New funding for six wood-product manufacturers and two fabricated-metal manufacturers will create and protect hundreds of resource-sector jobs for people and strengthen B.C.’s value-added wood sector and local economies.

The Government of British Columbia is investing $7.8 million to promote the use of B.C. wood overseas, advance wood building systems and products, and expand global markets.

Up to 52 British Columbians from Prince George, Fort St. James and Kelowna are getting the training they need to become cooks and professional log truck operators, thanks to a federal-provincial partnership under the Canada-B.C. Job Fund Agreement.

School District 57 will receive $30,000 in funding for the Youth Work in Trades program to boost trades training for young people.

To ensure that the forest industry has the skilled workforce it needs in the future, the Province has partnered with the B.C. Forest Safety Council (BCFSC) and the Council of Forest Industries (COFI) on two new Forest Workforce projects that will support the recruitment, identification and skills assessment of qualified workers.

Trades students at the College of New Caledonia (CNC) will benefit from provincial funding of $4.3 million for skills training in high-priority trades seats.