Vancouver, BC – Iskum Investments Limited Partnership (Iskum), a consortium of coastal First Nations-owned businesses, today announced it is advancing the study of a new, state-of-the-art wood processing facility on the British Columbia coast. The study is supported by a $1.275 million contribution from the Government of Canada through Natural Resources Canada’s Indigenous Forestry Initiative (IFI). …First Nations across the coast now hold more than 200 forest tenures, representing approximately 4.6 million cubic metres of allowable annual harvest. Iskum exists so that participating Nations can move from tenure holders to manufacturers, turning access to fibre into ownership of a wood processing facility that manufactures products for domestic and international markets.  A facility of this kind would be designed to strengthen the entire coastal economy, including supporting pulp and paper operations that are struggling to secure a reliable, economic supply of fibre. A modern wood processing facility would provide a steady, long-term source of the chips and residuals they need, while also creating a dependable domestic market for underutilized coastal species. 

Additional coverage

Natural Resources Canada: Strengthening Indigenous leadership in British Columbia’s forest sector

Truck Loggers Association: The TLA congratulates Iskum Investments LP on today’s announcement, we’re pleased to see continued support for Indigenous leadership in BC’s forest sector.