NCLGA Looking for Greater Say in Forestry Sector
Prince George, B.C. – Local government’s ought to have more input when it comes to big decisions in the forestry sector.
That’s the focus of a resolution that will be debated at the North Central Local Government Association’s (NCLGA) annual convention in Dawson Creek next month (May 4-6).
The recommendation’s been put forth by the NCLGA executive and coincides with another executive resolution which seeks greater consultation with local government’s for industrial projects.
“There is a need, and I’d like to say requirement, that local government’s are not just consulted but they need to be engaged by industry on almost any major decision in and around that community,” says president Brian Frenkel.
“It doesn’t have to just be forestry, it can be mining, it can be pipelines. We want to be involved because we’re all a little bit worried. Is forestry going to be as strong as it has been? It’s not going away but we want to make sure that our communities at the end of the day are still standing.”
And considering northern mill closures the past few years, he says there’s no doubt extra consultation is needed.
“You can’t be the Houstons’ and the Quesnels’ where you wake up one morning and the CEO’s are phoning those mayors going, ‘yeah, we’re shutting down a mill.’
“Those have huge implications for communities and we need to have some sort of engagement process that will better enable us to understand what’s going on in the resource sector around us.”
Frenkel says over 30 resolutions will be debated in Dawson Creek and will range from a plea to discontinue the annual time change to a highly publicized resolution from the City of Williams Lake to track prolific offenders with a GPS tracking device.
However the big question is whether or not the resolutions passed will go anywhere once they hit the UBCM convention floor later this year.
“We were successful last year, I think that’s what we’re seeing, that our resolutions hit home so much. Last year we had three or four that got acted on right away.”
(Including a resolution to erase rape culture pervasive in schools, universities, and workplaces which led to national media coverage, a meeting with B.C.’s solicitor general and the #SaySomething campaign aimed at achieving a violence free B.C,).
He acknowledges however it is harder for rural areas to have their voices heard though he stops short at characterizing the North as the ‘poor cousins’ of B.C.
“I wouldn’t say the poor cousins but we have a more difficult time trying to get the ear of government.
“Don’t get me wrong, we’re doing it, but it’s tougher for us.”
Comments
Yeah, more bureaucrats will definitely help.
I just don’t see how having a local government “engaged” in the decisions made by private businesses would work. Local governments just raise taxes to cover their expenses, or go into debt. Businesses have to remain financially stable or they are done. Maybe it should be the other way around. instead of local government “engaging” with businesses and their decisions, businesses should be “engaging” with the decisions made by local government.
Right, if that were the case the only paved street in town would be the one going to the mill. The viability of some towns relies on the ongoing financial viability of the industry that employs the big chunk of the populace. It makes sense for the town to have input into the management of the resource that feeds the industry that feeds the town.
Local Governments have enough trouble just trying to run their cities and towns. Not sure what kind of a contribution they could make to business.
Any mill/mine closures that take place in BC should have the Provincial Government involved, and I suspect that they do. The question is, does the Province bring the municipalities up to speed on these issues??
The closures of the mills in Quesnel and Houston and the fibre swap that took place could not have happened without the consent of the Provincial Government.
Perhaps the Province should be more involved in ensuring that municipalities interests are looked after.
Really, so if Canfor and West Fraser has a mill that is not making any money, they need to keep it running. sounds like a communist approach at things.
Business has to make money, if they can’t make money at it, they need to stop. If they make too much money, a new company starts up and gives them competition. That is how we keep industry vibrant. with new innovations to increase profitability.
However saying this, I think it is fair to implement a rule that for every so many cubic meters of wood harvested, they have to provide an x amount of hours of employment. The rate of pay needs to be no less than 160% of a living wage. Thus technology does not wipe out all the high paying jobs.
I see, so you just want a little bit of Communism?
North Central Local Government Association’s (NCLGA)
never heard of this before… is it made up.. april fools a bit late ? :)
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