The future of British Columbia includes "clean growth" regardless of which party is in charge, according to the premier.
During a scripted question-and-answer session at a conference in Vancouver Thursday, Premier John Horgan was asked by Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon about the province's economic plan.
"When we talk about clean growth, that has been the driving force for governments of British Columbia for some decades now. This is not a partisan issue," Horgan told the audience, using a term for economic growth that is energy efficient and uses renewable and sustainable practices.
"The good news in B.C. is that all political perspectives understand and recognize that in a carbon-constrained environment, we need to be innovative, we need to be dynamic."
The pair spoke at a Globe Forum 2022 event focused on creating a more circular and environmentally-friendly economy. This event was specific to economic plans for B.C.'s future.
Horgan said he sees B.C.'s path forward as focusing on inclusivity as well as clean growth.
"When we came out of a fire season into a flood season and then another fire season and then before we could get into the flood season we were into the pandemic – I don't need to tell anyone in this room or anyone who's participating virtually what the past couple of years have been for people here in B.C. and around the world," he said.
What came of that, he said, was that government officials including him and Kahlon were no longer travelling, and realized the importance of being able to connect virtually with people across the province.
This led to a province-wide "connectivity agenda," that the premier said will allow those even in more remote parts of the province to stay in contact with others in B.C. and around the world. It has obvious social implications, but there are also economic benefits, he said.
"What we learned through the pandemic…is that although we have been in the same storm, we have not all been in the same kind of canoe, and we need to continue to paddle together. We need to ensure that we're lifting everyone at the same time," Horgan said.
Historically, the province's economic plans focused largely on resources, but that will shift, he suggested.
Among the new focuses for growth in B.C., Horgan said, are computer sciences, technology, engineering and math. B.C.'s life-sciences sector is "transforming health-care" around the world, he said.
"We need to train the next generation of innovators… This is the future: ensuring that we are lifting everyone up giving people the tools they need to succeed and for our economy to grow and be dynamic in a carbon-constrained environment."
Following the discussion, the province announced it was establishing what it's calling the B.C. Hydrogen Office, which will "rapidly expand hydrogen deployment to streamline projects from proposal to construction."
Horgan said this new office will collaborate with federal and local governments to attract investments as well as simplifying the permitting process in B.C.
According to the province, there are already 40 hydrogen project proposed or underway, and more are expected to come. So far, they represent $4.8 billion in proposed investment in B.C.
"A 2019 provincial hydrogen study showed that by 2050, B.C. could expect hydrogen to provide a positive, $2.5-billion impact to the province's annual gross domestic product, including economic activity from the domestic use and export of hydrogen and 3,750 new jobs in the province," a statement from the premier's office said.
"Given B.C.’s proximity to export markets, it could capture a significant portion of the global hydrogen market, estimated to be worth more than $305 billion by 2050."
