Tree planters, forestry sector workers, and nursery staff will have access to wildfire mitigation training (photo courtesy of the Western Forestry Contractors Association website)

By Liam Verster

Forestry, Tree Planters and Nursery Workers

Wildfire mitigation training to be available for B.C. silviculture workers

Jan 31, 2024 | 12:30 PM

People working in forestry, tree planting, and nurseries will be able to access a new provincial pilot program to better prepare them to prevent wildfires.

The B.C. government, in partnership with the Western Forestry Contractors’ Association, will launch a two-year pilot project to train workers on understanding risks, mitigations, and best fire safety practices in the province’s forests.

“Through this new pilot project and partnership, more silviculture workers will get the training they need to perform their vital work in B.C.’s forests,” Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills Selina Robinson said.

“This training will help keep these workers safe and also mitigate and prevent wildfires across the province.”

The new training in fire prevention, climate change awareness and hands-on training with forestry tools will be provided through a $900,000 investment from the 2022-23 Canada-British Columbia Workforce Development Agreement.

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“Climate change is real, and every Canadian has felt the effect of it last summer with the heatwaves and the wildfires that happened nationwide,” Randy Boissonnault, federal Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, said.

“This is why the Government of Canada is working in partnership with the Government of British Columbia to improve the training, recruitment, and protection of silviculture workers. This investment is important for the safety of Canadians and the future of our forest sector.”

The pilot program will also include a new training course for workers and managers to increase Indigenous cultural knowledge; the development of new career-path material for job seekers, recruitment and retention materials for small and medium-sized employers; and a sector job board hosted by the Western Forestry Contractors’ Association.

“The silviculture labour-force strategy will ensure that B.C.’s silviculture sector continues to grow and diversify its workforce, while learning new skills necessary to restore our forests and mitigate the effects of climate change on our landscapes,” John Betts, executive director of the Western Forestry Contractors’ Association, said.

The training opportunities will be delivered through the province’s Sector Labour Market Partnerships Program.

by Liam Verster

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