As the provincial government looks to amend the province’s school curriculum to embrace information technology, the District of Kitimat is looking to make a name for itself in the technology sector too.
The District’s Economic Development Officer Rose Klukas joined the municipality’s IT person Paul Mitchell in attending the British Columbia technology summit held in Vancouver at the end of January.
Klukas says making the town tech friendly is a natural step.
“In many ways there is a natural link between the resource industries and technology. I decided to go and see if there are any connections that could translate into new businesses or jobs for Kitimat,” she said.
She added that ‘tech’ covers a lot of fields, from gaming to industry, health and many others.
“We are living in an age where computer technology is rapidly advancing, affecting all areas of the economy. We need to keep pace with these changes.”
She said there is precedence of tech companies working in smaller communities even if the larger companies are often based in urban centres.
“At this point I’m exploring the idea to see how it can fit in Kitimat. We are always keen on diversifying the economy. This is another potential way to add to our local economy.”
Klukas said she feels happy with how the trip to the summit went and she came away learning many new things.
“I learned a lot that I hope can translate into tangible results here in Kitimat. Even some new ideas I can share with the existing community,” she said.