National

$90M earmarked by B.C. for forest-dependent areas

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 17 Jan, 2023 04:06 PM

PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. - The British Columbia government is promising up to $90 million over three years to support new industrial and manufacturing projects in communities hurt by the downturn in the forestry industry.

Premier David Eby made the announcement in Prince George, where Canfor Pulp Products said last week it was closing the pulp line at its mill, eliminating 300 jobs by the end of the year.

Join Premier David Eby; Brenda Bailey, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation; Bruce Ralston, Minister of Forests; and others for an announcement about supporting workers and innovation in communities throughout British Columbia. https://t.co/kD1JwWK5px
— BC Government News (@BCGovNews) January 17, 2023

The program will take applications for support from all manufacturing sectors, but the government says the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund is aimed at areas experiencing economic impacts from changes in the forestry sector.

The funding could be used by a forestry company to buy new equipment to support new product lines, for example, or by a company that wants to build or expand a plastics-alternative manufacturing facility in a rural community.

The money is on top of $185 million in the current budget for supports to offset any economic impacts from the changing forestry industry.

In mandate letters to his ministers last year, Eby acknowledged that the province's forest sector has "never been under greater stress," and that change is needed to ensure the forest industry is sustainable.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Flu epidemic has begun as rates soar: PHAC

The agency's FluWatch report says Canada has now entered a flu epidemic, which is declared most years after the threshold of a 5 per cent positivity rate is surpassed. It says the week of Oct. 30 to Nov. 5 saw a test positivity rate of 11.7 per cent, compared to 6.3 per cent the previous week.

Flu epidemic has begun as rates soar: PHAC

Trudeau pledges cash for infrastructure, vaccines

It's the largest funding agreement the Liberals have made as part of their forthcoming Indo-Pacific strategy, and part of a G20 project meant to help low- and middle-income countries have safer and more sustainable cities.

Trudeau pledges cash for infrastructure, vaccines

Kids' medicine coming, but no detail on how much

Senior officials are answering questions at a House of Commons committee as hospitals and nervous parents with sick kids at home struggle to find children's Tylenol and Advil.

Kids' medicine coming, but no detail on how much

Bird flu fighters face unprecedented challenge

By some measures, the ongoing outbreaks of avian flu in British Columbia pale when compared to the devastating eruption of the disease in 2004 that prompted a cull of 17 million birds. But the enemy that farmers and scientists now face represents an unprecedented challenge, experts say.

Bird flu fighters face unprecedented challenge

Surrey, B.C., to keep RCMP as sole police force

Council voted 5-4 in favour of keeping the federal force, as Mayor Brenda Locke and the four councillors elected under her Surrey Connect banner made good on an election promise to end the transition to the Surrey Police Service.

Surrey, B.C., to keep RCMP as sole police force

New economic diversification program builds more resilient rural communities

The Government of B.C. is investing as much as $33 million in 2022-23 to create the Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program (REDIP), which will support projects that promote economic diversification, resilience, clean-growth opportunities and infrastructure development.