| October 13, 2009 WILLIAMS LAKE - Cariboo workers will benefit from more than $500,000 in funding to carry out projects which are creating immediate employment through the Job Opportunities Program, Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett announced, on behalf of Bill Bennett, Minister of Community and Rural Development. "The Province is taking action to create as many jobs as possible in our region to help workers and their families through this time of economic upheaval," said Barnett. "This funding will not only provide an estimated 32 jobs to residents in the Cariboo-Chilcotin, it will also be put toward upgrading infrastructure, improving the environment, and providing skill-development opportunities for local workers." "These projects employ local residents to improve forest health, recreation facilities, and fuel management work," said Forests and Range Minister Pat Bell. "In addition to the employment and community upgrades, the maintenance of a skilled workforce in the Cariboo positions it to benefit from growing value-added exports to China and wood-first construction projects." Five funding recipients in and near Williams Lake, Anahim Lake and Alexis Creek will carry out recreation site and trail maintenance, silviculture treatments, stand cleaning and spacing and fence repair. The funding allocations are:
"This is great news for workers in the areas of Williams Lake, Alexis Creek and Anahim Lake," stated CRD chair Al Richmond. "These financial injections will not only provide some employment for displaced resource workers, but will also provide opportunities for these companies to undertake some important projects to help provide safer communities." The Job Opportunities Program was first announced in May 2008 as one component of the federally-funded $129-million Community Development Trust. In July 2009, the provincial government committed an additional $30 million towards the program, which the federal government is matching on a project-by-project basis through the Community Adjustment Fund. The Province of British Columbia's contribution to the Job Opportunities Program is part of its commitment to provide stability for workers and communities, maintain the workforce during the economic downturn and help British Columbians gain new skills to be successful in the future. For more information about the Job Opportunities Program, go to www.cd.gov.bc.ca/cdt/. -30- | |
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