Hi All
A few weeks ago I asked for your opinions on BC’s best wines and the votes are in and tallied! For the first annual Pat Bell’s “Peoples Choice” Awards:
Best BC Winery – Hester Creek!
Best BC Wine – Hester Creek Trebiano
Best BC Wine under $15 – Gehringer Auxerrois $13.99 (and I will add their Cuvee Noire also at $13.99 for a red).
Hope you enjoy the selections.
This past week was the annual UBCM convention in Vancouver, always a busy and important week in the Province. Mayors, Councilors and Regional District Directors gather to discuss important issue that face all of the communities in the Province. I had an opportunity to do several presentations on out new Jobs Strategy as well as providing a general overview of my Ministries activities. I especially find it helpful for the very small communities that don’t always have the resources they need to travel and meet with Provincial Cabinet Ministers.
Next week we are back in the Legislature for the start of our Fall Session and a Throne Speech so stay tuned.
This week’s Top 10 is actually a “Top 8”. It is the 8 sectors that we believe we can build our economy around and the jobs that come with that. It provides you with a sense of why we have selected these sectors and what we think might be possible.
Have a great week!
Pat Bell - http://www.patbellmla.bc.ca/
1. Forestry
B.C.’s forestry industry is on the rebound. Since 2003, when we focused on opening new markets in China and Hong Kong, exports have grown from $69 million to 687 million a year. We know our market, have an international reputation as a stable supplier of high-quality wood products, and offer timber supply security.
2. Mining
B.C.’s mining industry is booming: we have abundant mineral deposits, and are well positioned to meet growing global demand. More than half of Canada’s exploration companies are based here, and we employ the world’s highest concentration of mining professionals, geologists, engineers, prospectors, metallurgists, assayers, lawyers, accountants and financiers.
3. Natural Gas
More than half of the remaining natural gas in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin is in British Columbia. If natural gas prices stay where they are, this sector is on line to double production by 2020, bringing both jobs and investment opportunities.
4. Agrifoods
With fertile land and abundant water, British Columbia leads Canada in sales of blueberries, cranberries, sweet cherries and raspberries. Growers produce food with strong health benefits, a low environmental footprint and an ethical approach. Emerging markets, particularly on the Pacific Rim, will drive demand for trusted and high-quality foods.
5. Technology
BC is home to world-class high tech companies. The demand for digital, wireless and screen based entertainment is on the rise – in 2010, India and China alone added more than 300 million wireless subscribers. China’s market for green technology is forecast to grow to $1 trillion by 2013.
6. Tourism
British Columbia is a choice tourism destination. Global international arrivals will grow to 1.6 billion by 2020, an average of 4.5 per cent per year. Almost 18,000 tourism companies in B.C. create most of the 128,600 jobs in the industry. By 2019, we expect that to grow to 196,000 jobs.
7. International Education
British Columbia has a reputation for educational excellence. In 2010, 94,000 international students came to British Columbia to study in our Kindergarten – Grade 12, post secondary and Language Canada schools. It’s a growth industry: by 2025, global demand for international education is predicted to more than double to 7.2 million.
8. Transportation
Companies in B.C., the U.S, and Asia look to the Pacific Gateway for quick connections across the Pacific. Vancouver, Kitimat and Prince Rupert are Asia’s closest ports of entry on the West Coast, closer than Los Angeles and Long Beach. Steady improvement to ports, rail, roads and airports is key.
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