By Andrea Smith
Published: Jan. 18, 2014
Editor’s Note: Andrea Smith, an employment resource specialist, writes a weekly labour market report. She has agreed to share it with readers of the Squamish Reporter.
Woodfibre LNG Export Application Approved
Woodfibre LNG was one of four BC-based LNG projects to receive export approval yesterday. Canada’s National Energy Board (NEB) approved Woodfibre LNG’s application to export 2,100,000 tonnes of liquefied natural gas annually.
The Squamish-based project was also granted a 15% annual tolerance, and the ability to “roll over” any unutilized portion of their annual allotted LNG volume for exports in the subsequent five years. In all, this translates to 60,375,000 tonnes of LNG exported through Howe Sound over the 25 year export license.
The license remains subject to approval by the Governor in Council.
It is important to note that this license only allows Woodfibre to export natural gas; approval for the project in its entirety has yet to be granted. Woodfibre will not receive Environmental Assessment results until 2015.
In the meantime, public information and input sessions are open now and negotiations between the Squamish Nation, the DOS and Woodfibre are ongoing.
Sea To Sky Gondola Happenings
It’s been a busy couple of weeks for Squamish’s newest – and most anticipated – attraction. This past month has seen the installation of the gondola towers, as well as the hanging of the first gondolas. In addition, the company launched their highly interactive and easy to use new website which highlights the many adventures (views! hikes! climbing! biking! skiing!) accessible via the Gondola.
The Gondola has begun recruiting staff via Twitter and Facebook. Currently, On Call Lift Evacuators are being recruited- likely needed before the company can bring any other new hires up to the summit for training.
Anyone interested in employment opportunities with the Sea to Sky Gondola should keep an eye on the company’s social media feeds for postings, or might consider contacting Sue Dixon, the Operations Manager, directly.
Local Biz ‘On the Farm Market’ SBBC Semi-Finalist
Local favourite On the Farm Country Market has been announced as a semi-finalist in this year’s Small Business BC’s awards. Nominated in the ‘Best Community Impact’ category, On the Farm has brought an old garden centre back to life since opening in 2012.
Located in Garibaldi, On The Farm not only provides opportunities for community-based small businesses through their commitment to purchase local whenever possible, but it also offers a handful of businesses (including Cloudburst Café, the Locavore Food Truck, Toy Corral, Black Tusk Jerky, and more) a unique space to sell their wares. To learn more about the business, check out their Indiegogo campaign (which ended last month) and video – but be warned, it’s a tearjerker… SSBC will announce the finalists next month.
LinkedIn For Job Search, Research and More…
Trying to use LinkedIn to open doors to new job opportunities? Want to optimize your LinkedIn profile, but not sure how? Nicole Williams, LinkedIn’s Career Expert, offers 6 steps on how to update your profile to make it easier for hiring managers to reach out to you. Key tips include: developing a key word strategy- with tips on how to do it; taking an appropriate photo, and how to ask for and share connections.
Not sure how LinkedIn even works in the context of job searching? This helpful article discusses the ‘how’s & why’s’ of using the social media site, while highlighting an important truth: “you’ll need to connect with other human beings, off-line, usually to close the deal and land the job”. This article, titled 10 Ways to Use LinkedIn to Find a Job, discusses some great ways to use LinkedIn for research in your job search. Why not put some of the advice to work before your next informational interview?
Lastly, since LinkedIn charges a posting fee to companies advertising vacancies, consider turning to other social media sites (Facebook, Twitter) to look for vacancies and learn more about an organization. Twitter in particular can be a great “listening tool”, offering you insight on what is happening in a given company, or an industry at large – and can arm you with useful knowledge for your job search. Recently, Sea To Sky Gondola advertised vacancies on both their Twitter feed and Facebook page.
