B.C.’s Finance minister seems to be ruling out any new funding targeted at this province’s ailing forest sector.

Carole James says everyone is sending their sympathies to the workers, their families, and communities hard hit by sawmill closures, curtailments, and cut backs.

But James says this bad news has been expected for a while and her government has done its best to prepare.

“I think it is frustrating certainly that we didn’t see any action being taken when those warnings came at least ten years ago. But we have put additional dollars in this budget. People will know when I tabled the budget in February we put additional dollars in for wildfire prevention activities. That is certainly going to provide some short term work and some short term support for workers.”

As for any new monies James says they are looking to Ottawa.

“We are talking with the federal government about making sure supports are in place as well for communities and to secure more funds for employment programs. It is also important to us that we work together with the forest companies, First Nations, with communities, and with labour to look at the challenges and how we get more value from the forest industry.”

She also ruled out trying to bring down high stumpage fees saying that could trigger retaliation from the Americans in the ongoing softwood lumber dispute.