Natural Resource Forum Looks for the Positives
Prince George, B.C.- The 13th edition of the Natural Resource Forum in Prince George is only a couple of weeks away and will be looking for the silver lining in the recent cloud that developed with news of lay offs at the Huckleberry Mine near Houston.
These are challenging times for some sectors of the resource industry as commodity prices slip and forestry faces a reduced timber supply.
Still, Forum host, Prince George-Mackenzie MLA Mike Morris is optimistic “Those are the facts of life, commodity prices are going up and down all the time, one of the positive aspects I see for the Forum and for British Columbia, is that we are diversified enough that when one sector is down, we’ve got another that’s kind of picking up the load a little bit.”
Morris says the Province is working with mining companies to see if there is anything that might be done to ease financial pressures in the short term. While discussions have been underway, there haven’t been any decisions made on any possible measures.
Right now we’re in a free for all with lumber in that there is no Softwood Lumber Agreement, I don’t see any loss in the forestry sector for this fiscal year, but next year could be a different story.”
Morris remains optimistic there will be final investment decisions on LNG projects in the not too distant future “That’s going to be a turning point, that’s going to be a brand new industry for British Columbia so there’s some good news there.” He also says technology and agricultural sectors that are “picking up slack while mining commodities are down, but it is problematic for us, it’s one of those facts of life that we here in British Columbia and right across Canada have to deal with, but I think we’re better positioned for it in B.C. just because of the fact that we have been so successful in diversifying the resource sector over the past decade.”
Morris knows there are many who are sceptical about LNG becoming a reality, but says the proposed projects could be a major boost “There’s a lot of steel involved in building these plants and pipelines. It may be insignificant in a global scenario, but in Canada it’s going to be good news because we are going to need more steel, more skilled workers. It’s a perfect storm that’s brewing in our favour.”
The Natural Resource Forum is set to get underway on the 19th at the Prince George Civic Centre. It attracts representatives from numerous resource sectors including energy, mining, forestry, natural gas, tourism and trapping. More than 800 delegates from First Nations and all levels of government are expected to attend. The three day event provides an opportunity to learn more about emerging issues and the plans for major projects in the year ahead.
Comments
Oh The sun’ll come out. Tomorrow So ya gotta hang on ‘Til tomorrow. Come what may. Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I love ya , cause you’re always a day away .
Hey, he’s a politician now, that means he has to say things that will keep the populace motivated and optimistic. An honest guy is our Mr. Morris, so the people say, I don’t know him, and it is his job to sustain the illusion that our provincial government is doing a good job.
The “perfect storm” comment is rather irritating though.
metalman.
The perfect storm ? Diversified ? What colour is the sky in little orphan christys world ?
What Mike is trying to say —Sunny days my friends is just around the corner.
Lumber is down this year to $246.00 per 1000fbm. I would say that is a hit for the lumber industry. There is some salvation in the fact that the Canadian dollar is low. This helps the lumber and pulp mill industry exporting to the USA. Furthermore when the price of lumber is below $300.00 per 1000fbm the 15% export tax is lifted. So the problems facing the Country as a whole, is at this point in time beneficial to the lumber industry. This of course will all change if we do not get a softwood lumber agreement with the USA.
If one ever paid any attention to what is handled by the Railways and trucking industries in this Country you would notice that most of the steel and pipe comes from Eastern Canada, or the USA. So not much happening in that area for this area.
We will (should) get some jobs building a LNG pipeline, and some work on the LNG Plants however most of the work on these plants will be done in Japan or China. BC does not have the experienced workers to build these plants. In any event it is probably a moot point because it looks like LNG is in trouble.
The LNG plants (if built) will use some electricity from Hydro, which is their excuse for building Site C. However we should keep in mind that the majority of the natural gas used comes from fracking, which releases methane into the atmosphere and thus will make these LNG Plants the biggest polluters in the Province.
Site C is the biggest con every perpetrated on anyone in BC for a very long time. I am absolutely amazed at the lack of knowledge surrounding the exploiting of natural gas, they pollution attached to it, and the lack of revenue that the Province will make because of it.
Site C and LNG are nothing more than a vain attempt by the Liberal Government to put something in place to get them re-elected.
The Hydro used for the LNG plants will be for auxiliary use only. The real power that is necessary to freeze the natural gas to a liquid so it can be shipped will be provided by turbines built by the LNG companies, who could also generate the electricity for their auxiliary use if they wanted to. Hydro wants to supply the auxiliary power, so that they can fabricate a need for Site C, and give the impression that these LNG sites are using **clean power**, when in fact they are polluting the Province and the planet.
As mentioned above Site C and LNG is nothing more than a mugs game.
Definition of a **Mugs Game**.
*A foolish, useless, or ill-advised venture*
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