Premier Christy Clark issued the following statement in response to the federal government’s announcement of $867 million over the next three years for Canada’s forestry communities, workers and companies that may be adversely affected by the ongoing softwood lumber dispute with the U.S.:

The BC Wildfire Service is planning a controlled burn near the base of Mount Horetsky, approximately 39 kilometres northwest of Fort Babine. The burn will only take place if weather conditions permit and may begin as early as May 28, 2017.

Alkali Resource Management Ltd. and the Esketem’c First Nation, with the assistance of the BC Wildfire Service, plan to conduct a series of prescribed burns in the Mayfield Lake area between April 27 and May 15, 2017, weather conditions permitting.

The U.S. Department of Commerce announced that preliminary countervailing duties of nearly 20% will be applied to the majority of Canadian softwood lumber shipments entering the United States.

Acting on commitments under Strong Past, Bright Future: A Competitiveness Agenda for B.C.’s Forest Sector and the Value-added Sector Action Plan, a Wood Secretariat has been formed.

The Government of British Columbia is investing $7.7 million to promote the use of B.C. wood, advance wood building systems and products, and expand global markets.

The Province has awarded $110,000 to the Rocky Mountain Trench Natural Resource Society to help restore grasslands and forests in the East Kootenay and Columbia Valley.

Members of Lake Babine Nation will benefit from forestry skills training and traditional ecological knowledge development that helps advance Lake Babine’s participation in the forest sector, made possible through $210,000 in funding from the Province.

Students at Okanagan College will be encouraged to explore co-op opportunities to support their career ambitions.