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Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development Ministry of Small Business, Technology and Economic Development |
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B.C. LEADS CANADA
WITH LABOUR MOBILITY BILL |
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VICTORIA – B.C. became the first province in Canada to introduce legislation to dismantle barriers to full labour mobility to all trades and professions today. This legislation supports the national Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT), improving opportunities for workers and employers, said Murray Coell, Minister of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development, and Ida Chong, Minister of Small Business, Technology and Economic Development.
“The provincial government is taking action now to ensure that British Columbians share in the opportunities created by unprecedented freedom of labour mobility throughout Canada,” said Chong. “It’s fitting to see B.C. take this first step – since Premier Gordon Campbell’s leadership proved essential to achieving labour mobility at the national level.”
“With the introduction of Bill 9, we are supporting a historic agreement on labour mobility between Canada’s first ministers and fulfilling British Columbia’s commitment to the Agreement on Internal Trade,” said Coell. “This legislation provides a solid foundation for our future success, ensuring we have the human resources B.C. will need in the coming decades.”
Bill 9 will allow a person certified
in any Canadian jurisdiction to be recognized and able to practise their
profession in any other Canadian jurisdiction, and is similar to legislation
being enacted or revised in other provinces. Under the
AIT, each province will
continue to be responsible for maintaining and monitoring the requirements that
are in place through provincial legislation for regulated occupations, such as
doctors, lawyers, engineers and certified trades.
B.C. has been a national leader in the move towards a labour mobility
accord, and has clearly demonstrated the mutual benefits of professional and
trades recognition through the Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement
(TILMA) in place between B.C. and Alberta, and the subsequent improved labour
mobility between the two provinces. Additionally, British Columbia’s pioneering
efforts with Alberta have helped to engage provincial regulatory agencies,
leading talks on best practices for qualification recognition.
British Columbia has long been a destination of choice for many Canadians, with many natural and economic benefits to residents. The new national AIT removes a long-standing barrier, and further enables B.C. to attract, and quickly employ, the skilled trades and professions needed in many sectors – especially important as retirements over the next 10 years are forecast to exceed the total number of students currently in the B.C. post-secondary system.
For more information, please visit www.aved.gov.bc.ca/labourmobility/.
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Public Affairs Officer Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development 250 356-7882 250 896-9704 (cell) |
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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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