This week, almost 800 business, government, First Nations and community leaders have gathered in Vancouver for the B.C. Council of Forest Industries (COFI) annual convention—the first in-person version of the annual event since 2019. Susan Yurkovich, President and CEO of COFI opened the conference noting her delight to be in a (real) room connecting with so many provincial, municipal and First Nation and industry leaders. Noting the many issues the sector faces as it emerges from the pandemic, Yurkovich said, “there are lots of good people here with big ideas on how to build a strong economy and brighter future for our planet, where B.C.’s globally leading sustainable forestry practices and low-carbon forest products can play an outsized role.” 

Yurkovich introduced Squamish Nation Elder Dennis Joseph, who welcomed the delegates, and Vancouver Councillor Lisa Dominato, who spoke of the importance of the sector to city and the province. Katrine Conroy, Minister of Forests, provided an overview of her deep roots in the industry and the government’s vision for a “high value,” not “high-volume” forest sector. Recognizing that BC needs a “strong primary industry for secondary manufacturers to survive”, Conroy challenge the primary and value-added producers to get together on their own proposals for how government can provide more reliable access to timber and “get the right log to the right mill”.

Dennis Joseph

Lisa Dominato

Katrine Conroy