$4M Builds Driver Training Track at JIBC

August 10, 2009

MAPLE RIDGE - The federal and provincial governments are investing $4 million in a training track and support building at the Justice Institute of B.C.'s Maple Ridge campus that is the key component of the JI's Traffic Safety Centre of Excellence. The project will create up to 40 direct jobs.

Randy Kamp, MP for Pitt Meadow-Maple Ridge, along with Moira Stilwell, Minister of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development and Marc Dalton, MLA for Maple Ridge-Mission, made the announcement today.

"By working with the provincial government, we can restore confidence, stimulate local economies and put British Columbians back to work despite the global recession," said Kamp. "We're investing in colleges to help them improve the quality of their facilities so they can deliver the advanced knowledge and skills training that are vital to our economic recovery."

"This partnership is great news as we are extending the options for the students at JIBC," said Dalton. "This money will be used not only to ensure we are training more students in traffic safety, but it will also help create jobs, which is an excellent situation for the region."

This investment is part of the federal government's two-year, $2-billion plan to repair and expand research and educational facilities at Canadian post-secondary institutions. The Knowledge Infrastructure Program is helping to provide economic stimulus and promote employment by creating jobs for engineers, architects, trades people and technicians. In B.C. the federal government is providing up to 50 per cent of the cost of selected projects on a cost-share basis with the Province.

The $4-million project involves building a secure driver training track and a support building that will be used for emergency vehicle driver training programs for police and other public safety professionals.

"Partnering with the federal government allows us to invest in campuses all over B.C. to give students the best possible learning experience," said Stilwell. "By renovating and renewing buildings and campuses, we're creating jobs that will boost the region's economy now, and for the future."

This is one of 11 projects at public, post-secondary institutions across the province that will get started quickly thanks to a joint federal-provincial investment of $64.3 million. This project is also part of an overall $14-billion capital infrastructure program supported by the Province to create jobs and vital public infrastructure in every region of B.C.

"The JIBC's Traffic Safety Centre of Excellence provides programs that enhance the driving skills of police and other first responders and
emergency vehicle operators; produce better drivers, and reduce the number of collisions on our roadways," said Jack McGee, president of the Justice Institute of British Columbia. "It is an integral component of the education and training delivered by the institute that keeps B.C. a safe and healthy place to live."

Canada's Economic Action Plan sets out to stimulate the Canadian economy over the next two years and to improve our long-term competitiveness through $12 billion in new infrastructure investment, which includes the $2-billion Knowledge Infrastructure Program.

For more information on the provincial government's three-year job creation plan, visit www.gov.bc.ca/infrastructure. For more information about the Knowledge Infrastructure Program visit www.ic.gc.ca/knowledge-infrastructure.