DAWSON CREEK, British Columbia, June 13, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the CPABC Regional Check-Up, an annual economic report by the Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia (CPABC), Northeast B.C.’s resources sector steadily improved, leading to a modest increase in population in 2018.
“Several years of uncertainty led to many families moving away from Northeast B.C., and for the first time in five years, our population increased by 155 new residents,” said Ben Sander, FCPA, FCA, partner at Sander Rose Bone Grindle LLP in Dawson Creek. “The revival of activity in our resource sector was much appreciated.”
Northeast B.C.’s mining industry enjoyed a successful year as metallurgical coal prices peaked in mid-2018. Metallurgic coal is the region’s principal mineral export. This led to the reopening of the Willow Creek mine near Chetwynd, and combined with increased oil and gas activity, 100 jobs were added in the mining and oil and gas extraction industry.
“Getting the green light for the development of the Coastal GasLink’s pipeline that will move natural gas from Dawson Creek to Kitimat will have a significant economic impact on our region for years to come,” said Ben Sander, FCPA, FCA, partner at Sander Rose Bone Grindle LLP in Dawson Creek. “The project will create many direct and indirect employment opportunities in northern B.C.”
Looking at the first four months of 2019, the forestry, fishing, mining and oil and gas industry added 200 jobs, while the construction industry lost 2,400 jobs. A cold winter likely led to reduced construction activity, and is expected to resume as weather conditions improve.
About CPABC Regional Check-Up – Northeast Development Region:
The Northeast Development Region, which encompasses the Peace River and Northern Rockies Regional Districts, had an estimated population of 71,917 residents in 2018.
The CPABC Regional Check-Up reports look at British Columbia’s eight Development Regions as a place to work, invest, and live. The reports are available online at: www.bccheckup.com.
About CPA British Columbia
The Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia (CPABC) is the training, governing, and regulatory body for over 36,000 CPA members and 5,000 CPA students and candidates. CPABC carries out its primary mission to protect the public by enforcing the highest professional and ethical standards and contributing to the advancement of public policy. CPAs are recognized internationally for bringing superior financial expertise, strategic thinking, business insight, and leadership to organizations.