Aboriginal forestry business gets boost from federal funding | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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Aboriginal forestry business gets boost from federal funding

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Aboriginal-owned forest sector companies in B.C. and Alberta will soon enjoy technical support and business advice from Western Economic Diversification Canada.

Western diversification minister Michelle Rempel announced during a press conference at the Westbank First Nation corporate offices in West Kelowna that private company FP Innovations would receive $1.8 million to deliver educational workshops in aboriginal communities in the two provinces.

“This project will develop aboriginal businesses in the forestry sector, generating employment and increasing trade and investment in communities across British Columbia and Alberta,” Rempel said.

The program will be open to both new and existing aboriginal-owned companies.

Westbank First Nation councillor Mic Werstiuk praised the program and thanked Rempel for the opportunities the program opens up to aboriginal-owned companies.

A press release provided by the ministry says with about 75,000 people employed in B.C. and Alberta, about a third of the total number of people employed in the forestry sector are employed in the two provinces.

(LtoR) Westbank First Nation Coun. Mic Werstiuk, western diversification minister Michelle Rempel, WFN Chief Robert Louie and FPInnovations vice-president Pierre Lapointe.
(LtoR) Westbank First Nation Coun. Mic Werstiuk, western diversification minister Michelle Rempel, WFN Chief Robert Louie and FPInnovations vice-president Pierre Lapointe.

To contact the reporter for this story, email John McDonald at jmcdonald@infonews.ca or call 250-808-0143. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

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