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VICTORIA – A program designed to help older forest workers transition to retirement is opening new opportunities for forest-dependent families, said Blair Lekstrom, Minister of Community Development.
More than 1,000 letters are already in the mail to forest workers, confirming a payment up to $60,000, to help them transition to retirement. The funds are being made available through the Community Development Trust’s $85.5-million Transition Assistance program, announced as part of a larger suite of supports in May of this year.
“We are pleased to be able to help so many people in the forest sector through the Community Development Trust programs,” said Lekstrom. “Our team engaged more than 30 representatives from unions, industry, non-profit organizations and government when designing the Transition Assistance program criteria. Clearly, these consultations have helped open this program to as many forest workers as possible.”
The Transition Assistance program is designed to help those age 55 or older move towards retirement, while opening new opportunities for junior forest workers.
“This program has helped our members and other forest workers in the north make the early transition to retirement possible, and in the process created job opportunities for others that faced lay-offs over the last year in those operations,” said Frank Everitt, president of the United Steelworkers Local 1-424.
More than 2,250 applications were received for the first round of funding. Due to the volume of applicants, the review of applications is still ongoing.
Those applicants who have not yet received notification of the status of their application will be getting a letter within the next two weeks. At this point in time, it is anticipated that approximately 10 per cent of applicants will not meet the criteria. Those who did not will be eligible for a reconsideration of their application. In addition, it is anticipated there will be a future opportunity to apply for transition assistance in 2009.
The $129-million Community Development Trust was established with federal funding earlier this year to help forest families, communities and companies with the downturn in the industry. The Community Development Trust also includes a $17.25-million Tuition Assistance program and $26.25-million Job Opportunities program. More than 5,000 forest workers in communities across the province will benefit from programs and services made available by the trust over three years.
For more information on the
Community Development Trust, visit www.cd.gov.bc.ca/cdt/.
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Ministry of Community Development 250 387-4089 |
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