The province鈥檚 industrial backbone gave provincial Finance Minister Carole James鈥� latest budget a failing grade this week, as it complained there is little support for industries and manufacturers competing on a global stage.
While the budget promised the forest industry long-term revitalization by bringing stakeholders together to discuss the issues and $13 million in new funding to explore the 鈥渂io-economy鈥� [turning waste wood into fuel and value-added products] other groups said they have been largely ignored.
鈥淭here鈥檚 nothing in that budget for manufacturers, there鈥檚 no bad news, but no good news,鈥� said Andrew Wynn-Williams, sa国际传媒 vice-president of the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters.
Wynn-Williams said the challenge for manufacturers all over the province is an escalation in costs from things like increases in the carbon tax and the introduction last year of the employer health tax.
鈥淵et there鈥檚 no corresponding support to offset those,鈥� he said, adding manufacturers in sa国际传媒 risk falling behind international competitors.
鈥淒espite the government鈥檚 commitment that sa国际传媒鈥檚 leadership on climate change would not impair business competitiveness, there is no expansion of the CleanBC Industrial Incentive and Industrial Investment programs to companies emitting less than 10,000 tonnes of carbon,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his is a critical disadvantage to companies who make things here and export them elsewhere.鈥�
The budget estimates revenue from the carbon tax will increase this year to $1.95 billion, and to $2.2 billion next year when the carbon tax rate increases to $50聽per tonne from $40.
鈥淲e have been working with the province on a low-carbon industrial strategy, and come to an agreement that we have a competitive advantage because the carbon intensity of the things we sell to the world have half the [greenhouse gas] intensity of competing jurisdictions,鈥� said Greg D鈥橝vignon, president of the Business Council of sa国际传媒
He added that without support to offset the cost of the carbon tax 鈥渢hese industries are now operating at a unique global and North American competitive disadvantage.鈥�
D鈥橝vignon said it鈥檚 time for action, or investment and jobs will be leaving the province.
鈥淐apital acts, it leaves,鈥� he said.
Mike Goehring, president of the Mining Association of sa国际传媒 suggested his industry is at a crossroads.
鈥淲e need a level playing field with other Canadian mines and our global competitors. Without this, our mines and the jobs and wealth they create in communities across sa国际传媒 are at risk,鈥� he said.
He said without protection for trade-exposed industries, sa国际传媒鈥檚 Carbon Tax will strip competitiveness from the province鈥檚 mining operations and kill investment for new mines.
鈥淲ithout [it], there will be a gradual shift in production to other lower-cost jurisdictions that will lead to more global GHG emissions overall,鈥� he added.
