The North Cariboo Wildfire Recovery team has unveiled it’s plan for the region as well as it’s requests for help to the Provincial Government.
Erin Robinson, the Regional Manager for the Fraser Basin Council for the Cariboo-Chilcotin, went over their report with the North Cariboo Joint Planning Committee.
She says one of the immediate needs is funding for businesses…
“Interest free loans, credit extensions, deferral of business taxes for wildfire impacted businesses and wage subsidies, including retroactive support for businesses that kept employees working despite dropping customers and sales during the wildfires.”
Robinson also talked about needed support for non profit groups, for festivals to help get them back on track, for the tourism sector, and for trappers, guide outfitters, miners and other small land-based operators.
Another request is to market the sub region and to ask for the immediate approval of the city of Quesnel’s rural dividend applications which support transition, noting that Quesnel was already a community in transition before the fires due to the mountain pine beetle.
A report is due to the government on March 31st.