What does British Columbia’s Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar mean when he talks about forest industry transformation? …Industry transformation is a core theme of the NDP government’s forest sector agenda—part of what it was elected to address in 2017 and later formalized in the 2021 intentions paper, Modernizing Forest Policy in British Columbia. It is clear that transformation is meant to include more value-added wood products manufacturing, partly to reduce reliance on commodity lumber markets in the U.S. and move away from boom-and-bust cycles. Those are worthy broad objectives but impractical. And there is no concrete plan. Frustratingly, the details of this industry transformation have never been publicly outlined.
By my analysis, approximately 42 per cent of the softwood lumber production capacity operating in this province in 2019 has since been indefinitely curtailed, indefinitely closed, or permanently closed. …What about the 54 per cent, or 3.1 million tonne reduction in pulp and paper mill capacity since 2020? Add two or three closed pellet mills, a few other wood product manufacturers, and the list is a shocking transformation. The corresponding 47% decrease in the provincial Crown harvest is equally telling. …One of the biggest ironies of all this is the desire to increase value-added manufacturing cannot scale without primary manufacturers converting logs into products like lumber or veneer that can be used to then make value-added products. Except those primary manufacturers are the ones closing down.
Industry leaders recently sent a joint letter to the Premier warning that industry is at a breaking point and asking for an emergency meeting to address the crisis. Maybe the discussion should not be industry conveying its concerns and needs, but rather the Premier and Minister cutting to the chase on what they mean by industry transformation. The government keeps invoking transformation, yet the observable result of the last decade have been contraction—and neither communities nor industry know where the government’s goalposts are.
This past summer once again saw wildfires rip through the BC Interior resulting in lost homes and uprooted communities. As always, we’re left wondering why did this happen? Could it have been prevented? In the case of the Summerland fire, CBC reported that fuel management and prescribed burning work had been planned in some of the affected areas but had not been carried out. But the situation is more nuance than the reporting suggests. Considerable mitigation work had taken place around the community over the past two decades including fuel management treatments, ecological burns, and targeted grazing. The effectiveness of those efforts, along with other factors across the landscape and efforts of individual local residents, will no doubt be studied in detail in the months ahead. The impact of this wildfire does not mean mitigation failed. Quite the opposite; it suggests that preventative work matters, that FireSmart initiatives by homeowners are imperative, and that communities are safer because of it.
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. 
In the face of ongoing trade disputes, including those around softwood lumber, the Government of Canada is taking decisive action to support the forest sector. We are committed to protecting workers and jobs, and giving Canadian companies the stability they need to weather short-term shocks and retool for a stronger, more diversified future. In support of that commitment, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Finance and National Revenue, today highlighted a $30-million loan to Conifex Timber Inc. through the Large Enterprise Tariff Loan (LETL) facility. The funding provided through LETL will help the company adapt to current conditions, support its workers, and build a more secure future for the community of Mackenzie, British Columbia. This support comes as the Government of Canada enhances the LETL facility to better meet the needs of Canadian employers facing continued trade uncertainty.
A comprehensive support package will fill the gap and help BC businesses affected by US tariffs produce and sell more of their products locally as well as overseas. … “President Trump’s unfair trade war is an attack on BC workers, businesses and communities – especially in our forest sector,” said Premier David Eby. “BThat’s why we’re enhancing proven programs to help BC businesses find new customers, create jobs and build a stronger, more resilient and self-reliant economy.” The support package provides new funding to existing programs:
PRINCE GEORGE — A long-standing Prince George transportation company is preparing for a major downsizing after losing a key forestry hauling contract in the wake of Canfor’s Northwood Pulp Mill closure. Excel Transportation announced it will no longer serve as a hauling contractor for Canfor, a decision the company says stems from the ongoing downturn in northern B.C.’s forestry sector rather than any concerns about performance or safety. “This is one of the most difficult announcements we’ve had to make in our company’s history,” said CEO Annie Horning in a statement. The closure of the Northwood mill earlier this year eliminated roughly 300 Canfor jobs and significantly reduced the amount of wood being moved throughout the region. With less timber available to haul, Canfor reduced the number of hauling contracts it requires and ultimately chose not to retain Excel.
Indigenous land titles, data centres and human-bear conflicts are among the top-of-mind concerns for municipal politicians, as they gather for their annual fall convention and attempt to influence the provincial government’s agenda. The Union of B.C. Municipalities convention this year is being held in Vancouver from Sept. 14 to 18. … The City of Nanaimo is calling for a ban on exporting raw logs and lumber cants. A cant is a raw log with its bark removed. The motion identifies a lack of adequate and affordable wood fibre supply as a key factor in the continued curtailment or permanent closure of B.C. sawmills and pulp mills. Over the past five years, on average, about 3.2 million cubic metres of raw logs have been exported. The ban would be to “ensure that forests harvested in B.C. from Crown land and private managed forest lands are processed in B.C., encouraging value-added manufacturing in B.C. and supporting employment in B.C.’s forest industry,” the motion states.
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.
VANCOUVER, BC — West Fraser Timber announced that it has entered into a new $500 million three-year term loan, partial proceeds of which will be used to retire its existing $300 million term loan due in 2028. The new term loan matures in September 2029. The Company’s $1 billion syndicated credit facility remains outstanding on existing terms and has approximately four years remaining to its May 2030 maturity. …”Entering into a new $500 million term loan strengthens our near-term liquidity position and provides additional financial flexibility,” said Sean McLaren, President and CEO, West Fraser. …The Company has also declared a quarterly dividend of US$0.32 per share on the Common shares and Class B Common shares in the capital of the Company, payable on October 19, 2026 to shareholders of record on September 29, 2026.
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 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.
British Columbia has endured another extreme drought with damaging impacts seen across the province. …Playing out year over year, the chaotic cycle of drought crises has become a familiar experience for BC. We argue it’s the result of provincial water management that continues to treat drought as a short-term seasonal emergency rather than the year-round, persistent problem it has become. A 
Drought and water-scarcity challenges persist in B.C., with some areas expected to remain affected through the winter and potentially into 2027. While some recent rainfall has provided local relief, the snowpack is forecast to be low in the coming months, so water conservation must continue through winter. People, businesses, farms, water suppliers, First Nations and local governments are being urged to continue conserving water and planning ahead. Communities, particularly those in and below areas affected by wildfire, should also prepare for flooding, debris flows, landslides and erosion during intense fall, winter storms. …While late-summer rainfall has helped calm conditions, the wildfire season is not over and large areas of the province remain at risk for wildfire activity, including the potential for increased activity in October.
B.C.’s Ministry of Forests announced it would begin piloting its new Working Forest Landscape Model. The model aims to support the province’s goal of an annual timber harvest of 45 million cubic metres, while reducing industry red tape, such as cutting permits. It will be tested out in an area near Campbell River. …Instead of relying on individual cutblock permits for Crown land, this model would divide areas in the province into three zones. A working forest zone would prioritize commercial timber harvest. Forestry companies operating within it would be able to plan for the broader area from the start rather than incrementally adding more cutblocks. …A multiple-use zone would have various functions aimed at “the restoration and enhancement of biodiversity and ecosystem functions,” such as wildfire mitigation, according to the province. And a conservation and protection zone would ensure “long-term ecosystem function and biodiversity.”
Filmmaker Murray Wilson responds to criticism of the documentary’s case for active forest management:
As wildfires raged this summer, I turned to the documentary film 
As the provincial government advances plans to carve British Columbia’s lands into zones where logging and other industrial activities are permitted or barred, a former longtime public servant says he is struggling to not be cynical about what could lie ahead. In August, The Tyee broke the news that the provincial ministries of Forests and Water, Land and Resource Stewardship were proposing to divide B.C.’s vast and spectacularly diverse lands into “working forest,” “multiple-use” and “conservation and protection” zones. The details were included in a leaked internal government email. The zoning exercise is happening as Premier David Eby tells Forests Minister Ravi Parmar to find more trees for companies to log in order to meet a logging target of 45 million cubic metres per year. Forest ecologist Andy MacKinnon, who worked in the Forests Ministry for 30 years, said he worries that the “Path to 45” initiative will drive the zoning plan. .png?t=1789154044436)
Mosaic Forest Management is asking recreation users how they find gate and access information for its lands, returning to the public on an issue that surfaced as one of the clearest concerns in last year’s feedback. The survey asks people who camp, cut firewood or spend time on Mosaic’s lands how they plan trips, which apps and maps they already use, and what tools would help most. It is open until September 29, 2026. Mosaic’s lands are private managed forests, working forests where harvesting, road maintenance and hauling continue year-round. Public recreation is offered voluntarily alongside those operations, which means access can change with active work, road conditions and seasonal wildfire risk. Communicating those changes clearly is the challenge the new tools are meant to address. …Recreation users can complete the survey at 
Communities in McLeod Lake and Mackenzie, and on northern Vancouver Island, will have greater opportunities to manage local forests, support wildfire resilience and strengthen local forestry economies through expansions of two community forests. “Rural communities understand forestry, both as an economic driver and as a tool to reduce wildfire risk,” said Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests. “Driven by powerful partnerships, these expansions will mean real benefits for their communities in the form of local logs for local manufacturing, jobs on the land base and healthier, more resilient forests.” These expansion decisions will result in a total of 20,000 cubic metres allocated to the McLeod Lake Mackenzie community forest, and more than 8,100 cubic metres to the North Island Community Forest. The expansions will provide more opportunities for local forest management, including wildfire risk reduction, while helping ensure a sustainable fibre supply for local facilities and users. 
As part of the City of Rossland FireSmart program, contractors will complete FireSmart fuel treatment projects on municipal land parcels within the community beginning this week. The objective of the fuel management project is to reduce hazardous forest fuels and to decrease wildfire risk to the adjacent residents and the community, noted a release from the city. “The goal for the project is to reduce hazardous surface fuel accumulations close to homes and the community,” it stated. Expected activities include: Reduction of woody surface fuels from tree mortality and winter storm damage; Removal of dead standing trees; Retention of the healthy, large trees to maintain a cool and moist under storey; Retention and protection of all healthy, deciduous trees and shrubs (leaves have a high moisture content and are low flammability); Retention and protection of high value wildlife trees; and Debris disposal (chipping).
Wildfire restoration expert Angela Kane says she knows the high toll of being displaced by wildfire. She is the CEO of the Secwepemcul’ecw Restoration and Stewardship Society (SRSS), an Indigenous-led wildfire recovery organization that formed after the devastating 2017 Elephant Hill fire that burned close to 200,000 hectares near Ashcroft, B.C. …Kane said the scale of the destruction is also surreal, as B.C. sees such intense wildfires happening more frequently due to climate change. Recalling her experience flying over the landscape burned by the Elephant Hill fire, Kane said she was stunned by the devastation. …Kane said the first task for the society’s restoration efforts is finding areas where the soil has not been badly damaged and working with First Nations to determine where and what to plant. …“We did 292 page report on the Elephant Hill Wildfire lessons Learned back in 2017, which outlined to the provincial government, as well as BC wildfire, calls to action and recommendations,” said Kane.
Glenn Tytenbeek isn’t just opposed to a plan to log parts of Spallumcheen’s Rose Swanson Mountain area, he is “vehemently opposed.” Tytenbeek was one of many people who attended an open house by the BC Timber Sales proposal which proposes to harvest up of 35.7 hectares of forest, spread over 15 smaller patches, ranging in size from one to 4.3-hectare openings. …Lisa Broughton was also opposed to the logging project. “I feel it is pure greed. Why should the rest of us have to suffer, the wildlife has to suffer and the forest being ravaged because of a company’s greed.” …“I actually don’t hear any concerns,” Warren Yablonski with the BCTS said about 45 minutes into the three-hour open house. “I hear people are okay with the plan.” …Yablonski noted the area has logged back on the 1950s as well. “That’s what created these old trails out there,” Yablonski said, adding hiking trails are logging trails from the 1950’s.
…The last recorded sighting of wild northern spotted owls in BC was in 2023… Spuzzum First Nation Chief Janice Kuester says the loss is deeply upsetting. …But that doesn’t mean there’s no hope. …Biologist and ecological consultant Jared Hobbs says re-establishing the species in B.C. is possible, “but we have to stop eroding the recovery options.” …An effort to have an emergency order issued for the owls failed in 2023 …Instead, the government said it was committed to collaborating with B.C. and Indigenous communities, in part through an ongoing federal recovery strategy. That plan identifies logging and species competition as the two main threats facing the owls, and sets a goal of restoring a stable population of 250 of the birds. Part of that goal involves introducing captive-bred spotted owls back into the wild. In B.C., the Northern Spotted Owl Breeding Program has roughly 40 spotted owls, and is working to breed and release more.
The BC Forest History Association Speaker Series. Jordon Gabriel, from the Líl̓wat Nation will present: Learning From the Land: Indigenous Knowledge, Forestry, and the Path to Reconciliation. We will explore how Líl̓wat knowledge and contemporary forestry practices are being brought together through cultural burning, wildfire risk reduction, fuels management, community forestry, and collaborative stewardship. Our key takeaway is that reconciliation in forestry must prioritize Indigenous voices, knowledge, and authority in land stewardship to support healthier forests, safer communities, cultural continuity, employment, and responsibility to future generations. Líl̓wat Forestry Ventures Ltd. is a leading forestry management corporation within the Líl̓wat Nation in Mount Currie, British Columbia. Jordon Gabriel, from the Líl̓wat Nation, is one of the Forestry Technicians helping to ensure sustainable management of the Nation’s forests and the preservation of all cultural values for generations to come. Jordon worked with the BC Wildfire Services for 20 years.