The British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) has opened the Waterfront Training Centre in Richmond, B.C. The new building is an important contribution to transportation safety, the association says.
The facility will train British Columbia port operations employees in a controlled environment, enabling the safe delivery of a diverse set of training programs at one single site. Through the training facility, the BCMEA will provide simultaneous training of several programs through exercises which resemble live operations. The initial development will allow for the delivery of training programs from various sectors including containers, “breakbulk” — which includes logs, lumber, pulp and steel — and bulk.
"I'm delighted to be here for the grand opening of this new training centre," said Lisa Raitt, minister of transport. "The BCMEA's training programs will make it possible for a safe and efficient workforce to be ready for the future — a workforce that will help Canada leverage international trade to build our country's economic prosperity."
As globalization increases the demand for Canada's natural resources, maritime shipping will play an even larger role to get these resources to global markets, Raitt said.
