Minister welcomes Canterbury economic development strategy

Minister for Economic Development Steven Joyce has today welcomed a report which will provide the building blocks for a strong and vital economic future across the Canterbury region.

The ‘Canterbury Regional Economic Development Strategy’ identifies ways to attract, upskill and maintain skilled workers, and how to position the region for long term growth. The report was released this morning in a collaboration between the region’s 11 local authorities, with input from local iwi, the Canterbury Development Corporation, the Canterbury Employers Chamber of Commerce and the Committee for Canterbury.

"This is the right time to be looking beyond the post-earthquake rebuild to the broader economic future of Canterbury. I’m pleased to see local authorities working alongside local businesses on a plan for long-term sustainable growth," Mr Joyce says.

"Canterbury has the lowest unemployment rate in the country at 3.3 per cent, compared with 5.9 per cent nationally, but the region needs to make sure it continues to thrive after the rebuild has reached its peak," says Steven Joyce.

"This region has a strong can-do attitude. Many doubted we could collectively pull together a big enough workforce for the rebuild but we’ve done that and now we are committed to ensuring Canterbury remains the engine room of the South Island economy," says Mr Joyce.

"Government recently announced the development of a new ICT Graduate School in Christchurch, we’ve opened the Innovation Precinct in the CBD to support new and emerging businesses, and last week we opened the city’s Bus Interchange.

Around the region, water storage is being developed, fibre broadband is being laid, wireless broadband is being expanded, and roading links are being improved," Mr Joyce says.

"I've always said that Canterbury will emerge after the earthquakes as a stronger, economically vibrant, more resilient region. This strategy, executed well, will help ensure that future.

The Government looks forward to continuing to work with local industries and local authorities to make sure our collective vision for the future comes to pass.

A copy of the report can be found at http://www.ecan.govt.nz/CREDS later this morning.