Allan Rock, Minister of Industry, Stephen Owen, Secretary of State (Western Economic Diversification) (Indian Affairs and Northern Development), and Pat Bell, British Columbia MLA for Prince George North, on behalf of Rick Thorpe, Minister of Competition, Science and Enterprise today announced contributions totalling $2,425,000 for value-added wood projects and Aboriginal business development under the joint federal-provincial Western Economic Partnership Agreement. The projects are designed to support local economic diversification and encourage economic growth in rural and northern British Columbia.

"Fostering innovation means contributing to the growth of strong and thriving local communities," said Minister Rock. "The initiatives we are announcing today will support innovation at work in British Columbia and help northern communities seize new opportunities and builds on the unique strengths of this region."

"These programs will improve business development opportunities for both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal entrepreneurs in British Columbia and will establish networks that will help these entrepreneurs compete in a new economy - one that is technology-based and constantly changing," said Secretary of State Owen.

Value-Added Wood Projects:

The Wood Enterprise Centre will receive $248,000 to undertake a technology outreach and training program and to purchase a new Industrial Dry Filter Spray Finishing system to complement existing services available at the Centre. The technology outreach and training initiative will assess and serve the needs of select client groups within the Quesnel and surrounding areas for new market development, sales and increased profitability through technological and process advancements.

"The forest industry in British Columbia is not the same as it was 50 years ago," MLA Bell said. "We have to look at ways to enhance our value-added manufacturing base, creating more diversity in the industry's economy and building more employment opportunities."

"The Technology Outreach Initiative will introduce state of the art technology applications used in secondary wood manufacturing processes at the Wood Enterprise Centre to wood products manufacturing businesses in Northern BC," said Greg Lawrence, Project Manager for the Community Futures Development Corporation of North Cariboo. "This will accelerate the adoption of innovative processes by local businesses and enhance their capacity to use and develop new technologies."

The WoodTEK Business Development Centre will receive $347,000 for a value-added wood-manufacturing incubator that will provide companies with technical and business training, management and marketing assistance. The Centre will accelerate the creation of a stronger and more vigorous industry cluster, while building the foundation to bring a new form of economic wealth into the local, regional and provincial economies.

"The WoodTEK Business Development Centre is designed to act as a catalyst that will strengthen existing secondary wood manufacturing businesses and help others to emerge and develop," said Laurie Kerr, Project Manager for Community Futures Development Corporation of Fraser Fort George.

Aboriginal Business Development Projects:

Five Aboriginal projects will receive $1.83 million in funding. They are designed to enhance existing business support programs to Aboriginal entrepreneurs and organizations by improving access to information and resources.

Three are funded jointly by the governments of Canada and British Columbia under the federal-provincial Western Economic Partnership Agreement (WEPA): the Aboriginal Business and Entrepreneurship Skills Training (Aboriginal BEST series); Business Advisory Services; and the Aboriginal Business Development Centre (ABDC). Two federally-funded projects are the Aboriginal Business Service Network-B.C. (ABSN-B.C.) and the Aboriginal Business Web site.

"Since its start-up five years ago, the Aboriginal Business Development Centre in Prince George has built a solid reputation with its more than 700 aboriginal clients, plus more than 200 clients under its contract with the provincial government's First Citizens Fund," said MLA Bell. "The funding for the centre is in keeping with New Era commitments of developing a thriving private sector economy and providing better services for Aboriginal people."

"The Community Futures Development Association of B.C. (CFDA-B.C.) is proud to work with Western Economic Diversification Canada and facilitate the ABSN Initiative in British Columbia. The CFDA-B.C. has helped reconvene the Simon Fraser University (SFU) Advisory Committee (now the ABSN Working Committee) that produced the SFU gap analysis study, Assessing the Business Information Needs of Aboriginal Entrepreneurs in British Columbia 2001," said George Knight, Chairman of the CFDA. "The ABSN Regional Coordinator will help organize Working Committee meetings and meet the objectives of the ABSN Initiative in British Columbia as directed by the Working Committee."

"A key factor in the success of the Aboriginal Business Services Network is the flexibility provided to First Nations that both meets the unique challenges of Aboriginal Clients, whether they are early in the development of their business idea or in need of after-care follow-up," says Larry Casper, Chairman of the CFDC of Central Interior First Nations, ABSN Working Committee and board member of the Community Futures Development Association of B.C.

"The ABSN is a dynamic and innovative initiative - it will afford the Aboriginal community the opportunity to develop a degree of synergy within existing programs," said Arnold Adolph, Regional Co-ordinator for the ABSN Working Committee. "This initiative will allow for the creation of greater awareness within the Aboriginal community - and by virtue of greater awareness, greater use of existing programs."

The ABSN will stimulate business development by allowing small- and medium-sized aboriginal firms to access to new information referrals and business networks. The projects announced today will: assist Aboriginal youth in creating self-employment opportunities; create Aboriginal Business Development Centres (ABDC) to provide business advisory services; establish an on-line resource centre for aboriginal businesses; and improve content and access to business information.

The Canada/British Columbia Western Economic Partnership Agreement is a joint, multi-million-dollar agreement to encourage economic development in British Columbia. The federal department of Western Economic Diversification Canada and the provincial Ministry of Competition, Science and Enterprise are the lead agencies for the partnership agreement.
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The SFU report, Assessing the Business Information Needs of Aboriginal Entrepreneurs in British Columbia, January 2001, can be accessed on-line at: http://www.sfu.ca/cedc/abbus

For additional information, contact:

Jean-Pierre Roy
Manager, Communications
Western Economic Diversification Canada
Vancouver, British Columbia
Phone: (604) 666-1318

Laurie Kerr
Project Manager, Community Economic Development (WoodTEK)
Community Futures Development Corporation of Fraser Fort George
Prince George, British Columbia
Phone: (250) 562-9622

George Knight
Chairperson
Community Futures Development Association, British Columbia
Phone: (604) 681-7130
E-mail: cfdabc@telus.net

Peter MacDonald
Project Manager
Community Futures Development Association, British Columbia.
Phone: (604) 681-7130

Maureen Murphy
Director, Communications
British Columbia Ministry of Competition, Science and Enterprise
250 952-0621
http://www.gov.bc.ca/

Greg Lawrence
Project Manager, Wood Enterprise Centre
Community Futures Development Corporation of North Cariboo
Quesnel, British Columbia
Phone: (250) 747-1212 ext. 105

Larry Casper
Chairman
ABSN B.C. Steering Committee
Phone: (250) 828-9833

Arnold Adolph
Regional Co-ordinator
ABSN Working Committee
Phone: (604) 681-7130