The 16-97 Economic Alliance will focus on:

1. Improving the regional economy of north central BC by:
   1. Identifying competitive industry clusters (macro level);

Based on December 2007 research identifying industry clusters north central BC has potential competitive comparative opportunities, we know:

•                     Emerging clusters are: Health Sciences, Mining/ Oil & Gas
•                     Transforming clusters are: Wood product manufacturing, Transportation & logistics, Tourism
•                     Pre-clusters are: Technology
•                     Peforming clusters are: Logging
•                     Specialty clusters are: Bioenergy, Specialty products

1. Developing cluster strategies when necessary;
2. Planning for regional growth;
3. Supporting regional activities;
1. Enhancing economic development capabilities by:
   1. Developing extensive and intensive communications and collaboration skills;
   2. Developing expertise in monitoring the economic and industrial environment to identify trends and opportunities;
   3. Improving public understanding of regional economic issues and opportunities through communications programs, workshops and forums;
   4. Providing mechanisms for collaboration on projects, where more than one sub-region must participate in order to achieve successful implementation of a cluster strategy;
   5. Creating a pool of specialization with respect to regional industrial clusters;
   6. Enhancing economic development and leadership skills.
2. Through economic benchmarking, measure the changes in the area’s economy.  When data becomes available, quantitative performance goals (linked to growth strategies for selected clusters) will be set and performance will be evaluated.

          Please click the following link for 2008's Regional Benchmark or the Regional Economic Structure Reports