Governments provide $20 million to help ranchers rebuild from B.C. fires
VANCOUVER — Ranchers who have lost animals and land to devastating wildfires across British Columbia are getting help from the provincial and federal governments.
The governments have announced $20 million that farmers can use to replace lost breeding animals and re-seed damaged lands, with 40 per cent of the funding covered by the province and the federal government paying for 60 per cent of the costs.
“Farmers have been hit hard in this situation,” said federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay on Tuesday. “As someone who has farmed and raised livestock, my heart goes out to all the families and communities that have been affected by this disaster.”
MacAulay said the funds, administered through an existing disaster-relief program called AgriRecovery, will also help ranchers cover veterinary bills, transportation and housing expenses for displaced animals, feed cost, labour for fencing and critical infrastructure not covered by insurance.