The B.C. government unveiled a $550,000 program aimed at attracting workers to the silvicultural sector on Thursday.
Jobs, Tourism and Innovation Minister Pat Bell announced the three-year program at the Western Silvicultural Contractors' Association AGM in Kamloops, as part of the B.C. jobs plan.
"The opportunities of short-term employment aren't as attractive as they once were," Bell said. "... It's partially a demographic issue and partially a competition issue."
With Canada's aging population, there is fewer young people interested in summer employment doing hard physical work like treeplanting, surveying, plantation brushing, cone picking and site preparation, Bell said.
The industry also has competition from within the forestry sector, oil and gas and wood manufacturing areas which are offering full-time employment, he added.
The B.C. Silviculture Sector Labour Market Strategy will develop strategies to attract people into the essential sector of the B.C. forest industry, Bell said.
"In the forestry industry we have legal obligations to replant within two years," Bell said. "I think it's essential to maintaining our competitiveness that we continue to manage our forests sustainably."
The Western Silvicultural Contractors' Association will be the lead agency in developing the strategy.
Association president John Lawrence said the funding will help develop a recruitment strategy focused on the key demographics who provide the industry's workers.
"Silviculture activities are physically and technically demanding as well as highly seasonal, and this presents special challenges for both employers and employees," Lawrence said.
The silviculture industry employs an average of 10,000 seasonal workers in B.C. each year and generates $500 million in economic activity in Western Canada.
Spokespeople from Prince George-based silvicultural firms Celtic Reforestation Services Ltd. and Seneca Enterprises were not available for comment as of press time.
