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Ministry of Community Services |
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NEW TOOL HELPS B.C. COMMUNITIES DEVELOP TIES
WITH ASIA |
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VANCOUVER – The Province and the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) have unveiled a new ‘how-to’ tool kit to support local governments in building twinning relationships, strengthen local economies and develop cultural ties with Asian communities.
“We know the Asia-Pacific region presents significant opportunities for British Columbia,” said Community Services Minister Ida Chong, as she helped introduce The BC Asia Tool Kit: Opening B.C. Communities to the World at the 2007 UBCM convention in Vancouver. “Local governments are in a unique position to capitalize on these opportunities and reach out across the Pacific. I want to thank UBCM for collaborating with us to produce this tool kit, which is a practical guide for municipalities to learn how to build, enhance and cultivate relationships that have the potential to provide substantial economic and cultural benefits.”
International twinning is a way of promoting development and forming relationships among local governments, businesses, education centres, organizations and individuals. The tool kit provides municipalities with advice on getting started, establishing arrangements, maximizing the potential of the agreements over time and measuring progress.
“B.C. municipalities have long embraced the concept of sister-city arrangements, and this tool kit will help communities ensure they realize the potential benefits twinning can offer,” said Economic Development Minister Colin Hansen. “B.C is committed to being recognized as North America’s capital for Asia-Pacific commerce and culture and twinning arrangements are another way we can help promote the diverse products and services that British Columbia offers and Asia demands.”
“The new tool kit provides a great opportunity to strengthen and build upon the 55 existing twinning relationships between B.C. local governments and Asia Pacific partners,” said UBCM president Brenda Binnie. “We encourage all UBCM members to consider the development opportunities that an Asia-Pacific twinning relationship may provide.”
Twinning is a key element in British Columbia’s Asia Pacific Initiative, a long-term strategy to diversify our
economic ties with the Asia-Pacific. The Province’s goal –
to position B.C. as the pre-eminent economic and cultural crossroads between
Asia and North America – could benefit the province by as much as $76 billion
in increased trade and 255,000 jobs by 2020.
The Twinning Tool Kit is available online at www.bcasiatwinnings.gov.bc.ca and includes profiles of existing partnerships with Asian communities.
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Ministry of Community Services 250 889-1295 (cell)
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Ministry of Economic Development 250 952-0152
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UBCM 604 647-7440
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For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca. |
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