The Minister of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations announced members of the province’s new Rural Advisory Council yesterday.
Parliamentary Secretary and Cariboo Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett, says although it was difficult to whittle the 87 applicants down to 14 she is confident the diversified group will create a great voice for rural B.C.
Also part of the Council is forester and board member of Community Futures Cariboo-Chilcotin, Tom Hoffman of Williams Lake.
Barnett, says one of the biggest challenges she anticipates the Council to initially discuss will be economic development.
Barnett says the Council will also advise the provincial government on rural community capacity building, including the rural Dividend.
The Rural Advisory Council whose mandate will be to provide input to government policy decisions to best support rural communities have their first meeting in Victoria on March 26th-27th.