March, 2010

COMMUNITY FOREST ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FUND







Thanks to prudent decisions by our volunteer board of directors and management along with strong financial performance from our operations over the past four years, the Sunshine Coast Community Forest is in a very good financial position.  Even after reserving funds to pay for extensive reforestation activities, we have accumulated a sizeable cash surplus.  

Having carefully considered the options, the board of directors has decided to create the "Community Forest Economic Opportunities Fund" to help foster and create economic development opportunities on the Sunshine Coast.  

We have initially allocated $200,000 to this fund and plan, for the foreseeable future, to add to this amount each year from future operating profits. 

In reaching this decision, the board considered various options for using the funds that are surplus to our current and future operational requirements.  These included making sizeable donations to worthy causes in the community and distributing funds to the District of Sechelt for distribution to the community at large through municipal services and initiatives. 

In the board's opinion, using the results of our past successes to encourage the creation of new ventures which will create economic benefits is the best legacy the Community Forest can provide to the community.  

In the coming months, SCPI will be consulting with interested members of our community to receive advice and suggestions about how best to use the Economic Opportunities Fund to maximize the benefits to our community.