Christy Clark's new focus on job creation and protection won't prevent BC Hydro layoffs, according to a spokesperson from the office of the premier.

The premier said yesterday that "she is focused on developing a jobs agenda, to be announced in September, that aims to unlock private sector job creation," according to an article in the Globe and Mail, which could mean undoing "job cuts in the so-called 'dirt ministries' -- energy, mines and forestry -- that issue permits, licenses and tenures," it said.

But this new focus on job creation doesn't mean BC Hydro will escape new cost-cutting measures recommended by a government review of the Crown corporation, which suggested cutting up to 1000 jobs.

As a result of the new cost-saving measures, including job cuts, a government statement said "the Province and BC Hydro have agreed to ask the [B.C. Utilities Commission] to lower the earlier proposed annual rate increase of 9.73 per cent a year for the next three years to the current interim eight per cent increase, followed by a 3.9 per cent increase for each of the following two years," a 50 per cent reduction to previously proposed rate increases.

But NDP Energy Critic John Horgan is dissatisfied with job cuts as a solution to future rate increases.

"Much of the staff increases have been as a result of B.C. Liberal policies. The need to have more engineers is to ensure that when we're tying private power into our grid that it's done safely, efficiently and up to a standard that's acceptable to the people of B.C.," said Horgan, referring to the requirement that BC Hydro purchase electricity from within the province.

Horgan was also concerned about the report's mention of communication staff. What the report called a high number of internal and external communications staff, Horgan said, could also include staff from Hydro programs like Power Smart, a program dedicated to encouraging energy conservation in B.C., not just "a room full of spin doctors."

He said there are other ways to reduce rate increases, and suggests scrapping the controversial smart meter program for one, which the government has said it's implementing to upgrade the transmission system.

The CBC reported last week that "BC Hydro CEO Dave Cobb said Thursday the Crown corporation could get by with cutting just 350 jobs -- not the 1,000 the government review recommended."

But Energy Minister Rich Coleman was quoted in a Globe and Mail article Tuesday as saying "I think the report was pretty clear that it should be 4,800 people -- I think we have to work to that." The report recommends reducing BC Hydro's staff of approximately 6,000 to a staff of 4,800.

"He plans to scapegoat a thousand employees for the skyrocketing electricity rates his government caused," said Horgan in a statement yesterday.

Spokespersons from the Ministry of Energy and BC Hydro could not be reached by posting time.

Ainslie Cruickshank is completing a practicum at The Tyee.