
In part of the Province’s StrongerBC Economic Plan, the ETSI-BC Forest Impact Recovery (FIR) program received a part of the $185-million support package from the Province of B.C.’s Rural Business and Community Recovery Initiative. $1.3 million has been approved to support 19 Recovery Advisor Positions within the Southern Interior of B.C.
The program intends to support rural communities in the Southern Interior of B.C. that are continually met with changes in the forest sector employment. This applies to communities with populations fewer than 25,000 and non-profit business support organizations helping those communities.
Among the 17 host organizations, Community Futures Thompson Country (CFTC) is one of the five Community Futures offices to receive funding. CFTC’s new program advisor will focus on communities with significant wildfire seasons, recent mill closures or curtailments, declining fibre supply, pine beetle infestations, caribou habitat protection, and loss of forest sector employers.