NORTH VANCOUVER - Pre­mier Christy Clark announced a second jobs and trade mission aimed at maintaining the prov­ince’s strong economic momen­tum and strengthening relation­ships with Japan, Korea and the Philippines.“We know that expanding and strengthening trading relation­ships abroad means real jobs here at home. Our government is acting to make sure that B.C. businessess are first in the line to take advtange of the growing market opportunities in Asian. “This jobs and trade mission will open up new doors, connect B.C. businesses with Asian" said Premier Clark. The jobs and trade mission will opne a new doors, connect with B.C. businesses with asian de­mand and keep our economy strong and grow­ing.”

The mission will focus on nurtur­ing and strength­ening business relationships in Japan, Korea, and the Philippines, while expanding markets for British Co­lumbia goods and services. Clark announced the mission at Fibreco Export Inc., the prov­ince’s largest facility for shipping wood pellets for bioenergy pro­duction. Fibreco has shipped wood pel­lets to Japan for 20 years and has recently begun shipping their product to Korea.
“The growth of B.C.’s green en­ergy biomass wood pellet industry has been an enormous success and has created hundreds of new jobs in the province,” said Grant Watkins, president of Fibreco. “B.C. wood pellets, made from sawmill residuals and forest bio­mass, are replacing coal in electric power generating plants in Europe and Asia to meet alter­native energy/carbon reduction goals in those markets and Korea and Japan represent tremendous opportunities for us to expand biomass shipments. “Fibreco is currently loading 100 per cent of B.C.’s biomass exports on behalf of the wood pellet producers who do their own sales and marketing,” con­tinued Watkins.

“We’re thrilled that the B.C. government is pur­suing more opportunities in these Asian markets and we are proud to be a part of it.”
Premier Clark will depart Van­couver on May 12 for Japan. While in Japan, the Premier will meet with government and business of­ficials regarding the natural gas, technology, and mining sectors identified in “Canada Starts Here: The BC Jobs Plan”.

The Premier will leave Japan for Korea on May 16. There she will meet with government and business leaders in Seoul and Suwon, with discussions focused on the forestry, international edu­cation, technology and clean technology (including bioenergy), mining, and natural gas sectors.

Before returning to Vancouver on May 20, the Premier will fly to the Philippines on May 19. While there, she will meet with govern­ment officials in Manila to discuss ways of addressing labour mobil­ity barriers for skilled workers. A detailed list of highlights of the 2012 BC Jobs and Trade Mis­sion follows..C. businesses are first in line to take advantage of the growing market opportuni­ties in Asia,” said Premier Clark.

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