**** LANDS/FORESTRY Media Release
Forest Sector Safety Measures Fund Opens
————————————————————–
Nova Scotia’s forestry sector operators can apply to recover extra costs for keeping their employees and communities safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
An agreement between the Government of Canada and Nova Scotia will make more than $668,000 from the federal Forest Sector Safety Measures Fund available to small and medium-sized forestry businesses in Nova Scotia.
Businesses can apply to recover costs for COVID-19 safety measures incurred between April 1 and Dec. 31, 2020. Eligible costs include personal protective equipment, handwashing stations, extra vehicles and accommodations, sanitization and facilities for self-isolation.
Eligible businesses must have fewer than 500 employees and their primary activities must be in forestry and logging, support activities for forestry, wood product manufacturing, or pulp and paper manufacturing.
“The pandemic has forced everyone to find new ways to work safely and businesses have invested in added health and safety measures. Now, they can access funding to offset those extra costs and that will allow our forestry sector to continue working safely,” said Lands and Forestry Minister Derek Mombourquette. “We are pleased to deliver this federal relief program that will help individual businesses and the sector make a strong recovery from the pandemic.”
The application guide and form are available on Nova Scotia’s Coronavirus website. Businesses can apply online until Feb. 26.
Quotes:
“We are supporting our forest sector. We said we would be there for Canadians through COVID-19 and we are delivering.”
– Seamus O’Regan Jr., federal Minister of Natural Resources
Quick Facts:
— the Government of Canada announced the $30 million Forest Sector Safety Measures Fund in July 2020
— Nova Scotia’s portion of the fund totals $668,353, which will be administered by the Department of Lands and Forestry
— eligible expenses will be paid out by March 31, 2021
Additional Resources:
Forest Sector Safety Measures Fund application guide and forms: http://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/forestry-sector-safety-measures-fund/
Nova Scotia Coronavirus website: http://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/
Government of Canada Forest Sector Safety Measures Fund announcement: http://www.canada.ca/en/natural-resources-canada/news/2020/07/emergency-funding-for-covid-19-safety-measures-in-forest-operations.html
Department of Lands and Forestry on Twitter: http://twitter.com/NSLandsForestry
