The Bulkley Timber Supply Area has a moderately diversified economy compared to many rural communities of British Columbia. It must strive towards a greater level of diversity and stability.
Opportunities exist within the forestry sector to reduce employment losses by encouraging value-added manufacturing in high employment milling operations, a cornerstone of the Forest Renewal Plan.
As well, 21 per cent of the land base has been designated for some kind of special management which will likely be more labour intensive. The challenge for communities in the area is to develop a strategy to minimize the impacts of this transition to a sustainable timber supply.
Historical examples of economic resilience in the Bulkley Timber Supply Area have been documented. Many communities in northern British Columbia were hard hit by the economic recession of the early 1980s. Information on the Smithers area indicates the community was affected by this recession, but to a lesser degree than surrounding communities. Smithers was able to bounce back and in recent years both the population and number of jobs in the community have grown. Per capita income levels have remained at or near the provincial average.
An examination of communities that have responded effectively to job losses indicates that these communities have focused on consensus seeking, public involvement, goal definition and detailed identification of community objectives. The Bulkley Valley Community Resources Board was formed three years ago and is now involved in assisting with the development of a Land and Resource Management Plan for the Bulkley Timber Supply Area. One of the board’s primary responsibilities is to consult with the public and represent the various value perspectives of the community. In this respect, communities in the Bulkley Timber Supply Area are preparing to deal with the complicated issues arising from possible timber supply reductions.
