14 INVEST in BC 2 0 2 4 Official Publication of the BC Economic Development Association in special partnership with BCBusiness.
F
or most of its history, Canada
developed on the backs of primary
industries. And in the lesser
populated parts of the country,
trapping for furs, farming, fishing,
forestry and mining are still
important components of the
economy. But as the country has grown,
those natural resources no longer seem as
abundant as they once did.
There is still abundant opportunity
to add value to traditional extractive
industries, however, as countless ventures
are finding. The economic activity
generated by those sectors is often
underestimated.
"The manufacturing sector is closely
tied to the primary industries," says
David Munro, manufacturing consortium
manager for the western provinces with
Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium
(EMC). "In most cases primary industries
are considered manufacturers. For
example, primary sectors like mining,
forestry and farming remove, grow or
harvest products and convert them to raw
materials, which is manufacturing. These
materials are then used in more traditional
manufacturing operations.
"A more specific example is a mining
Often mistakenly characterized as a throwback, primary industries
play a vital role in fostering manufacturing in B.C.
BY JOANNE PETERS
ISTOCK/PHYNART
STUDIO
FROM PRIMARY TO
MANUFACTURING
