Forestry workers address forests crisis on Northern Vancouver Island

Concerned community members invited to forestry town hall meeting in Nanaimo on Wednesday, Mar. 6 and in Courtenay-Comox on Thursday, Mar. 7

VANCOUVER, March 5, 2013 /CNW/ - BC's unionized forestry workers are inviting concerned North Island citizens to two town hall meetings to discuss and find solutions to the ongoing crisis in BC forests. The community meetings will be held on Wednesday March 6 in Nanaimo and Thursday March 7 in Courtenay-Comox. The doors open at 6pm in both locations.

"The forest industry has been hard hit over the last decade by job losses, raw log exports, and the mountain pine beetle devastation. Over the last decade, viable mills were shut down while raw log exports grew dramatically," says Jim Britton, CEP Vice President for the Western Region. "People in forest communities understand it's not just about the direct jobs in the forest, or related milling and manufacturing jobs, it's also about the indirect jobs and benefits to local communities that come from forest workers."

"British Columbians deserve to know their forests are being managed sustainably and in the public interest—maintaining forest-sector jobs, while preserving ecosystems. But years of government staffing cuts, lack of inventory work and mismanagement have contributed to a real state of crisis in our forests including on Vancouver Island," says Britton. "We need to work together to demand that government invest in research, reforestation, and compliance and enforcement to ensure healthy forests today, and in the future."

Northern Vancouver Island community members attending either meeting will have an opportunity to hear from provincial and local forestry experts, and will be engaged in a dialogue about how we work together to draw attention the crisis and develop a community plan of action ahead of the May 14 provincial election.

Summary

• What: BC Forestry crisis town hall

• Where:
  Nanaimo: Coast Bastion Inn. 11 Bastion Street
  Courtenay-Comox: The Westerly Hotel & Convention Centre, 1590 Cliffe Avenue

• When:
  Nanaimo: Wednesday, March 6. Doors open at 6pm.
  Courtenay-Comox: Thursday, March 7. Doors open at 6pm.

• Who: Events are featuring Ben Parfitt, and are organized collaboratively by BC's forest-sector unions: the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU), United Steelworkers District 3 (USW), and the Communications, Energy, and Paperworkers Union (CEP), as well as the BC Federation of Labour.

Media availability

Jim Britton, CEP Vice President for the Western Region, will be available to speak to media at 5:00 pm at each meeting venue.

SOURCE: B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union

For further information:

Chris Bradshaw, BCGEU Communications - (604)291-961; [e-mail]