UNITED WAY – ‘As winter and the holiday season approaches, food, heating, clothing and mental health will be a growing concern for those facing unemployment (in the forest industry)’

How bad are things in the forest industry?

Well earlier this morning I posted a commentary entitled, ‘The time has come for the blaming to end, and a plan be put into motion. Let’s get the right people at the table, and together as a province turn this around’, Trevor Bolin

Now I find that even the United Way in BC, is calling on the government to assist communities being hit hard by mill shut-downs, closures, and shift reductions.

On July 19^th, Executive Directors, CEO’s, and COO’s from over half a dozen United Way agencies**, including the Board Chair for United Way in the Southern Interior, sent a letter to Premier John Horgan referencing the need for, “... supporting a social safety net for BC communities facing sawmill closures ...”.   

In it, they stated:

We are writing to strongly encourage the province of BC and the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development to provide additional social and community supports for those negatively impacted by the sawmill closures throughout BC. 

... the United Ways throughout British Columbia fund and support hundreds of not-for-profit agencies across BC .... when crisis hits communities whether from fire, flood, death, economic downturns or large workplace closures, it is these 

agencies that are left to manage the increased need. 

In Vavenby alone, nearly 200 jobs were lost due to the Canfor mill closure, the area's largest employer, which also substantially impacted the small rural communities in Clearwater, Barriere, Blue River and Vavenby ... as winter and the holiday season approaches, food, heating, clothing and mental health will be a growing concern for those facing unemployment.

Already the Clearwater Food Bank has seen a noticeable increase in clients 

We would encourage the province of BC and the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development to provide additional social and community supports in the form of a $200,000 investment into each community, total of 15 communities – $3,000,000, where a sawmill has been either reduced in its capacity, with plans for shutdown or shutdown permanently.

No wonder then that Liberals are endorsing the appeal, by the United Way, for the government to provide immediate social supports for displaced forestry workers.

“Forestry is in crisis and John Horgan is doing absolutely nothing to address job losses and the social impacts felt in communities devastated by mill closures,” stated BC Liberal Forestry Critic and Nechako Lakes MLA John Rustad.

“The United Way is asking for an initial investment of $3 million to provide immediate support to 15 communities and I believe the government has an obligation to act before we begin to see the situation worsen.”

**

Danalee Baker ... Executive Director, United Way Thompson/Nicola/Cariboo

Donna Brady Fields ... Executive Director, United Way East Kootenays

Mark Breslauer ... CEO, United Way Greater Victoria 

Jeff Calbick ... COO, United Way of the Lower Mainland

Dale Lawson ... Executive Director, Powell River & District

Signy Madden ... Executive Director, United Way Central and Northern Vancouver Island

Naomi McKimmie ... Executive Director, United Way Trail & District 

Sinéad Scanlon ... Board Chair, United Way Southern Interior

Roberta Squire ... CEO, United Way Northern BC