BC Forests Minister Doug Donaldson says the government is making $69 million available for affected communities and workers impacted by the forestry crisis.
The government says most of the money – $40 million – will be to help workers near retirement transition out of the industry, while $15 million will be for things like fire mitigation work and ‘community resiliency projects’ in the affected communities.
Donaldson says the government waited to hear back from community response teams before announcing the funding today.
“Many of the mill closures permanently, the final dates have been in August and now in September and so what we wanted to make sure is that we tailored this program to the actual needs of the community by hearing and listening to what’s happening on the ground with workers.”
There will also be $12 million for workers to access skills training, and for employer and community grants for training, while $2 million will be used to establish a new job placement co-ordination office to track the transition of impacted forest workers on an individual basis.
Donaldson notes about about 3,000 workers could benefit from today’s funding announcement.
“Four permanent mill closures affecting approximately 700 workers. Thirteen indefinite mill closures in 13 different communities impacting approximately about 1,000 workers, and with temporary curtailments it’s impacting another 750 or so workers.”
Municipalities affected by permanent mill closures are eligible for an immediate $100,000 in funding, while those with indefinite closures can get $75,000 for community programs.
“We appreciate the Province recognizing these supportive measures needed for impacted workers as industry adapts to declining timber supply,” said Ray Ferris, the CEO of West Fraser, in a statement.
“This funding for workers’ support aligns with our efforts at West Fraser to ensure continuing employment and opportunity for our hard-working employees and their families as industry works together with government on longer-term solutions to our current challenges.”
Labour Minister Harry Bains too added that the funding is designed to prevent the ’emptying out’ of communities that are dependent on forestry.
“We all realize there is no quick fix for the forest industry,” he noted.
However, the BC Liberals though say that forestry workers who hope to keep working don’t have much to take away from the announcement today.
“There was nothing announced today to help the industry return to a healthy and competitive position,” said says BC Liberal Forestry Critic John Rustad. “High taxes and a refusal to make stumpage fees more consistent with current market values is pricing B.C. out of reach. It appears John Horgan and the NDP would rather focus on early retirement and getting people out of the forestry sector than taking meaningful action to help them succeed today.”
The Liberals also allege that the announcement today only focuses on Interior communities, while ignoring those on the coast like Surrey, Maple Ridge, and others on Vancouver Island also affected by mill closures and indefinite curtailments.
