RICHMOND –What do aerospace and life sciences have in common? They are both growing industries but are facing labour shortages. They are both are hot spots of innovation and growth in British Columbia. With over 200 companies, British Columbia has one of the largest aerospace clusters in Canada. BC’s life sciences sector is the fastest growing in Canada. It is estimated that by 2029 Canada will need more than 16,000 employees in biomanufacturing, including more than 3,400 bio-health workers in Metro Vancouver alone.
For that reason, government of Canada has announced $14.5 million in PacifiCan (Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada), funding for two projects with the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT).
The investment includes over $9.3 million through the Aerospace Regional Recovery Initiative and over $5.2 million through the Regional Innovation Ecosystems Program to help BCIT establish new training programs in the aerospace and life sciences sectors.
The B.C. aerospace industry is facing labour shortages, especially for employees working in maintenance, repair and overhaul. To address the industry’s need for skilled workers, BCIT is receiving over $9.3 million in funding to launch a new hands-on training program for gas turbine maintenance, repair and overhaul in the aerospace sector – the first of its kind in North America. This investment is expected to create 160 new jobs and generate an additional $360 million in revenue in British Columbia by 2027. The Government of B.C. and Canada are making a combined investment of $7.2 million to create a new B.C. National Biomanufacturing Training Centre (NBTC) at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT). The Province is investing $2 million for the NBTC, while the Government of Canada, through PacifiCan, is providing $5.2 million. BCIT will partner with the Canadian Alliance for Skills and Training in Life Sciences
