The province is giving Capilano University $50,000 to support training for workers who have lost their jobs because of the closure of the paper side of Howe Sound Pulp and Paper.
A total of 171 positions were eliminated as a result of the shutdown announced last July.
The money will be used to offer courses in areas such as computing, accounting/bookkeeping, project management, and leadership skills through Cap-U’s NEWSTART Training Program.
Officials at Cap-U told Coast Reporter that all of the courses will be available through the Sunshine Coast campus and no one will have to commute to the main campus in North Vancouver.
In a joint announcement with the province, Cap-U president Kris Bulcroft said, “Our continuing studies and executive education and Sunshine Coast campus are keen to help former Howe Sound Pulp and Paper workers develop skills that will equip them for meaningful work, enabling them to contribute to the vitality of the local community.”
Powell River-Sunshine Coast MLA Nicholas Simons of the NDP welcomes the funding and the retraining efforts, but also wants the government to put some pressure on Paper Excellence over how the job cuts have been handled.
“While we’re making this effort on the education side, we should also be making every effort to ensure existing jobs go to people who were laid off and impacted and not simply just let them be contracted out,” Simons said.
