News & Views

News last week that Peace River Coal was idling operations in Tumbler Ridge is the latest sign of an industry slowdown that impacts jobs and revenue in every corner of BC

It’s the undecideds who have it in a survey showing a three-way split in support for the pipeline

Compelling evidence from Bloomberg confirms that pipeline expansion in British Columbia is worth tens of billions of dollars to the Canadian economy

Previously in this series, I’ve discussed a few reasons why our public discourse on natural-resource issues has become so dismal

In case you missed it: Dan Miller's op-ed appeared in The Province newspaper

According to new figures released by Natural Resources Canada, BC ranks in the middle in terms of both the number of people employed in the sector and its contribution to provincial GDP

The Canadian International Council released this whimsically titled but very serious report in 2012. The basic question it asked was: How can the country derive maximum benefit from its tremendous natural advantages?

From his office in New Westminster, Probyn Log vice-president Bill Markvoort is about as far from the woods as you can get, but he is at the hub of a business that keeps the coastal forest industry humming

This is the second post in a series looking at why our public discourse has become so toxic

One of the most avidly listened-to speakers at the recent LNG conference in Vancouver was Richard Muller, a professor of physics at the University of California, Berkeley. He put natural gas into perspective in terms of climate change and water safety, arguing that it is a 'saviour' fuel

One of the more unexpected sights at the event is the crowds of young people strolling the halls of the Vancouver Convention Centre

For more insight, see the commentary piece by Stewart Muir

The federal government recently announced new regulations. Here’s a quick breakdown of the main points

Three Vancouver-area shipping terminals between them spend nearly $600 million on goods and services in British Columbia, according to figures released today. The impact includes $115 million in the city of Vancouver

In the 'Power of Siberia' deal announced this week between Russia and China, the parties have been secretive on the exact terms so it is difficult to draw comparisons to other such contracts

In a series of conversations with workers and business operators, The Province and Resource Works explore the contributions that trade, industry and natural resources make to the British Columbia economy

British Columbians stuck in the middle struggle to decide what to do with natural-resource projects

Despite tough financial times, the sector remains busy. Company revenues have been hit hard by falling global prices for key commodities, leading to a sharp drop in profits. And yet, employment and mine output keep growing, suggesting that miners are focused on building assets for a future upswing

In the conversations series for this week, Resource Works and The Province talk to Liliana Arias, purchasing manager for venerable Vancouver retailer Fontile Corp, and discuss its connection to natural resource trade

In a series of stories marking Mining Week, Resource Works takes a look at what the sector means for Metro Vancouver’s economy - particularly in the areas of job creation and innovation

In a series of stories marking Mining Week, Resource Works takes a look at what the sector means for Metro Vancouver’s economy

According to a recent study, misunderstandings around a key legal doctrine threaten both economic progress and aboriginal relations

In a series of stories marking Mining Week, Resource Works takes a look at what mining means for Metro Vancouver’s economy - particularly in the areas of job creation and innovation

Sector still leads the province in delivering high wages to workers, according to recent data from BC Stats

The BC government just announced what promises to be an innovative collaborative approach with an important aboriginal community in the Interior

In a series of conversations with workers and business operators, The Province and Resource Works explore the contributions that trade, industry, and natural resources make to the BC economy. This week, we talk with Alan Chen, sales manager for Long Hoh Enterprises Canada, a small  lumber manufacturer serving a unique niche market

In a series of stories marking Mining Week, Resource Works takes a look at what mining means for Metro Vancouver’s economy - particularly in the areas of job creation and innovation

The Site C Environmental Assessment Joint Review Panel has released its recommendations to government on the Peace River hydro-electric project. Here are the top benefits and costs of the dam, as reported by the panel

This week we talk with Blair Wilson, project manager for G Wilson Construction, a Vancouver company founded by his father Gordon that takes an old-school approach to carpentry and home building

BC often seems stuck in an endless struggle over resource development choices. In theory, we have effective public institutions to help guide us through tough collective decisions like these. So why do they seem to have so little influence?

Is Canada leading the world in natural resource development? And what does this question mean for how British Columbia approaches the extraction of its non-renewables and renewables?

Scantily-clad joggers took to the streets of downtown Vancouver Sunday, determined to draw attention to the importance of BC’s resource economy to our day-to-day lives

In a series of conversations with workers and business operators, The Province explores the contributions that trade, industry and natural resources make to the economy. This week we talk with Tim Epp, a plant manager at Britco, about competing globally in the modular construction industry

Here are a few options the province has for minimizing carbon pollution from liquefied natural gas

When it comes to the engine powering future growth in Canada, prepare for a fuel switch: the indebted Canadian consumer is tapped out and will have to be replaced by an increase in exports, especially to emerging markets in Asia

As a recent Resource Works study by Philip Cross shows, the British Columbia natural resources sector continues to be a prime employment driver for the province

In a series of conversations with workers and business operators, The Province and Resource Works explore the contributions that trade, industry and natural resources make to the British Columbia economy

Dr Lyn Anglin appears on Radio NL to talk with Jim Harrison about the Resource Works Society: 'The feeling in the Interior has long been that those who live in the Lower Mainland just don't understand the value of BC's resource sector'

It is estimated that $11-17 trillion in global investment is needed by 2030 in minerals and oil & gas, if current consumption trends continue. Much of this resource extraction will occur in developing countries

Northern aboriginal communities are developing a strategy they hope will net them hundreds of millions of dollars if they support liquefied natural gas projects and pipelines

Opinion: When it comes to Site C, British Columbians are pragmatic. People know power is worthy if the environment doesn't suffer

Resource Works senior research fellow Philip Cross discusses the groundbreaking research related in his 7 Myths of the BC Resource Economy report on the Bill Good radio show

Former prime minister Brian Mulroney was asked to identify the 'next big thing for Canada' by an Ottawa think-tank. The result was a speech he delivered in Ottawa. Here’s the written text of that speech

A 10 percent boost in BC’s natural-resource economy would mean an extra $2.137 billion in the province's’s GDP, an extra $4.5 billion across Canada, and more than 39,000 new jobs for British Columbians.

And 55 percent of those jobs would be in the Lower Mainland.

All this and much more from Philip Cross, former chief economic analyst for Statistics Canada.

He says that a 10 percent boost in our natural resource output is indeed realistic.

Research shows that most British Columbians appreciate the importance of resource development, but want to ensure it is conducted in a 'world-class' manner