Region Archives: Canada

Business & Politics

Eby invokes Canadian kindness in support of Ottawa’s retaliatory tariffs

By Wolfgang Depner
The Canadian Press in Yahoo
September 8, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, United States

BC Premier David Eby invoked the memory of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and Canadian efforts to help their “closest friend” as he voiced support for Ottawa’s counter tariffs on the United States. …”Nobody wanted this trade war. Canadians sure didn’t start it,” he said. …The forestry sector and those who depend on it are already hurting, he said, promising to work with the industry directly. Eby said his government would also protect public services, though his pledge comes as the current forecast projects a record-setting deficit of $13.3B… adding it was “appalling” that it was cheaper for Russian lumber to get into the American market than it was for lumber from BC. …Eby also unveiled plans for new signs at border crossings bearing a message saying welcome to BC, Canada: “strong, proud and will never be the 51st state. Sorry!” He said the message was one of confidence and good humour.

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Carney convenes inner circle with Canada-U.S. trade war at fever pitch

CTV News
September 10, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, United States

Prime Minister Carney will convene his cabinet today in Banff, Alta., a day after US President Trump claimed Canada is “dying” to make a trade deal. Both countries have imposed levies on a wide range of imported goods. Canadian counter-tariffs, which went into effect on Tuesday in response to American levies, cover $27.6 billion in American steel, dairy, paper, and other goods. The same day, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a flurry of executive orders, barring a series of Canadian imports to the U.S. outright, including motorcycles, booze and whey. He has also signed an order to rename Lake Ontario to “Lake America,” criticized Canada’s relative lower dollar, and posted a series of memes – one which called Carney “governor,” and another depicting Canada and Greenland under an American flag. …Canada will scale back environmental review for major energy projects. …Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre heads to Washington. …Democrats call Trump’s trade offensive “pointless”.

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Trump hits back at Canada with import bans, more tariff hikes

By Oliver Ward, Ari Hawkins and Zi-Ann Lum
Politico
September 8, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, United States

President Trump responded to new tariffs on U.S. exports Tuesday by announcing bans on U.S. imports of Canadian motorcycles, dairy products and alcohol, and directed officials to restrict Canadian access to U.S. procurement programs. From Sept. 29, these Canadian exports will no longer be permitted to enter the U.S. market, according to a trio of proclamations published Tuesday night. …Trump spent the weekend lashing out at Ottawa over its decision to match U.S. tariff hikes dollar-for-dollar. Those duties on some $20 billion in U.S. exports went into effect Tuesday morning. …The president deployed the same legal statute he used to hike tariffs on Canadian exports last month. …In addition to banning certain Canadian exports, the president also tweaked the scope ofthe existing 50% tariffs that went into effect last month, adding cheeses, boats, metal products, and leather products beginning Sept. 15, and excluding road salt, cement, certain hospital products, fishing rods and other products. 

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Ottawa engages Forest Economic Advisors LLC to find five new markets for Canadian softwood lumber

The Western Standard
September 5, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada

Ottawa will pay BC consultant Forest Economics Advisors LLC of Port Coquitlam, $84,000 to identify five countries that could buy more Canadian softwood lumber, nearly a year after Prime Minister Carney announced a $1.2 billion plan to diversify the industry away from the US market. …The consultant will be tasked with estimating how much Canadian lumber could realistically be sold in each prospective market and how quickly exports could grow. The study will also examine demand forecasts, international trade patterns and transportation costs. Natural Resources additionally wants the consultant to calculate how much money Canadian sawmills would have to spend retooling their facilities to manufacture products suitable for the identified markets. “The department is seeking a comprehensive analysis that identifies likely offshore growth markets for softwood lumber demand and evaluates Canada’s ability to compete in and sell to those markets,” said the contract notice. The final report is due Jan. 29.

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Canada’s retaliatory tariffs worth $27.6 billion take effect as trade rift with U.S. deepens

By Jenni Reid
CNBC News
September 8, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, United States

Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on a swathe of U.S. goods took effect on Tuesday after trade talks collapsed last month, as relations between Washington and Ottawa continue to sour. The duties range from 15% to 50% across hundreds of U.S. products worth a total $27.6 billion, including dairy, agricultural equipment, paper, household appliances and electronics. Canadian tariffs on U.S. steel, aluminum and iron products doubled to 50%, while furniture, motorbikes, clothing and some beauty products were among the goods hit with the highest rate. …U.S. President Trump on Monday called for a boycott of Canadian airplane manufacturer Bombardier, posting on Truth Social: “NO MORE SELLING BOMBARDIER IN THE UNITED STATES!” The U.S. exported $333.6 billion worth of goods to Canada, and imported $381.9 billion from its northern neighbor. …Economists say that while the impacted goods are a relatively small portion of overall trade, small- to medium-sized businesses and those in the most-impacted sectors face a severe blow.

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Carney warns of tough times ahead in national address as retaliatory tariffs kick in

By Nick Murray
The Canadian Press in Bloomberg
September 8, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, United States

Mark Carney

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Carney is warning Canadians that the country’s pivot away from the United States will come at a cost, but that the alternative would be far worse. In a national video address set to be released after Canada’s retaliatory tariffs kicked in — Carney reiterated Canada’s plan to respond to the US trade war by striking new trade deals with other countries to become less reliant on the US. …“That pivot will come at a cost. There’s always a cost to action. But it doesn’t come close to the cost of standing still.” …Carney said the aim is to come out stronger and more resilient so “no country can ever hold us hostage, and that we can live how we want to live.” …Federal conservatives continued calls over the weekend for Carney to release the full details of the deal Canada walked away from. [Click here to view video]

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Labour Day – a holiday born in Canada

Canadian Labour Congress
September 4, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada

The first Monday in September has been an official holiday in Canada since 1894, and in the United States since 1892. But the origin of Labour Day came 20 years before that, when unions started holding parades and rallies in Toronto and Ottawa to celebrate the successful 1872 Toronto printers’ strike – that won the decriminalization of unions in Canada. …the origins of Labour Day come from the struggles of working people and the demand for fairness. In this case, it was the movement to establish a 9-hour work day (the standard was a 12-hour work day and a 6-day work week) and a strike by printers in Toronto in the spring of 1872 to get it. …In 1882, an American labour leader witnessed the annual May “labour day” festivities in Toronto which inspired him to organize the first American “labor day” on September 5 that same year. …In Canada, pressure had been mounting to declare a national labour holiday. On July 23, 1894 the government of Prime Minister John Thompson passed a law making Labour Day official. 

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Steelworkers join Canadian and Mexican unions in calling for improved labour rights protections in trade negotiations between Mexico, Canada and U.S.

United Steelworkers
September 2, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada

Unions and labour activists from across Canada, Mexico and the United States are united in their demand that stronger protections for workers’ rights must be included in any new trade deal negotiated between the governments. Multinational corporations continue to pit workers against each other in a race to the bottom across the three countries. Pro-employer protection unions remain prevalent in Mexico, obstructing the ability of workers to organize and collectively improve their conditions. The rights of workers to freely form unions and negotiate with their employers continue to be routinely violated, despite the provisions of the Labour Chapter of the Canada-United States- Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). …On behalf of workers across Canada, Mexico and the United States, we call on our governments to ensure that trade in North America raises standards for employment and working conditions in all three countries.

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Chemainus wood-products firm gets $2M boost from province

By Darron Kolster
The Times Colonist
September 9, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

A Chemainus company is getting a $2-million boost from the province to expand its operations and create new jobs, amid punishing duties and tariffs from the U.S. Ron Anderson & Sons, which makes prefabricated wall systems, plans to diversify its product line to include prefabricated floors, roof panels and stairs for builders, creating about 35 new jobs. “With the US targeting our manufacturing industries, it has never been more important to help local businesses like Ron Anderson & Sons sell more of what they make here at home,” Adrian Dix, acting minister of jobs said Wednesday. Ron Anderson & Sons says it has already invested in advanced manufacturing equipment, hiring of 20 new employees. Jack Downing, CEO, said the government funding will help the company expand its capacity and invest in advanced automation. …Forests Minister Ravi Parmar said that amid “economic attacks” from the U.S., the province is unlocking the full value of BC wood.

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B.C. forestry industry says it’s at ‘breaking point’ in letter to Eby

By Brenna Owen
Canadian Press
September 9, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada West

VANCOUVER – British Columbia forestry groups have written to Premier David Eby saying the industry is at a “breaking point” and calling for urgent action to address challenges ranging from slow-moving provincial processes to steep U.S. tariffs. The letter dated Sept. 4 said the entire industry is at risk, from logging and transportation to pulp and paper and value-added manufacturing. “…Government must respond with the urgency that crisis demands,” said the letter from contractors, manufacturers, unions and others linked to the sector. …But other challenges are “homegrown,” it said. The province “can control many of the costs, regulations, policies, permitting processes and fibre-access decisions that determine whether those companies survive it,” the letter said. …Eddie Petryshen, with Wildsight, said the “falldown” of the forest industry has been predicted — and ignored — for decades. …Parmar highlighted the province’s plan to shift to a “working forest” model, saying that it would address concerns the industry has been raising.

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Nick Arkle: From assembling apple bins to CEO of the Gorman Group

By Andrew Snook
Canadian Forest Industries
September 9, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada West

Nick Arkle

When Nick Arkle attended his cousin’s wedding in the U.K. more than 50 years ago, he had no idea that day would be the beginning of his long and impressive career with the Gorman Group. On that important day, Nick was introduced to his cousin’s new father-in-law during the dinner service. That man was Ross Gorman. … Ross invited Nick to come to Canada and work at his small sawmill in the B.C. Southern Interior. …Nick’s passion for the forest products sector was firmly planted. So, Nick approached Ross and expressed his interest in learning more about the business. Ross advised him that he should go back to school and attend university. Nick listened and went back to school attending the British Columbia Institute of Technology and then the University of British Columbia and earned his degree in forestry. …Nick officially announced his retirement this past March saying it’s been a great privilege to be part of the Gorman Group for more than half a century … helping lead the company through challenging times and helping it grow. 

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Forestry stakeholders sound the alarm, secure emergency meeting with province

By Michael Reeve
CFJC Today Kamloops
September 9, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada West

KAMLOOPS — Forestry stakeholders in British Columbia, from loggers to truckers, First Nations, unions and specialty groups have signed an open letter to Premier David Eby demanding immediate action on the forest sector. Pulp is the main game for forestry in Kamloops, with the Kruger mill employing hundreds in the community either directly or indirectly. U.S. Section 338 tariffs are expanding, expected to hit the pulp sector. “Unlike lumber, the tariffs aren’t as dramatic of a direct hit because we sell about 90 per cent of our pulp offshore, not to the United States,” said Joe Nemeth from the B.C. Pulp and Paper Coalition. …Kamloops MLA and forest critic Ward Stamer was in favour of the actions outlined, highlighting the need for a quick response from government to save the sinking industry. …Solutions around permitting and increasing allowable cut, some of the quicker changes the province could enact. Without that change, Nemeth is worried for the future.

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Joint letter to Premier Eby from BC’s Forest Sector Organizations

Council of Forest Industries
September 9, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada West

A joint letter has been sent to Premier David Eby from organizations representing workers, manufacturers, contractors, communities and businesses across British Columbia’s highly integrated forest sector. BC’s forest sector is at a breaking point. Immediate action is required. Collectively, the groups are calling on the Provincial government to urgently establish a Forestry Crisis Action Group, led by the Premier’s Office and bringing together senior government decision makers and representatives from across the forest sector. The mandate is clear: get wood moving, reduce costs, remove regulatory barriers, protect operating businesses, and retain—not retrain—British Columbia’s skilled forestry workforce. “We stand ready to work with the Premier and Cabinet to stabilize the forestry sector, protect employment, and restore BC’s global competitiveness”, signatories said in an email shared with the Tree Frog News.

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Government of Canada investments defend Saskatchewan workers and businesses from U.S. tariffs

By Prairies Economic Development Canada
PR Newswire
September 8, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

REGINA, Saskatchewan — The Government of Canada is now matching the new U.S. tariffs dollar-for-dollar and is providing $7.5 billion in new and enhanced support for affected workers and businesses. As part of these efforts, Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) and Canada’s other Regional Development Agencies are now delivering $3.45 billion in an expanded Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) to help more businesses affected by tariffs. Support is also available for not-for-profit organizations that help businesses adapt, grow, and expand domestic trade opportunities. Today, Minister Eleanor Olszewski announced expanded support through RTRI, with applications now being accepted from eligible SMEs and organizations. In Saskatchewan, the Honourable Buckley Belanger also announced, on behalf of Minister Olszewski, $5.3 million for six RTRI projects led by firms across Saskatchewan.

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Osoyoos Indian Band and Gorman Group Formalize Forestry Management Partnership

Nk’Mip Forestry LLP
September 9, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada West

Oliver, BC — The Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB) and the Gorman Group, through Similkameen Forest Products Ltd. (SFP), signed a partnership agreement on July 20, 2026, that gives the OIB a direct role in the planning and management of Tree Farm Licence (TFL) 59. TFL 59 is located east of Oliver within the OIB’s traditional territory. It is a long-term tree farm licence that provides the holder of the licence the opportunity to manage a defined forest area, and it has been held and managed by SFP. Through its forestry company, Nk’Mip Forestry LLP (Nk’Mip), the agreement means that the OIB will now be involved in the management work from the beginning of the forest planning process.

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Brink Forest Products to cut 50 jobs at its Prince George lumber plant

By Hanna Petersen
CBC News
September 5, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

PRINCE GEORGE, BC — John Brink, CEO of Brink Forest Products, announced he will be cutting the number of employees from 85 workers to approximately 30 at his Prince George finger-joint lumber plant starting next week. …In the last year, Brink’s facilities in both Vanderhoof and Houston indefinitely ceased operations, resulting in more than 100 jobs lost. Between the three plants, Brink employed roughly 400 people. “In northern BC, it is a graveyard of sawmills through the communities,” he said. “Secondary manufacturers, in a lot of cases, rely on primary manufacturers for an input of fibre.” Brink says his company is not only navigating ongoing fibre supply challenges, but rising U.S. tariff costs, and limited access to financing. …As Canada is set to impose retaliatory tariffs on a number of products from the US, Brink expects costs to continue to rise. “Parts and pieces that we need imported from the US may be subject to duties.”

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Negotiators to work with Domtar on potentially keeping Howe Sound mill open

By Sandra Thomas
The Coast Reporter
September 4, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

It’s early days, but MLA Randene Neill says there is some “encouraging” news regarding the “indefinite idle” of the Howe Sound Pulp and Paper Mill and Bayview Fibre chipping facility in Port Mellon. “We have appointed two negotiators from the province and [mill owner] Domtar has accepted our offer of getting back to the table to see what we can do to save the mill and all of the jobs that depend on it,” Neill said. …The negotiators include Don Wright, who has served as the province’s deputy minister to the premier, cabinet secretary, and head of public service for years. …Don Kayne has also been named as negotiator. Kayne is the former president and CEO of Canfor. “These two are incredibly smart people and we’re confident that their experience and knowledge of the forest sector will support really good discussions with the Domtar team,” said Neill, MLA for Powell River – Sunshine Coast. “

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Kim Haakstad – Softwood lumber, Canadian Jobs and the Canada USA Trade War

By The Christy Clark Show
You Tube
September 6, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada West

Christy Clark takes a deep dive into the raging Canada-U.S. trade war with Kim Haakstad, President of the B.C. Council of Forest Industries. Haakstad has been on the front line of U.S. trade negotiations in Washington D.C. recently representing the forestry sector. She has a lot to share about protecting the future of our resource economy in this uncertain time. Haakstad has worked tirelessly in advocating for economic growth in western Canada for the past 30 years. She notes that even before U.S. President Donald Trump came along, tariff threats have been a common feature with our No. 1 trade partner. But B.C. lumber products are unique and preferred by American homebuilders, so why are they treated as competitors only to drive up prices for regular homebuyers. Haakstad also tells Christy there’s a lot more Canada can be doing to help resource industries succeed, including sensible regulation and conservation policy.

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Shuswap Band and Canfor sign new relationship agreement.

Canfor Corporation
September 3, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada West

The Shuswap Band and Canfor have signed a relationship agreement that formalizes their commitment to ongoing collaboration and strengthens a longstanding relationship built on respect and communication. The new agreement establishes a framework for ongoing engagement, forest stewardship, economic participation and community collaboration. “This agreement represents an important step in advancing our relationship with the Shuswap Band,” said Mathew Parras, Vice President, Canadian Operations, Canfor. “We’re excited about the mutually beneficial opportunities ahead and proud to work alongside a partner that is equally committed to creating lasting benefits for both our organizations and the communities we serve.” “Shuswap Band has long recognized that forests are fundamental to the livelihood of Indigenous Peoples and are critically important for subsistence, economic, and ceremonial practices,” said Kukpi7 Barb Cote. …The agreement establishes support and a structured framework for engagement, creating regular opportunities to collaborate on community initiatives, forest stewardship, and economic development opportunities.

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Defence minister non-committal on Crofton navy base proposal

By Michael John Lo
The Times Colonist
September 3, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

David McGuinty

National Defence Minister David McGuinty says the federal government has received a proposal to turn the pulp and paper mill site at Crofton into a navy base, but made no commitments. McGuinty said similar offers are received “weekly” from across the country offering locations, assets and infrastructure to his department. …Greater Victoria remains the “most strategic location” for Canada when it comes to Pacific operations, said McGuinty. …Jeff Kibble, MP for Cowichan-Malahat Langford, has been campaigning for the federal government to consider a new base in Crofton to help ease future congestion at CFB Esquimalt. The Crofton site, which is up for sale following the closure of the Domtar pulp and paper mill, has both industrial capability and a deep-water port. …Rear-Admiral David Patchell, said that there are currently no plans for a second navy base in BC.

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Mission businesses grapple with uncertainty amid Canada-U.S. trade war

By Dillon White
The Mission Record
September 3, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

For Mission businesses enduring the trade war with the United States, uncertainty is the real killer. …A spokesperson for Gill Timbers International, a local timber and lumber exporter, said the trade war is devastating for businesses on both sides of the border. “Businesses can only thrive on certainties,” the spokesperson said. Gill Timbers International estimates that about 90 per cent of its business has been lost during the “ongoing back and forth” between Canada and the United States. Before Trump was elected, the business had a presence inside the U.S. but has needed to scale back and diversify since. … Mission Regional Chamber of Commerce CEO Miriam Bozman said “Mission’s economy is very closely tied to cross-border trade through forestry and wood products, manufacturing, logistics, construction, agriculture. Increased costs, supply chain disruptions, and market uncertainty significantly affect business planning and growth across our community,” Bozman said.

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Ontario Investing Over $17 Million to Protect Forestry Jobs in the North

By Natural Resources
Government of Ontario
September 2, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada West

CHAPLEAU — The Ontario government is building a strong and self-reliant economy by investing over $17.3 million in four projects that will modernize forest sector manufacturing, enhance the industry’s competitive advantage and strengthen forestry supply chains by using more mill by‑products and underused wood known as forest biomass. …This funding is part of the government’s plan to protect Ontario forestry workers in the face of recent U.S. tariff attacks by building a more resilient, innovative and diversified forest sector, ready to compete in global markets. …The Forest Sector Investment and Innovation Program and Forest Biomass Program investments will support four projects advancing the Roadmap to Protecting Ontario’s Forest Sector:

  • Interfor: $9.6 million to modernize the Elk Lake sawmill with a forest biomass-powered energy system
  • GreenFirst Forest Products: $5.9 million for a new production line and $1.6 million to plan a biofuel facility
  • Atlantic Power: $180,000 to upgrade the Calstock Power Plant’s control system

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Western Forest Products’ Saltair sawmill putting in artificial marsh to filter runoff

By Duck Paterson
Cowichan Valley Citizen
September 3, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada West

A new chapter in the effort to better manage water around Western Forest Products’ Saltair sawmill is taking shape. The company is creating a new runoff filtering system designed to collect and control surface water from the mill and surrounding area before it can make its way beyond the site into Ladysmith Harbour. The rainwater and stormwater runoff interacting with fine woody materials and galvanized mill infrastructure will shortly all be directed into an almost natural setting. “We want to make sure all the rainwater runoff from our site is filtered and it’s going into the ocean clean,” said Tyler Fraser, production superintendent at the mill. “Prior to this project all the surface water went into the storm drains, which would then lead to an oil-water separator before the harbour.” …“We have an established constructed wetland up at Beaver Cove in Telegraph Cove that has worked perfectly,” said Ben Matthews, mill environmental regulatory manager for WFP.

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Nackawic on edge as pulp mill owner evaluates options

By Jacques Poitras
CBC News
September 8, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada East

NEW BRUNSWICK — Residents of Nackawic-Millville are on edge this week as the future of the local pulp mill, the community’s largest employer, appears increasingly uncertain. The mill owner, AV Group, told the provincial government that it is “evaluating all of the strategic options for their mill and its operations,” according to Natural Resources Minister John Herron. …Unifor, the union representing workers at the mill, said it has 270 members working there. Nackawic-Millville Mayor Greg MacFarlane said the mill and jobs that spin off from its operations represent nearly half of the town’s tax base. …The AV Group, the mill owner, told CBC News in August that it had stopped buying wood for the mill because it had plenty of inventory for its operations and needed to manage its cash flow. …The mill does not export to the United States, so tariffs are not to blame for the uncertainty.

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Tariffs have some mom-and-pop manufacturers considering move to United States

By Brett Bundale
The Canadian Press in CTV News
September 4, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada East

A Canadian Muskoka chair maker hit hard by US tariffs is considering moving the bulk of its manufacturing to the United States. DFC Woodworks has been making outdoor wooden patio furniture including Muskoka chairs — also called Adirondack chairs — since 1955. The Kemptville, Ontario company exports about 70% of its furniture to the US, but those goods are now subject to a steep 50% US duty. …DFC Woodworks president François Bruneau said “If we raise prices, it will make us non-competitive and sales will go down. If we don’t, the tariffs will sink us.” The Muskoka chair maker’s dilemma illustrates the challenges facing many Canadian small- and medium-sized enterprises, said Fen Hampson at Carleton University. DFC Woodworks makes all its outdoor patio furniture in Ontario using BC western red cedar and eastern select pine. …DFC Woodworks has diversified in recent years, growing sales to Europe with plans to export to Japan.

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Quebec wood products maker appeals US softwood lumber duty ruling

Trade Law Daily
September 4, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada East, United States

Mobilier Rustique, a Quebec manufacturer of Eastern white cedar products, is appealing a US Court of International Trade ruling that upheld the Commerce Department’s latest findings in a long-running dispute over countervailing duties on Canadian softwood lumber. According to Trade Law Daily, the Saint-Martin company filed a notice of appeal Sept. 2. Mobilier Rustique was among several Canadian companies that sought an expedited review after receiving the 14.19% “all-others” countervailing duty rate because they were not individually examined in the original investigation. Commerce’s 2019 expedited review calculated a 1.99% rate for Mobilier Rustique and its cross-owned affiliates. The case subsequently resulted in multiple court rulings and Commerce remand determinations. In July, the Court of International Trade sustained Commerce’s latest remand results. Mobilier Rustique is now appealing that ruling. [to access the full story a Trade Law Daily subscription is required]

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‘Symbol of hope’: Province providing new owners of Espanola mill with $5M to study full restart

By Angela Gemmill
CTV News
September 4, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada East

©BMI Group

The province announced it was providing $5.1 million to Bioveld North, the owners of the former mill in Espanola, to complete a study on what it would take to reopen. Bioveld North is a subsidiary of BMI Group, which purchased the Espanola pulp and paper mill in 2025. The funds will support engineering and planning work to study a full restart of the shuttered facility. The property has sat idle since Domtar left at the end of 2023. …The company plans to create a full fibre bioproduct hub that “puts every part of the tree to work,” starting with premium pulp and specialty paper. Bioveld said the Espanola site would be based on a facility established at the former mill in Thorold in the Niagara Region. Holland said the provincial funding is meant to help protect Ontario’s forestry sector in the face of U.S. tariffs and would establish an anchor facility for the industry in the northeast.

Additional coverage: PR Newswire, by BMI Group: Bioveld North Welcomes $5.1 Million from Ontario as It Advances Plans to Restart the Espanola Mill

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Counter Tariffs Land September 8 — Eco Guardian’s Cups, Made in Canada, Clear the Tariff Line

By Eco Guardian
PR Newswire
September 2, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada East

AURORA, ON — Eco Guardian Inc., a Canadian manufacturer of sustainable foodservice packaging, today confirmed that its Aurora, Ontario facility is fully operational and producing paper cups and bowls for national quick-service restaurants and coffee chain operators, foodservice distributors and retailers of every size. As Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on U.S.-origin goods — including pulp and paper — take effect September 8th, and a separate CBSA dumping investigation targets China-origin paperboard cups, Eco Guardian’s Aurora, Ontario facility is manufacturing cups, bowls and custom-printed packaging from raw material sourced entirely outside the United States — placing its output outside the scope of both the September 8 counter tariffs and the CBSA investigation. …The facility is built with capacity to produce more than 1 billion cups a year — scale that means a national program isn’t choosing between “Canadian-made” and “large enough to matter.” 

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Canada — Idaho’s top trade partner — matched Trump’s tariffs. What’s that mean here?

By Shannon Tyler
The Idaho Statesman
September 3, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, United States, US West

BOISE, Idaho — Tensions between the US and its second-largest trade partner — and Idaho’s top partner — boiled over last month when President Trump lashed out at Canada with a slew of new tariffs. …Canadian officials said last week that they were “targeting” products that would affect certain states as they responded with tariffs of their own. …Idaho exports more goods to its northern neighbor than it does to its next six largest markets — Taiwan, Mexico, Singapore, Japan, China and Malaysia. Agricultural and food products are the state’s top exported goods, and Canada is the biggest market for them. …Wood, paper, pulp and printing products are also on the list of items facing 50% tariffs from both sides. …Idaho imports wood and paper products from Canada more than twice the amount it exports. …Trump’s new round of tariffs is another way to target Canadian wood, which this time affects different types of plywood.

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Maine governor says her state is ‘not the enemy’ in ongoing trade war

By Sam Farley
CBC News
September 3, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, United States, US East

Janet Mills

Maine’s governor says the ongoing trade war between the United States and Canada is “irrational,” and that she wants it to end. Janet Mills said she’s heard the same from residents of her state. “They want the war to stop,” the Democratic governor said. …Mills said Maine and New Brunswick share close family and cultural ties, and she has respect for Prime Minister Mark Carney and Premier Susan Holt, along with other premiers she’s met. …“This war that the president has waged, is waging on Canada, is not our war. It’s not Maine’s war with New Brunswick or Quebec or any part of Canada,” Mills said. She said she doesn’t want Maine’s relationship with Canada to be damaged by tariffs, and she wants Canadians to know that they are “always welcome here, your products are always welcome here and that we will always be friends in my book.”

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Finance & Economics

U.S.–Canada tariff war puts pulp and tissue supply chains under pressure

METissue
September 9, 2026
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: Canada, United States

U.S. 50% duties on covered Canadian pulp and paper products meet Canada’s new tariffs of up to 50% on U.S. tissue, paper and dissolving pulp. …The flashpoint for pulp and paper came after the U.S. imposed additional duties under Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 on covered Canadian goods, with the measures taking effect Aug. 22. Among the affected products are: Chemical bleached softwood pulp, including NBSK, a key strength fiber used in U.S. tissue and towel production, and Toilet or facial tissue stock” and other specified household and sanitary paper products used by U.S. converters. …The tariff shock is also affecting corporate planning. …The broader concern for tissue manufacturers is the potential combination of higher fiber costs, changing sourcing strategies and pressure on margins. …Competitive pressure could limit how much of the increase is passed through immediately, but prolonged tariffs could eventually put pressure on manufacturing costs, tissue prices and product economics.

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Lumber Futures Hits Nine-Month Low

Trading Economics
September 8, 2026
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: Canada, United States

Lumber futures fell below $555 per thousand board feet, reaching its lowest level in nine months, as retaliatory tariffs from Canada on US goods took effect, weighing down demand. Ottawa had announced counter-tariffs of 25% on US lumber and 50% on Plywood following US tariffs on several lumber-related goods. US forestry groups have long accused Canada of distorting the market, as 94% of Canadian forestland is publicly owned compared to 58% privately owned in the US, allowing Canadian lumber to be sold at a lower price. The fallout is hitting the forest sector of both countries, as selling lumber prices went up immediately after the news, pushing demand lower. Fall is usually a time for renovations, however, elevated prices weighs on the sector. Meanwhile, US housing remains subdued, with lumber-intensive single-family construction spending falling 3.2% in July, while elevated mortgage rates continue to weigh on homeownership.

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Canada July trade surplus shrinks, US exports drop

By Promit Mukherjee
Reuters
September 3, 2026
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: Canada, United States

OTTAWA — Canada’s trade surplus narrowed sharply in July as exports of energy and metal products shrank ‌while imports rose, just weeks before Washington’s new 50% tariffs begin to show up in statistics. The trade surplus was C$769 million (US$557 million), compared with a four-year high surplus of C$4.2 billion posted a month ago, Statistics Canada said. Exports dropped 2.3%, while imports increased 2.2%. Amid an escalating trade dispute with U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, Canada has been seeking ​to reduce its dependence on its neighbour and largest trading partner. The U.S. accounted for 66.35% of Canada’s total ⁠exports in July, down from 69.39% in June and 72.64% a year ago. However, Canada’s import dependence on the U.S. has only narrowed to ​59% in the last 12 months compared with 62% in 2024. However, Washington’s latest duties, imposed last month, will provide a tougher test for exporters in the coming months.

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U.S. CUSMA exit would be ‘severe but not cataclysmic’ for Canada: Deloitte report

By Lauren Krugel
The Canadian Press in Business in Vancouver
September 3, 2026
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: Canada, United States

Boosting trade with a more diverse array of international partners would only plug part of the hole in Canada’s economy if the U.S. were to withdraw from the North American trade pact, says a new Deloitte Canada report. So Canada must look at measures beyond trade diversification to help make up the difference, such as removing interprovincial trade barriers and fostering new industries, wrote the authors of “Tariffs: A Rough Road Leads to New Destinations,” released Thursday. It lays out a best- and worst-case scenario for the domestic economy amid the cross-border trade maelstrom. …The worst scenario would be the dissolution of CUSMA, which the report’s authors call “a possibility that cannot be dismissed.” The U.S. accounted for about 70 per cent of Canada’s exports in 2025. If that were to happen, Canada’s real gross domestic product would fall by 1.6 per cent, or $402 billion, over the next decade. 

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Inflation risks rise with higher fuel costs and new U.S. tariffs, Bank of Canada governor warns

By Jeff Lagerquist
CBC News
September 2, 2026
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: Canada

Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem says inflation risk is on the rise, with higher energy costs topping Canada’s incoming dollar-for-dollar tariffs on U.S. goods as the biggest potential driver of rising prices for consumers and businesses. Macklem’s remarks on Wednesday came after Canada’s central bank held its benchmark interest rate steady at 2.25 per cent, as widely expected by economists. The central bank lowered its policy rate to its current level in October of last year. This latest announcement marks seven consecutive times it has left its trend-setting policy rate unchanged. “The counter-tariffs, and indeed the U.S. tariffs … will add costs for some businesses,” Macklem told reporters in Ottawa. “These tariffs are very steep, but they are applied to a relatively narrow base.”The bigger issue, he said, is the war in the Middle East.

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Canada gains share in U.S. softwood lumber imports in Q2 2026

The Lesprom Network
September 3, 2026
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: Canada, United States, International

The ten largest softwood lumber import markets imported 16.6 million m3 in April-June 2026. Canada increased its share of U.S. softwood lumber imports by 6 pp, while Germany lost 3 pp of U.S. softwood lumber imports, according to Lesprom Analytics. The ten largest suppliers shipped 15.0 million m3 and held 90% of imports across the ten largest import markets. Canada gained 2 pp of Chinese softwood lumber imports. In the United Kingdom, Germany gained 4 pp and Finland lost 3 pp of U.K. softwood lumber imports. Russia shipped 474 thousand m3 less across the ten largest import markets, followed by Germany at 428 thousand m3 less and Austria at 370 thousand m3 less. In the first half of 2026, the ten largest import markets imported 34.7 million m3. Canada shipped 1.8 million m3 less and Russia shipped 1.2 million m3 less than in the first half of 2025.

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B.C. Unemployment Climbes to 6.5% as Forestry, Construction and Education Shed Jobs

By Julie Bergeron
By Business Examiner
September 6, 2026
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: Canada, Canada West

Statistics Canada’s August Labour Force Survey showed British Columbia shed a net 5,500 positions last month, lifting the provincial unemployment rate to 6.5 per cent from 6.2 per cent in July. The result places B.C. 0.1 percentage points above the national average, even as Canada as a whole lost a net 42,000 jobs during the same period. Bryan Yu, chief economist at Central 1 Credit Union, attributed the losses to two sustained pressures: a prolonged absence of meaningful private-sector investment growth and a shrinking population as temporary residents depart following federal immigration policy changes. Educational services accounted for the steepest single-sector decline, with roughly 6,300 positions lost. …Construction and retail and wholesale trade each recorded significant losses as well, with the latter shedding approximately 3,800 jobs. …Natural resources lost 2,600 jobs provincially and continued to record the largest year-over-year contraction at 17.2%, driven by mill closures and curtailments across the province.

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Wood, Paper & Green Building

Expanding Secondary Market Opportunities for Recovered Construction, Renovation and Demolition Wood

Canadian Wood Council
September 10, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada

The next market opportunity for wood may begin with material already in circulation. The Canadian Wood Council’s new report, Expanding Secondary Market Opportunities for Recovered Construction, Renovation, and Demolition Wood, examines the infrastructure, regulatory, economic, and operational constraints limiting the reuse and reprocessing of reclaimed wood products. It identifies near-term product opportunities and the technical, commercial, and standards foundations needed to support market growth, including grading and testing, centralized processing hubs, policy sequencing, pilot projects, risk management, and performance measurement. Download the full report to explore opportunities for expanding secondary markets for recovered wood.

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New Study from Perkins&Will Offers Mass Timber Solution to Canada’s Housing Crisis

Perkins&Will
February 26, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada

©Perkins&Will

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA—Canada needs a lot of housing—fast. Perkins&Will has published research proposing a scalable prefabricated modular mass timber system to deliver high-quality homes quicker, more sustainably, and in alignment with regulatory and market realities. Developed in collaboration with industry and academic partners, the modular timber system is based on a rationalized structural grid, a concise kit of prefabricated components, modular planning principles, and fully coordinated building services. Together, these elements streamline design, approvals, manufacturing, and assembly—supporting both housing delivery and Canada’s climate commitments. “We face a housing crisis across Canada, and the impact of a rapidly changing climate is real. These are issues that demand decisive action,” says Derek Newby, regional director of Perkins&Will practices across Canada. “At the same time, we have outstanding potential in our industry, and an incredible wealth of natural resources. This study brings all these pieces together and proves that we can do much better.”

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Upskill Employees in Industrial Wood Processing & Sawmilling

British Columbia Institute of Technology
August 14, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada West

Are you looking to enhance your skills in the lumber and sawmill sector? Onboarding new employees that would benefit from formal education in the field? Are you seeking to provide your employees with essential business skills for professional development? BCIT is currently offering two Associate Certificates to help you: Industrial Wood Processing (IWP) and Business of Sawmilling (BOS). Both programs were developed with industry subject matter experts and informed by industry leaders to support upskilling and professional development for individuals in the lumber and sawmill sector. Each program is 1-year, delivered online and part-time to allow students to balance work and studies. The participants are new or existing employees in the North American lumber sector and are sponsored by their employers.

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Timber-frame kit homes rise Shoal Lake 39A First Nation reserve

By Don Procter
Journal of Commerce
September 2, 2026
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada West

Manitoba — A long-time stick‑frame builder serving remote Indigenous and rural communities as far north as the Arctic, Wayne Allary recently shifted gears, partnering with Cornerstone Timberframes to deliver timber‑frame kit homes built with glulam members. The idea, he says, is to build better quality, energy efficient homes that can be erected in 45 days, cutting months off the time to construct a conventional house. After completing five of Cornerstone’s A-frame kit residences in the First Nation community of Shoal Lake 39A, east of Winnipeg, Allary’s general contracting firm Waasa Indigenous Services Inc. erected five of Cornerstone’s prefabricated kit bungalows of various designs with full basements. Not only were they quick to erect, the homes, which were prefabricated in Cornerstone’s manufacturing facility near Winnipeg, required fewer trades. The company’s timber kit houses with glulam beams feature flexible layouts, with moveable non‑load‑bearing walls, says Cornerstone Timberframes.

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Forestry

Beyond the Fire Line: Why Private Forests Matter Now

By Andrew de Vries, Chief Executive Officer
Canadian Forest Owners
September 10, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada

Canada is being forced to rethink its relationship with wildfire. The fires burning across the country are no longer an occasional disruption to the forest sector. They are becoming a defining economic, environmental and community challenge. …At the same time, Canada is confronting another challenge: how to secure enough fibre to keep mills operating, attract investment and sustain the rural communities that depend on forestry. These two issues are connected. And they point to one of Canada’s most underused forest-sector assets: its private working forests. When Mark Carney announced the Canadian Forest Sector Transformation Task Force in November 2025, Canadian Forest Owners (CFO) saw an opportunity to challenge the traditional boundaries of Canada’s forest policy. When we presented to the Task Force in February and submitted our recommendations in March, our message was straightforward: Canada cannot build a stronger, more competitive and more resilient forest sector while leaving privately managed forests at the margins.

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US and Canadian forest industry sought to weaken EU deforestation rules

By Elizabeth Schell
Mongabay.com
September 10, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, United States

When the European Union’s new anti-deforestation law threatened to expose the environmental costs of logging in North America’s forests, the American paper industry, supported by the U.S. government, mobilized an intense lobbying effort to weaken the legislation. According to lobbying disclosures, the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA), have spent nearly $11 million dollars on lobbying efforts since 2023, including on the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). …At stake is relations with a major trading partner. The U.S. exported $879.7 million worth of forest products to the EU in 2025, according to the USDA. It’s not just U.S. officials pushing to weaken the regulation. Canadian industry group Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) and Canadian officials have also been outspoken against the rules. …More recently, FPAC and the AF&PA released a joint statement this year — along with the Australian Forest Products Association, the Japan Paper Association, and the New Zealand Forest Owners Association — requesting reduced oversight in low-deforestation-risk countries.

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As Canada grounds its wildfire satellite contract, a US project launches

By Jamie Voyles
National Observer
September 8, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada

Josh Johnston, a senior research scientist at the Canadian Forest Service, describes WildFireSat as his father’s dream. …Canada has had the technology and capability to remotely monitor fire hot spots and wildfire ignitions for a long time. …Canada needs WildFireSat now more than ever. But its launch, originally scheduled for 2029, has been complicated by a canceled contract and upstaged by alternative wildfire satellite systems that recently reached orbit. …WildFireSat received a major boost in 2022, when the federal government committed $169.9 million for the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), Natural Resources Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada to deliver and operate the wildfire-monitoring satellite system. …Spire Global received a stop work order for the microsatellites in March and the contract terminated by the federal government on April 23, 2026 for undisclosed reasons. …Less than three months after Spire’s contract was terminated, another purpose-built wildfire satellite system, called FireSat, took a major step forward — in the United States.

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Private Managed Forest Lands: Part of the Solution

By Megan Hanacek, RPF, RPBio
Private Forest Landowners Association
September 10, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

The BC forest sector is facing structural shifts that are limiting fibre supply on public lands and impacting rural communities throughout BC. Although not the only solution, private managed forest lands provide a vital avenue for sustainable, regulated timber production and economic stability… They act as economic engines, balancing commercial enterprise with environmental stewardship to support local communities. Private managed forest lands are the backbone of many regional economies in BC. [They] account for 32% of the coastal harvest and support nearly 5,000 jobs… Private managed forest landowners ensure that timber from private lands continues to flow to local mills, which otherwise struggle with the diminished timber supply from Crown lands. Private managed forest lands consistently prove that economic viability and environmental stewardship can go hand-in-hand. Ultimately, a stable regulatory environment for all BC forest lands will ensure the Private Managed Forest program continues to attract participants and support BC communities for years to come.

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AI-powered cameras provide ‘eyes’ and ‘nose’ to detect Island wildfires

By Hannah Link
Business in Vancouver
September 9, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

©Mosaic

A new wildfire-spotting camera on Sidney Island can detect fires so well that the first five alerts crews received were for blazes burning on the San Juan Islands and Vancouver Island, as far away as the Malahat. The AI-powered machine serves as “eyes” on the small island east of the Saanich Peninsula, while 45 sensors work as a collective “nose,” detecting air changes that could signal a fire, said Triana Newton, director of the Sidney Island Fire Brigade. …The growing wildfire risk prompted Mosaic Forest Management to install SenseNet cameras atop Mt. Benson, near Nanaimo in early August. The two high-resolution cameras work day and night, providing a 360-degree view of the area, said Steve Mjaaland, manager of forest protection for Mosaic. …Shahab Bahrami, co-founder and chief technology officer for SenseNet, said that about a third of the 200 detection cameras installed across Canada are in B.C.

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Prince George backs call for public inquiry into forestry practices

By Cheryl Jahn
CKPG News Prince George
September 9, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

PRINCE GEORGE – The City of Prince George will add its voice to growing calls for a provincial examination of the link between forest management practices and the severity of wildfires in British Columbia after council voted to support pursuing an independent public inquiry. The resolution, brought forward by the city’s Standing Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs, received council support despite concerns from some members about cost and effectiveness. Coun. Brian Skakun, co-author of the resolution, said the province must take a closer look at how forests are managed and whether current approaches are helping or contributing to increasingly destructive wildfire seasons. “I think the province, along with First Nations, have to look at what we’re doing wrong,” Skakun said. …Council will take the resolution to the Union of British Columbia Municipalities and send letters to the Premier, the Minister of Forests and the Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness requesting provincial action.

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Island helicopter company adds muscle to wildfire effort

By Darren Kloster
Victoria Times Colonist
September 8, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

Since early June, Vancouver Island Helicopters and a crew of pilots and maintenance and support teams have been attacking wildfires from Quebec and the Northwest Territories to Alberta and British Columbia. Among other rotary and fixed-wing aircraft, the North Saanich-based company is using its S-92A Sikorsky Fire Raptor. VIH is the first to convert this particular model of Sikorsky for firefighting. It’s normally used in search and rescue, the heavy-lift industry and to ferry heads of state. …VIH crews have moved steadily west since the wildfire season began. Chief operating officer Jen Norie said the Fire Raptors and the company’s converted S-61 Sikorsky helicopters are proving their worth. …In August, Port Alberni-based Coulson Aviation purchased 10 C-130 Hercules airplanes from the federal government with plans to convert them to firefighting tankers. Coulson hopes at least two of the massive planes will be ready to fight wildfires in B.C. by next season.

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Three Okanagan grad students win big for wildlife contributions

By Brittany Webster
The Penticton Western News
September 8, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

Nine graduate students in B.C. have been awarded scholarships through the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF), including three students in the Okanagan. Studying at the University of B.C. Okanagan (UBCO), Madeline Frazer, Peter Baker and Kara Atkinson were each awarded $10,000 to support applied research in wildlife and habitat stewardship, management, policy and decision-making. “Their projects reflect the breadth of the challenges and opportunities in wildlife management, from species-focused research on grizzly bears, elk, mule deer, caribou, snakes and birds to broader work on the impact of climate change on species, evaluating invasive species management, the impact of silviculture and forest harvest on ungulate, and the history of land management on ecosystems,” said Dan Buffet with HCTF.

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Okanagan Indian Band warns of flood, rockfall risk in wildfire-burned areas

By Brendan Shykora
Pentiction Western News
September 8, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

©BCWildfireService

The Okanagan Indian Band (OKIB) is warning of increased flooding and slope instability risks following an assessment of the area affected by the Bradley Creek wildfire. In an update Tuesday morning, Sept. 8, the band said it has received a preliminary post-wildfire geohazard assessment from Stantec for areas affected by the blaze, which is now under control, having burned an area spanning 2,658 hectares after it ignited and rapidly spread on Aug. 1. The wildfire destroyed an estimated 230 homes on OKIB land. In the aftermath, the assessment identified an increased potential for flooding, erosion, debris flows, rockfall and slope instability in some burned areas, particularly during heavy rainfall, rain-on-snow events and spring freshet, the OKIB said. “Bradley Creek and several individual properties require further assessment. Increased runoff and debris could also affect drainage and the Westside Road crossing during significant rainfall,” the band said.

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A Decade of Impact: Investing in Community Forests for the Long Term

Forest Enhancement Society of BC
September 9, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

British Columbia – As the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) marks its 10th anniversary, the Society is reflecting on the investments that have supported community forest projects across the province. From wildfire risk reduction and ecosystem restoration to better fibre utilization and local employment, these investments have helped community forests advance work that reflects local priorities and supports the long-term stewardship of our forests. The Province of BC grants Community Forest Agreements to selected communities, giving them the right and responsibility to manage specific areas of Crown forest, generally located near their communities. “Community Forest Agreements allow communities and forest managers to take the long view in a way that many other tenures cannot,” said Jennifer Gunter, Executive Director of the BC Community Forest Association (BCCFA). “Because they are long-term tenures community forests often invest in work that goes well beyond timber harvesting.”

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BC Timber Sales holding open house on controversial Mt. Rose Swanson logging plans

By Brendan Shykora
Summerland Review
September 5, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

BC Timber Sales (BCTS) is holding an open house in Spallumcheen next week regarding its controversial proposal to harvest trees on Mount Rose Swanson, a popular recreation area in the community. The open house will take place at the Township of Spallumcheen Municipal Hall Thursday, Sept. 10. …The provincial agency that manages 20% of BC’s public timber harvest is proposing a new cut block and road development in its Rose Swanson operating area, located within the Okanagan-Shuswap natural resource districts. The planned timber licence would cover 35.7 hectares, spread over 15 smaller patches ranging from one to 4.3-ha openings. About 14,500 cubic metres of timber would be harvested, with an estimated 95 per cent of the areas’ deciduous aspen and cottonwood trees left standing. …The proposed cut block and logging road has drawn criticism since it was made public several years ago. …An online petition to halt logging on the mountain received 24,000 signatures.

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‘Not us’: Walbran activist condemns tree spiking

By Roxanne Egan-Elliott
Victoria Times Colonist
September 6, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

People embedding metal spikes in trees in the Walbran Valley area are not associated with an activist group trying to stop old-growth logging, a member of the Walbran Watchdogs says. The tree spikes were identified in a B.C. Supreme Court ruling as an example of the “irreparable harm” suffered by Tsawak-qin Forestry Limited Partnership, which has rights to log in the area. The ruling extended an injunction against blocking roads and impeding logging in the area. The injunction had been set to expire on Sept. 13, but was extended to the end of January 2028. In an August ruling, Justice H. William Veenstra found that hundreds of trees had been spiked in the area, leading to damaged logging equipment and the potential for “significant risk of injury or death” to fallers and sawmill workers. 

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Cathedral Grove winner of The Search for B.C.’s Best Roadside Attraction

By Sophie Woodrooffe
CBC News
September 4, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

Back in 1979 the narrow parking spaces were there, as were the trees. And so was Bill Beese. He was 23 at the time, working as a summer student for the forestry giant MacMillan Bloedel. And while he couldn’t conduct his field work inside the provincial park, his boss said he and the other students should stop there anyway. Just to look. Or rather, look up. “We were just awestruck,” said Beese. …”The name Cathedral Grove is very apt.” Nearly 50 years later, Beese is one of the thousands of voters who helped Cathedral Grove beat 31 challengers over the CBC’s five-week competition to determine the top thing people like to get out of their cars and look, or look up at. “It is literally a roadside attraction. The highway goes right through this magnificent old-growth forest. And it’s very unique,” said Beese, who, as a forest ecologist and retired Vancouver Island University forestry professor, admits bias. 

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Setting new harvest level in Omineca region

By the Ministry of Forests
Government of British Columbia
September 4, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

B.C.’s deputy chief forester has determined the new allowable annual cut (AAC), the maximum amount of timber that can be harvested each year, for Tree Farm Licence (TFL) 30 in the Omineca region. The new AAC, which takes effect Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, is 340,000 cubic metres, a 17.6% reduction from the previous AAC. The deputy chief forester considered changes that have affected the amount of timber that can be sustainably harvested since the previous review. It includes the need to retain more trees for wildlife habitat, protect riparian areas and conserve rare ecosystems. TFL 30 overlaps the territory of the following First Nations: Lheidli T’enneh Nation; McLeod Lake Indian Band; West Moberly First Nations; and Tsay Keh Dene Nation. The determination considered issues raised by First Nations, including maintaining habitat for moose and protecting streams, riparian areas and fish habitat.

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B.C. wildfire salvage rate sparks debate over how much burned timber should be recovered

By Tchadas Leo
Chek News
September 5, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

As B.C. recovers from another intense wildfire season, debate is growing over how much and how quickly timber from burned forests can, and should be recovered. B.C. Conservative Party MLA and forestry critic Ward Stamer says the province is moving too slowly and leaving too much valuable timber behind. …The province says that, on average, about five per cent of timber in wildfire-impacted areas is currently being salvaged. Stamer wants that rate to rise to 25 per cent and says the province should make better use of existing roads and infrastructure to improve access. …B.C. Forestry Minister Ravi Parmar says a 25 per cent salvage rate isn’t realistic, pointing to challenges including access, operability and safety. Stamer disputes that argument. …Stamer says the province could be doing more to get additional burned timber to market. A study from Université Laval found that fire-affected wood can split and is vulnerable to insects and fungal attacks.

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Fast-moving wildfires reshaping B.C.’s forests, new study finds

By Nathan Griffiths
Victoria Times Colonist
September 7, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

Ellen Whitman

New research suggests that fast-moving wildfires, such as the Bald Range blaze near Summerland that forced recent evacuations, are burning bigger and leaving ­forests less able to grow back to their ­pre-burn state. The study analyzed nearly 3,500 fires across Canada and the western U.S. between 2012 and 2023. Researchers used satellite data to track how quickly fires spread each day. They found the fastest-moving fires burned more severely, killed more trees and made it more difficult for forests to regenerate. “It’s not necessarily incredibly surprising that fast-moving fires are responsible for the largest area burned. But we now also show that they have pretty outsized ecological impacts as well,” said Ellen ­Whitman, one of the study authors. Those impacts can range from changing the tree makeup of a forest, “something we have been seeing quite a lot in the northwestern boreal,” Whitman said, to no tree regeneration at all, a result Whitman called “pretty extreme.”

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Court says hundreds of Walbran Valley trees ‘spiked’ as blockade injunction extended

By Darryl Greer
The Canadian Press in CTV News
September 3, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Hundreds of trees have been found embedded with metal spikes in Vancouver Island’s upper Walbran Valley, according to a court ruling that extends an injunction against a logging blockade there until early 2028. The BC Supreme Court court ruling says the blockade activity has included vandalism of logging equipment and tree-spiking incidents, in which two fallers had their chainsaws damaged beyond repair when they struck spikes on Aug. 18. Last Friday’s ruling says the loggers weren’t injured, but tree spikes carry “significant risk of injury or death”. Investigations found several hundred trees in Tsawak‑Qin Forestry’s cutblocks had been embedded with spikes, many with their heads cut off and bark placed over the top. …Tsawak‑Qin Forestry’s activities in the upper Walbran Valley have been disrupted by protesters opposed to old-growth logging since August 2025. Justice H. William Veenstra’s ruling says “the new evidence establishes that there continues to be irreparable harm suffered by Tsawak-Qin”.

Related coverage in: Chek News, by Liz Brown: Injunction to prevent logging protests at Walbran Valley extended to January 2028

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Old Growth on the Chopping Block for the North Coast Transmission Line

By Sarah Cox
The Tyee
September 4, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

BC Hydro is seeking to remove part of a provincial protected area near Terrace, B.C., to make way for a transmission line that will power the liquefied natural gas and mining industries. In a recently released environmental impact assessment, BC Hydro says its favoured route for the North Coast Transmission Line cuts through part of the Swan Creek Protected Area, an unlogged watershed bordering the Zymoetz River. The Zymoetz, known locally as the Copper River, is a tributary of the Skeena River and has a recreational steelhead fishery and chinook spawning areas. While the portion that BC Hydro aims to remove is relatively small — 12.4 hectares, or about five per cent of the protected area — it includes old-growth forest, winter habitat for moose, wetlands, fish-bearing tributaries of the Zymoetz River and habitat suitable for multiple species at risk of extinction.

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Campfire ban to be lifted across Vancouver Island and South Coast

Victoria News
September 2, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

Campfire prohibitions will be lifted across the Coastal Fire Centre starting Thursday (Sept. 3), as wildfire danger continues to decline following recent rainfall and cooler temperatures. Effective at noon, Category 1 open-fire prohibitions, which include campfires, will be rescinded throughout the Coastal Fire Centre – which encompasses the Island and B.C.’s South Coast. Fire no larger than 0.5 metres high by 0.5 metres wide, used for recreational or ceremonial purposes, will be allowed. At the same time, Category 2 and Category 3 open-fire prohibitions will also be lifted in the Haida Gwaii Forest District. Category 2 fires include backyard burning, while Category 3 fires include larger industrial burning activities. However, Category 2 and Category 3 fires will remain prohibited throughout the rest of the Coastal Fire Centre. Some activities and equipment also remain prohibited, including binary exploding targets, fireworks, burn barrels or burn cages, controlled air incinerators, air curtain burners, and carbonizers.

Related news: My Cariboo Now, by Teryn Midzain: Category 1 campfire bans in the Cariboo to be rescinded this week

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Planting of nearly 34,000 trees in city backed by new federal funding

By Gary Rinne
Thunder Bay News Watch
September 9, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada East

THUNDER BAY — The City of Thunder Bay is benefiting from an infusion of government cash as it continues to plant thousands of trees, largely to mitigate the destruction of the urban forest canopy caused by the invasive emerald ash borer. The federal government and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities have announced details of a recent round of funding under the Growing Canada’s Community Canopies program. Ottawa provides the money, but the program is delivered and administered by the FCM. Thunder Bay has received $4.6 million, one of the largest allocations in the country, and is using the money to plant 33,550 trees and seedlings. According to the FCM, the project includes targeted planting across city parkettes, waterfront lands, wetland areas, and urban infrastructure. Cory Halvorsen, the city’s manager of parks and open spaces, said the city applied for the funding over a year ago, but only recently received word it had been approved.

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Vince Rutter says under-harvesting is adding fuel to the fire

By Graham Strong
Northern Ontario Business
September 4, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada East

Vince Rutter

Vince Rutter wants to get people thinking about fire in Northern Ontario forests. Forest fires are the result of a complex, intertwined set of issues. Rutter believes the solutions are intertwined, including sourcing energy from our forests and changing our negative attitudes about cutting down trees. Rutter has been deeply connected with forests in northwestern Ontario for about 30 years … he moved to Thunder Bay in 1996 to take the forestry program at Lakehead University. …Rutter said that harvesting and burning wood for energy doesn’t release any more CO2 than would be released after the tree died anyway. Besides, filters and controlled burning means the process can be more environmentally friendly. So why don’t we rely upon wood energy more? …“Canadians are scared to work the forests,” Rutter said. “We’re harvesting about half of our annual allowable cut. The other half is accumulating — dying and rotting, or catching on fire.”

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Quebec wildfire smoke left forest moths with deformed wings, Concordia research finds

By Patrick Lejtenyi
Concordia University
September 8, 2026
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada East

Over the course of the summer of 2023, Quebec experienced its worst wildfire season on record. By its end, some 4.5 million hectares of the province’s boreal forest were burned. While the effects of the toxic smoke on humans have been thoroughly studied, our knowledge of the impact on local fauna — including insects — is lacking. A new study led by Concordia researchers is among the first to look at how exposure to wildfire smoke affects the development of lepidoptera: the order of winged insects that includes moths and butterflies. The paper… shows that smoke exposure during larval development caused significantly higher rates of wing deformities in spruce budworm and forest tent caterpillar moths, two species that periodically strip the leaves off millions of hectares of Canadian forest when the insects’ populations boom. …Smoke-exposed spruce budworm moths were twice as likely to develop wings that the researchers classified as folded, crumpled or missing. 

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Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy

The trade war could sideline climate or become an opportunity

The National Observer
September 8, 2026
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: Canada

As Canada confronts a trade war with the US, climate action risks becoming collateral damage. But the same economic shock could also allow Canada an opportunity to rethink its energy future. This tension was at the centre of Canada’s National Observer’s newest conversation hosted by Linda Solomon and David McKie. …The trade dispute is already hitting major Canadian industries, Snieckus said, pointing to steel, forestry and automotive manufacturing, as well as thousands of small and medium-sized businesses. At the same time, Canada has considerable leverage because of the resources our neighbours rely on. But the discussion repeatedly returned to a bigger question: where does climate action fit when economic sovereignty becomes the immediate priority? Max Fawcett argued protecting Canadian sovereignty has to come first because climate policy itself depends on it. …Darius Snieckus said the trade war could become an “industrial policy shock” that ultimately leaves Canada more economically diversified and energy secure.

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Climate change could increase pest and disease damage across North American forests

By Demetra Maragos
CTV News
September 4, 2026
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: Canada, United States

New research suggests climate change could leave Canada’s forests increasingly vulnerable to pests and disease in the coming decades, while a federal climate report projects a sharp increase in the area burned by wildfires across the country. A federal government report warns average temperatures in Canada could rise by at least 3.5 C by the end of the century, even if the world achieves net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, researchers at the University of British Columbia say climate change is expected to increase pest and disease damage across much of North America’s forests. The UBC study found more than 80 per cent of the forest area examined could experience higher levels of damage by the middle of the century. “Climate can influence the performance of both trees and the pests,” said Dr. Zihui Wang, a researcher in UBC’s Department of Botany.

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Canadians should prepare for a 5 C hotter future, report warns

By David Thurton
CBC News
September 3, 2026
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: Canada

Canadians will have to prepare for a future that’s 5 C hotter, according to a new report summarizing the latest science on climate change. The second edition of Canada’s Changing Climate Report, a synthesis of the science on the impact of a warming planet on Canadians, confirms with greater confidence that burning fossil fuels are responsible for climate change. The report assess what Canada would look like under different scenarios depending on whether countries fulfil their climate commitments. …The report finds that if global governments keep pursuing their current climate policies, Canada… is projected to warm through this century with an estimated temperature increase of 5 C. In Nunavut, warming in winter could exceed 10 C. If the world, however, dramatically reduces GHGs and achieves net-zero around 2075, Canada’s climate is projected to stabilize and average warming would increase by 3.5 C. …Canada’s environment minister said Canada remains committed to reducing its emissions and achieving net-zero by 2050.

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Donald Trump’s trade war is accelerating Canada’s retreat from climate policy

By Linda Solomon Wood
National Observer
September 3, 2026
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: Canada, United States

Donald Trump’s trade war is accelerating Canada’s retreat from climate policy. When trade talks between Canada and the United States broke down on August 22 and Trump imposed tariffs of 50 per cent on almost $30 billion of Canadian goods, Canada had to respond. And it is responding. Prime Minister Mark Carney is standing up to Trump. I admire him for that. Canada cannot allow an American president to threaten our economy every time he doesn’t get what he wants. We need new markets, new trading partners and far less dependence on the United States. But something else is happening in the rush to protect ourselves. Climate policy is getting trounced. The oil-and-gas emissions cap has been abandoned. The Clean Electricity Regulations and other climate measures have been weakened. The federal government has moved toward expedited approvals for energy infrastructure.

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Feds say their climate law is unenforceable

The Edmonton Sun
September 1, 2026
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: Canada

Mark Carney government is arguing in court that the signature piece of Justin Trudeau’s climate action plan — the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act — is unenforceable. Also, that it’s not the job of the courts to rule on federal climate policy. That may come as a shock to Canadians who remember the Trudeau government crowing when the Supreme Court ruled in 2021 that Trudeau’s carbon pricing law was constitutional, after it was challenged by Ontario, Alberta and Saskatchewan as an intrusion into provincial authority. But that was then, and this is now. CBC reports that a group of environmental activists are asking the federal court to compel the government to update its 2030 emission targets, which are no longer realistic, or declare the current plan is a violation of the act. The government argues its net zero law only says the government may decide to amend its emission targets, but does not require it.

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Can biomass breathe new life into Nova Scotia’s struggling forestry sector?

By Glenn MacDonald
The Chronicle Herald
September 4, 2026
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: Canada East

For generations, Nova Scotia’s forests have been a foundation of the province’s economy. But the traditional business model built around sawmills, pulpwood and large-scale paper production has been under growing pressure. The closure of the Northern Pulp mill in Pictou County in 2020 exposed just how vulnerable the sector had become. …Now, industry leaders are looking toward an emerging opportunity: turning branches, bark and other low-grade fibre into energy. …Nova Sustainable Fuels is planning a multibillion-dollar renewable-energy project that would use biomass from Nova Scotia’s forestry and forest-based industries to produce sustainable aviation fuel, providing an alternative to conventional petroleum-based aviation fuel. For an industry struggling to find markets for its fibre, projects such as that could represent an important new customer. Stuart said a biomass market could also complement efforts to improve the health of Nova Scotia’s forests. [A Chronicle Herald subscription may be required for full access]

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Health & Safety

Wildfire is the top risk for Kootenay town Creston, new assessment finds

By Amber Wang
CBC News
September 9, 2026
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada West

©Town of Creston

Creston, B.C., had a relatively quiet wildfire summer in town this year. Still, wildfire sits at the top of a new assessment of the risks facing the community. The Town of Creston looked at 51 possible hazards, including floods, extreme heat, drought and wastewater problems. Wildfire was the only one rated as a current high risk. Officials say the finding is not a prediction for one fire season. Instead, it is a reminder that Creston is a mountain community surrounded by forests and dry slopes, and that preparation needs to happen before a major fire reaches town. The assessment comes as B.C. communities prepare for new provincial emergency management rules taking effect in January 2027, including new requirements for hazard risk assessments and emergency planning.

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Fire Stop: Yukon First Nations Wildfire expands into home fire‑protection systems

By Ross Burnet
Yukon News
September 5, 2026
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada West

©YFNW

The Yukon First Nations Wildfire (YFNW) organization has established a service to help homeowners, cabin dwellers, remote camps, and industrial sites figure out what might be needed and then they can supply good quality equipment. YFNW is customizing fire suppression kits for different locations. The most important piece is the pump. YFNW is a Waterax distributor. This brand is known for supplying professional wildland firefighting crews with versatile workhorse portable and mobile pumps. Their website (yfnwildfire.com) states “Yukon First Nations Wildfire (YFNW) is a partnership of nine Yukon First Nations stakeholders, providing emergency management and training services. …As a firefighting organization, YFNW deploys crews to fires in Yukon and elsewhere. …A water system can be viewed as an investment and one that could have a real impact … some thought to sprinklers- even ones set-up with no water, for fire crews to connect to on your home—is worth considering.

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2026 New or Revised ACGIH Threshold Limit Values and B.C. Exposure Limits (June)

WorkSafeBC
September 4, 2026
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada West

The Occupational Health and Safety Regulation provides that, except as otherwise determined by WorkSafeBC, an employer must ensure no worker is exposed to a substance exceeding the Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) prescribed by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). Twice a year, the ACGIH publishes a list of substances for which they have set new or revised TLVs. When WorkSafeBC adopts the new or revised ACGIH TLVs as regulatory exposure limits for chemical substances, these exposure limits are referred to as B.C. Exposure Limits (ELs). An EL is the maximum allowed airborne concentration for a chemical substance for which it is believed that nearly all workers may be exposed over a working lifetime and experience no adverse health effects. ELs may be set out as an 8-hour time-weighted average concentration, a 15-minute short-term exposure limit, or a ceiling limit.

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Okanagan’s share of 2026 smoke days rank among worst

By Kathy Michaels
Castanet
September 3, 2026
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada West

©BCWildfireService

Summer isn’t quite over, but it’s shaping up to be one of the smokiest on record, with air-quality warnings blanketing the Okanagan for much of July and August. Warnings urging people to reduce activities because of fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, were issued for 13 days in July and 28 days in August across the Okanagan Valley, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist Chloe Katsademas. That’s a sharp increase from recent years. In 2025, there were just two warning days in August. In 2024, there were about nine days with warnings, Katsademas said. …So far in 2026, the Penticton weather station has recorded 302 hours of smoke-obscured visibility between April and October. That makes 2026 the third-worst year on record for smoke hours at the station.

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Forest Fires

Ainslie Creek no longer out of control, but drought could keep it burning until winter

By Tim Petruk
Castanet
September 3, 2026
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada West

©BCWildfireService

The Ainslie Creek wildfire is now being held after burning out of control for nearly two months west of Merritt. The BC Wildfire Service changed the fire’s status Thursday morning, one day after removing it from the province’s list of wildfires of note. A fire classified as being held is not expected to spread beyond its current boundaries under forecast conditions and with the suppression work completed to date. The blaze, suspected to be human-caused, was discovered on July 4 and has grown to 67,722 hectares. BCWS said between one and seven millimetres of rain fell across the Brunswick Complex overnight, with slightly cooler temperatures and light winds expected Thursday. Environment Canada is forecasting a high of 20 C in Merritt on Thursday, with southwest winds reaching 20 km/h and a 30 per cent chance of showers late in the afternoon.

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Wildfire threatening Port Hope Simpson grows, but has not reached town structures

By Alex Kennedy
CBC News
September 3, 2026
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada East

The fire that is burning out of control in Port Hope Simpson has more than tripled in size, as Day 2 of efforts to fight the blaze near the southeastern Labrador community comes to a close. The fire that began at an estimated two hectares in size when it was mapped as a possible threat to the community on Wednesday reached five hectares by mid-Thursday morning. As of about 7 p.m., the latest update, it’s seven hectares, according to provincial forestry. However, any spread has not been into the town, thanks to activities through the day. “Today, aerial suppression efforts were supported by three water bombers and two bucketing helicopters, which were effective in preventing the spread of the wildfire,” states the update.

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