Short-term employment opportunities on northern Vancouver Island have kept forest workers affected by changes in the sector employed under the government's Forest Employment Program (FEP).

Short-term employment opportunities on northern Vancouver Island have kept forest workers affected by changes in the sector employed under the government's Forest Employment Program (FEP).

The FEP provides short-term employment opportunities for forestry contractors and workers affected by mill curtailments, old-growth deferrals, and other forestry-sector impacts.

Projects, often involving Indigenous partnerships, include funding upgrades to forest service roads, range infrastructure, recreational trails, community access and wildfire mitigation.

The projects are part of $185 million over three years from Budget 2022 to provide coordinated and comprehensive supports for forestry workers, industry, communities, and First Nations that may be affected by new restrictions on old-growth logging.

On the northern part of Vancouver Island there were 20 FEP projects approved in 2021-22, totaling more than $1.3 million.

Projects included the assessment, deconstruction, and rehabilitation of the McNair Lake Dam in Campbell River, along with several sections of guardrail installation.

Since its creation in 2019, FEP has distributed $30 million, which have supported 317 projects and created more than 840 short-term jobs.