B.C. is a ‘reliable trading partner’: Premier heads to Asia on trade mission

B.C. Premier David Eby, along with Agricultural Minister Lana Popham and other officials are on their way to Asia Saturday for a trade mission.

“Now’s the time for us to diversify our trade relationships around the world and to ensure that we have strong relationships with the countries that want to do business with us,” Eby said at Vancouver’s International Airport ahead of taking off.

The trade delegation will visit Japan, Korea and Malaysia.

“The work here is about, recognizing that British Columbia is going to be the economic engine of the new Canada,” Eby said.

Eby said he spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Friday and explained that B.C. has several projects that are shovel-ready and the legislation needed to knock down internal trade barriers.

“In our call, we agreed that now is the time for Canada to move quickly on major these projects in partnership with First Nations and while maintaining the high environmental standards Canadians expect,” Eby said.

“These projects are worth billions of dollars and will create thousands of good, family-supporting jobs. I continue to advocate for the establishment of economic corridors and the abolition of internal trade barriers to get B.C. and Canada’s goods moving.”

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Eby added that he wants to get the message across that B.C. is a “reliable trading partner.

“On this trade mission, we’ll certainly be talking about softwood lumber and B.C. lumber, which is in demand around the world,” he added.

“We’ll be talking about energy products. Many of the countries we’re visiting have partnerships with us in relation to LNG. We’ll be talking about the critical minerals that we have from the mining sector. But we’re also bringing with us research universities to talk about our scientific, cultural and educational ties and how we can deepen them because those also bring with them increased prosperity on both sides and increased understanding so that we’re able to work more closely together.”

This week, B.C.’s legislature spring sitting ended with the passage of two controversial bills that fast-track infrastructure projects, thanks to rare tie-breaking votes from Speaker Raj Chouhan.

“Yeah, Bill 14 and Bill 15 were controversial,” B.C. NDP house leader Mike Farnworth said Thursday after the final question period of the session.

“There were a lot of people opposed and a lot of people in favour, but we made it clear that we want to get things done in this province. The public expects us to be doing that.”

Bill 14 accelerates renewable energy projects and transmission lines, while Bill 15 expedites public and private infrastructure projects, including hospitals, schools, and mines.

-with files from The Canadian Press

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