Vancouver, BC - The BC Progress Board released its 2006 Interim Benchmarking Report today, reporting recent progress on indicators relevant to the province's economy, innovation, education, environment, health and social performance. The report reflects final outcome data, usually for 2005. This year's interim report also includes special topic inserts on BC regional economic performance and apprenticeship registration and completion.

"BC's economy continued to outpace the national average growth rate in 2005 for the fourth year running", stated David Black, Chair of the BC Progress Board and President of Victoria-based Black Press Ltd. "Continued evidence that all regions of the province are on a solid growth track is also encouraging", Black noted. "Since we began our benchmarking work five years ago, BC's economy, innovation and education performance relative to other provinces has improved from a middling to weak position in 2001 across this spectrum of measurement to a strong to middling position in 2005," Black added.

British Columbia's rate of economic growth (real GDP) per capita remained at 3rd place in Canada in 2005, unchanged from 2004. After-tax income levels per capita remained unchanged in 3rd place in 2005, while the Board's jobs measure - the employment rate (ages 15-64) - placed 5th in Canada, unchanged from 2004. Importantly, on a year-over-year basis BC led the country in job growth in 2005.

The Interim Report also contains a special topic overview confirming the continued recovery of the province's regional economies (defined as those areas of the province outside the Greater Vancouver, Capital, and Fraser Valley Regional Districts). During 2005, annual growth rates for population, employment, housing starts, and business incorporations in Regional BC as a whole continued to outpace those in the large metropolitan areas.

Turning to the report's findings on environment, health, and society core targets, BC continues to rank 1st in the country on the Progress Board's environmental quality index (2003), 1st on the Progress Board's composite health outcomes index (2003-2005), and is tied for 9th place on the composite social condition index (2003-2005).

"BC's environment and health outcomes are strong relative to other provinces overall as they have been since we began benchmarking five years ago", stated Tim McEwan, Executive Director of the Progress Board. "Though there is modest improvement in social condition, we are concerned with BC's overall rankings on low income incidence, personal and property crime, and long term unemployment relative to other provinces", McEwan continued. "The Progress Board has commissioned work to review BC's underperformance in these areas, and our findings will be complete by this fall", McEwan concluded.

The Interim Report also includes a special topic overview of apprenticeship registrations and completions.

"Government has taken steps to boost apprenticeship - tax incentives, new programs, and greater flexibility in training. With the economic recovery underway, BC needs to move forward aggressively to improve access to, and participation in, apprenticeship training. The acute need evident around the province for skilled trades people requires ongoing focus by government, business, educational institutions and other interested parties", David Black noted. "Looming demographic change and the demands of a hot economy also mean that BC's need for more skilled trades people will continue over the balance of the decade and into the next", Black added. "Meeting our needs will mean training more apprentices in BC and stepping up efforts to attract skilled workers from other provinces and countries", Black concluded.

The BC Progress Board, established by Premier Gordon Campbell in July 2001, is an independent Panel of 18 senior business and academic leaders. The Board's mandate is to competitively benchmark BC's progress over time and relative to other jurisdictions. The Progress Board also provides advice on ways to improve provincial performance.

Contact:

Tim McEwan Executive Director B.C. Progress Board 604 775-1664