Regional Impacts (more...)
| The ability of offshore development to create
jobs is substantial, though the main concern is what percentage of
these jobs would be obtained by residents of coastal communities,
other British Columbians, and Canadians. It is difficult to draw
conclusions from experience on the East Coast because the location
of reserves and extraction methods used are likely be quite different
for any BC scenario. However, it is helpful to judge whether or
not the experience as a whole has been beneficial for other provinces.
The Skeena-Queen Charlotte Region is among the most economically
depressed regions of BC and is in need of diversification. |
Map illustrating Skeena-Queen Charlotte Region
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| Expectations |
- in regards to employment and financial benefits,
many residents of the East Coast claimed that their expectations
were not met
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- is it possible that residents of the East Coast had unrealistic
expectations? |
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- or was the situation not set up in a manner to benefit residents
of the East Coast?
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- expectations anywhere in association with the oil and gas industry
tend to be based on the positive and negative associated
with the industry rather than a balanced portrayal of
the potential costs and benefits
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| Lessons Learned from Other Regions |
- employment tends to be concentrated by firms in major urban
centers
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- employment falls mainly to men (95%)
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| Regional Profile |
- BC coastal communities are experiencing a downturn in traditional
resource-based industries
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- BC Stats shows that the number of residents in
these areas receiving government benefits (ie. employment insurance)
is well above the provincial average
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- the ability of residents to obtain jobs tends to be
dependent on education, which is BC Stats shows is also weaker in these
communities |
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- would the oil and gas industry help to revitalize
these communities? |
Further Details
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