One submission contends the Socio-Economic Analysis ignores the tourism component of many small rural communities that depend upon the scenery of forested mountains for tourism.
One labour submission and one forest industry submission state an increased allowable annual cut would generate additional employment throughout the Prince George Timber Supply Area. Those communities heavily dependent on the forest industry for employment would benefit considerably.
In contrast, another submission asserts increasing the allowable annual cut will not necessarily impact employment. Noting that the forest industry in the Prince George area is one of the most efficient in the province and that the number of people employed in the sector has decreased significantly over the last decade, this submission questions whether or not any additional jobs would result from an increase in the allowable annual cut.
Labour, forest industry and business submissions maintain the Socio-Economic Analysis underestimates the impact of the harvest level on employment in the Prince George Timber Supply Area. In place of the Forest Service provincial average multiplier for indirect and induced employment, which they state is too low, the respondents recommend a higher multiplier based on an October 1994 Price Waterhouse report titled, Prince George Timber Supply Area-Economic Value of the Forest Industry. The submissions assert this report presents a much more comprehensive and accurate representation of the forest industry and its impact than is depicted in the Socio-Economic Analysis. The forest industry submissions state employment in the support/service sector and in the Forest Service and Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, is directly linked to and affected by the forest industry and its harvest levels.
A combined forest industry/business submission maintains the chief forester should not consider the timber supply area in isolation; rather, he should look at broader socio-economic impacts and changes, beyond those presented in the Socio-Economic Analysis.
