The CAO in Merritt says the city is still waiting to learn if it will get any of a $69-million-dollar forest relief fund.

Scott Hildebrand says city staff and council made their voices heard at the UBCM convention last week, in a meeting with staff from the Forest Ministry, and says he thinks Merritt needs to be part of that fund.

“As everybody knows, we had Tolko close here. Our hope is that type of program would be retroactive. Aspen Planers is going through a tough time as well, we’re doing our best to try to support that. Among other companies and organizations in the area, contractors and other sawmills,” he says.

“We are hoping that we, nothing finalized yet, but I do feel that Merritt is deserving and needs to part of that fund in some way, shape or form.”

Hildebrand says he’s been talking to government staff in the past few days to try and get a sure answer on where the funding will be allocated.

The province reallocated $69 million dollars last month from the rural dividend program to aid communities that seen job losses in mills.