(Files by Lindsay Newman-MyPGNow)
The province is deferring one of the fees it charges to help people, communities, and forest companies navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Stumpage, the fee operators pay B.C. to harvest, buy, or sell trees from Crown land, is being deferred for three months.
The deferral with interest is available to Tree Farm License, Replaceable Forest License, and First Nations Woodlands License holders who are in good financial standing with the Province.
They must also follow through on their reforesting obligations.
The deferral will leave eligible companies with an estimated $80 million so they can pay employees, pay contractors, and pay other bills needed to keep their doors open to re-open them faster.
Minister of Forests Doug Donaldson.said the province is expanding on the measures it has taken to help the forest sector.
“What we’re announcing today may allow some companies to get back online sooner rather than later when we get through the situation we’re in now-or it may save other companies from having to shut down altogether,” he said.
In March, the province announced the forestry sector as an essential service.
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