A year ago, NDP leader John Horgan91裸聊视频檚 government was facing a long truck convoy of out-of-work loggers in downtown Vancouver and farmers protesting on the B.C. legislature steps in Victoria.
One of the issues was the province91裸聊视频檚 move to cancel a $25 million 91裸聊视频渞ural dividend91裸聊视频� fund, shelving community applications to diversify local economies that have lost forest and other industrial employment. The money went toward retraining and other relief for the four latest victims of rural mill closures, Quesnel, Fort St. James, Vavenby and Chasm.
That kind of cost restraint goes out the window with the B.C. NDP91裸聊视频檚 pandemic election plan, which features a $3 billion-per-year 91裸聊视频渞ecovery investment fund91裸聊视频� to add to the government91裸聊视频檚 $23 billion capital works budget for schools, roads, hospitals and other infrastructure.
The , the first to be released in full for the surprise Oct. 24 election, also adds another $400 million program to 91裸聊视频渞evitalize community infrastructure,91裸聊视频� likely based on applications from municipalities like the late, lamented rural dividend.
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The big news on forest policy is a vow to 91裸聊视频渄edicate a specific portion of the annual allowable cut towards higher value producers who can demonstrate their ability to create new jobs.91裸聊视频� That is a step beyond additional fees and wood salvage regulations that the NDP government has imposed on an industry with widespread shutdowns in recent years.
The NDP platform promises only to continue 91裸聊视频渟ignificant investments91裸聊视频� in tree planting, wildfire protection and silviculture. Other industries get more vague support.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檒l create a Mining Innovation Hub to identify and support innovation, offering training for workers in new technologies, regulatory excellence, environmental management and low-carbon approaches,91裸聊视频� the party says.
Agriculture gets a similar mention, with a promise of a new 91裸聊视频渞egenerative agriculture network91裸聊视频� to merge traditional farming with technologies 91裸聊视频渟uch as robotics, precision farming, and mesh networks.91裸聊视频�
tfletcher@blackpress.ca
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