Forestry transition fund to be placed in trust

The forestry transition fund announced in December in the wake of the pending Northern Pulp mill closure will be placed in trust. The provincial government made the announcement Wednesday, saying the forestry sector needs time to diversify and to forge a sustainable future. In trust, the fund will be available over multiple years. “We know this is a challenging time for forestry workers and their families as the sector goes through a period of significant change,” Premier Stephen McNeil said in a news release. “I made a commitment to workers that we would be there for them in this transition. That’s why we have set up new supports in the short term and are creating this trust — so we have the flexibility to fund more initiatives going forward.” The fund amount will be topped back up to $50 million. So far, $13.5 million in initiatives have already been announced by the Forestry Transition Team. Lands and Forestry Minister Iain Rankin announced the new trust to about 180 members of the forestry sector Wednesday at the Forest Nova Scotia annual general meeting in Halifax. A three-member trustee board, comprised of one government nominee and two transition team members, will oversee trust spending decisions. The transition team will continue to listen to and work with those in the forestry industry to provide their best advice on short-term supports for workers and businesses, and on innovative approaches that support the sector over the long-term. To date, the government, through the forestry fund, is supporting $7 million for more silviculture and road work on both Crown and private lands, $5 million for government to provide a guarantee for the Forestry Contractor Financing Program, $1.5 million to help workers from across the sector connect to customized programming in the skilled trades, at no cost, and emergency assistance funding for laid-off workers available through local Access Nova Scotia centres. A toll-free line, 1-888-3150110, is available for those who are affected and have questions.