Forest Employment Program

The Forest Employment Program (FEP / the Program) provides short-term employment opportunities for forestry contractors and workers to help mitigate the impacts of mill closures and curtailments due to changes in the forest sector. These opportunities are accessed through BC Bid.

Program Details

FEP funds land-based projects. Projects are typically initiated and managed by the Province through:

• Environment and Climate Change Strategy
• Ministry of Forests
• Emergency Management and Climate Readiness
• Water, Land and Resources Stewardship

In some cases, land-based projects proposed by local governments or Indigenous governments are funded through the FEP. A proposed project must:

• Create short-term employment opportunities for contractors and workers and result in benefits for impacted communities.
• Employ workers that are available to physically work on site for the duration of the services.
• Comply with the Employment Standards Act, WorkSafeBC regulations, and any other certifications as required by individual projects.

To discuss an opportunity, contact the Program office at forestemploymentprogram@gov.bc.ca

Project Examples

• Community access improvements and road maintenance
  • Summer road grading, brushing, culvert installation and bridge maintenance on Forest Service Roads.
• Recreation site improvements
  • Cleaning ditches, culvert installation, water management, danger tree removal and campground upgrades.
• Range enhancement
  • Installation of fencing for range management.

How to apply for FEP funded projects:

Forestry contractors can review contract opportunities and submit pricing through BCBid.

• On the BC Bid homepage, contractors can click the “Find an opportunity” link, or the “Opportunities” tab along the top menu bar. This will re-direct to a webpage where contractors can explore all current opportunities and filter them by keywords and/or drop down filter fields.
• By clicking the Opportunity ID, contractors can view the details of each opportunity including the submission process and pricing.
• Each opportunity has their own submission process. 
  • If submissions are required through BC Bid, contractors will first need to log in or register with BC Bid. If they are not registered, they can login with a Business BCeID.
  • If submissions are not required through BC Bid, contractors will use the delivery option(s) as specified in the summary of the specific opportunity.

Safe Certification

All contractors who work on FEP projects must be SAFE (Safety Accord Forestry Enterprise) Certified. SAFE Certified is a pre-qualification required to bid on forestry work in BC to ensure a minimum standard of safety in all forestry workplaces. Information on becoming SAFE Certified can be found on the BC Forest Safety website.

 

Additional Supports for Impacted Contractors & Workers

B.C. Employer Training Grant

The B.C. Employer Training Grant provides B.C. employers with skills training funding for their workforces, including prospective new hires. Employers can apply for funding to cover 80% of the cost of training, up to $10,000 per employee, with a maximum annual amount per employer of $300,000.

When impacted by a downturn in the forest sector, employers (including self-employed workers and contractors), who are looking to adapt to a new line of business are eligible for funding to reskill themselves or their employees.

More information on the B.C. Employer Training Grant is available here: https://www.workbc.ca/find-loans-and-grants/industry-and-employers/bc-employer-training-grant

Bridging to Retirement Program

The Bridging to Retirement program is open for impacted and voluntary full-time forestry workers at least 55 years old – including forestry-dependent contractors and their employees – to transition to retirement. Workers could be eligible for up to $75,000 in retirement bridging funding, depending on individual factors including years of experience, age at retirement and employer contribution.

More information on the Bridging to Retirement Program is available here: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/forestry/supports-for-forestry-workers/retirement-bridging-program