By Veronica Beltran

help on the way

Province announces help for those in forestry industry

Sep 17, 2019 | 11:59 AM

PRINCE GEORGE–The province announced $69 million to fund a new series of measures aimed at supporting workers in the forestry industry today (Sept.17.)

The interior forestry industry has been reducing production in hopes to adjust to the end of the mountain beetle harvest and the devastating 2017 and 2018 wildfire seasons.

“The previous government knew that the end of mountain pine beetle harvest would disrupt the lives of forest workers, contractors and communities, but they did little to prepare for this inevitable transition,” said Premier John Horgan. “While the forest sector must reduce surplus milling capacity to remain competitive, it cannot do so at the expense of the workers, contractors and communities who built the industry. Our government will ensure that forest workers impacted by mill closures are supported.”

The measures include:

• $40 million to establish a new cost-shared, early retirement bridging program for older forest workers;
• $15 million to establish a new short-term forest employment program, focused on fire prevention and community resiliency projects;
• $12 million for workers to access skills training, and for employer and community grants for training;
• $2 million to establish a new job placement co-ordination office that will track the transition and employment of impacted forest workers on an individual basis; and
• Community support grants aimed at providing short-term assistance to communities more profoundly impacted by the closure of a major forest employer

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