SNCIRE
NEWS RELEASE
September 16, 2009
For immediate release
Silviculture crews return to the woods in the Kalum Forest District.
The Skeena-Nass Center for Innovation in Resource Economics (SNCIRE) is happy to announce that
twenty-four silviculture workers have returned to the woods in the Kalum Forest District. SNCIRE is
implementing a $2.2 million program that will provide for over 900 hectares of silviculture treatments and
create over 6000 person-days of employment in 2009 and 2010.
“These funds are providedby the federal and provincial governments through the Job Opportunities
Program. It is great that we are able to keep these skilled workers in our communities while we work our
way out of these hard times”, said Jack Talstra, Chair of the SNCIRE Board. “This temporary measure will
provide value not only in terms of employment and retaining skilled workers, but also by adding value to
the forests in our region –forests that will ultimately be part of the solution for our regional economy.”
“I’m pleased to announce our Government’s support for the Skeena-Nass Center for Innovation in
Resource Economics’ stand tending project,” said the Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of International
Trade, Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway and Member of Parliament for Okanagan –Coquihalla.
“Investments such as this are creating and protecting jobs, supporting Canadians who have lost their
jobs, helping threatened industries, and laying the foundations for our future prosperity.”
The Job Opportunities Program is supporting the needs of resource workers while assisting communities
in the Skeena region to improve the health of their forest region,” said Bill Bennett, Minister of Community
and Rural Development. “It’s one of the ways the Province is taking action to support resourcedependent
communities at a time when every job counts.”
The work that is being carried out includes thinning of dense second growth, and pruning of thinned
stands. The workers are in the Big Cedar River valley north of Kitsumkalum Lake, and these will be
followed by areas just east of Kitimat, BC.
Rick Brouwer RPF, who is the Acting Executive Director of SNCIRE, says “Every job will help: there is no
shortage of unemployed workers, and we get more people coming in to fill out applications every week.
“The long-term solution is that we need to break the boom-and-bust cycle that has been repeated in the
northwest for decades. It is SNCIRE’s vision to see a new natural resource economy created for the
Skeena-Nass region. This will not be easy, and there will be many challenges along the way; however,
when we get there we will finally have a truly sustainable economy.”
The Job Opportunities Program, however, is about the needs of today, and the silviculture workers that
went into the woods today are grateful for the jobs that have resulted from this provincially and federallyfunded
program. – end – For more information on SNCIRE:
Rick Brouwer, RPF, Acting Executive Director
250-638-1006
email at rick.brouwer@sncire.ca .
Background information attached
