HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia, enacts as follows:

1 The Industry Training Authority Act, S.B.C. 2003, c. 34, is amended by adding the following section:

Purposes of authority

2.1  The purposes of the authority are the following:

(a) to manage and support an industry training and apprenticeship system in British Columbia;

(b) to ensure that the industry training and apprenticeship system referred to in paragraph (a) meets the Province's need for skilled workers;

(c) to work with the government to achieve the government's objectives respecting the industry training and apprenticeship system referred to in paragraph (a);

(d) to promote industry training programs, including by encouraging employers and individuals to participate in those programs;

(e) other purposes the minister may prescribe.

2 Section 6 is amended

(a) in subsection (1) by striking out "satisfactory to the minister and, whenever required by the Minister of Finance," and substituting "satisfactory to the Minister of Finance and, whenever required by that minister,",

(b) in subsection (4) by striking out "the Minister of Finance" and substituting "the authority",

(c) by repealing subsections (5) and (6) and substituting the following:

(5) The authority must, on or before December 31 of each year, submit for approval by the minister a 3 year strategic plan that sets out the following in relation to the authority's next 3 fiscal years:

(a) how the authority proposes to advance each of the purposes referred to in section 2.1;

(b) the process the authority proposes to use to engage stakeholders to ensure that there are sufficient opportunities for stakeholders to provide to the authority advice and recommendations in relation to the strategic plan and the advancement of each of the purposes referred to in section 2.1;

(c) other matters the minister may require.

(5.1) The minister may require the authority to amend a strategic plan that is proposed or approved under subsection (5).

(5.2) In developing and implementing a strategic plan referred to in subsection (5), the authority must consult with

(a) industry stakeholders, and

(b) other stakeholders the minister may specify.

(6) The authority must submit to the minister, at the times specified by the minister and in a form approved by the minister,

(a) a report on the progress the authority has made in advancing each of the purposes referred to in section 2.1,

(b) a report on the progress the authority has made in carrying out the matters set out in a strategic plan approved under subsection (5), and

(c) other reports the minister may require. ,

(d) in subsection (7) by striking out "The financial statement referred to in subsection (6) (b) must be prepared" and substituting "The authority must prepare financial statements", and

(e) by repealing subsection (10) and substituting the following:

(10) Subject to section 7 (2), money received by the authority from any source may be retained by the authority to be used and dealt with for its purposes.

3 Section 12 (2) is amended by adding the following paragraph:

(a.1) prescribing other purposes of the authority; .

Commencement

4  This Act comes into force on the date of Royal Assent.

 
Explanatory Notes

SECTION 1: [Industry Training Authority Act, section 2.1] adds to the Act the purposes of the authority.

SECTION 2: [Industry Training Authority Act, section 6]

• provides that the authority's accounting system must be satisfactory to the Minister of Finance, instead of to the minister, consistent with similar provisions in more recent legislation, such as Part 4 of the Destination BC Corp. Act and Part 4.1 of the Transportation Investment Act;
• provides for auditors to be appointed by the authority, instead of by the Minister of Finance, consistent with similar provisions in more recent legislation, such as Part 4 of the Destination BC Corp. Act and Part 4.1 of the Transportation Investment Act;
• removes requirements that duplicate requirements under the Budget Transparency and Accountability Act;
• requires the authority to submit a 3 year strategic plan on or before December 31 of each year,
• authorizes the minister to require the authority to amend proposed or approved strategic plans,
• requires the authority to consult with industry stakeholders and other stakeholders in developing and implementing strategic plans,
• requires the authority to submit reports at the times specified by the minister, including reports respecting the progress made in advancing each of the purposes referred to in section 2.1 of the Act, as added by this Bill, and carrying out the matters set out in strategic plans approved under section 6 (5) of the Act, as enacted by this Bill;
• clarifies the authority's spending authority, consistent with similar provisions in more recent legislation, such as Part 4 of the Destination BC Corp. Act and Part 4.1 of the Transportation Investment Act.

SECTION 3: [Industry Training Authority Act, section 12] adds a regulation-making power to the section, consequential to the addition by this Bill of section 2.1 (e) to the Act.