Factsheet

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• The Ministry of Community and Rural Development’s Mountain Pine Beetle Response Team works with more than 53 government agencies, communities and organizations to coordinate the provincial response to the Mountain Pine Beetle (MPB) epidemic.
• The provincial response is guided by the MPB Action Plan, which has the goal of sustaining “long-term community, economic and environmental well-being, while dealing with the short term consequences of the epidemic.”
• Together the Province of British Columbia and Government of Canada have committed $956 million towards their efforts. This includes $756 million from the Province since 2001 and $200-million from the federal government in 2006.
• In addition, in the 2009/2010 budget, the Province has committed an additional $82.5 million in funding that can assist with the environmental, economic and social impacts of the epidemic. This includes:
  • $30-million for programs similar to those offered through the Community Development Trust, to assist workers by providing funding to create employment and training opportunities, including those workers whose jobs have been impacted by the epidemic;
  • $10.1 million to upgrade Resource Roads, including those in areas impacted by the MPB;
  • And $42.4 million for the Forests for Tomorrow Program, to reforest parts of the epidemic area that are not the responsibility of the forest industry.
• The Provincial response to assist communities facing economic challenges due to the current global economic downturn also includes and benefits those communities impacted by the MPB.
• The Ministry continues to work with and fund the Cariboo-Chilcotin, Omineca and Southern Interior Beetle Action Coalitions to develop and assess the best possible strategies to deal with the epidemic.
• The RuralBC Secretariat within the Ministry of Community and Rural Development also works with communities in the MPB impacted zone, assisting local governments to access the tools they need to achieve their visions for the future. The secretariat's regional managers are there to help communities take advantage of the most appropriate programs and sources of provincial and federal funding and identify opportunities to diversify local economies.

Crimson landscape for miles and miles