Brenda Bailey, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation, has issued the following statement about the release of Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey for January 2023:

Wood product manufacturers throughout the province will benefit from a new program to provide dedicated access to timber and accelerate the growth of value-added manufacturing, supporting innovation and creating jobs.

The B.C. government and Blueberry River First Nations have reached a historic agreement that will guide them forward in a partnership approach to land, water and resource stewardship that ensures Blueberry River members can meaningfully exercise their Treaty 8 rights, and provide stability and predictability for industry in the region.

The StrongerBC Economic Plan is delivering support for people in rural British Columbia through a new fund that will diversify local economies, promote value-added innovation in the forestry sector and create thousands of good-paying jobs for British Columbians.  

The Province is supporting the growth of an Indigenous-led forest bioeconomy with new funding for First Nations to develop innovative forest-based products that will reduce the use of petrochemicals and store carbon for the long term.

More employment opportunities are underway for contractors and forestry workers throughout rural B.C. under the Province’s Forest Employment Program (FEP).