Election fever. Three jobs announcements in two days. There haven’t been that many in the last two months.
An Illinois-based provider of contact-centre solutions, Virtual-Agent Services (VAS), has established its 16th New Brunswick customer contact centre in the Village of Stanley, Human Resources Minister Dale Graham announced on Saturday, Aug. 12. The new facility is expected to create up to 50 jobs for local area residents within its first year of operation.
“This is a great day for Stanley,” Graham said. “Today’s announcement shows that our efforts to foster a competitive business environment in the province are producing more jobs. New Brunswick has enjoyed an extraordinary partnership with VAS, an award-winning international operation. We are proud to support this next step in its growth, and I know that it will be welcomed warmly into Stanley.”
Just so everyone knows, however; that VAS was attracted to New Brunswick under the previous government. I know because I escorted Bob Camastro, the VP, around the province. Now they have put 16 call centres and will employ 800 people in rural NB.
Congratulations to the government for exploiting the efforts of McKenna to bring in call centres in the 1990s.
My question is: what new industries have been developed since 1999? What new sectors have been nurtured? Pray tell.