Cowichan Lake Forest Co-op will be soon be giving money away

Something new and exciting will soon be happening at the lake, courtesy of the Cowichan Lake Community Forest Co-op.

Bruce Ingram, chair of the CLCFC finance committee, announced to Cowichan Lake Chamber of Commerce members at their annual general meeting March 7 that, starting just after June 30, the year end for CLCFC, the co-op will be calling for requests for funding.

Yes, they’ll be giving away money, he said.

“That’s what the community forest co-op is. We fund our community, and our community goes from Paldi to the Pacific Ocean, not just the Town of Lake Cowichan, but the Cowichan Lake area. We are here for you guys. You can apply for those funds and we’re going to be able to give them to you,” Ingram said.

“What’s going to happen prior to July is an invitation is going to be issued to come to our office at 121 Point Ideal Rd. You’ll be able to get a community funding request form, and you’re also going to get a CLCFC policy package. What that is is the rules and regulations under which we are going to be giving out funds,” he continued.

The CLCFC, the Pacheedaht First Nation, and the provincial government are now working together, after years of negotiation, operating the Qala:yit Community Forest: 8,000 hectares of land with an annual allowable cut of 31,498 cubic metres.

Ingram is enthusiastic about what’s coming for his community.

“There are significant funds. We are not going to pretend that we’ve got millions and millions, but we’ve a 20-year cut so we’re going to be doing this over a 20-year period, until guys like Ian [Morrison, chair of the Cowichan Valley Regional District board] get us another 20-year period.

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