Premier John Horgan is promising financial aid for truck loggers hurt by the five-month forestry strike on Vancouver Island.
The announcement comes the same week independent forestry contractors rallied for action at the B.C. legislature.
The contract workers have been out of work, caught in the middle of a long strike between the United Steelworkers union (USW Local 1-1937) and WFP that began on July 1. Western Forest Products controls the bulk of Crown tenures on northern Vancouver Island.
Horgan said Friday that he’s heard the contractors’ message.
“We’re going to be looking at programs that we’ll be announcing in the weeks ahead to help those are affected by the dispute,” Horgan said.
He stressed that the aid is for truck loggers, not USW or WFP.
“Obviously the union and the company, they made these choices. They are the ones who’ve been at odds with each other for the past five, six months,” Horgan said.
According to Horgan, the provincial government is looking at many different measures to assist contractors.
“Firstly on maybe bridging for those who are not able to make payments for their rigs, if they are contractors, truck loggers, and so on. Because they want to work. They can’t work,” Horgan said.
No date has been announced for when financial support would begin.
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