Jobs Minister Shirley Bond spent Monday on the Sunshine Coast, a region that’s facing job losses at one of its biggest employers
At a Sechelt Chamber of Commerce breakfast, local leaders offered praise for the Ministry’s “rapid response” team. It’s been coordinating efforts to deal with Howe Sound Pulp and Paper’s decision to shut down the paper side of its operation.
Bond says when major employers shed jobs it’s a big blow, and the biggest challenge can be replacing lost, high paying, industrial jobs with similar opportunities.
The main union at HSPP, Unifor, has been able to negotiate a reduction in the number of its members slated for layoff, but dozens are still out of work.
The Town of Gibsons is working with Ministry, through its local employment centre, to host a job fair aimed at the former HSPP workers on November 20th.
As a former Transportation Minister, Bond couldn’t avoid the subject of BC Ferries.
Many on the Sunshine Coast see issues at Ferries as a drag on the economic potential of the region.
Bond says she gets that, but changes had to happen to keep the system sustainable.
Bond also says the government is taking the idea of a potential fixed linked to the Lower Mainland seriously. They’re looking for a consultant to do a feasibility study, similar to the one being done on a possible bridge between Gabriola and Nanaimo
