The Canadian economy gained $9 billion from the British Columbia natural gas industry.
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18 February 2010
Canadian economy gained $9 billion from British Columbia’s natural gas industry
New figures show that British Columbia’s natural gas industry is worth $9 billion to the provincial GDP and accounts for almost five per cent of employment.
IHS Global Insight reviewed data for the 2006-2008 period and found that the natural gas sector, including exploration, pipeline construction, gas processing and home delivery, accounted for 3.5 per cent of Canadian jobs and 6.7 per cent of the national GDP.
In 2008, the sector's total Canadian economic value topped $106 billion including $73 billion in value added from direct activities.
In British Columba alone, the natural gas industry in 2008 accounted for 44,000 direct jobs and 67,000 indirect and induced jobs, second to Alberta.
The report was commissioned by a North American gas industry lobby group, America's Natural Gas Alliance, of which Calgary-based EnCana Corp. is the leading member. EnCana is the largest natural gas company in British Columbia.
British Columbia is a popular destination for migrants due to the availability of jobs and the affordable lifestyle, in 2008 some 43,992 migrants settled in the province. Many migrants working in Canada are skilled tradespeople, health workers, engineering or other professionals.
The Canadian Visa Bureau is an independent consulting company specialising in helping people with their Canadian Visa applications to the Canadian High Commission.
