BC’s Forests Minister has written to the Federal Government asking for help in the wake of the province’s forestry crisis.

Doug Donaldson says Federal funding through various programs have helped support worker retraining and market diversification.

But he says the current situation is impacting each affected community differently and that more targeted interventions are needed.

“I think of Mackenzie where a third of their sawmill workers are over the age of 55 and some of those workers are seeking early retirement. We’re asking for support from the Federal government to bridge years between now and when they can collect their pensions,”he said on Radio NL.

“In other communities where the work is seasonal, workers are shy on Employment Insurance eligibility so we’re asking for some flexibility in those circumstances.”

With just over 3,900 employees impacted in 16 B.C. communities, Donaldson says he’s also asking the Feds to expand the Softwood Lumber Assistance Program.

“An impact that is really affecting mill closures and curtailments is the softwood lumber curtailments. Canada and the Federal Government is our main negotiator for that on behalf of the provinces,” he noted.

“I was just at the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers Conference where I was able to take advantage of the fact that senior federal government officials were there so we talked about the plight of B.C. [The Feds] are already undertaking actions we’ve asked for in the letter specifically that our Deputy Ministers will get together and create and action plan in a very expedited manner.”

Given the short timelines before the next Federal election and the immediate needs of workers and communities, Donaldson is hoping for a combined federal and provincial response to the forestry crisis in B.C.