Orange Shirt Day – Every Child Matters began in Williams Lake, British Columbia, on September 30, 2013. Established to honour Residential School Survivors, their families, and those who never returned home, it serves as a powerful reminder of the lasting impacts of the Residential School system. What began as a grassroots initiative has since evolved into a nationally recognized movement, with individuals, organizations, and communities across Canada participating in acts of remembrance, reflection, and reconciliation each year. The orange shirt symbolizes the loss of culture, freedom, and self-esteem that many Indigenous children experienced. This day reminds us that “Every Child Matters”. Public commemoration of this tragic chapter in Canada’s history, and its lasting effects, plays an essential role in advancing truth and reconciliation.
BRUSSELS — The EU and Canada will use a landmark summit next month to announce an expansive new partnership, ranging from breaking down digital trade barriers to joint support for Ukraine and investing in fighting wildfires. “The world is rapidly changing with unprecedented geopolitical challenges as well as challenges across trade, energy, technology, climate, and resources,” reads a joint statement. …The EU and Canada have been seeking to shore up their strategic ties as they grapple with the fallout from U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war. …The two sides plan to say at their summit in Montreal that they want to speed up investment in critical mineral projects, strengthen supply chains, and improve supply security, including by stockpiling critical resources to mitigate “market fluctuations and geopolitical impacts.” …Ottawa and Brussels will also announce the joint purchase of 50 De Havilland water bombers, to be ready for use in Canada and Europe in 2030 to fight wildfires.
Plaintiffs led by the Canadian government will appeal the Court of International Trade’s July 27 ruling that upheld the Commerce Department’s use of a differential pricing analysis to detect masked dumping in a case challenging the 2021 administrative review of the antidumping duty order on Canadian softwood lumber, according to a Sept. 23 
President Trump’s ban on nearly $1 billion worth of Canadian goods went into effect Tuesday, marking the latest salvo in a trade war between the U.S. and its longtime ally to the north. The restrictions include Canadian dairy products, motor vehicles and many alcoholic beverages. Trump, in signing the executive orders to ban the goods, cited Canadian “discrimination” against the American equivalents. Jacob Jensen, as the American Action Forum, said the limits cover $967 million worth of Canadian imports, based on 2025 data. The president last month slapped 50 percent tariffs on $27.6 billion worth of Canadian products, levies that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government matched “dollar for dollar. …Carney, meanwhile, has used the trade dispute with Trump to shift his country’s cooperative focus elsewhere. 
In an early loss for the Carney government, a federal court refused to strike down a climate lawsuit brought by Canadian youth. Justice Patrick Gleeson sided with the young people and the environmental advocates who are asking the court to hear what could be a landmark case on the federal government’s climate accountability legislation. The ruling means the environmentalists will likely get their day in court where both they and the government will get an opportunity to argue whether the Carney government must update its climate plan, formally known as the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act. Back in June, three young people and two environmental groups launched a lawsuit asking the Federal Court to order Ottawa to amend its climate plan. Since the plan was first launched in 2022, the Liberal government under Prime Minister Mark Carney has eliminated key measures needed for Canada to achieve the 2030 target. 
The British Columbia Supreme Court has refused to approve a proposed reverse vesting transaction (RVO) for Teal-Jones Group that would have wiped out long-standing fibre supply agreements tied to TFL 46, finding that TimberWest and Domtar held proprietary interests that should not be extinguished. The Monitor argued that the sale of the Surrey Mill and TFL 46 to Gillfor Manufacturing was the best available transaction and that removing the agreements was necessary to preserve the business, but the Court found no sufficient evidence that the agreements were uneconomic or would prevent Gillfor from operating the assets. With the agreements priced at fair market value and their termination expected to cause significant prejudice to TimberWest and Domtar, the Court declined to approve the transaction unless they remained in place. …The prejudice to Domtar if the supply agreements were extinguished would be significant. 
Lumber futures fell to around $530 per thousand board feet, remaining near their lowest level in nine months, as rising borrowing costs weigh on housing demand. Growing concerns over inflationary pressures have fueled a broader selloff in global government debt markets, pushing yields to their highest level in nearly two decades. As a result, mortgage rates climbed above 7%, a level last seen in January 2025, further weighing on prospective homebuyers. Although lacking any particular economic significance, economists refer to the threshold as a psychological ceiling. Meanwhile, lumber-intensive single-family housing starts increased 7.6% in August. Providing an offsetting pressure, Ottawa had announced counter-tariffs of 25% on US lumber and 50% on plywood following US tariffs on several lumber-related goods.
Much of the current discussion about BC exports understandably focuses on tariffs and the evolving trade relationship with the US. …A complete picture of what the province sells to earn its way in the world must include services. They generate roughly 40% of the province’s international export earnings. …The shift toward services has been underway for decades, supported by steady growth in gateway transportation and the rapid expansion in technology and professional services. …BC’s export mix has become more diversified partly because services have performed well, but also because merchandise exports have struggled. …The largest contributor to the decline in BC’s real merchandise exports is softwood lumber and other forestry-related exports, which have plunged since 2017. That decline reflects a shrinking timber harvest mainly attributable to provincial policy changes, a dwindling fibre supply, rising costs and other pressures that have reduced the competitiveness of the B.C. forest sector.
VANCOUVER, BC — Record exports of commodities are moving to new and growing overseas markets this year as the Port of Vancouver helps move more of what Canadians make, mine, harvest and grow to more customers. Overall cargo volumes for the Port of Vancouver hit a record 88.1 million metric tons (MMT) for the first six months of 2026, up 3% compared to the same period for 2025. …“From Quebec aluminum… Alberta energy and BC forestry products and critical minerals—we’re proud to move what Canadians make. More than $1 billion in goods moves through the port each and every day, and with game changing projects on the horizon like Roberts Bank Terminal 2 we’re ready to step up to deliver more.” …The Port of Vancouver handles about half of Canada’s two-way container trade, comprising exports of forestry products, food, machinery and premium grain, and imports like consumer goods and manufacturing parts.
The University of British Columbia’s new MacIsaac Health Building is the first project on the Vancouver campus to achieve Canada Green Building Council Zero Carbon Building—Design Standard v2 certification. Designed by Perkins&Will in partnership with Danish partner Schmidt Hammer Lassen, the approximately 25,000 m2 facility brings together nursing, kinesiology, student health and well-being, clinical teaching, research, and academic space. Carbon reduction informed the project’s design and construction strategies. The building also achieved LEED Gold certification. A high-performance envelope is intended to reduce energy demand, while natural-ventilation strategies and heat-recovery systems support operational performance. The project team also completed a whole-building life-cycle assessment to identify opportunities to reduce embodied carbon. Material selection also played a major role. Mass timber forms a key part of the structure and provides exposed timber finishes throughout the building. According to the project team, the material selection helps reduce embodied carbon while referencing Pacific Northwest building traditions.
As architects and interior designers balance sustainability goals with the growing demand for human-centred spaces, biophilic design offers an opportunity to support both people and the planet. Research continues to demonstrate the measurable benefits of biophilic design with wood, including improvements in wellbeing, occupant satisfaction and overall user experience. Explore this toolkit of resources and discover how to create healthier, more inspiring spaces.
The bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act — the first major overhaul of housing legislation in more than 30 years — is good news. But the policy, which aims to accelerate housing production across the country, also sets in motion surging demand for one of the oldest and most consequential building materials on Earth: wood. …As cities grapple with the need to increase housing production and decarbonize the built environment, they must take seriously the ecological impact of these material demands. …Since the 1990s, many North American timber operations have received certifications from forestry-standard groups, signaling to eco-conscious developers, architects, and investors that their wood products were responsibly produced. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) cover the majority of operations in North America. …But SFI policies around clearing primary forests are vague, while the FSC Mix label allows a product to include a majority of wood from non-certified logging operations. 
Edmonton, Alberta – The Canadian Institute of Forestry (CIF-IFC) is pleased to announce the 2026 National Award recipients. Recipients have earned distinction through demonstration of exceptional achievements in the field of forestry. The Awards were presented at the Annual National Awards Ceremony and Banquet on September 28 in Edmonton, Alberta. The Institute would like to extend our congratulations to all the award recipients for 2026!
The Mark Carney government has been open-handed this year when it comes to funding major projects in BC that it deems to be in the national interest. The government promised $3.9 billion for the North Coast Transmission Line… It invested $500 million to expand the Red Chris gold and copper mine and pledged financial support for the $10-billion Roberts Bank port expansion. …A Canadian scientist and a University of BC professor say the federal government’s funds and perks are subsidizing the destruction of nature, contravening Canada’s global biodiversity commitments “Biodiversity again loses out,” Justina Ray, president and senior scientist for Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, said. Ray and Jessica Dempsey, a University of BC professor who studies the political economy of biodiversity loss, both said Prime Minister Mark Carney’s investment summit in Toronto last week underscores that the government’s priority is to facilitate resource extraction, despite the toll on nature.
MONTRÉAL — Domtar is proud to announce a $25,000 contribution to Indspire’s Building Brighter Futures: Bursaries and Scholarships program. Helping to remove financial barriers, the program supports First Nations, Inuit and Métis students across Canada to pursue and complete post-secondary education. “Education creates opportunity and strengthens communities,” said Luc Thériault, Domtar’s President – Canada and CEO, Pulp and Wood Products. “We’re proud to partner with Indspire to help Indigenous students achieve their educational goals and create pathways to rewarding careers.” …Domtar’s contribution will be matched by the Government of Canada, doubling the impact of the donation and bringing the total value of support for Indigenous students to $50,000. …Indspire is a national Indigenous charity that invests in the education of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people. …Domtar has previously supported Indigenous students through Indspire’s Building Brighter Futures program, including students pursuing forestry and forestry-related studies.
HDI Risk Consulting has published a new climate risk assessment of Canada’s Boreal Forest using its modelling platform, mapping how heat stress, drought, wildfire, water scarcity and permafrost thaw interact across a region spanning Canada, Alaska and the northern US. The analysis is part of HRC’s Iconic Landmarks series, applying spatial climate data to identify where physical risk concentrates and how it cascades into business interruption for the forestry, mining, energy and transport sectors that depend on the region. “Climate risk moves through interconnected systems. The Boreal Forest is a clear example of that interaction,” said Wiebke Cundill, HRC’s team lead for natural hazards and climate risk analysis. …Given how much Canadian lumber, energy and minerals feed directly into US manufacturing and construction, HRC’s point, that “a wildfire in Canada can quickly become a US business problem,” is grounded in real, measurable trade data rather than a general climate-adjacency claim.
The European Union has updated its regulation on deforestation-free products (EUDR), which is intended to ensure that products placed on or exported from the EU market do not contribute to deforestation or forest degradation. …The EU amended the regulation in December 2024 and December 2025, introducing simplification measures intended to reduce administrative costs and compliance burdens for affected companies. The EUDR will begin applying to large and medium operators on December 30. Micro and small operators will be subject to the regulation beginning June 30, 2027, while micro and small operators already covered by the EU Timber Regulation will have a December 30 compliance date. The EUDR replaces the EU Timber Regulation and is part of the European Commission’s broader effort to reduce the EU’s contribution to global deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, and biodiversity loss. …An 
As we move into fall, this is a time share the important role community forests play across BC. September 30 is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. It is a time to reflect on our shared history, to listen and learn, and to recognize that reconciliation is ongoing work. Across BC, community forests are contributing to that work by building relationships with First Nations …and learning from the knowledge and values that First Nations bring to caring for the land. …With a provincial election underway, the BCCFA will be working throughout the campaign to bring our priorities forward and help candidates understand what community forests are delivering for BC and what is needed to strengthen the community forest program. In this edition of our newsletter, you’ll find information on:
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Mission’s forestry department reported a net loss of $234,506 in the second quarter of 2026, but is expected to be profitable by the end of the year. According to the department’s quarterly report from the September 21 council agenda, market uncertainty led to lower volumes harvested during the quarter. The department reported a net profit of $301,844 in the second quarter of last year and projected a net profit of $733,511 for Q2 of 2026. However, the department released just 39 per cent of its budgeted volume to date because market uncertainty. “Continued challenges exist in the timber market. In addition to tariffs from the United States, fuel prices have increased substantially in 2026, which has impacted shipping costs,” the report reads. The report highlights trade friction with the United States as “one big challenge” moving forward, but also notes reasons for optimism for the remainder of 2026 and beyond.
Okanagan backcountry patrols are still turning up campfires burning without anyone around, weeks after campfire restrictions were eased across the region. Kane Blake, founder of the Okanagan Forest Task Force, says volunteers have discovered multiple campfires over the past several weeks that were left burning with no one present to monitor them. …Under B.C.’s Wildfire Regulation, a Category 1 campfire must be watched and patrolled while it is burning. The person responsible must maintain a fuel break around the fire and have either at least one firefighting hand tool or eight litres of water available. Leaving a fire unattended can also result in enforcement under the Wildfire Act and Wildfire Regulation. B.C.’s current listed fines include $1,150 for lighting, fuelling or using a fire against regulations. For the Okanagan Forest Task Force, Blake says the goal is also to educate younger generations about safely enjoying the backcountry.
The decisions made in a forest today will shape it for generations. Making those decisions well requires shared knowledge, strong relationships and an understanding of the priorities of the communities connected to the land. …In the Williams Lake region, the National Forest Week vision is being put into practice through a partnership between West Fraser and the Stswecem’c Xget’tem First Nation (SXFN). Together, West Fraser and SXFN are demonstrating how collaboration can advance local forest stewardship through shared learning, skills development and a commitment to responsible land management. “Good forest management starts with understanding the ecosystem and managing for resiliency over generations,” said Chad Swanson, West Fraser’s Chief Forester for British Columbia. “Working collaboratively with Indigenous Nations in the areas where we operate allows us to incorporate important knowledge and perspectives about the land and combine them with forestry science. Together, these insights help us make informed decisions that support healthy, resilient forests.”
The University of British Columbia and the Lower Fraser Fisheries Alliance (LFFA) have signed a memorandum of collaboration to strengthen their partnership on fisheries conservation and research, resource management, and environmental stewardship in S’ólh Téméxw. The traditional and shared territory of the Stó:lō people spans the Fraser Valley and lower Fraser Canyon region of B.C. The agreement formalizes a long-standing research relationship between the Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship (FES), the Faculty of Science, the Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries (IOF) and the LFFA, a First Nations-led organization that advances the collective fisheries interests of 24 Lower Fraser First Nations. The partnership provides a framework for collaboration on a number of areas including strengthening work on long-term fisheries conservation including the health and sustainability of fisheries, aquatic resources and their habitats, with particular attention to the management of Fraser River fish. 
Recent headlines have made clear the need for change in BC’s forest sector. …We can and should emphasise building with renewable materials sourced from BC timber, such as expanding local production of mass timber and continuing to advance tall wood construction. …The Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship (FES) at the University of British Columbia (UBC) is doing just that. …Our recently launched UBC Richards Buchanan Professorship in Forests, Nature and Human Health is taking this line of research one step further. …Made possible with a multi-million-dollar gift from philanthropist Bruce Buchanan and leveraging support from UBC, the scope of this innovative professorship overlaps with such fields as medicine, public health, epidemiology, environmental health, neuroscience and/or environmental psychology. Potential topics of investigation span urban greening, forest therapy, nature-based solutions, Indigenous health, community well-being, biophilic design and/or environmental change, such as from extreme heat events, air pollution or wildfire smoke.
NEW BRUNSWICK — Ken Thomas has been harvesting lumber from forests in Stanley for over 32 years. …But these days, he’s consumed with the thought of what to do next, when he pulls these 20-foot logs out of the forest and looks for a buyer, now that his longtime purchaser is pulling out of the game — at least temporarily. Earlier this month, the AV Nackawic mill announced it will temporarily shut down at the end of October. The mill owner, AV Group, had already stopped purchasing wood in August. …If the Nackawic mill closes permanently, there will be about 257,000 hectares of Crown land licensed to AV Group that will be up for grabs. …In the meantime, while the province decides the next steps for the licence, Herron has allowed the mixed hardwood cut and grown for the Nackawic mill to be exempt from regulations keeping it in the province.
During the Wood Pellet Association of Canada 2026 Conference in Victoria, B.C., the Emerging Competition & Market Dynamics panel discussion focused on the global wood pellet market and how it is entering a period of rapid change and intensifying competition. …the panel was comprised of Hannah Adler, Argus Media; William Strauss, FutureMetrics; Manolis Karampinis, Bioenergy Europe; and Didzis Palejs, Latvian Biomass Association. The panel addressed the potential for long-term oversupply in the wood pellet market caused by the expected reduction in demand from the Drax Group’s power station in the U.K. …While the wood pellet sector is expected to go through a few rough years, Strauss believes the future for the sector remains bright. …While Japan remains a key customer of wood pellets for Canada, Adler said that demand has slowed down with the phasing out of the Feed-in-Tariff and Feed-in-Premium schemes.
Taking the stage at Climate Week in New York City, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced his authorization to move forward with linking Washington into its carbon market that’s shared with Quebec, Canada, the next-to-last step in California’s process to complete the merger. On the same day, Washington state officials completed the rulemaking process to allow the linkage. California and Quebec will still need to complete regulatory changes, the final step, before merging can occur. In June, the three jurisdictions signed a linkage agreement to fully join operations in 2027. Washington hopes that joining the older and well-established carbon market will stabilize prices for businesses, which have swung wildly in recent years on the state’s 5-year-old market. …For more than a decade, California’s carbon market has sought to cut climate pollution by setting a cap on greenhouse gas emissions and requiring major polluters to buy allowances to cover their share of emissions. In 2014, its market linked with Quebec. 
From training young and new workers to managing roadside risks and small business safety, the fall issue of WorkSafe Magazine shares practical guidance to help employers and workers create safer, healthier workplaces. Alongside feature stories, you’ll find information on small business, volunteer fire departments, upcoming conferences.