A $200,000 Supply Chain Resiliency grant will allow the Williams Lake First Nation to turn raw material into value-added product for the sale of energy generation and biomass fuel.
Working with Atlantic Power Corporation, these products will then be turned into electricity to allow WLFN to have a more sustainable and energy-efficient supply chain.
On Sunday morning, April 18, the Ministry of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation announced the grant funding. WLFN is one of 24 recipients of the Supply Chain Resiliency Funding - $6 million in total - a part of the Province’s $1.5-billion StrongerBC economic recovery plan.
John Walker, stewardship forester for the WLFN, said they are pleased to accept the resiliency grant funding as it will support the initiatives they are continuing to develop in the forest sector.
READ MORE: Project to remove biomass for markets in Williams Lake continuing
“The chipping and removal of the biomass on the landscape will improve air quality by reducing emissions and supporting renewable energy,” Walker said.
“WLFN will continue to advance our internal capacity and partnerships in the forestry and energy sectors while training and employing our youth in these fields.”
The remainder of the 24 projects from throughout B.C. have been designed to strengthen manufacturing supply chains, the Province said in a release.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has clearly demonstrated the importance of our manufacturing sector for the critical made-in-B.C. goods it delivers and jobs it provides in every region of the province,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation.
“This investment and partnership with business associations and communities strengthens our province’s supply chains, helps protect our industry sectors from external interruptions and helps B.C. manufacturers become even more globally competitive.”
greg.sabatino@wltribune.com
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