March 9, 2009
The NDP have come out in opposition to the B.C.’s emerging bioenergy industry. The NDP have voted against support for this emerging sector and Bob Simpson, the NDP forestry critic, says that the industry doesn’t create enough jobs and shouldn’t be pursued.
- The NDP are wrong - bioenergy creates well-paying jobs in construction and operation of bioenergy facilities; it sustains jobs in forestry to supply the fibre; and it creates spin-off jobs in supporting industries like trucking and transportation.
- On top of the job benefits, clean, green bioenergy is a step towards B.C.’s plan to be energy self-sufficient by 2016.
- The NDP would rather go back to the failed mill bail-outs of the 1990s than find new ways to diversify and build B.C.’s forest industry.
- The BC Liberals believe bioenergy is a part of B.C.’s future, that’s why we’ve invested $35 million in support of the industry – support the NDP voted against.
The NDP's opposition to alternative energy is simply reckless. They have also opposed clean, green independent power projects that have created thousands of jobs in rural B.C.
