One month after the initial announcement, the first round of support programs for forestry workers is now available through the provincial government.
The downturn of the forestry sector has been creating uncertainty in many Interior communities.
To support workers and communities, the government already allocated $69 million to fund forest worker support programs to help reduce the impact of job losses in communities and support community resilience, forest enhancement and wildfire prevention in the Interior.
Now, through a web portal, impacted workers, contractors and communities can access forest worker support programs online. The web portal includes the latest information and application details for the retirement bridging program, the forest employment program, community support grants, and training opportunities and funding.
Applications are now being accepted for the retirement bridging program. Mill workers who are employees of a forestry company in the B.C. Interior may be eligible to receive combined funding of up to $75,000, depending on their individual employment history and situation, to help in their transition to retirement.
Through the forest employment program, affected contractors in the Interior will be able to bid on short-term employment opportunity projects near communities directly impacted by a permanent or indefinite mill closure. Contracts for projects under the forest employment program will be administered through the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development regional offices using government procurement processes with a focus on impacted contractors and workers.
According to the Province, more projects will be added to this list in the coming weeks.
Work is also underway to open community-based job placement co-ordination offices in communities hardest hit by mill closures in the coming weeks: Fort St. James, Fort St. John, Mackenzie, 100 Mile House and Clearwater. Once open, those offices are to support impacted forest workers by assessing their individual needs and goals, connecting them to government programs and services, matching them with available industry jobs, and engaging with employers and unions.
The Province also stated that additional job placement and skills training programs will be announced in the next few weeks.