Resources, healthcare among key issues for northern B.C. voters

With BC Conservative Leader John Rustad running in the riding of Natchako Lakes, northern B.C. will be in the spotlight during this Saturday’s provincial election.

Rich in natural resources, the North is largely dependant on industry as a driver of its economy.

Despite that fact, close to 500 mill workers are set to lose their jobs at the end of the year.

Two mills, one in Vanderhoof and the other in Fort St. John, are set to close due to cuts from their operator, Canfor.

“A lot of these mills are in small communities that are the biggest bread winner in the town in a lot of these areas” said Jeff Bromley, wood council chair with the United Steel Workers, who represent 325 of the workers in the two mills.

“For a lot of these folks, this is the only job they’ve ever had, for the most part. They’ve worked there for decades.”

Coralee Oakes, an independent candidate in Prince George-North Cariboo and a former BC United MLA, echos Bromley’s sentiment, saying the resource industry impacts more than just the North.

“I think all British Columbians depend on the tax revenue that comes out of our natural resource sector,” Oakes said.

“The work that is done in our region supports the rest of the province’s healthcare and education, and that tax revenue is critically important.”

While speaking on the subject, Oakes brought up how healthcare was being impacted, with northern communities being some of the hardest hit areas with recent ER closures.

“You could be going to the emergency from a community, you could be driving an hour and half, you get there, for example in Williams Lake that emergency room is closed, they send you to another emergency room, that emergency room is closed,” Oakes said.

In a traditionally right-leaning area, supports for healthcare and industry workers will be top of mind for the North this election.

Bromley says he hopes politicians on all sides will take notice of the role workers have in the economy, no matter who wins.

“Politicians of all stripes, they’ve got to pay attention” he said.

“They’ve got to pay attention to the ills of our industry and work with partners, labour, obviously with companies and First Nations to find ways make sure our industry still works.