The Innovation Resource Centre Council will develop and implement mining sector strategies on behalf of the 16-97 Economic Alliance, thanks to an investment by the Government of Canada, through Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD).
Federal funding of $115,000 was announced today by Richard Harris, Member of Parliament for Cariboo - Prince George, on behalf of the Honourable Rona Ambrose, President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of Western Economic Diversification and Gary Lunn, Minister of Natural Resources. Funding is provided under the Community Economic Diversification Initiative (CEDI), a component of the federal Mountain Pine Beetle Program.
"Developing min ing clusters is a renewal option for Mountain Pine Beetle affected communities seeking to diversify their local economy," said Mr. Harris. " As a result of this funding, the Centre will be in a position to better-support the local mining sector."
" The project announced today is an example of how the Government of Canada is addressing the needs of communities affected by the Mountain Pine Beetle infestation," said Minister Lunn. "Through this support, our government is helping impacted communities t urn challenges into economic opportunities."
Funding will help the Innovation Resource Centre Council to advance local mining clusters on behalf of 16-97 Economic Alliance-an organization working to diversify the regional economy of North Central British Columbia. The project will develop and implement strategies to attract businesses to mining, increase collaboration within the mining cluster, address and overcome common barriers, and create a Mining Benchmarking Report to assess and monitor reg ional changes.
"Today's funding presents an unique opportunity to establish a cluster development model that we, and others, can use and replicate in the future," said Susan Stearns, Chair of the 16-97 Economic Alliance. "We look forward to furt her establishing an organized regional effort to serve the ever growing mining sector in the province, and especially, northern BC."
Managed by WD, CEDI will invest more than $33 million over two years towards projects in communities most at risk f rom the Mountain Pine Beetle infestation. The program supports a wide range of projects that further economic growth, job creation and future community sustainability.
The CEDI program is part of the Government of Canada's $200 million comprehensiv e response to mitigate the short- and long-term effects of the Mountain Pine Beetle infestation on B.C.'s forestry sector. This federal Mountain Pine Beetle Program is led by Natural Resources Canada, in collaboration with WD and Transport Canada.
WD is a department of the Government of Canada that works in partnership with the provinces, industry associations and communities to promote the development and diversification of the western economy and to represent the interests of the West in nationa l decision-making.
For more information on the federal Mountain Pine Beetle Program, please visit: http://mpb.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/
For additional information, contact:
Pierre Fl oréa
Director of Communications
Office of the President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of Western Economic Diversification
Telephone: (613) 943-1838
Fraser Deacon
16/97 Economic Alliance Coordinator
Telephone: (250) 564-1697
