A Centre of Excellence for forest sector training could soon be sprouting up in Woss.
At the regular meeting of the Regional District of Mount Waddington board May 11, Manager of Economic Development Pat English said a Workforce Planning and Action Committee sub-committee had met to discuss what would be required to develop the Centre as a tool to support forest sector workforce retention and training. The sub-committee is planning to hire a consultant to investigate the concept and needs funding to do so.
According to English, funding has already been received from the Town of Port McNeill ($10,000); District of Port Hardy ($10,000); Community Futures of Mount Waddington ($5,000); and Western Forest Products ($5,000). The board agreed to contribute $10,000 and also approved submitting a funding application for the centre to the BC Rural Dividend Fund later this year.