A bit of chest thumping about B.C.乌鸦传媒檚 relative economic might at a Thursday afternoon luncheon had Kelowna Chamber of Commerce members cheering for Premier Christy Clark.
乌鸦传媒淩emember when (former Alberta Premier) Ralph Klein used to say, 乌鸦传媒榠f you want to get welfare, here乌鸦传媒檚 a bus pass, go to B.C.?乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮綕 Clark told the crowd gathered for her budget rundown, which emphasized a $264-million surplus on $48-billion in revenue for the 2016-17 fiscal year.
乌鸦传媒淣ow we are in the enviable position of being able to say to Albertans: 乌鸦传媒楥ome to B.C. get on a bus, get in your car bring your truck乌鸦传媒on乌鸦传媒檛 come and get welfare. Come to B.C. and get a job.乌鸦传媒�
Despite recent figures showing that Kelowna may be in a job slump, B.C. in general is expected to see more economic growth than any other province this year. The government itself has forecasted 2.4 per cent growth in real gross domestic product for 2016 while the B.C. Economic Forecast Council is projecting 2.7 per cent growth.
Part of that, explained Clark, will come from new residents driving things forward. This year alone, more than 48,200 newcomers are expected to move to B.C., with 13,000 from other provinces and 35,200 from other countries.
Growth in manufacturing, retail, tech, trade, film and tourism sectors is also set to offset low prices for commodities such as coal, copper, lumber, pulp and natural gas.
Natural gas isn乌鸦传媒檛 something that Clark is letting go of as a future economic powerhouse, however, despite the issues that sector has experienced.
乌鸦传媒淟NG is still going ahead,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淪uccess is not for quitters. (There is a) vision for the future and changing your future does not mean running the white flag up the flag pole the first time you see a problem.
乌鸦传媒淲e will get there on LNG. World demand will continue to grow as demand for clean energy and sources for energy in general continues to grow, but we乌鸦传媒檙e not there yet.乌鸦传媒�
Further acknowledging trouble in commodities, Clark went on to tell the crowd that 乌鸦传媒渋t乌鸦传媒檚 never going to be harder than this next year ahead.乌鸦传媒�
乌鸦传媒淲e certainly see what乌鸦传媒檚 happening in Alberta, our closest friend and neighbour, just getting hammered with what乌鸦传媒檚 going on with oil prices.
乌鸦传媒淲e see in China, one of our biggest trading partner, stock markets closing without notice,乌鸦传媒� she said, adding the US is still suffering from its recession, while Ontario is flagging under overwhelming debt.
乌鸦传媒淭hose are warning signs that every Canadian needs to heed. So when I say we need to keep our eyes on the ball I really mean it. We have worked hard and we have been very focused, but there has been no time to stay focused more than now.乌鸦传媒�
Focus, she said, should be on getting the 乌鸦传媒渇undamentals right.乌鸦传媒�
Expenditure highlights from Budget 2016 include a $3.1 billion investment in transportation infrastructure including highway upgrades and transit infrastructure, $2.9 billion for major health care projects that include a new centre for mental health and addictions, $2.5 billion for post-secondary schools, and $1.7 billion to 乌鸦传媒渕aintain, replace, renovate, expand and seismically upgrade乌鸦传媒� schools for students in kindergarten through Grade 12.
This year乌鸦传媒檚 budget also includes the Prosperity Fund, which will see the amount of $100 million put aside for a 乌鸦传媒渞ainy day.乌鸦传媒�
Although the Thursday update saw Clark乌鸦传媒檚 budget met with much fanfare, not everyone has been so fond of it.
乌鸦传媒淭his government could have chosen meaningful action to make life more affordable for families. Instead the budget continues Christy Clark乌鸦传媒檚 practice of taking more money from the pockets of British Columbians through hikes to MSP, hydro rates, ICBC rates, camping fees, ferry fares and more,乌鸦传媒� said New Democrat spokesperson for finance Carole James.
乌鸦传媒淭his budget illustrates that the premier乌鸦传媒檚 not there for hard-working B.C. families. She乌鸦传媒檚 there for herself and her political friends.乌鸦传媒�
BC Teachers乌鸦传媒� Federation President Jim Iker also gave it a fail.
乌鸦传媒淭he projected increase in funding is just another shell game that fails to account for increases in student enrollment and rising costs,乌鸦传媒� said Iker.
