The B.C. government said yesterday that it is now leading the country in job creation.
The government said it has delivered on eight of 19 of its Jobs Plan commitments to date and stated that Statistics Canada’s most recent numbers show B.C. leading the country for job growth between August 2011 and August 2012, with 51,700 new jobs.
The government said other results of the Jobs Plan include:
- 6.7% unemployment, below the national average of 7.3%;
- third-fastest GDP growth in Canada at 2.9% in 2011;
- a confirmed triple-A credit rating;
- estimated investment on major projects up 11.7 billion since June 2011 to $80 billion; and
- $48 billion of projected investment in liquefied natural gas between 2013 and 2022.
Finance Minister Mike de Jong called the Jobs Plan a “roadmap for economic development” in B.C.
“Just as we all know that governments can stand in the way of private sector growth and job creation, so too can governments assist – through the creation of a competitive tax environment, prudent fiscal management and reduction of red tape,” he said.
