Forests minister Doug Donaldson has requested help from the federal government to address layoffs and closures plaguing the B.C.’s forest industry.
Donaldson says he has written to the minister of natural resources to urge changes that would make it easier for laid-off forestry workers to collect their pensions or employment insurance benefits.
The forests minister says he has also spent hours on the phone discussing other aid options with federal officials.
He says B.C. wants an action plan to help the roughly 4000 workers in 16 communities where sawmills and pulp mills recently announced closures or shift curtailments.
Donaldson says the province has also requested an expansion of the Softwood Lumber Assistance Program.
