The Government of British Columbia is working with the federal government to improve the future job market in the province.

MaryAnn Mihychuk, Canadian Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, and Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Responsible for Labour in B.C., were part of a roundtable discussion Thursday morning.

They met with industry, labour and Indigenous community representatives to discuss how to get Canadians on-track for job training that will stand up to the market in B.C.

"Canada, including B.C., is blessed with a richly diverse economy, which has evolved into a mix of traditional and new sectors, from forestry, minerals and the emerging liquefied natural gas export sector, to manufacturing, agrifood and seafood production, technology, creative sectors and tourism,” said the ministers, in a statement. "We will continue efforts to develop and attract skilled labour to British Columbia's emerging energy export industry which has the potential to generate billions of dollars of investment, create thousands of jobs and strengthen Canada's global reputation as an energy leader.

In the future, they said the federal government will work with employers, unions, communities, Indigenous people, educators, and others, in B.C.

They will also look for ways to address barriers faced by youth and Indigenous people in B.C. and encourage more employers to invest in skills training.

According to the ministers, they are working on a wide range of areas, including increasing education and training for Idiginous people, and those under-represented, pumping up youth employment strategies, gather better data on the labour market in the province, and others.

"B.C. is expecting almost one million job openings in the next decade. Many sectors in British Columbia face a near and medium-term shortage of skilled labour,” said the ministers. “We are committed to providing Canadians with the skills and tools so that they are first in line for job opportunities within British Columbia's diverse economy.

"Throughout B.C. and other regions in Canada, we have heard from sector stakeholders and industry partners the critical importance of labour demand and supply. We will continue to work together to support workforce development in B.C. and Canada, and we look forward to the positive impact this will have on our economic future."