New Centre to Expand Wood Product R&D

February 19, 2008

The University of Northern British Columbia is welcoming news contained in the British Columbia budget that the Province will be increasing funding to post-secondary education by $228 million in the 2009-10 fiscal year.

“We’re anxious to work with the Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development to identify what the specific implications are for UNBC, but it’s a very positive move to invest in post-secondary education at a time of economic challenge,” says Interim UNBC President Charles Jago. “An increase in operating funds and the funding available for capital infrastructure is vital if UNBC is to continue to provide quality education and research.”

Prior to the presentation of the BC budget, Lieutenant-Governor Steven Point outlined the Government’s priorities in the Throne Speech. This included the creation of a new Wood Innovation and Design Centre that would be affiliated with UNBC and focus on applying research and teaching to the development of new wood products.

“This is an exciting development that flows from discussion at the recent Northern Economic Summit,” says Dr. Jago. “It was at the Summit where we talked about this region as a knowledge-based, resource economy connected to the world. Expanding our own capacity for research and deliberately applying research to regional economic development is vital to realizing this vision. It is in developing and creating a full range of forest products where R&D can have a tremendous effect on the economic competitiveness of northern communities.”

UNBC will be working with the Government of BC to refine the vision for the Wood Innovation and Design Centre. UNBC had previously advanced proposals to establish a forest products and bioenergy innovation centre that would include an increased capacity for teaching and research.

Contact:
Rob van Adrichem, Director of Media and Public Relations, UNBC – 250.960.5622