2023 BC Economic Development Award Winner
The Path Forward: Navigating Unexpected Job Loss was created as a shelf-ready resource for individuals in our community who may be experiencing forestry industry closures. It allows employers, unions, and agencies a supportive resource if they are supporting workers during unexpected job loss, especially centering around the forest sector. The resource was designed to assist affected workers and their families as soon as possible after a mill closure or curtailment announcement, to give them a pathway forward and guidance to the resources available to support them.
This project has strengthened relationships with stakeholders. It has created a pathway to retaining families should a large-scale employment crisis occur. This is important to the individuals, the families, and the community, especially given the real and imminent challenges with navigating daily life if a spouse becomes a remote worker, if embarking on a new business venture or finding a new job. These are significant transitions.
Creating a resource to make the transition easier will hopefully assist residents in finding employment quickly in 100 Mile House and enable them to remain in town.
We have shared The Path Forward: Navigating Unexpected Job Loss with communities recently affected by mill closures. We have made the guide available in an editable format to all these communities to insert their own local resources.
The Province of BC has also taken an interest in the guide and is currently editing the document so it can be used by Community Transition Teams deployed in various communities and distributed as a resource to individuals affected by unexpected job loss.