By Matt Fetinko

Spin-off effects

What have been the trickle-down effects of a struggling forestry industry?

Aug 14, 2019 | 4:46 PM

PRINCE GEORGE — It’s been a long summer for the forestry industry. A string of closures, curtailments, and shifts cut, have made for tense times among all involved. But lost in the shuffle has been those businesses who rely on forestry workers.

CKPG has talked with multiple local businesses that work in the forestry sector to see how they have been affected but none wanted to speak publicly to avoid jeopardizing any existing and pending relationships. In those talks, an unnamed source did mention at least one competitor having to close it’s doors as a result of the closures and curtailments, leading to a potential transfer of contracts.

Northern Development Initiative Trust has put in a new incentive for secondary and tertiary businesses. Consulting rebates for small and medium sized businesses are available of up to 75 per cent, to a maximum of $15,000. These rebates are specifically targeted to industries outside the sector. The program is designed to help businesses recover the costs of third-party consulting projects that focus on ways to sustain businesses during the economic downturn in the forestry industry.