Newly-minted Premier Christy Clark made Prince George her first official stop outside of Victoria on Friday, helping to celebrate a blue-ribbon opening of UNBC's $22-million bioenergy heating project.
Clark said she purposely chose to visit Prince George less than 96 hours after being sworn in as premier to communicate a message that helps those in Southern B.C. understand how important the northern and rural economy is to the province.
"This is the bread basket of British Columbia. This is where our economy is built. And I think it's crucially important -- and it's the job of any premier -- to be a champion for rural and Northern British Columbia," said Clark to large applause from the crowd of business, community and academic leaders.
During her leadership campaign, Clark said continuing to develop Northern B.C.'s economy would be a priority.
On Friday, in an interview following the ceremony, she said among her priorities is the continued development of the northern gateway corridor, which includes the Port of Prince Rupert and Prince George.
She said her administration is also examining to move government services outside of Victoria, ensuring there are boots on the ground in the regions.
Asked about the promised wood innovation centre in downtown Prince George, Clark said she was confident the project would be moving ahead quickly.
UNBC received $15.7 million for the federal and provincial government for its biomass gasification system, designed by B.C. company Nexterra. It received another $5 million from both governments for upgrades to the campus' heating equipment.
The project has direct benefits for the university, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of that produced by 1,000 cars. But the project is also meant as a showcase of the B.C. homegrown technology, as well as providing a platform for research and instruction at the university. The plant has a lab built into its structure.
Recently, the bioenergy project won UNBC a top award for sustainability projects in North America, an award it shared with Harvard University.
Clark stressed the project provided a perfect example of the potential of the forest sector where the homegrown companies create jobs in B.C. by exporting technology throughout the world.
Vancouver-based Nexterra -- which had some of the components for the UNBC facility built in Prince George -- recently opened up offices in the United States. (see sidebar)
Wood waste from Lakeland Mills in Prince George is being used to fire the bioenergy plant. The wood waste is turned into a gas before it's used to fire boilers that produce hot water to heat UNBC. High-tech pollution technology called an electrostatic precipitator reduces the air pollution emissions to that of clean-burning natural gas.
Sinclar Group president Greg Stewart, whose family company is the parent of Lakeland Mills, said he's proud to be a part of a project that will play a role in the emerging bioenergy sector.
"At this facility, we really have an opportunity to take a leadership role in the evolution of bioenergy," he said.
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B.C.-based Nexterra plans to use the UNBC bioenergy heating facility as a showcase to market its technology to the world.
The Vancouver-based company recently opened up offices in Philadelphia and Atlanta. It's technology is being used in a heating facility for a U.S. Department of Energy Lab in Oakrdige, Tenn., and at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.
Nexterra president and CEO Jonathon Rhone said the company will be able to use the UNBC facility to show the capabilities of its technology. The university sector in North America wants to go green, noted Rhone.
Nexterra has about 70 direct employees in British Columbia, at its headquarters in Vancouver and at production facility in Kamloops. However, the company creates hundreds of jobs in its production supply chain in B.C., said Rhone.
