2002/03 Annual Service Plan Report Ministry of Competition, Science and Enterprise

Ministry Goals, Objectives and Key Strategies

This section details Ministry's goals, objectives and supporting strategies the Ministry pursued in 2002/03, for each core business. The goals relate to developing a competitive investment climate, promoting economic growth and technology transfer. As such, they directly support the Ministry's vision of a thriving private sector economy, and the fastest growing technology industry in Canada.

Ministry Goals and Objectives

1. Establish a Competitive Investment Climate

This goal focuses on implementing strategies that will make British Columbia a more globally and regionally competitive investment location. Its objectives include:

• Cut regulations to business and forestry industry by one-third in three years;
• Eliminate subsidies to business;
• Become national leader in open and free trade;
• Improve physical and human infrastructure which supports growth; and
• Increased regional and sectoral economic development.

2. Promote Economic Growth

This goal focuses on developing promotional and marketing initiatives to let industry leaders and potential investors know that significant steps are being taken to make British Columbia a more competitive investment location, and to target marketing initiatives to specific sectors, including tourism and film production. The objectives include:

• Increase awareness of the New Era for British Columbia — "Open for Business"; and
• Market opportunities in British Columbia's strategic industries/sectors.

3. Innovation, Science and Technology Transfer

This goal focuses on science and technology innovation and transfer of that science and technology. This goal represents the Ministry's intention to facilitate technology commercialization, and to promote the adoption of new knowledge in existing and emerging industries. The objectives include:

• Rebuild the national and international competitiveness of British Columbia's science and technology base; and
• Promote technology investment, transfer and commercialization.

Links between Goals, Core Business Areas, Objectives and Strategies

The tables below identify the links between Ministry goals and corresponding objectives and strategies for each core business.

Goal #1: To Establish a Competitive Investment Climate

Core Business: Removing Barriers to Business
Objectives	Strategies
Cut regulations to business and forestry industry by one-third in three years.	• Oversee, measure and ensure results on the Government-wide regulatory reduction process and work with the Ministry of Forests on plan for forest regulation and reduction on a timely basis. • Work with tourism industry, communities and stakeholders, streamline process for permits and land access and use to ensure long-term sustainability. • Review fees and license policy to ensure efficiency and effectiveness. • Develop streamlined provincial permitting system for film locations.
Eliminate subsidies to business.	• Establish framework and principles for review. • Comprehensive cross Government review of all potential subsidy programs. • Promote individual ministry accountability for implementation. • Monitor implementation; provide ongoing policy advice on new proposed measures.
Become national leader in open and free trade.	• Fully comply with inter-provincial Agreement on Internal Trade. • Consult, identify and push to remove internal and international trade barriers. • Initiate discussions with Canadian jurisdictions on further actions to remove trade barriers.
Improve physical and human infrastructure which supports growth.	• With the Ministry of Community, Aboriginal and Women's Services, implement six-year, $800 million Canada-British Columbia Infrastructure Program. • Implement the Western Economic Partnership Agreement — includes institutional infrastructure for innovation and emerging sectors. • Seek approval to negotiate successor Western Economic Partnership Agreement with the Federal Government. • With the Ministry of Skills, Development and Labour and the Ministry of Advanced Education, develop a multi-year workforce planning strategy. • With the Ministry of Skills, Development and Labour, develop a multiyear youth employment strategy.

Core Business: Economic Policy and Strategic Advice
Objectives	Strategies
Increased regional and sectoral economic development.	• Ensure taxation, regulatory and labour policies are competitive. • Remove barriers to advancing key Government projects and initiatives. • Partner with private sector to leverage public benefits. • Provide advice to organizations and communities. • Ensure tourism interests are considered in northern and regional policy decisions.

Goal #2: To Promote Economic Growth

Core Business: Marketing and Investment
Objectives	Strategies
Increase awareness of the New Era for British Columbia — "Open for Business."	• Work with the private sector on strategies for "Branding British Columbia." • Work with Invest British Columbia and other internal and external partners to develop international marketing strategies and a comprehensive campaign targeted at priority markets and sectors. • Organize/support missions to priority markets. • Support incoming missions and delegations, principally by identifying appropriate British Columbia companies, technology and expertise.
Market opportunities in British Columbia's strategic industries/sectors.	• Identify, market and promote British Columbia enterprise and technologies. • Work with industry associations and organizations and governments on sectoral marketing initiatives, as well as initiatives that may cross sectors. • Link British Columbia companies to key companies from priority markets. • Develop a global marketing strategy to promote British Columbia to international tourism, film and television industries. • Work with financial community to ensure capital is available at all levels to support investment and growth.

Goal #3: Innovation, Science and Technology Transfer

Core Business: Encouraging Innovation and the Development and Transfer of New Knowledge
Objectives	Strategies
Rebuild the national and international competitiveness of British Columbia's science and technology base.	• Make British Columbia a magnet for attracting and retaining technology and science researchers. • Leverage public assets and create an economic climate that stimulates the growth of infrastructure and attracts strategic investments in science, technology and telecommunications. • Lead and coordinate interprovincial, national and international science, technology and telecommunications issues. • Consolidate and rationalize British Columbia Government science and technology activities. • Lead in bringing educational institutions and private sector together for research, development and commercialization.
Promote technology investment, transfer and commercialization.	• Encourage development of important new technologies. • Work with universities, entrepreneurs and venture capital markets to increase technology commercialization in British Columbia. • Promote adoption of new knowledge in existing and emerging industries.