Atlantic Power in Williams Lake is set to receive a grant for $200,000 towards extending their economic reach.
Atlantic Power is a company that uses wood fibre that would otherwise be considered unusable for wood and other wood products, and turns it into energy by burning it. The $200,000 grant is coming from the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC), and will be used to extend the economic reach of the Atlantic Power, allowing them to bring fibre in from other areas of the Cariboo. FESBC Operations Manager Dave Conly says the grant is part of several different grants as a part of the province’s effort to assist communities to recover from COVID-19, by providing economic assistance.
Conley says one example is bringing wood fibre from the 100 Mile House Community Forest. “Fibre that would otherwise be burnt as a result of that wildfire project is being gathered and brought to Atlantic Power by a First Nations company called Tsi Del Del,” Conly says, “Our funding that we granted to Atlantic Power is paying Tsi Del Del to pick up that fibre, grind it, and bring it to Atlantic Power.”
Across the province, over $3 million in grants have been approved supporting fibre use projects.