About 3,500 Canfor employees in B.C. are eligible for a gift or donation to charity once fully vaccinated. Canfor operates its Plateau mill west of Vanderhoof on Highway 16 where spruce-pine-fir (SPF) dimension lumber is produced. (Black Press files)

Vaccinations at Canfor to support not-for-profits

Canfor encouraging employees to get COVID-19 vaccine

  • Jun. 2, 2021 12:00 a.m.

One of B.C.’s biggest forestry companies will be donating funds to charity for each employee vaccinated against COVID-19.

To continue to promote the safest possible workplace and support the health and well-being of their communities, Canfor is encouraging all of its employees across North America to get vaccinated, said senior director of communications and government relations Michelle Ward.

“As a show of appreciation, once employees are fully vaccinated, they are eligible for a gift or donation in their honour to a named charity,” Ward said.

Canfor is also donating $25 to Habitat for Humanity for every employee vaccinated, she added.

Read More: Free rides, beer and savings bonds: U.S. cities use incentives to drive up vaccinations

The company has a number of operations across northern B.C., including Vanderhoof, Chetwynd, Prince George, Fort St. John, Houston, Mackenzie and Taylor.

It estimates approximately 3,500 employees in the province will be eligible for the program.

“Hesitancy is always a concern, but we have seen tremendous support and thorough evidence for the safety of the vaccines,” said Northern Health vice- president of communications and public affairs, Steve Raper.

“While we can’t speak to specific industry initiatives to encourage people to get vaccinated, we continue to promote our clinics and the importance of getting vaccinated; and to encourage people to have their friends and family members get vaccinated. We all want to get back to doing the things we love, and there is a pathway to get us all there safely.”

In the Northern Health region, about 57 per cent of the eligible population has been vaccinated.

Raper said they are working on getting 80 per cent of the eligible population their first dose by the end of June.

Read More: B.C. sees 317 new COVID-19 cases Friday, more than 60% vaccinated


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