pivat hyd dvlpmnts in th pvinc
hav signicant nvinmntal impacts nt
bing accuntd f, and that thi succss is
als dpndnt n valu-dstying tim-f-
ya spcic lw-valu xpts that will qui
subsidizatin fm hyd uss. If ths cncns
a valid, many f ths pjcts will nt mt
th standad f high-valu catin.
Cabn missins a, f cus, a gatcncn. Scity facs a mnumntal challng
in ducing gnhus gas missins. Th is
widspad agmnt n th nd f damatic
masus t addss this pblm. Givn th
magnitud f th masus quid, qustins
ais as t th fm that gnhus gas plicis
must tak and what such plicis will man f
th vlving cnmy.
Th tansitin in th B.C. cnmy will
ncssaily hav t includ within it a tansitin
t ducd cabn dpndncy and adaptatins
in spns t glbal waming. Glbal waming
is and will cntinu t b valu dstying, and
thus undmins valu catin. With th pin
btl kill, B.C.has alady xpincd n f
th singl lagst dstuctins f valu in th
wld as a sult f glbal waming. oths a
ccuing in a lss damatic way. B.C. must jin
in an aggssiv and cdinatd wld-wid
shift away fm cabn dpndncy if such
affcts a t at last b amliatd. effctivgulatin and nw tchnlgis applid t
slightly m than a dzn maj industial
high-cabn mitts, tugh stictins n
intnal cmbustin missins in th tanspt
scts, and a much m aggssiv pusuit f
cnsvatin in spac hating wuld g a lng
way twad alting B.C.s cabn dpndncy.
oth plicis can als cntibut.
Mst ag that pat f th slutin
must b t shift th B.C. cnmy t a muchgn bas. This is ndd nt nly
t duc gnhus gass, but als t
cmpt with cnmis in eup and Asia
wh, as aly adpts, thatn t mv
wll ahad in th tansitin t a m ngy
fcint cnmy. This mans nt nly gat
fcincis in th cnsumptin f ngy, but
als maj invstmnts in th pductin f
nw tchnlgis that will mak damatic gains
pssibl.
stibilit t g c
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads 17
Tw things in paticula a happning in
eup and China: th apid dvlpmnt and
pductin f nw tchnlgis, and th apid
installatin f ths nw tchnlgis in gds
and svics pductin. Many natins and
juisdictins a pusuing industial statgis
that will gnat apid gwth in th pductin
f gn tchnlgis. T dat, th has bn
nly limitd pgss in B.C. Th main fcus has
bn n subsidis f pivat lctical ngy
f xpt, which will d littl t ncuag
adaptatin in industial pductin within
th B.C. cnmy itslf. Th dvlpmntand pductin f gn tchnlgis that
will gnat fundamntal industial shifts in
B.C. quis immdiat suppt. It is difcult
t btain liabl data n th cunt siz f
cnmic activity latd t ths tchnlgis.
Th B.C. gvnmnt pts that B.C.s clan
tchnlgy sct includs v 250 cmpanis
mplying abut 3,700 ppl.1 This is an
xtmly lw numb and it is nt cla what
is includd vn what th suc f thnumb is.
In pat, th pac f gn tchnlgy
pductin cts th nd t addss th
scnd statgy namd abv th nancing
f invstmnts that suppt th dvlpmnt
and adptin f gn tchnlgis. Mst
juisdictins a dvting signicant sucs
t funding sach and dvlpmnt and t
adpting th nw tchnlgis. B.C. is bhind in
this gad, aising th qustin f hw m canb dn.
Many mdn cnmis cunt n diving
cnsidabl stngth and divsicatin thugh
dvlping th gn tchnlgy scts. Th
is a al isk th aly adpts will dminat
ths imptant, high valu pats f th cnmy
f th futu, laving th latcms at a al
disadvantag. Dcisins nd t b mad sn
as t B.C.s cmmitmnt t paticipatin in thspptunitis, if w a nt t b lft bhind.
Whil nw lgislatin is pmisd, it is uncla
hw this will addss th tw fundamntal nds
fncd abv.
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads18
Fig giclt
B.C. has a lag makt f fd pducts and a
ich land bas. Fam pductin mplys abut
35,000 ppl, almst tw p cnt f th
labu fc. Fd pcssing mplys anth
25,000 ppl. Bth hav bn lativly
stagnant in tms f jb gwth. A substantial
ptin f famland is ptctd f agicultual
us in th Agicultual Land rsv (ALr).
Mst studis and pts ag that B.C.
has cnsidabl ptntial but undpfms
badly in alizing its ptntial fm famland
and agicultu. Th ptctd land bas
has bn dd by industial and uban
dvlpmnt, and many a cncnd abut
futh incusins. Th is als cncn abut
th sin f th pductivity f th land within
th ALr. A cnt pt stats it wll, saying
th ppndanc f ALr lands na ubanizd
aas hav bn puchasd at valus ds f
magnitud high (aching $100,000 p ac
m) than justid by any fm f cnvntinal
agicultu utilizatin. Thus ALr land is claly
bing puchasd by ntitis, xpssly t hld f
spculativ invstmnt pups, fully xpcting
th ALr t bak dwn in th na futu
oth ALr dsignatd hldings a utilizd f
lw-intnsity agicultu and pduc lw-valu
p ac cps such as Chistmas ts hss.
Ths tw facts signicantly undmin u
ffts t actualiz ginal fd scuity and t
maintain agicultu sct cnmic vitality. 2
Th is cnsidabl ptntial f valu
catin in th fam and fd cnmy. Much f
this ptntial can b alizd thugh svingth lcal and ginal cnmy. Th alizatin
f B.C.s full ptntial in faming and fd
pductin will qui that th issus abv b
discussd and addssd.
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads 19
Bitish Clumbia has lng lkd t xpts
t dvlp and sustain its cnmy. Whil
fst pducts makts hav bn paticulaly
badly hit v th past cupl f yas, B.C.s
xpt pfmanc has bn sluggish f a
numb f yas. Th fllwing tabl tacs th
xpt pattns f slctd pvincs sinc
2005. As can b sn, Manitba, Saskatchwan
and Albta all hav had substantial gwth
in xpts v th pid, whil B.C. has
changd hadly at all. BC is als ighth in
pvincial ankings in tms f intnatinal
and intpvincial xpts. Th failu f B.C.
xpts t kp pac suggsts a ptntial that
t a pspus futu, givn th imptanc f
xpts t cnmic succss.
taBle 9: exports By provinCe ($millions, Current), 00-008
YeAr On MB Sk AB BC
2005 229,796 12,821 17,102 88,345 48,658
2006 228,019 14,027 17,934 89,992 49,487
2007 227,760 16,311 20,357 92,323 49,649
2008 216,401 16,179 28,284 116,580 49,942
Suc: B.C. Stats. Interprovincial and International Trade.
ext f t Biti Clbi c
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads0
In a 2006 pt, th B.C. Pgss Bad
dpld th pvincs mdic pductivity
pfmanc, sixth in Canada f al GDP p
hu wkd.
A latd fact is B.C.s lativly wak
xpt sct. In 2004, B.C. pstd ighth ank
amng th pvincs f xpts f gds andsvics p capita. 3
Suc: BC Stats. ibid.
Th things a ndd t signicantly
impv pductivity: invstmnt in nw
high-valu tchnlgis, impvd xpt
pfmanc and a vsal f th shift t lw-
valu pductin. Lw pductivity tanslats
int lw-valu pductin. Incasd pductivity
is ssntial t cating a valu-maximizingcnmy.
T ctivit cllg
Pductivity is widly cgnizd as imptant t
maintaining standads f living and th vall
wll bing f th ppulatin. B.C. has a sius
pductivity pblm. on a cmpaativ basis,
pductivity is blw Albta, ontai, and th
Canadian avag. B.C.s lativ pductivity, as
wll as abslut pductivity, fll btwn 2005
and 2008. Th fllwing chat illustats B.C.s
lativ psitin cmpad t Albta, ontai
and Canada vall.
Chart 11: produCtivity trends (00
Constant dollars per hour worked),1999-007
Suc: B.C. Stats. Provincial Comparisons of Various
Performance Indicators.
$50 -
45 -
40 -
35 -
30 -
25 -
1999 2001 2003 2005 2007
can
bc
ab
on
A cntinuing shift t lw-valu pductin,
th wak xpt pfmanc and und-
invstmnt in sach and dvlpmnt and
high valu-addd tchnlgy hav sultd in
lativly p pductivity gains.
Th fllwing chat illustats B.C.s
substandad pfmanc in sach and
dvlpmnt. rsach and dvlpmnt
xpnditus a wll blw ontai and th st
f th cunty, althugh this is n aa wh
B.C. utpfms Albta.
Chart 1: Comparative researChand development expenditures
as perCentage oF gdp, 1998-007
2.5% -
2.1% -
1.7% -
1.3% -
0.9% -
0.5% -
1998 2000 2002 2004 2006
can
bc
ab
on
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads 1
Bi clt
on fa assciatd with th dclin f fsty
and its sub-scts is th lss f th mst
imptant businss clust. Clusts a
ggaphic cncntatins f intcnnctd
pcsss, manufactus, supplis and
sach institutins ntwkd cnmically
thugh cnmic assciatins and
dpndncis aund a paticula c sct.
A 1999 study by B.C. Stats suggstd that
that th fsty clust accuntd f abut
n-thid f B.C.s walth gnating activity.
Tday that clust has vitually impldd. Sm
cnmists such as Paul Kugman agu thatclusts a ssntial t succss in th mdn
glbal cnmy. Clusts uniquly incas
pductivity, which cmpanis nd t cmpt
natinally and glbally. An imptant plicy
qustin is whth th dclin f th fsty
clust is fatal, and what B.C. nds t d t
stablish altnat clusts in th fac f th
dclin in fsty.
on appant clust that has dn wll is
that latd t th lm industy. Gvnmntplicy, skilld wks and lcal supplis and
facilitis hav cafully nutud this clust. It is
imptant t cntinu th suppt f this sct
and phaps t lk t it f lssns land, if
th sustaining clusts a t b catd.
T ivicti itiv
Many f th tnds discussd in th pvius
sctins a a suc f al cncn. It is wll
undstd that mdn industial cnmis
can nly psp by fsting v high valu-
cating scts. Th challng is t gt th ight
valu mix f scts and activitis in d t
tain its psitin lativ t th st f Canada
and th wld.
Unftunatly, gvnmnt xacbatd
th situatin in th p-cssin pid by
-nfcing a cnstuctin bubbl thugh
unpcdntd infastuctu spnding. This
was paticulaly dtimntal t th ftuns fmanufactuing and high-tch by inating intnal
csts f labu, matials and quipmnt. At th
sam tim, husing cnstuctin, natual gas,
and cnsumptin spnding ccupid a much
lag plac in th cnmy. ovall th cnmy
bcam lss divs and m cncntatd v
th last fw yas.
Divsicatin acts as a kind f insuanc
against ptntial instability and a pssibl
pmannt dwntun in cncntatd activitis.It als pvids th basis f a m divs
pusuit f pptunitis t assist th tansitin
s as t maintain a high-wag, high valu-addd
cnmy.
Divsicatin dictd at stngthning
valu-addd activity culd g a lng way t
addssing many f th pblms aising fm
stuctual chang whil stabilizing th cnmy
t ptct against th ngativ impacts f
pusuing nawly-dnd gwth pptunitis.Divsicatin f th B.C. cnmy is an
impativ if lng-tm sustainability is t b
alizd.
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads
Icli vl cti ll bi
Th small businss sct is xtmly
imptant in th B.C. cnmy. A ttal f 391,300
businsss w pating in Bitish Clumbia
in 2008. of ths, 384,300, 98 p cnt,
w small businsss. Fifty-v p cnt w
patd and staffd by wn pats with
n paid staff. Th numb f small businsss in
B.C. dclind by 0.1 p cnt btwn 2007 and
2008.
Small businss accunts f 46 p cnt f
mplymnt in B.C., fllwd by lag businss
at 36 p cnt and th public sct at 18
p cnt. B.C. lads is na th tp amngth pvincs with spct t small businss
mplymnt (including slf-mplymnt),
gwth f small businsss and valu gnatd
by th small businss sct. 4
Th lagst tw cncns f small businss
pats in B.C., as ptd in a Mach suvy
by th Canadian Fdatin f Indpndnt
Businss, a th stat f th vall cnmy
and accss t wking capital nancing. 5
Ths will bth b f maj imptanc if thiscitical pat f th businss cmmunity is t
cntibut its full ptntial t th B.C. cnmy.
A stng, vibant small businss sct will b
citical t bth th cvy and t lng-tm
valu catin in th cnmy. It will b citical
t nsu th cdit cisis ds nt sult in a
cntinuing pblm in nancing small businss.
Icli vl cti t tw ci
on f th distubing dvlpmnts in th B.C.
cnmy has bn th shap divid that has
dvlpd btwn th lag uban aas and
th ual and m mt aas f th pvinc.
In gnal, th fm includs mtplitan
Vancuv and th Fas Vally, Victia and th
Lw Island, and th okanagan gins.
Th ual and mt aas tnd t sha
a numb f chaactistics (althugh th
nthast gin diffs in signicant ways):
High sucs dpndncy.
High unmplymnt.
Lw avag anings and incms.
Lw ppulatin dnsity.
Dclining ppulatin.
out migatin f yung ppl.
Dclining plitical inunc.
Dclining gvnmnt and cmmunity
svics.
Mill clsus.
Vulnabl ppty tax bass.
High pptin f small cmmunitis.
Lw invstmnt n a p capita basis.
Signicant Fist Natin ppulatins.
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads
Unmplymnt ats a paticulaly high in
th ual aas f th pvinc. It is in ths aas
that th mst sius and difcult mplymnt
catin issus must b addssd. Th
unmplymnt ats in th Caib gin f
th yas 1995-2009 a st ut in th fllwing
chat.
Chart 1: CariBoo region
unemployment rate, 199-009
Suc: BC Stats. Labour Force and Related Rates.
Incms a als gnally lw in th ual
gins.
Chart 1: average employment
inCome, BC health regions, 00
Ngativ anings diffntials in ual
gins cmpad t th BC avag f $34,978
w lag in mst gins in 2005. It is als
likly that th diffntials hav incasd aft
2005, as th fsty sct in paticula has
dclind.
ovall, th ual cmmunitis a dnd
by challnging cnmic pspcts and dp
cncns abut th cnmic and scial
cnditins f th futu. rual unmplymnt
is high, and invstmnt in ual aas is
lagging. Mst cmmunitis a cnsidd
by th sidnts t b gd placs t liv andais familis, but th is dp cncn abut
whth this will b sustainabl f futu
gnatins.
Suvy data and ancdtal vidnc suppts
th viw that th sidnts f many ual
cmmunitis fl gvnmnt cas lss and lss
abut thi wll bing. Th is a gwing sns
f maginalizatin and islatin. Th is als
cncn abut th viability and sustainability f
cmmunitis. Many ppl hp f and wantgvnmnt t dvt attntin t th pblms
bf it is t lat. Th assts and capacity a
th t cat valu, but it must b nabld
thugh ffctiv plicy.
16%
14%
12%
10%
8%
6%
4%
2%
0%
$40,000 -
35,000 -
30,000 -
25,000 -
20,000 -
15,000 -
10,000 -
5,000 -
0 -
20,426
20,
688
21,298
22,337
28,359
33,831
34,163
bc avg. $34,978
1 Central Vancouver Island
2 Kootenay/Boundary
3 Okanagan
4 Thompson/Cariboo/Shuswap
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
5 Northern Interior
6 Northern SunshineCoast/Garibaldi
7 Northeast
Suc: BC Stats. Social-Economic Proles. Health Service
Delivery Areas.
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads
Unmplymnt ats and incm gaps a sv
f abiginal ppl, wh a dispptinatly
sidnt in ual aas. Th fllwing tabls
cntain cmpaativ ats f unmplymnt
and mdian incms in 2005 f th ttal B.C.
ppulatin, th n-sv ppulatin in B.C.
vall, and th ats f v Caib svs.
Pvincially and in th Caib, Fist Natins
unmplymnt ats a at last fu tims
gat than ths f th gnal ppulatin.
Icli vl cti t itc f bigil l
taBle 10: unemployment rates, 00
Ggaphical Aa Unmplymnt rat
Bitish Clumbia 6.0 %
Bitish Clumbia 25.0 %All rsvs
Caib rsv #1 29.2 %
Caib rsv #2 25.0 %
Caib rsv #3 28.6 %
Caib rsv #4 14.3 %
Caib rsv #5 32.4 %
Suc: Statistics Canada. Special Interest Proles, 2006
Census.
Avag incms f abiginal ppl
a substantially blw ths f th gnal
ppulatin. This is illustatd again fm th B.C.
n-sv Fist Natins ppulatin and fm
xampls fm th Caib gin, wh mdian
sv anings a lss than half f th mdian
anings f th B.C. wking-ag ppulatin.
Abiginal ppl, and abiginal yuth in
paticula, mak up a substantial pat f th
mplyabl wk fc in B.C. As such, thy a
a maj asst in tms f futu dvlpmnt
and walth catin. It will b ssntial t
impv th dg t which abiginal ppl
a includd in th activ cnmy. Th situatin
must b addssd in th uban as wll as th
ual aas.
Thughut th pvinc and in th ual
aas in paticula, th unslvd issu f land
titl and suc intsts f Fist Natins
ppl mains an imptant matt t b
slvd. Th failu t ach agmnts
with Fist Natins acts as a lag dtnt
t invstmnt, paticulaly n what a nwdsignatd as cwn lands. Th has bn
limitd pgss in taty making, but much
m is ndd.
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads
rslving th Fist Natins lands and
sucs qustins will las immns
amunts f badly ndd walth and jb
catin all acss th pvinc. And th bnts
f cnciliatin xtnd wll bynd invstmnt
and dvlpmnt. Ctainty f titl will impv
th vall scial and cnmic nvinmnt,
impv th managmnt f land and sucs,
and ncuag an vall accmmdatin
btwn abiginal ppl and th st f th
ppl f B.C.
Cnict and unctainty hav t lng
bn an ndmic pat f th latinship. Th
cnditins a nw ight f al pgss t
chang all f that, thugh agmnts that
sult in a full patnship btwn Fist Natins,
gvnmnt, and industy. Th gains in tms
f valu catin wuld b vy lag. A cnt
pt stimats $10 billin f valu-addd, and
sm studis suggst th numb culd b much
high. 6
At th sam tim that cnciliatin is
pusud with Fist Natins, much m mustb dn t capitaliz upn th cntibutin
f uban abiginal ppl. A cnt pt
by th envinics Institut shws th uban
abiginal ppulatin in B.C. is lag, cmmittd
t uban lif, and psitiv abut its plac in B.C.
scity. 7 Much m can b dn t nsu full
inclusin f this imptant cmpnnt f th
B.C. ppulatin. This t wuld sult in a lag
incas in valu catin in th B.C. cnmy.
taBle 11: median inComes, 00
Ggaphical Aa Mdian Incm
Bitish Clumbia $28,327
Bitish Clumbia 15,293All rsvs
Caib rsv #1 10,292
Caib rsv #2 10,292
Caib rsv #3 14,240
Caib rsv #4 15,008
Caib rsv #5 11,680
Suc: Statistics Canada. Ibid.
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads6
Icli vl cti ig vt
Bitish Clumbia has a pvty pblm. Tabl
12 sts ut cmpaativ pcntags f ths
blw th lw-incm cut-ff, which is cmmnly
usd t dn pvty, f B.C., Albta and
Canada. As can b sn, B.C. lags Albta and
th Canadian avag. Th gap btwn Albta
and B.C. has bcm pgssivly lag. Whil
data a nt yt availabl, pvty ats hav
almst ctainly incasd aft 2007 as a sult
f th cssin.
Pgss in ducing pvty cntibuts
cnsidably t valu catin in that lw
lvls f pvty a accmpanid by impvdlabu fc paticipatin and gat
mplymnt succss. Invstmnts in pvty
ductin amng familis hav paticulaly high
pay-ffs. Th lw th pvty ats a f
childn, th m succssful thy a as adults
in tms f wk and anings. Singl-pant
familis hadd by wmn hav a paticulaly
high incidnc f pvty and thus shuld b th
subjct f spcial cnsidatin.
taBle 1: perCent Below low inCome
Cut-oFF, B.C., alBerta and Canada(aFter tax), 000-007
Ya Canada AB BC
2000 12.5 % 11. %1 15.1 %
2001 11.2 % 10.0 % 14.1 %
2002 11.6 % 9.4 % 6.0 %
2003 11.6 % 10.7 % 15.4 %
2004 11.4 % 10.6 % 14.1 %
2005 10.8 % 8.5 % 13.0 %
2006 10.5 % 7.0 % 13.0 %
2007 9.2 % 6.1 % 11.1 %
Suc: Statistics Canada. Cansim Table 202-0802.
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads8
eql tit vl cti
A valu-cating cnmy will pvid
pptunitis t all f its ppl cnsistnt with
thi abilitis and ptntial. T many small
businsss a stuggling. Unmplymnt and
sub-pa incms a t high amng ual,
abiginal and immigant ppulatins. Incm
inquality is gwing in B.C. as is th incidnc
f family pvty.
Pvty cntibuts t th xclusin f
ppl fm accss t th avnus ndd t b
pnd in d f thm t bcm pductiv
mmbs f scity. An qual pptunity
scity is n in which th is a cmmitmnt tqualizing bth pptunitis and capabilitis
t accss pptunitis. Gvnmnt has a
spnsibility t nsu that is th cas. Th pay-
ff is that ach and vy psn can and will add
maximum valu t scitys cnmic activity.
Incm assistanc, spnding n ducatin
and taining, and th pvisin f gvnmnt
svics t hlp ppl vcm bais t
cnmic paticipatin, a valu-cating in
cnmic tms and nd t b pat f anysuccssful tansitin.
a kill wk fc
Th unmplymnt at is nt th nly cncn
with spct t th labu makt. Anth is
nsuing futu labu dmand is mt by th
ncssay supply f labu with th ight skills
and taining.
Th cllg and univsity systms in B.C.
hav pfmd vy wll in ppaing ppl f
futu pptunitis in B.C., as can b sn fm
th fllwing chat. B.C. utpfms Albta,
ontai and Canada vall in th pcntag f
ppl ag 19 t 24 with a cllg univsity
dg, diplma cticat.
Chart 1: share oF 19- year-olds
without degree, CertiFiCate, or
diploma, 000-009
Suc: B.C. Stats. Provincial Comparisons of Various
Performance Indicators.
18% -
16% -
14% -
12% -
10% -
8% -
6% -
2000 2002 2004 2006 2008
can
bc
ab
on
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads 9
B.C. has als dn quit wll in tms f
univsity gaduatin, as can b sn in th
fllwing chat.
Chart 16: share oF population
years and over with a degree,
000-009
Hwv sm cncn has bn xpssd
that if th is a asnabl cvy fm th
cssin, th culd b signicant shtags flabu by 2015 in ctain high-skill ccupatins.
Th tansitin t spcic high-valu scts
culd vy wll b impdd bcaus th a
nt sufcint skilld and ducatd candidats
f th jbs ssntial t th tansitin. Th
pblm, if th is n, will b n f jb
matching ath than th vall lvls f
ducatin and taining. Whth this happns
dpnds almst xclusivly n whth th
taining systm ppas nugh ppl f th
jbs that will b quid.
A failu t ppa ptntial wks f
high-valu jbs can siusly impd valu
catin. A maningful taining plan f th pst-
cssin cnmy is ncssay if th B.C. labu
fc is t b ppad f th dmands f th
nxt dcad.
svig bt
B.C. is uniqu in anth imptant spct.
Sm f th buyancy in th B.C. cnmy has
bn fulld by a much lw at f savings,
and thus high cnsumptin xpnditus,
cmpad t th st f th cunty. Indd
citizns in B.C. hav bn nt bws whil
th st f Canada has had a psitiv savings
at, vn duing th difcult cnt yas
lading int th cssin.
Suc: B.C. Stats, ibid.
2000 2002 2004 2006 2008
can
bc
ab
on
30% -
28% -
26% -
24% -
22% -
20% -
18% -
16% -
14% -
2007 2008
% f Incm
Bitish Clumbia -5.9 % -3.4 %
Canada 2.5 % 3.7 %
Suc: B.C. Stats. Personal Income and Savings Rate, 2007 and2008.
taBle 1: savings rates as perCentage
oF inCome, British ColumBia and
Canada, 007 and 008
Th fact that B.C. sidnts hav bn
spnding m than thy hav bn taking in as
incm has addd t th xpansinay impact
f cnstuctin, infastuctu and natual gas
v cnt yas. Ngativ savings ats f a
pvinc a cunty as a whl a smwhat
unusual, althugh th Unitd Stats had a
histy f ngativ savings in th yas lading
up t th cssin.
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads0
Vl cti -kt vl
It is imptant t nt nt all valu catin
invlvs makt valus. In many cass, makts
d nt cctly aticulat imptant valus f
ppl and scity. This is th asn f many f
th public gds that gvnmnt pvids.
Makts cannt d nt fcintly ganiz
th pvisin f ads, wat and sw, plicing,
many halth svics, dfnc, schling, and
many th gds and svics f gat valu.
Makts als fail t xpss th full csts f
nvinmntal damag and th full valu f
public sucs, taditinal havsts and
natual systms. Makt valus als ftn fail
t fully xpss th valu f scial svics
and f cmmunity activity. Th spnsibility
f cgnizing and aticulating nn-makt
valus falls pimaily n gvnmnt. It is als a
signicant spnsibility f civil scity.
Gvnmnt spnding dcisins n gds
and svics shuld thus als b abut valu
catin and maximizing valu. Gvnmnts
must s that th is an apppiat mixf activity in this gad. Sm agu that
gvnmnt spnding is t lag and ngativly
affcts valu catin. Such agumnts a
lagly pmis divn, dductiv and impssibl
t pv n way anth. Hwv, it is
imptant that thy b acknwldgd in th
cntxt f valu-catin statgis.
In pat, th ngativ savings can b xplaind
by th apid incass in hus pics, cating
what is knwn as a walth affct n spnding.
ov th lng tm ngativ saving ats a
nt sustainabl, sinc thy a nly pssibl
thugh v-incasing dbt lads. Th is a
widspad xpctatin that a cctin is du
in dbt accumulatin, in which cas th affct f
spnding n gwth will b ducd. This culd
assist in nancing th invstmnts ndd f a
valu-cating tansitin, but it will als duc
th stimulating affct f high cnsumptin
xpnditus.
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads 1
Gvt c
A matt f cnsidabl cncn in th futu
is that f th sustainability f th xisting scal
famwk. Gvnmnt spnding has almst
dubld v th last 10 yas by an amunt
almst qual t th whl f th incas
in spnding v th st 125 yas f th
pvincs histy.
opating and capital spnding in 2000-2001
was abut $24.3 billin, whil in 2010-2011 it
will b abut $46 billin an incas f 90 p
cnt. If this is t b sustaind, bust cnmic
gwth and stng gvnmnt vnus will
bth b quid. Th gvnmnts assumptinthat th cunt lag dcit is tmpay and
that th pvinc can gw its way back t scal
balanc is by n mans ctain. Cncns ais
abut whth B.C. can simply gw its way ut
f dcit and dbt, and whth gvnmnt
vnus will b sufcint t mt gvnmnt
bligatins in th futu. If this is nt th cas,
thn B.C. will in fact hav t wstl with a
stuctual dcit that culd cnfnt th pvinc
with had chics in tms f its cunt businssmdl.
It is gnally assumd B.C.s dbt is
managabl. Hwv, th is sm caus f
cncn. Lik many cpatins and individuals
tday, B.C. has bcm highly lvagd. Th
ttal pvincial dbt will hav gwn fm $35
billin in 2008 t $55.9 billin in 2012, an
incas f 45.5 p cnt. of this, $36.7 billin
will b tax supptd. 10 Th has als bn
a lag incas in th fm f nw nancingaangmnts in th fm f public-pivat
patnships (P3s) that, whil impsing lng-
tm paymnt bligatins n th gvnmnt
sct, d nt hav t b ptd as dbt. Ths
bligatins gw fm a ngligibl amunt a
littl m than v yas ag t m than
$55 billin in 2009,11 and a xpctd t b
in xcss f $70 billin by 2012. Whil ths
bligatins hav bn lagly ignd in pts
f th gvnmnts nancing, th sult is that
ttal nancing paymnt bligatins in th
gvnmnt sct will appach $130 billin
by 2012. Whil many ms and individuals in
th pivat sct a mving apidly t duc
lvagd xpsu f this kind, th is n plan
t d s in th B.C. gvnmnt sct. Accding
t gvnmnt statmnts th intntin is taggssivly incas th amunt f xtnal
nancing, paticulaly by stuctuing dbt
thugh P3s.
Th a many qustins t b askd
abut th tax systm. Th intductin f th
hamnizd sals tax (HST) will sult in a shift
f a ptin f th tax budn fm businss
inputs t cnsum puchass, sulting in an
incas in individual taxatin. Qustins ais
abut th affcts n cnsumptin spnding, andn th invstmnt impacts, sct impacts and
distibutin impacts f this chang.
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads
Mdn tax systms, in d t b fai, a
dsignd t b pgssiv. Chat 17 illustats
th distibutin f avag cmmunity taxs
paid p psn as incm taxs as a pcntag
f avag cmmunity incm in B.C. in 2007.
Th lw scatt lin is th p cnt f incm
takn as pvincial tax acss cmmunitis,
th upp scatt lin is th p cnt f incm
takn as ttal fdal and pvincial tax, and
th diffnc is p cnt f incm takn as
fdal tax, by cmmunity avag incm.
Fm this chat, n can s that th fdal
tax incass fm 11 p cnt f incm in lw-incm cmmunitis t 25 p cnt f incm in
high-incm cmmunitis, whil th pvincial
incass fm a lw f abut 3.5 p cnt t a
high f abut svn p cnt.
Chart 17: inCome tax paid as
perCentage oF per Capita Community
inCome, total and provinCial,
B.C. Communities, 007
In th cas f th fdal incm tax, th
sha f incm takn as tax iss m quickly
as incms incass, cmpad t th pvincial
tax. Thus, th fdal incm tax is signicantly
m pgssiv than th pvincial incm tax.
Th qustin aiss as t why, and whth th
pvincial tax shuld m clsly match th
fdal systm in tms f pgssivity.
Tansfs within th fdatin a
imptant in Canada, and f paticula intst
t B.C. In th gins, a lw-than-avag
cntibutin t fdal vnus is assciatd
with pptinally high fdal gvnmntspnding. In cntast, Bitish Clumbia bth
cntibuts lss t and civs lss fm th
fdal gvnmnts cffs than its sha f th
ppulatin. In 2001, th pvincs sha f th
Canadian ppulatin was 13 p cnt. Individuals
and cpatins gnatd 12 p cnt f ttal
fdal vnus, whil 11 p cnt f fdal
spnding wnt t B.C.12
Th cyclical natu f th B.C. cnmy has
als bcm vidnt with th vnts f cntyas. Sm sucs-dpndnt juisdictins
pn t fqunt cycls and nn-sustainabl
bms in vnu hav dvlpd spcial ainy
day gvnmnt savings funds availabl
t mitigat th impact f suddn dwntuns.
Givn th suddn and disuptiv gvnmnt
cuts f th past fw mnths in spns t lag
dps in vnus, th advisability f th B.C.
gvnmnt ding th sam is a matt f sm
plicy intst.
30% -
25% -
20% -
15% -
10% -
5% -
0% -
low med high
Upp Scatt Fd. and Pv. Tax P Capita
Lw Scatt Pv. Tax P Capita
Suc: B.C. Stats. B.C. Taxation Statistics.
Per CAPITA CoMMUNITY INCoMe
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads
T t-ci cv
Th 2008-2009 cssin hit th B.C. cnmy
had. Th lagst singl ya dp in th valu
f walth and cnsumptin gnatd in th
cnmy ccud in 2009. Th sam is tu
f mplymnt and wag incm. Jb lsss
hav bn paticulaly dvastating in fsty
and sucs, manufactuing and pcssing,
cnstuctin and th fd svics industis.
In many spcts th cssin sultd
fm plicy failu. It is nt, as sm claim, a
blankt cndmnatin f pivat capital and
pivat makts. Dgulatin f nancial
makts and th blind pusuit f pivat gainby sm sultd in th catin and tading
f invstmnt instumnts that inxably
undmind th asst bas f banks and th
nancial institutins. Gd and pptunism
an ampant as sht-tm pivat advantag in
sm quats cnsumd capital makts. Th
sult was nt nly a cdit cllaps and th
wst invstmnt and cdit cisis in gnatins,
but als an almst univsal cgnitin that
gvnmnt is n ncssay ingdint inth succss f th makt cnmy n an
n-ging basis.
Th ncuaging thing is that ppl and
gvnmnts a laning fm xpinc that
gvnmnt and th pivat sct a bth
ncssay. W can nw s that nw uls, nw
standads, and nw institutins will b ndd.
And gvnmnt will nv again b abl t
cdibly dny that it ds nt hav a psitiv l
in th succss f th cnmy. But gvnmnt
will nd t b cla abut its gals and its l.
Cncn abut th cvy is dminatd by
fu imptant challngs:
1 establishing th ndd amunt f
invstmnt t st mplymnt andwalth catin,
2 ensuing that high-valu, high-wag scts
a sufcintly supptd thugh plicy in
d t nsu a succssful valu-cating
tansitin v th lng-tm,
3 Achiving gat divsicatin t
duc dpndnc n th limitd divs
f th lagly uban bm f th p-
cssin pid sidntial cnstuctin,
gvnmnt-nancd infastuctu, and
natual gas, and
4 rsting gvnmnt scal cnditins.
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads
This is nt t dnigat th lw valu-cating scts. Thy a f citical imptanc
t vall mplymnt. But th challng is t
gt th ight mix in d t main cmptitiv
with th st f Canada and th wld.
Unlss sufcint numbs f nw jbs a in
sustainabl, high-valu, high-wag scts th
lng-tm pspity f th pvinc cannt b
assud. Th ight mix is ndd, and t achiv
that mix th is a cla impativ t maximiz
high-valu jbs. Futh, th fa that th pst-cssin cvy culd b a jblss cvy
aiss futh cncns abut ability t cat
ndd valu.
F a tim in th mid-2000s, aspcts f th
tansitin w, t sm dg, maskd. Th
fsty sct was supptd by th sht-
tm havst f th pin btl infctd stands.
Futh, lmnts f appant pspity
appad f a sht tim bf th nslaught
f th cssin in 2008 as a sult f bms
in cnstuctin f husing and gvnmnt-
nancd infastuctu pjcts, cnsumptin
spnding, and natual gas pductin.
Ths faily nawly dnd bms, what might b calld bmlts, hav tndd
t mask many undlying challngs that pint
t ptntial lng-tm pblms. Futh,
cncntatd bmlts such as ths mak
th cnmy highly vulnabl t changs in
a small numb f cnmic divs, which
a at a high isk f nt bing sustainabl v
th lng tm. Thus, with sm matial pat
f th gwth in th middl f th last dcad
attibutabl t bubbls in cnsumptin, husing,gvnmnt-nancd infastuctu and natual
gas, th is a dang th cnmy is nt nly n
a nn-sustainabl path, but that it has bcm
highly vulnabl t changs in a small numb
f cnmic divs.
Th challng is t nsu th lng-tm
tansitin maximizs sustainabl valu catin.
Th nxt fw yas will dtmin whth B.C.
is abl t mak a succssful tansitin t nw
valu-cating industis and nw sucs f
walth that will sustain it in its histic psitin
as a high-valu, high-wag cnmy within th
Canadian cntxt.
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads
Bitish Clumbia is in many ways wll-placd t
manag th tansitin in th cnmy fd t
in this pap. Th pvinc has many stngths
and assts upn which t build. Ths a
imptant cnsidatins whn lking fwad
and whn mapping ut a plan f th futu.
Bitish Clumbia has a lng histy f
cnmic pspity and succssful cnmic
dvlpmnt. It has bn, with a fw xcptins,
a hav-pvinc within Cnfdatin, and
has wlcmd ppl fm thughut th
wld. And it njys many cnmic advantags,
including: A lativ abundanc f natual sucs.
rnwabl sucs, including wat,
fsty, wildlif, and th vaius aspcts f
th natual nvinmnt hav lng pvidd
B.C. with a cmpaativ advantag. Managd
wll, ths can b a suc f walth and
wll bing f citizns f gnatins t
cm. Nn-nwabl sucs a and
will cntinu t b imptant. Th challng
will b t nsu that thi managmnt iscnsistnt with sustainability pincipls.
A favuabl climat and wll-dvlpd
amnitis, making B.C. a natual daw t
in-migatin fm th pats f Canada
and th xtnal wld, paticulaly China
and Suth Asia. This in-migatin has nt
nly bught an infusin f highly skilld
and cativ ppl. It has als bught
with it a signicant and cntinuing inw f
invstmnt capital. This has bn paticulaly
imptant f invstmnt in sidntial
cnstuctin; it has als cntibutd
signicantly t businss invstmnt. Capital
tansfs fm utsid cntibut dictly tth walth f th pvinc in numus ways.
A lag and succssful immigant ppulatin
that has mad a lag and lasting impact n
its cnmic, scial and plitical lif. B.C. is a
wld-cgnizd succss sty in building a
multi-cultual scity that has dawn havily
n th capital, skills and ngy f ppl
fm bynd its bds wh hav sught and
fund a nw and succssful lif h.
A wll-ducatd and highly-skilld labu
fc. Th pvinc is wll placd t suppt
high-valu, high-tch, high-wag, and
knwldg-basd industis with a wll-
ducatd wk fc. Ths industis will b
ky if B.C. is t maintain a cmptitiv and
succssful cnmy.
rlativly lw-cst accss t th lag and
gwing Asian, and paticulaly th Chins,
makt. Th distanc btwn B.C. and China
by wat is sht than it is f eup and
th pats f Nth Amica. This pvids
B.C. with an imptant cmptitiv advantag
in th mging and apidly dvlping
mging makts.
stgt titi witi t c
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads6
A signicant ndwmnt f gd famland
capabl f pducing f th B.C. makt.
Th Agicultual Land rsv has ptctd
against th lss f famland cmmn t
th juisdictins. Lcally-pducd fd
is bing cgnizd as v m imptant
as tansptatin bcms m cstly
and as pfncs shift twad fsh, lcal
pducts.
A lativly wll-dvlpd and xtnsiv
systm f scial suppt and dvlpmnt
svics. Halth ca and ducatin svics
a fcint in tms f cmpaabl taxpay
csts, and ntwithstanding cnt spnding
staints, cntinu t b imptant assts.
Municipal svics a gnally gd and
infastuctu is f lativly high quality.
Vigus and mpwd abiginal ppl,
including Fist Natins ppl, in pssssin
f bust taditinal ights, including land,
nwabl sucs and cultu. With a
ppulatin f abut 170,000, th abiginal
ppl f B.C. a xtmly imptant in
tms f human sucs, dvlpmntal
capacity, and walth catin. effctiv
patnships in cnjunctin with histic -
cnciliatin masus hav th ptntial t
suppt th dvlpmnt f abiginal lands,
sucs, gvnmnts and institutins and
t captu uniqu and valuabl pptunitis
in cmmunitis all acss B.C. and in
paticula in mt and ual cmmunitis.
Th ptntial t achiv a lw-cabn
missins cnmy lativly quickly.
Cmptitiv cnmis v th cming
dcads will b ths that mak a fast
tansitin t a lw-cabn stat. Th lag
pptin f lcticity gnatd by B.C.
Hyd fm lag-scal public hyd nsus
lcticity is bth clan and affdabl. Th
cntinud ability f B.C. Hyd t supply
clan ngy can nsu clan, lw-cst
lcticity will b availabl lng int th
futu withut cstly subsidis. Ca nds
t b takn t nsu nw gvnmnt-supptd pivat hyd f xpt will nt
v tim qui v-incasing subsidis,
high lcticity pics and v gat
lianc n dity ngy t ll th sasnal
gaps that cannt b svd by ths facilitis.
A stng public svic. This is imptant
in any mdn cnmy tday, and its
imptanc will b vn gat in an
cnmy facing a difcult tansitin. ov its
histy, B.C. has dvlpd and maintainda high-quality public svic, a stng cd
in plicy innvatin and a histy f fcint
svic dlivy. Th public svic in B.C.
at th fdal, pvincial, ginal and lcal
lvls is pfssinal, incuptibl, and
public intst intd. Bitish Clumbians
valu gd gvnmnt cmmittd t
fcincy, fainss, pagmatism, nn-
patisanship, indpndnc fm spcial
intsts, uls-basd appachs, andhnsty. Ths valus a imptant t
dvlpmnt and walth catin.
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads 7
Numus qustins ais fm th pcding
viw f th B.C. cnmy. Sm, althugh
by n mans all, f th qustins that nd
addssing includ:
1. T cllg f g gvt
Is cnmic plicy bing divn by valid
assumptins and blifs?
What is th likly scal situatin v th
nxt th t v yas?
Is B.C. ncunting a stuctual dcit?
Will taxs hav t b aisd spndingducd t balanc th budgt? Hw quickly
shuld th budgt b balancd?
Has gvnmnt cntibutd t a cyclical
bubbl v th past fw yas, t th
dtimnt f lng-tm adjustmnts?
Hav gvnmnt xpnditus thmslvs
bn a suc f instability in th cnmy?
Shuld B.C. dvlp a gvnmnt ainy
day savings fund t stabiliz th w f
gvnmnt spnding?
Is th cunt tax systm fai? Is tax fm
ndd? T achiv fainss? T achiv a
balancd budgt?
2. sift i t c
Is th cunt dictin f th cnmy
sufcintly dictd at valu catin?
Is th cunt dictin f th cnmy
sustainabl? What is th signicanc f th dwnwad
tnd in fsty and fsty pducts as
liabl walth and jb gnats distibutd
widly thughut th pvinc?
Hw can th tansitin away fm cabn
dpndncy b achivd?
Is th high dpndnc n cnstuctin and
infastuctu sustainabl?
What can b dn t gnat a shift twad
high valu-addd pductin?
What a th causs and facts cntibuting
t th cnmic cisis in vitually all f th
ual cmmunitis in B.C.? What can b dn?
3. ecic ttgi
What can w lan fm th fact that thfst and salmn sucs w havstd
n a nn-sustainabl basis f gnatins
and that thy likly can nv again pvid
th basis f pspity as thy nc did?
Can B.C. cmpt in th wld cnmy as
a high-wag, high valu-addd, knwldg-
basd cnmy? If s, hw is that t b
achivd? Hw can pductivity b impvd?
Hw can xpts b incasd?
What a th nw scts that plicy shuld
suppt?
Hw can cultual industis b supptd and
stngthnd?
What is ndd t build gn cnmy
scts? Hw much can ths cntibut t
divsicatin?
Is it pssibl f th B.C. gvnmnt t hlp
cngu th cnmy in th fac f th
dp stuctual changs at wk?
T bic cllg ig t igt qti
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads8
4. Fit nti bigil l
What can b dn t acclat sttlmnts
with Fist Natins?
What is ndd t nsu that abiginal
yuth civ ducatin and taining t
paticipat fully in th cnmy?
Hw can gat abiginal paticipatin
in invstmnts and wnship b mad a
ality?
5. divicti
What l shuld divsicatin play in B.C.sdvlpmnt and what appach shuld b
takn t ncuag divsicatin?
What scts shuld civ piity in
futu plicy and planning? Shuld an
industial statgy and a dvlpmnt plan
b dvlpd? Hw? What shuld it cntain?
What shuld b th l f gvnmnt?
Wh will th ndd invstmnt capital
cm fm and hw can it b ncuagd?
What can b dn t stimulat and
ncuag invstmnts and gwth dvtd
t lcal, nn-mbil capital such as faming,
taditinal sucs, amnitis, th natual
nvinmnt, and ths that pvid B.C.
with a natual advantag? Hw can ths
scts b ncuagd?
6. ext xt vlt
Hw much mphasis shuld b placd
n Asian tad? What plicis shuld b
pusud?
Hw can invstmnts in xpt industis b
ncuagd?
7. plti, iigti t
lb fc
What will b th impact f ppulatin
changs n th B.C. cnmy? of th
dclining pptin f yung ppl?of th incasing pptin f th ldly?
Will th b a dvlping shtag f highly-
skilld nw ntants t th labu fc in th
futu? Will this cnstain th cnmy?
If s what shuld b dn t addss it?
What cntibutin will immigants mak t
th B.C. cnmy v th cming dcads?
What is th likly impact f th cnt
StatsCan pjctins shwing an incasing
lativ siz f th immigant ppulatin in
B.C.?
What can b dn t sustain th in-migatin
f ppl with skills and sucs?
Hw can pvty ductin b addssd?
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Lkig Fw: The BC eConomy aT a Crossroads 9
e t
1 Bitish Clumbia. Your BC Government:
Technology and Innovation.
http://www.gv.bc.ca/yubc/high_tch/
ht_cnmy.html
2 Patick Cndn and Knt Mullinix.
Agriculture on the Edge. Accssd at www.
kwantln.ca/__shad/assts/agicultu-
n-th-dg12901.pdf
3 Bitish Clumbia Pgss Bad. Boosting
Incomes, Confronting Demographic
Change: B.C.s Productivity Imperative.
Accssd at www.bcpgssbad.cm/achivs/aTB07Pductivity.html
4 BC Stats. Small Business Prole, 2009.
Accssd at http://www.bcstats.gv.bc.ca/
data/bus_stat/busind/sm_bus.asp
5 Canadian Fdatin f Indpndnt
Businss. British Columbia Business
Barometer. Accssd at http://www.cb-
fci.ca/cb-dcumnts/Bamt-B.C.-
201003.pdf.
6 BC Taty Cmmissin. Treaties Will Boost
BC Economy by Over $10 Billion. Accssd
n at http://www.bctaty.nt/
7 Uban Abiginal Ppls Study. Report.
Accssd at http://uaps.ca/
8 Statistics Canada. Immigration in Canada:
A Portrait of the Foreign-born Population,
2006 Census: Findings. Accssd at
http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/cnsus-cnsmnt/2006/as-sa/97-557/
indx-ng.cfm?CFID=3621895&CFToKeN=
33703151
9 Statistics Canada. Population Projections of
Visible Minority Groups, Canada, Provinces
and Regions, 2001-2017.
Accssd at http://www.statcan.gc.ca/
pub/91-541-x/91-541-x2005001-ng.pdf
10 Bitish Clumbia. Budget 2010.
Accssd at http://www.B.C.budgt.gv.
B.C..ca/2010/
11 Pvinc f Bitish Clumbia. Public
Accounts for the Fiscal Year Ended March
31, 2009. Accssd at http://www.n.gv.
bc.ca/oCG/pa/08_09/Pa08_09.htm
12 B.C. Stats. Business Indicators, August
2004. Accssd at http://www.bcstats.gv.
bc.ca/pubs/p_bi.asp
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8/9/2019 Looking Forward: The BC Economy at a Crossroads
44/44
dt c
Bitish Clumbia Pgss Bad.
Benchmark Report. Accssd at http://www.
bcpgssbad.cm/2009rpt/CT1.html
B.C. Stats. British Columbia Employment by
Detailed Industries, Annual Averages. Accssd
at http://www.B.C.stats.gv.B.C..ca/data/lss/
labu.asp
BC Stats, BC GDP at Market Prices. Accssd at
http://www.bcstats.gv.bc.ca/data/bus_stat/
bca/bcgdp.asp
B.C. Stats. B.C. GDP by Industry NAICSAggregations. Accssd at http://www.B.C.stats.
gv.B.C..ca/data/bus_stat/B.C.a/B.C.eACu.
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incm.asp
B.C. Stats. B.C. Tourism and High Technology
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satacct.asp
BC Stats. Labour Force and Related Rates.
Accssd at http://www.bcstats.gv.bc.ca/data/
lss/labu.asp#LFS
BC Stats. Labour Force Activity for British
Columbia and Canada - Annual Averages.
Accssd at http://www.bcstats.gv.bc.ca/
DATA/lss/labu.asp
BC Stats. Interprovincial and International Trade.
Accssd at http://www.bcstats.gv.bc.ca/data/
bus_stat/tad.asp
B.C. Stats. Personal Income and Savings Rate,
2007 and 2008. Accssd at http://www.bcstats.
gv.bc.ca/data/bus_stat/bca/
incm.asp
BC Stats. Provincial Comparisons of Various
Performance Indicators. Accssd at http://
www.bcstats.gv.bc.ca/data/dd/pvcmp/
PvCmp.asp
BC Stats. Social-Economic Proles Health
Service Delivery Areas. Accssd at http://www.
bcstats.gv.bc.ca/data/sp/hsda/hs_main.asp
Statistics Canada. Cansim Table 202-0802.
Accssd at http://dc1.chass.utnt.ca
Statistics Canada. Catalogue No. 13-213-PIB.
Accssd at http://www.statcan.gc.ca/bslc/lc-
cl/lc-cl?lang=ng&catn=13-018-
Statistics Canada. Special Interest Proles,
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gc.ca/bslc/lc-cl/lc-cl?catn=97-564-
X2006001&lang=ng
Statistics Canada. Labour Force Survey
Special Request for NVS, Employment in
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bslc/lc-cl/lc-cl?lang=ng&catn=97-563-
X2006001