BC 2026 Budget moves to future-proof the economy, with opportunities to further advance energy transition and boost competitiveness
New Economy Canada welcomes provincial efforts to attract clean economy investment and train the skilled workforce needed to support it
Vancouver, Feb. 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Commitments in B.C.’s 2026 budget position the province to attract investments, narrow the skilled workforce gap and scale clean electricity to power long-term economic growth.
Highlights:
- $400M Strategic Investment Fund to co-invest and work collaboratively with the federal government will be critical to attracting investments and jobs to British Columbia.
- $283M of new funding for training a skilled workforce to fill new jobs, including those that will power the clean economy of the future.
- A reiteration of the key role a growing supply of clean electricity and infrastructure will play in driving nation-building economic growth, including BC Hydro’s capital plan, the 2024 and 2026 calls for power, and the announcement of a 2028 call for power.
Why this matters:
- The provincial strategic investment fund will work alongside federal investments to help meet B.C’s goal of attracting $200B in new private sector investments over the next decade.
- Closing the skilled workforce gap is essential for expanding infrastructure and economic development.
- The 2028 call for power shows the province is planning ahead, supporting jobs and supply chains while making sure there enough clean electricity for expected demand growth.
In response, Nancy Wright, Vice-President of New Economy Canada, said:
“This budget addresses current challenges while taking steps to position the province to capitalize on future opportunities. The Strategic Investment Fund gives British Columbia skin in the game as we compete for federal and private investments and make sure projects actually get built. With over $2 trillion invested globally in electrification and the energy transition last year, it’s critical that our development plans align with these investment trends.
While it is encouraging to see the government continue to apply a price on industrial carbon pollution, we encourage the government to recycle more of it into supporting energy transition solutions, and recommend continued engagement with the federal government to secure a border carbon adjustment.
With billions of investments coming into wind and solar projects, we need the skilled people to build them. A trained workforce is mission critical to delivering projects on time and on budget. New funding for skills training is welcome, and we recommend it be informed by a clean energy labour market strategy, so that B.C. has workers with the right skills, at the right time and in the right places.
By setting up the province to compete for clean economy investment and train the workers needed to support it, the budget moves towards building a future-proofed economy in B.C.”
New Economy Canada is a non-partisan initiative uniting over 60 companies, labour unions and Indigenous organizations, all committed to accelerating investment in Canada’s clean economy. Our members employ or represent over 410,000 workers and generate annual revenues of over $200 billion CAD. https://neweconomycanada.ca
Rebecca Spring New Economy Canada 647.338.6274 rebecca.spring@neweconomycanada.ca
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