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PORT CLEMENTS – Four forest workers will improve the local landfill, thanks to $22,700 from the Community Development Trust’s Job Opportunities Program, Forests and Range Minister Pat Bell and Community Development Minister Kevin Krueger announced.
“The Job Opportunities Program is part of the Province’s comprehensive strategy to address the needs of workers, their families and communities being impacted by the current state of the forest industry,” said Krueger. “Our government wants to encourage forest-dependent communities to continue identifying projects that will qualify, and submit project proposals.”
Forest workers will repair fences to protect Port Clements landfill site from high winds that scatter debris, will construct three 2.4-metre x 3.0-metre (8-foot x 10-foot) storage sheds and de-valve propane cylinders. The funding that the Job Opportunities Program is providing is significantly dedicated to forest worker wages with the regional district funding all operating costs including materials and equipment.
“This is the second Job Opportunities Program project for Haida Gwaii,” said Bell. “Earlier this year we were able to provide $262,483 to employ 12 forest workers on silvicultural activities.”
The $26.25-million Job Opportunities Program is reducing the impact of current layoffs on workers employed in the forest industry, retaining skilled forest workers for the anticipated future upturn, and preserving the characteristics of the labour force in forest-dependent communities.
Forest-dependent communities or organizations, licensees and contractors working in cooperation with a forest-dependent community are eligible to submit a project proposal to the Job Opportunities Program. To date, the program has approved over $16 million to support 93 projects which will employ more than 750 forest workers in communities across the province.
The Job Opportunities Program is one component of the Community Development Trust, which was announced last spring. B.C.’s share of the federal trust is $129 million over three years, with funds also directed to a tuition assistance program and the Transition Assistance for Older Workers Program.
In the 2009-2010 budget, the Province committed an additional $30 million for further programs similar to those offered under the Community Development Trust.
For more information about the Community Development Trust and Job Opportunities Program, go to: www.cd.gov.bc.ca/cdt/
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contact: |
Public Affairs Officer Ministry of Forests and Range 250 387-4592 |
Public Affairs Officer Ministry of Community Development 250 387-4089 |
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