I would like to send a message to the government and citizens of B.C.: The real job creator in this province is our natural resources sector. Forestry, mining, natural gas, and coal, as well as mineral exploration and even oil exploration, are all key to sustaining our provincial economy and creating jobs.
The mining sector alone has the potential to create 17,000 new B.C. jobs from more than 30 new mining projects currently being considered. These potential projects, and the good-paying jobs that go with them, are the direct result of a strong B.C. mineral exploration sector, which, in itself, could potentially create another 4,000 good-paying jobs.
Bear in mind that, in 2011 alone, mining and exploration activity generated $10 billion worth of economic activity in this province and provided $800 million worth of revenue for the government to spend on the services that we, as citizens, need and want. And that’s just from mining and mineral exploration activity!
So before we, as citizens, jump on any NIMBY bandwagons, we need to stop and think twice about how that could hurt our province economically and in turn put jobs and our children’s future in this province at risk.
Roop Virk,
Chilliwack