Last Friday (April 15) in Williams Lake, the B.C. Liberal government announced it is continuing to provide funding, with a $9-million infusion, to help the province’s three beetle action coalitions (BAC) continue their front-line battle against the mountain pine beetle epidemic.
However, this is the same funding program that was announced by then premier Gordon Campbell during last year’s Union of British Columbia Municipalities convention.
When he stepped down as B.C. Liberal leader a short time later, there was some confusion and concern as to whether the funding promise was still on the table.
At that time, however, Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett was positive the funding program would be honoured when a new party leader was selected.
Handing over the entire amount at once was unusual, Barnett said, but the idea was to give the coalition the opportunity to accrue interest and build partnerships over the long term.
“I know the pine beetle has taken a back seat for quite a while and we need to bring it back to the forefront. As long as we diversify the better off we will be in the long term.”
Now, the Southern Interior, Omineca and Cariboo-Chilcotin BACs will each receive $3 million to continue their regional development and funding of projects to help mitigate the current and anticipated economic, environmental and social impacts of the pine beetle epidemic.
The mountain pine beetle has already affected an estimated 17.5 million hectares of pine forest, impacting economies and livelihoods throughout the province.
With files from Robyn Chambers – Williams Lake Tribune.
