B.C. Exports to China Growing

Tuesday, August 03, 2010 03:54 AM

Prince George, B.C.- Initiatives Prince George has made it’s case for continuing to work on increasing trade with China. In it’s monthly economic update, IPG notes that B.C. accounted for 24% of all Canadian exports to China in 2009.

The report also indicates the value of goods destined for China made up 10.1% of BC’s total exports last year, that’s an increase of 6.3% since 2005.

The growth in trade activity between BC and China has been steady over the last decade says the report, with the value of BC exports destined for the Chinese market increasing, on average, by 15.3% between 2000 and 2009 while BC’s total exports, to all countries, averaged a 3.0% decline annually over this same period.

Trade with China has played a significant role in the diversification of BC’s export markets, helping producers in the province

reduce their reliance on the United States. This is demonstrated clearly by the recent decision by Canfor to dedicate one sawmill ( Quesnel) to producing lumber strictly to Chinese specifications. Canfor has never before dedicated a mill’s output to one country.

IPG predicts that as natural resources dominate the exported commodities, resource-rich areas like Northern BC will be greatly impacted by the continued strengthening of BC’s trade relationship with China. IPG says continued efforts to build relationships with China will serve to strengthen BC’s trading position there.

Next month, Initiatives Prince George will lead another trade investment delegation to Shanghai and Xiamen. The delegation will be made up of business, education, tourism, and government leaders from across Northern BC. This delegation will promote trade and investment in Northern British Columbia in the areas of transportation & logistics, wood products, forestry and bioenergy, mining, tourism, education, research & development, as well as urban and industrial land development.

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Posted on Tuesday, August 03, 2010 03:54 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: Retired on August 3 2010 11:15 AM

And so are the imports.
Cheers

Posted by: Oldun on August 3 2010 3:22 PM

...and how much of that trade with China is raw logs?

Posted by: Palopu on August 3 2010 9:24 PM

One should keep in mind that all the Mills in BC's Northern Interior are owned by Canfor, West Fraser, Lakeland, Carrier Lumber, and Dunkely Lumber. This would be approx 30 or more lumber mills, and approx 10 Pulp Mills if you count Hinton.

In any event 90% of the lumber, pulp and paper produced in the Northern Interior is owned and sold by about 5 Companies.

If anyone beleives that these companies rely on IPG to sell their product, they are living in a dream world. These Companies are quite capable of producing and selling their own products. They have been doing it for 40 or 50 years.

In addition they own many sawmills and pulp mills in other parts of Canada and in the USA.

IPG is blowing smoke. They have no input whatsoever in where this lumber/pulp is sold, when it is sold, who it is sold to, or what price it is sold for.

These guys spend most of their time finding ways to convince us that they actually have a reason for being. Problem is they dont. If they shut down to-morrow they wouldnt be missed.

A couple of Canfors biggest customers in the USA is Home Depot, and Lowes. These are very good customers, and guess what. They buy Canfors product without any help from IPG. Why is that??? What about the Japanese? How do they manage to buy Canadian Lumber without the input from IPG.

Time to wake up and smell the roses. The day that West Fraser, or Canfor needs IPG to sell their products is the day that the lumber industry in BC is dead.

Posted by: Eagleone on August 4 2010 12:04 AM

I agree IPG is a waste of tax payer dollars. Ditto for the Downtown groups and tourism PG and every other group collecting tax dollars as a private society. The money should stay in house where its accountable to the real needs of the city and public oversight directly through our elected officials. I don't think IPG would be missed and the money would go a long way towards things like parks and good roads.

Posted by: Loki on August 4 2010 1:18 PM

"public oversight directly through our elected officials"?
rotflmao

"money towards parks and road"
even more rotflmao

Please share whatever rosy abuse substance with the rest of us that makes you think a reallocation of any public funds would go to practical matters. As I believe Palopu has stated, none of the "projects" around here get done unless there is a federal and or provincial handout. Which is still my and your tax dollars being peed on the wall.