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Surrey Board of Trade Thanks Surrey City Council for Recognizing Importance of Forestry Industry

At the September 14th City of Surrey Council meeting, a formal declaration was approved to make September 20-26, 2020 as National Forest Week in Surrey. This year, the theme is “Healthy Forests, Healthy Future”. The City of Prince George is the only other municipality so far to have also approved this declaration.

“Surrey is the home to many wood manufacturing companies that are significant employers, such as Teal Jones, S&R Sawmills, Pacific Lumber, Catalyst Paper, Key West and Riverside to name but a few,” said Anita Huberman, CEO, Surrey Board of Trade. “Workers and businesses are dependent on a healthy forest sector and the City of Surrey showed some recognition at the local level.”

“Given this recognition, immediate attention and action must be given to increasing tax rates for forestry businesses in Surrey – many of them have faced a 150% tax increase – and this is simply unsustainable,” continues Huberman.

“This significant act of recognition shows that Surrey council is well aware of the role of forestry jobs in maintaining a vibrant local and provincial community,” says Stewart Muir, Executive Director of Resource Works.

“Harvesting of timber in British Columbia generates over 100,000 direct and indirect jobs, including thousands in Surrey. Well-managed and sustainable forestry will be around for as long as people use wood and paper products. It’s the ultimate renewable industry.”

MORE INFORMATION ON RESOURCE WORKS NATURAL RESOURCE-FOCUSED ECONOMIC RECOVERY PLAN, SUPPORTED BY THE SURREY BOARD OF TRADE
https://businessinsurrey.com/ wp-content/uploads/2020/08/ FULL-Securing-Canada%E2%80% 99s-Economic-Future-reduced. pdf

Economic modelling conducted for the above report indicates that with the right success conditions, natural resources and manufacturing could create up to 2.6 million new jobs and up to a 17% increase in real gross domestic product (GDP). This could amount to a nearly $200-billion increase in potential labour earnings, while still moving Canada towards a low-emissions future.

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