Economy
There are a variety of ways people interact with and depend on the marine environment, and ways in which the environmental and economic values of the Canada's North Pacific Coast intersect.
The ocean is a major economic driver in BC. Activities that rely on marine environments contribute $11 billion to GDP and close to 170,000 person years of employment. This all amounts to between 7 and 8 per cent of the provincial economy. The most significant components of the ocean-based industries in order of economic contribution are: tourism and recreation, including boating, cruise ship tourism, ferry travelers, whale watching, etc. (33%); shipping and transportation (29%); seafood, which includes commercial fishing and aquaculture (12%); and others, including energy development and forestry.
Ensuring there is a sustainable marine economy for the benefit of the people and communities that rely on the waters of Canada's North Pacific Coast requires an integrated approach. The current project by project approach is inadequate for managing conflicts between users and does not take into account the cumulative impacts of the various activities on the systems that sustain them. This is especially important now as economic activity in these waters is expected to grow significantly over the next 10 years. About 25 ocean based projects are proposed, adding up to roughly $37 billion in potential investment and resulting short and long term jobs.
While not all of the projects will procede it is clear that a planning process that can consider each proposal with a view to its place on the Canada's North Pacific Coast as a whole, and how it will work with existing and other proposals is necessary.
To see maps of the many marine activities in B.C. waters, visit the Human Use pages of the Marine Atlas of Pacific Canada.
Sources:
1. GSGislason & Associates Ltd. (2007). Economic Contribution of the Oceans Sector in British Columbia. Vancouver, BC: Canada/BC Oceans Coordinating Committee;
2. MacConnachie, S., Hillier, J., & Butterfield, S. (2007). Marine Use Analysis of the Pacific North Coast Integrated Management Area.
