Provincial Jobs Minister Shirley Bond expects B.C. to be "bold and aggressive" as it negotiates a new labour market agreement with the federal government in the coming months.
While the federal government is playing its hand publicly, announcing its intention to create a job grant program in its last budget, Bond said she'll wait to get a formal offer before getting into the specifics of B.C.'s position.
The jobs grant concept, which calls for the federal and provincial governments along with industry to each fund a third of the program to provide workers will affordable access to skills training upgrades, has been polarizing. Some provinces have seen it as the federal government trying to have more say over how training dollars are spent, which has traditionally been an area of provincial jurisdiction.
Heading into the negotiations, Bond wants to ensure that B.C. retains the flexibility and strategic control over the funds so that they are being deployed in the best way possible.
"There have been some very strong views already expressed by other provinces in the country and I think there are some common issues in terms of the demand [for jobs]," she said. "I think as the federal government has their discussions with provinces, they're going to hear a common message."
The federal government already provides support for provincial skills training programs through a series of labour market agreements with each province and territory. The deal between the governments in Ottawa and Victoria expires next year and negotiations are expected to start soon on the next deal.
"I think it's fantastic that we have the opportunity to work constructively together but is it going to be easy? No, it's not," Bond said.
The lack of an official offer to the provinces hasn't stopped the federal government from advertising the pending job grants program in the media but the tactic doesn't bother Bond.
"I think it shows the federal government's commitment to supporting training across the country," she said. "I understand their approach in terms of wanting to talk about that."
Bond is relatively new to the provincial jobs' file, having taken over as minister last month in Premier Christy Clark's post-election cabinet shuffle. She's got a new federal counterpart as well as Prime Minister Stephen Harper has tasked Jason Kenney with leading the newly created Ministry of Employment and Social Development.
Bond said provincial ministers have had a good working relationship with Kenney in the past on other files and she's looking forward to working with him on the jobs front.
"I'm confident he's aware of British Columbia's circumstances," Bond said. "We're facing a million job openings by 2020 and every day in my office - and I've only been in the office for a few weeks - we have companies that are literally lining up wanting to invest in British Columbia."
