Region Archives: Canada West

Business & Politics

Increased wood supply ups odds of success for One Sky Forest Product’s new OSB mill

By Susan NcNeil
Prince Albert NOW
September 18, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

PRINCE ALBERT, Saskatchewan — One of the biggest benefits of OSB mills is their ability to take remnant wood from other operations and make a building product out of it. That is certainly one of the attractions for the Meadow Lake Tribal Council’s investment division, which is part of One Sky Forest Products, and recently announced plans for construction of a new mill outside of Prince Albert in 2025. …The plan for an OSB mill near Prince Albert was first floated publicly in 2021 as the province of Saskatchewan promised 845,000 cubic meters of supply for an OSB mill. Originally, the OSB plant was supposed to share resources with the long-closed pulp mill site, which was also supposed to open. The pulp mill is not feasible, Paper Excellence confirmed last week, but that might have actually helped improve the odds of success for the OSB plant.

Read More

Global Wood Summit: Delegates to obtain current views on developments in the wood products trade

By Russ Taylor
Global Wood Summit
September 19, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

Delegates to the Global Wood Summit conference from Oct 29-30, 2024 in Vancouver BC will be able to obtain a number of current and timely views on developments in the wood products trade! Nine sessions with over 30 speakers from around the world will discuss what is going on in the world of forest products and what the outlooks will be for 2025. …With lots of market uncertainty currently, the speakers will allow for many excellent insights and outlooks into what lies ahead in North American and global markets and products. Our objective is to feature a wide range of industry experts, producers, exporters, importers and selected specialists focused on what is next for national and global trade. We look forward to welcoming you to this unique event focused on global trade developments in pulp, paper, logs, lumber and panels, with a focus on the global trade of logs and lumber. It is going to be really timely and interesting!

Read More

BC forestry unions come together to “fight for our future” at Union of BC Municipalities

By United Steelworkers
Cision Newswire
September 17, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

VANCOUVER, BC – British Columbia’s forestry workers will take part in the Union of B.C. Municipalities conference as part of a campaign to strengthen and secure good paying jobs in the industry. …Unifor Western Regional Director Gavin McGarrigle said, “We invite municipal leadership to be a part of the solution.” Since 2001, the industry has seen a staggering 45% drop in employment, translating to lost livelihoods for nearly 35,000 workers. Last year alone, the forestry sector saw the loss of 3,750 jobs. Earlier this year, three unions representing the majority of forestry workers (Unifor, United Steelworkers, and the Public and Private Workers of Canada)… co-published a research paper that reviewed the history of the sector, the real human cost of policy failures, and outlines comprehensive fixes for B.C. forestry. …The City of Kamloops submitted a motion for debate greater support for the forestry industry.

Read More

B.C.’s true north strong with potential but investment needed: advocates

By Wolf Depner
Langley Advance Times
September 17, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

Northern B.C. underscored its importance to the rest of the province during a provincial study session exploring challenges in the resource sector [at] the Union of British Columbia Municipalities conference. It comes on the heels of the two latest mill closures in B.C. including one in Vanderhoof. Councillor Brian Frenkel underscored what those closures mean to northern B.C. Given northern B.C.’s susceptibility to economic swings, Frenkel called on government to do more than consult and finally fulfill promises to improve regional infrastructure. …Another point of discussion has been the role of community forests representing about four per cent of the annual harvest. Garry Jackman, Director for the Central Kootenay Regional District, said he would like to see more community forests pointing to regional initiatives. But he also questioned their economic return. Jennifer Gunter, executive director of the B.C. Community Forest Association, acknowledged that community forests fetch lower stumpage fees.

Read More

BC Council of Forest Industries releases study on supply chain and community benefits of the forest sector

BC Council of Forest Industries
September 16, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

VANCOUVER, BC – A new economic study by COFI highlights the vital role of British Columbia’s forestry industry, as it touches so many communities across the province. In 2022, the forestry industry engaged over 9,970 suppliers and vendors across BC, resulting in $6.6 billion in expenditures on goods and services. …“This study demonstrates that when BC’s forest industry is performing well, it benefits communities throughout the province. Without a healthy forest economy, thousands of businesses are impacted,” said Kurt Niquidet at COFI. …“However, the industry faces significant challenges that threaten its stability and growth. These include greater regulatory complexity, higher costs, and uncertainty over access to the land base.” In 2022, BC’s forest industry: spent $326 million on supply chain expenditures with Indigenous-affiliated vendors; has an average spend of $662,000 per vendor, had $1.2 billion of expenditures on logistics and transportation, and had $23.2 million of total community investments (from 2020 to 2022). [The Executive Summary of the report can be found here. The full report is here.]

Read More

Province commits to early pensions for wildfire fighters

By the Office of the Premier
Government of British Columbia
September 16, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

B.C. is negotiating earlier pensions for wildland firefighters helping align their benefits with those of other public-safety occupations while they protect communities from increasingly challenging wildfire activity. “We owe a deep debt of gratitude to the selfless firefighters whose brave and heroic efforts have got us through some of the most devastating wildfire seasons on record,” said Premier David Eby. “More than that, firefighters deserve fair pay and security in retirement, so they are treated with dignity – whether it’s at the end of a response call or the end of their careers.” The Province and the BC General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) have reached an agreement-in-principle to enhance the pensions for wildland firefighting personnel employed directly by the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS).

Read More

New report finds Drax Contributes $1 Billion to Canadian Economy

By Drax Group
Cision Newswire
September 16, 2024
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

VANCOUVER, BC — A new economic analysis by MNP, one of Canada’s leading research firms, has found that Drax Group contributed $1 billion towards the Canadian economy and supported more than 3,000 jobs in 2023. The study measured the economic impact of Drax’s Canadian operations, which includes 10 pellet plants across BC and Alberta, producing sustainable biomass wood pellets to generate renewable power in the UK and Asia. …The report also showed Drax’s commitment to sourcing from local suppliers by purchasing nearly 75% of its goods and services from those based within the respective province of their operations, which further supports local jobs and economies. Of the purchases made from suppliers outside of the province, over 90% are from Canadian businesses said Liezl van Wyk, Drax’s VP of Northern Operations. …”Our research demonstrates the economic impact that Drax Group has made,” said Susan Mowbray, Partner at MNP.

Read More

Finance & Economics

Investment in Canadian building construction decreased 1.7% in July

Statistics Canada
September 18, 2024
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: Canada, Canada West

Investment in building construction decreased 1.7% to $20.9 billion in July, following increases in May (+0.7%) and June (+2.7%). Year over year, investment in building construction rose 7.0% in July. Both the residential (-2.2% to $14.6 billion) and non-residential (-0.4% to $6.3 billion) sectors posted declines in July. On a constant dollar basis (2017=100), investment in building construction fell 1.9% from June to $12.7 billion in July, but grew 3.9% year over year. …Overall, single-family home investment decreased 2.2% (-$148.9 million) to $6.7 billion in July with 11 provinces and territories posting declines. …Investment in multi-unit construction decreased 2.2% (-$181.1 million) to $7.9 billion in July. 

Read More

Wood, Paper & Green Building

BUILDEX and Canadian Wood Council Bring Cutting Edge Wood-Based Design and Construction to All Professionals of the Built Environment

Canadian Wood Council
September 20, 2024
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada, Canada West

Vancouver, BC, September 19, 2024 – Informa Connect and the Canadian Wood Council announce their collaboration, WoodWorks at BUILDEX, integrating WoodWorks’ technical expertise and wood products industry representation into BUILDEX Vancouver. This initiative builds on a shared commitment to advancing Canada’s built environment and expands BUILDEX’s focus on innovative materials, design, and construction practices. WoodWorks at BUILDEX offers an exceptional opportunity for all professionals of the built environment to immerse themselves in the latest innovations in wood-based design and construction. …WoodWorks at BUILDEX amplifies BUILDEX Vancouver’s core offering to Canadian and North America’s design and construction leaders: timely market insights, respected technical knowledge, transformative networking, and exposure to the materials and technologies at the forefront of Canada’s built environment. …BUILDEX Vancouver will take place February 26 – 27, 2025, at the Vancouver Convention Centre West, attracting over 8,500 developers, architects, engineers, builders, designers, suppliers, and real estate professionals.

Read More

Health and biophilia — wood is good for our health

naturally:wood
September 19, 2024
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada, Canada West

Research is showing that incorporating wood and other natural materials into our buildings can reduce stress and contribute to good mental health. Bringing nature indoors through exposed wood and other natural materials can have a positive impact on our health. …Exposure to wood is correlated with a drop in cortisol, the primary hormone linked to negative impacts of stress. Similar studies (PDF) observed lower levels of blood pressure and heart rate in an environment where wood is present, compared with one where it is absent. And in one study, participants’  focus, and concentration improved when asked to perform a task in a room featuring exposed wood surfaces. Bold expressive wood structures can play a big role in biophilic design. …Expansive use of exposed mass timber to construct roofs, walls and floors can help do just that, while offering aesthetic, structural and environmental benefits. Similarly, the addition of wood finishings, fixtures and furnishings can also have a favourable effect.

Read More

TWIG helps you stay connected with local wood sector professionals

TWIG
September 19, 2024
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada, Canada West

The Wood Innovation Group – TWIG (est. 2012 as Outside the Box Meetup Group – OTB) is a network and community supported by the Wood First Program through Forestry Innovation Investment (FII). Additionally TWIG is made possible through its partnership with CAWP and contributions from companies and individuals working in British Columbia. TWIG is a hub that fosters and supports connections across the industry, and helps people find pathways forward with the projects they are developing. TWIG is the only organization in BC that focuses entirely on the process of innovation as it applies to wood products. On Vancouver Island, what started as an informal gathering of a Wood-First-Wednesday event in Victoria, evolved into something more, it proved that there was an eagerness to create a platform on Vancouver Island for wood professionals to connect. Meetings are held the 1st Wednesday of each month from 6-8 PM. Stay tuned for updates on the next Vancouver Island event.

Read More

Prefabricated Timber Building Tour and Conference to Austria

By The Centre for Advanced Wood Processing
University of British Columbia
September 18, 2024
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada, Canada West

The Centre for Advanced Wood Processing  (CAWP) at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in collaboration with the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) School of Construction and Environment is pleased to announce that registration is now open for our prefabricated timber building technical tour to Austria in December 2024. The Prefabricate Timber Building Tour and Conference to Austria and Germany commences on Sunday, December 1 in Vienna, Austria where we spend 3 days travelling to visit leading manufacturers of prefabricated panelized and volumetric homes. The tour culminate at the 28 Holzbau Forum, the world’s largest international conference on wood building and design, in Innsbruck, Austria (Holzbau Conference Program). BC-based builders, developers, and prefabricated home manufacturers will gain firsthand insights into the latest advancements and best practices in the industry. The aim of the tour is to give participants the chance to visit state-of-the-art prefabricated panelized and modular home manufacturing facilities, as well as visits to completed low to mid-rise multi-family projects. 

Read More

Forestry

Northern Communities Call for Community Forest Expansion

BC Community Forest Association
September 22, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

In a news release issued on September 18, 2024, forestry communities from across northern and central BC came together to call on the government for the following:

  1. Commence a structured tenure redistribution in accordance with ‘Modernizing Forestry Policy in BC, and ensure Municipalities and First Nations are empowered to manage our timber supply;
  2. Expedite the expansion of Community Forests in BC; and
  3. Work with Municipalities and First Nations to implement fire safe strategies that mitigate wildfires through regionally approved fire management practices.

“We are in desperate need of tenure redistribution in this Province, putting to rest the damage that commenced under previous governments when appurtenancy was removed without guardrails.” – Mayor Joan Atkinson, District of Mackenzie

Read More

Regional District of Central Kootenay board: Forestry Works for BC

By Rachael Lesoskey
Penticton Herald
September 20, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Directors were mostly in favour of sending a letter to the Ministry of Forests in support of the Forestry Works for BC campaign, but will put off the final decision until October. Ken Kalesnikoff, president and CEO of Kalesnikoff Lumber, made a presentation to the board last month regarding the initiative, which seeks to raise awareness about forestry’s role in the well-being of rural and urban communities. Some directors didn’t want to stick to the template letter of support on Forestry Works for BC’s website, and hoped to include specific values of the board such as forestry’s role in wildfire mitigation and fibre diversion. Other directors thought the template was fine. Staff will draft a letter for directors to discuss during the October meeting. [END]

Read More

Lower Nicola Indian Band Development Corporation Development Corporation tackles wildfire risks at Logan Lake

By Kenneth Wong
Merritt Herald
September 19, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Lower Nicola Indian Band Development Corporation is engaging in wildfire fuel management in Logan Lake. Since March 25, Lower Nicola Indian Band Development Corporation (LNIBDC) has been working to thin out hazardous fuels at the Logan Lake Community Forest. Dubbed Logan Lake East (LLE) 1 and 2, the site or fuel treatment units the Band corporation has been contracted to manage is located approximately two kilometres from downtown Logan Lake and sits near critical infrastructure, access and evacuation routes, and recreational areas. According to the project description, exclusion of fire after European settlement has led to dense forests with excessive surface and ladder fuels. The proposed treatment will reduce canopy closure and create a more open understory, mimicking natural fire patterns in the region. “The idea is to reduce the potential for a highly volatile wildfire,” said LNIBDC general and forestry manager Don Gossoo. 

Read More

A life’s work in forestry recognized for Vernon’s Thorlakson

The Kelowna Daily Courier
September 19, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Brad Thorlakson

Vernon’s Brad Thorlakson has been awarded the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award by the Forest Products Association of Canada. He is the third generation of the Thorlakson family to lead Tolko Industries. The company’s name is derived from every second letter of the family’s name. “Brad Thorlakson’s impact on the forest sector has been profound. He has guided Tolko Industries, a proud B.C.-based family business, for many years with visionary leadership and a deep commitment to Tolko employees, community well-being, and sustainability,” Derek Nighbor, president and CEO of the Forest Products Association of Canada. Thorlakson was the company’s president and CEO from 2010 to 2024 before assuming the position of executive chairman. “My grandfather began our legacy in the forest industry 68 years ago. …I feel incredibly proud to continue and grow what he and my father built, a company committed to safety, with people who are passionate about sustainable forest management,” Thorlakson said.

Read More

Director of indigenous relations at Richmond-based Paper Excellence was recognized for her leadership and work towards diversity

By Adam Campbell
Richmond News
September 19, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Lana Wilhelm & Tom Grabowski

An employee of a Richmond-based pulp and paper company has won the Forest Products Association of Canada’s 2024 Women in Forestry Award. Lana Wilhelm, director of Indigenous relations at Paper Excellence, whose headquarters are in Richmond, was recognized for her leadership in sustainability and for encouraging diversity in the sector. Paper Excellence is a manufacturer of pulp and paper with a large number of mills and chipping plants across the country. The award was presented by the Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) at its 2024 Awards of Excellence this week in Ottawa. Originally from Ontario, Wilhelm has more than 20 years of experience in various forestry roles, and since joining Paper Excellence in 2019, she’s built a sustainable Indigenous relations program for more efficient communication between Indigenous, corporate and government agencies.

Read More

A solution for reducing wildfire risk and costs in B.C.

By Amy Cardinal Christianson and Robert Gray
The Vancouver Sun
September 19, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

We need to coexist with wildfire… but what does it mean? It signifies something different to different people — to the Indigenous community evacuating three times in five years, the elderly couple with cardiopulmonary issues who struggle to breathe come August, or the small tourism operator watching as bookings drop year after year. …We have to invest in solutions that reduce risk and expense — solutions that contribute to economies and communities instead of draining them….The current thinking holds that total fire cost is six to 30 times the fire-suppression cost. But we don’t know for sure because B.C. doesn’t track it. …One solution to these mounting costs is Indigenous fire stewardship. After all, Indigenous peoples have coexisted with fire for millennia. They put fire on the land in spring and fall to create meadows, diversify species, and generate abundant harvests. 

Read More

Forest Enhancement Society Newsletter

Forest Enhancement Society of BC
September 20, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Jason Fisher

Message from the Executive Director, Jason Fisher: Well, it has been two weeks since joining FESBC as executive director, and in that time, I have been to Kamloops, Victoria, Williams Lake and even, occasionally, my hometown of Prince George. I have been meeting the team and project proponents; our funders and Board members; and our trusted partners across B.C. And I can tell you that I am excited about the opportunity that FESBC represents, thrilled to be working with such an excellent team and humbled by the trust that’s been placed in me by the Board. Of course, its not all a bed of roses. Things are tough in the forest sector right now and there is no magic wand. People and communities are reeling from decisions and events outside of their control. But I remain hopeful and believe firmly that investing in our forests remains the right thing to do. 

Read More

Kananaskis council planning fireguards to protect from wildfire threat

Bty Jessica Lee
Rocky Mountain Outlook
September 19, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

KANANASKIS COUNTRY – Kananaskis Improvement District is planning to build fireguards to help shield area housing and infrastructure from wildfire. Plans include fireguards around the Lower Kananaskis Lake subdivision cabins, Bow Valley Provincial Park housing loop and YMCA Camp Chief Hector at a cost of about $160,000 for planning. If Kananaskis Improvement District’s (KID) grant application is approved, funding would come from the provincial Forest Resource Improvement Association of Alberta community fireguard program. “As we’ve discussed many times around this council table, forest fire is probably our biggest risk and biggest fear, and we’ve all seen what happened in Jasper and other communities,” said KID chair Melanie Gnyp at a Sept. 10 council meeting. “This is a great opportunity for us to try to get some funding to help protect our assets.”

Read More

National Forest Week: Local forestry company a ‘shining star’ in industry

Bty Austin Mattes
Prince Albert NOW
September 19, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

More than half of Saskatchewan is covered in trees, but according to the CEO of Forest Saskatchewan, most people aren’t aware of just how significant the forestry industry is to the province. “It employs thousands, hundreds of thousands of people across the country in Canada,” said Carl Neggers. “It’s probably a $25 to $30 billion economic opportunity and in Saskatchewan we’re closely reaching $2 billion this year. We have probably 1,500 to 2,000 active employees (in Saskatchewan) directly involved in the industry.” National Forest Week runs Sept. 22 – 28. Neggers said it’s a great opportunity to educate the public, not just on the economic impact of the industry, but also in what it gives back. … The forestry sector produces mostly pulp, lumber and oriented strand board in Saskatchewan; 70 per cent of which was exported internationally.

Read More

naturally:wood announces launch of newly refreshed website

By Lisa Higgins
Forestry Innovation Investment
September 19, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Forestry Innovation Investment (FII) is mandated to position B.C. as a global supplier of world-class environmentally friendly forest products. Canada’s and B.C.’s forest management practices are held in high regard and there is growing international interest in B.C.’s diverse wood products and building system expertise. Communicating B.C.’s competitive advantage in both areas requires consistent and targeted communications efforts to ensure recognition in existing and new markets. In 2008, the Market Outreach program developed the naturally:wood brand, including a comprehensive website naturallywood.com and information resources promoting British Columbia as a global supplier of quality, environmentally responsible forest products from sustainably managed forests. To sustain current performance in audience and content growth, and continue to meet accessibility requirements, we are excited to announce the launch of a complete refresh of naturallywood.com and the wood Supplier Directory. …We encourage you to check out the changes we’ve made and some of our latest resources.

Read More

Nak’al Koh Timber Limited passes forestry audit

By Tanner Senko
BC Forest Practices Board
September 18, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

MACKENZIE — An audit of Nak’al Koh Timber Limited has found that its forestry planning and practices in the Mackenzie timber supply area generally complied with the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act, except for seed transfer, silviculture reporting and fire hazard assessment. Auditors examined 13 cutblocks harvested by Nak’al Koh between January 2020 and September 2023 under non-replaceable forest licence A89836 and examined Nak’al Koh’s operational planning, timber harvesting, road and bridge construction and maintenance, silviculture and wildfire protection. Auditors identified five cutblocks where Nak’al Koh did not conform to the chief forester’s seed transfer guidelines and three cutblocks where planting activities were not reported on time. “Nak’al Koh has a plan in place to monitor and address any performance issues arising from its plantations. It also submitted planting reports for the three cutblocks before the end of the audit period,” said Keith Atkinson, chair of the Forest Practices Board.

Read More

Research shows FireSmart principles worked to save homes during 2023 West Kelowna wildfire

By Kristen Holliday
Castanet
September 18, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

VANCOUVER, BC — West Kelowna Fire Chief Jason Brolund… attended the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention in Vancouver as part of a panel presenting post-fire research that took place in areas devastated by the McDougall Creek blaze that devastated West Kelowna in the summer of 2023. BC Wildfire Service’s Hannah Swift, FireSmart program lead, said the project… enlisted FPInnovations to undertake the research. Greg Baxter, senior researcher for FPInnovations, said the research team wanted to find out how structures ignited, where they ignited, and how the fire spread into the structure. …Baxter said high winds drove embers to ignite structures — not the head of the wildfire itself. “The main factors contributing to ignition is the flammable materials within one and a half meters of the structure,” he said, noting cedars were a common factor. …Aside from vegetation, other contributing factors included vehicles, all-terrain vehicles and wood piles sitting against a house.

Read More

Canada and British Columbia Invest in Wildfire Resilience

By Natural Resources Canada
Cision Newswire
September 18, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

VICTORIA, BC — Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, with Bruce Ralston, BC’s Minister of Forests, announced a joint investment of $950,122 through the Government of Canada’s Resilient Communities through FireSmart (RCF) Program. …This joint investment through the RCF Program will further support B.C.’s efforts to prepare its residents and communities for wildfires and reduce risks before they occur through the continued adoption and implementation of FireSmart initiatives in B.C. The funding will support FireSmart BC in increasing the province’s resource capacity to manage wildfire risks and provide training to wildfire practitioners. The funding will also support the development and implementation of educational programs in schools that teach students how to make homes and communities more resilient to wildfires and increase province-wide FireSmart awareness through media campaigns, encouraging British Columbians to take proactive action to reduce the negative impacts of wildfires.

Read More

Seeing the forest through the dead trees at Stanley Park

By Marsha Lederman
The Globe and Mail
September 19, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Stanley Park is an urban forest abutting downtown Vancouver… But parts of the park are being logged because of an outbreak of the hemlock looper moth. A report delivered to the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation in January by B.A. Blackwell and Associates, a forestry consulting firm, found that about 30 per cent of the trees in the park that are more than 20 centimetres in diameter had been killed by the endemic insect – approximately 20,410 trees. Another 36 per cent have experienced moderate defoliation and need to be monitored. …Two months earlier, the Park Board had announced the “urgent removal” of approximately 160,000 trees from Stanley Park as a result of the outbreak. …Not everyone is convinced. Vancouver resident Michael Caditz went to court this week to try to get an interlocutory injunction to prevent further tree removals. …In a video, Caditz calls the city’s response a “one-opinion process”. He is also for a public investigation. [A Globe and Mail subscription is required to access this full story]

Read More

Maple Ridge author’s latest book in honour of the mother tree

By Colleen Flanagan
The Maple Ridge-Pitt meadows News
September 18, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Annette LeBox

A new children’s book by a Maple Ridge author Annette LeBox celebrates the quaking aspen tree. ‘Mother Aspen’ pays homage to the aspen tree and the critical role the trees play in the ecosystem. The book tells the story of a 100-year-old Mother Tree that, from her spring awakening and throughout the seasons, takes care of the forest, above and below the surface. …The story came to LeBox after reading ‘Finding The Mother Tree’ by Canadian scientist and UBC professor Dr. Suzanne Simard, who works in the Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences at the university. LeBox became fascinated in the science of the forest that Simard wrote about. “The more I learned about forestry science and what goes on below our feet, it just amazed me,” she said. 

Read More

Why caribou conservation in BC is tricky business

By Renée Rochefort
The Ubyssey
September 16, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Dr. Clayton Lamb, a wildlife scientist and postdoctoral fellow at UBCO, is researching the decline in population and caribou conservation efforts. …Ideal caribou habitat is vast, intact and has low predator density. According to Lamb, in BC, that is becoming increasingly hard to find. …The logging industry is the principal force of change as it modifies the landscape and creates forestry roads. However, these actions don’t have a direct impact on the caribou. Rather, Lamb they create conditions that allow predation of the caribou by facilitating the entry of moose and deer to the area….followed by wolves. …We’re applying a bunch of emergency recovery actions,” said Lamb. The interim efforts are successful with the population of Southern Mountain caribou rising by 1500 individuals or 60% over the past 10 to 20 years. Yet, many of the current conservation methods are not sustainable in the long run.

Read More

Investigation raises concerns about logging impacts on watersheds

By Tanner Senko
BC Forest Practices Board
September 17, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

VICTORIA – An investigation into a complaint about the amount of timber harvesting in the Kettle River Watershed and its potential impacts on water flows has highlighted a need to improve watershed oversight. The Forest Practices Board assessed 169 large cutblocks harvested in the Selkirk and Okanagan Shuswap Natural Resource Districts between 2016 and 2021, and found licensees complied with legal requirements. However, investigators found 58% of large cutblocks harvested during this period were in watersheds that were later determined to be at-risk, and few watershed assessments were performed. …The investigation found five of seven licensees did not conduct watershed assessments when planning their harvesting activities in at-risk watersheds during the five-year period. In addition, 55 large cutblocks harvested in at-risk watersheds focused on imitating natural disturbance patterns, allowing green timber to be harvested. …the ministry and professional associations have since developed initiatives and tools to address the cumulative effects of harvesting and disturbances in the watershed.

Read More

Linda Coady, President & CEO of COFI, awarded the King Charles III Coronation medal

By Council of Forest Industries
LinkedIn
September 17, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Coady and Ralston

The Council of Forest Industries team was proud to see Linda Coady, President & CEO of COFI, awarded with the King Charles III Coronation medal. Linda and Jennifer Gunter, Executive Director of BC Community Forest Association, were presented with the medal by Minister Bruce Ralston, in Vancouver on September 16, 2024. Recipients of this award are selected for their long service, for having demonstrated high professionalism, and for performing activities that bring great credit to Canada. This is a well-deserved recognition of all the work Linda has done for BC and for Canada throughout her career!

Read More

Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che’tles7et’h’ foresees generations of economic benefits from forestry tenure purchase

By Denise Titian
Ha-Shilth-Sa | Canada’s Oldest First Nation’s Newspaper
September 17, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Gary Wilson

Kyuquot, BC — Leaders of Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che’tles7et’h’ First Nations have made a giant leap in their efforts to reclaim territorial stewardship with the acquisition of a forestry tenure from Interfor Corporation. In 2016 KCFN launched their own Tiičma Forestry LP company with a vision of managing tenures in the territory in a sustainable, efficient manner that will support future generations its people. …At a recent Indigenous Forestry Conference, Tiičma Enterprises CEO and Director of Economic Development Gary Wilson said it was important to look out for the interests of today’s 600 KCFN citizens by sustainably managing their natural resources. The purchase of Interfor’s forest license will allow the nation increased access to resources in its territory and to protect their forestry interests. …“It is an exciting time for Tiičma Forestry LP and reaffirms Interfor’s commitment to continuing to build on our relationship with the KCFN…,” said Ralph Friedrich, vice president of Coastal Operations for Interfor.

Read More

Celebrating National Postdoc Appreciation Week at the University of British Columbia

UBC Faculty of Forestry
September 17, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

September 16-20 is National Postdoc Appreciation Week. To celebrate, we are profiling several UBC Forestry postdoctoral researchers. Read about them below!

  • Dr. Salar Ghotb: a postdoctoral fellow in the FRESH lab since October 2023.
  • Dr. Sarah Dickson-Hoyle: Mitacs postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences in partnership with the Secwepemcúl’ecw Restoration and Stewardship Society.
  • Dr. Kudzanai Nyamayaro: passionate about sustainability and tackling climate-related challenges. Nature offers many intriguing raw materials that hold great potential for everyday use.
  • Dr. Tonya Smith: currently supporting Li̓l̓wat First Nation community-led research to create the Li̓l̓wat Cultural Re-Connection Classroom.
  • Dr. Elaheh Ghasemi: a postdoctoral researcher at UBC Forestry, specializing in forest management and environmental sustainability.

Read More

The Haida fought logging in Canada. Now they control its future

By Jack Graham
Context – Thomson Reuters Foundation
September 18, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Guardians of ancient Canadian cedars are divided over the future of logging on their windswept island outpost. On a string of wild and rocky islands off northwestern Canada, the Haida people revere the cedars that tower overhead as a nurturing older sister. For millennia, the trees have given the Indigenous Haida timber to build beamed longhouses, blankets to weather winter, canoes to wend the waterways and shoes to shod their feet. In the archipelago’s rare, temperate rainforests – some of which are thought to pre-date the last ice age – mammoth red cedars dapple the damp undergrowth far below, land that is rich with huckleberry and ferns and carpeted in luminous moss. But since the logging industry took hold a century ago, little of this pristine landscape is left. …Armed with new powers over the forests, the Haida Nation has a dilemma of its own: to log or not to log.

Read More

BC Community Forest Association Executive Director Awarded King Charles III Coronation Medal

BC Community Forest Association
September 16, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Linda Coady, Bruce Ralston & Jennifer Gunter

VANCOUVER and the Traditional Territory of the xwməθkwəyə̓ m (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations – The BC Community Forest Association (BCCFA) is thrilled to announce that Executive Director, Jennifer Gunter, has been honoured with the King Charles III Coronation Medal. Jennifer and Linda Coady (President and CEO of the BC Council of Forest Industries) were awarded the medals by Minister Ralston in Vancouver on September 16, 2024. According to the Province, the King Charles III Coronation Medal was created to mark the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III, which took place on May 6, 2023. This commemorative medal recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to Canada, their province, territory, region, or community. The medal is awarded to those who have shown exceptional dedication to their communities. The Coronation Medal is a tangible symbol of the recipients’ commitment and service.

Read More

BC Forest Practices Board to audit Canfor forestry operations near Cranbrook

BC Forest Practices Board
September 16, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

VICTORIA – The Forest Practices Board will audit forestry activities on forest licence (FL) A19040, held by Canadian Forest Products Ltd. (Canfor) near Cranbrook during the week of Sept. 23, 2024. FL A19040 is in the Cranbrook Timber Supply Area (TSA) and spans approximately 1.24 million hectares in the Rocky Mountain Natural Resource District. The TSA is located near Cranbrook, Kimberley, Fernie and Elkford. Canfor manages FL A19040 from its office in Cranbrook. The TSA boasts a diverse array of landscapes that support a wide range of wildlife species… The Kootenay-Boundary Higher Level Plan Order has established objectives that forest licensees must adhere to in their operational plans to ensure the conservation and sustainable management of these important resource values are maintained. Auditors will examine whether timber harvesting, roads, bridges, silviculture, wildfire protection and associated planning carried out between Sept. 1, 2023, and Sept. 27, 2024, met the requirements of the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act.

Read More

Health & Safety

First Aid Regulatory Changes: A Forest Industry Perspective Webinar

BC Forest Safety Council
September 23, 2024
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

Updates to the First Aid requirements in the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations are coming into effect on November 1, 2024. We’ve summarized what you need to know about these important changes in the Read More of this article. Learn more by registering for our free webinar hosted by WorkSafeBC’s Darcy Moshenko and Troy Lockhart. They will explain the rationale behind the updated First Aid regulations and review key amendments to help employers ensure compliance.
Key components of this webinar will cover:

Determining first aid requirements using workplace class factors:

  • Assessing first aid needs based on workplace classification factors;
  • Preparing a written first aid assessment;
  • Developing and maintaining up-to-date written first aid procedures;
  • Meeting training and equipment requirements;
  • Providing resources available to you.

Read More

BC arbitrator upholds Western Forest Product’s decision to order a post-incident drug and alcohol test

By Jeffrey Smith
The Canadian HR Reporter
September 17, 2024
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

Jeffrey Smith

The arbitrator concluded that the Western Forest Product’s decision to order a post-incident drug and alcohol test was justified and reasonable under the circumstances, citing the potential safety risks involved and the absence of external factors explaining the accident. The grievance was dismissed. …“Post-incident drug and alcohol testing is part of the investigation process. An employer doesn’t have to complete its investigation before deciding to engage in post-incident testing, but at the same time it has to balance any decision made with the privacy and dignity interests of the employee – it has to have enough information to justify that intrusion.” …The worker was employed as a heavy-duty mechanic since 2011 with Western Forest Products, a Vancouver-based lumber company. [to access the full story a HR Reporter subscription is required]

Read More

WorkSafeBC Health and Safety News

WorkSafeBC
September 19, 2024
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

The September Newsletter has these headlines and more:

  • New first aid requirements coming into effect – On November 1, 2024, amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation take effect relating to occupational first aid. Employers need to take steps to ensure they meet the new requirements, which will result in changes for many workplaces. Higher-risk industries and remote workplaces will be most affected by the changes.
  • Upcoming regulation changes to improve tower crane safety – Provincial Crane Inspection Team supervisor Jason Baia discusses the new regulation, a risk-reduction strategy, and mobile equipment inspection initiative.
  • Fall issue of WorkSafe Magazine – Read the latest issue of WorkSafe Magazine, featuring articles about simple solutions for musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs) in long-term care, upcoming regulation changes to improve tower crane safety, and hearing protection for construction.
  • Speaking of Safety blog – Top 5 employer questions following a workplace injury

Read More

Forest Fires

West Canoe fire grows to 38 hectares

By Spencer Hall
The Rocky Mountain Goat
September 21, 2024
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

VALEMOUNT, BC — As of Saturday afternoon, the wildfire located at the approx. 10km mark on the West Canoe Forest Service Road south of Valemount, has grown to 38 hectares. BC Wildfire Service says the fire, located along Kinbasket Lake, currently poses no threat to the Village of Valemount, though it is highly visible from the village and anyone out recreating near the north end of Kinbasket Lake. BCWS currently has two initial attack crews responding to the blaze. These crews are being supported by a helicopter and one piece of heavy equipment. Fire Information Officer Emelie Peacock said the fire is suspected to be human-caused, adding that the specific cause of this fire will be under investigation. 

Read More

Forest History & Archives

‘History is being lost’: 100-year-old wooden trestle will be demolished in Cowichan

By Skye Ryan
Chek TV News
September 17, 2024
Category: Forest History & Archives
Region: Canada, Canada West

COWICHAN, BC — A piece of Vancouver Island history is poised for demolition, ending a wooden trestle’s over century-long run in the Cowichan Valley. The Holt Creek Trestle is a popular, towering bridge that connects the Cowichan Valley trail. …The historic wooden railway bridge that the Cowichan woman and tens of thousands walk over each year is about to be removed. The 102-year-old wooden railway trestle is slated for demolition, and trail-clearing work to make way for the heavy machinery has already begun. According to the Ministry of Transportation, a structural review of the trestle was completed in 2017 and revealed it was already nearing the end of its lifespan. The province has decided to replace it rather than continuously repair and maintain it. However, the province is not disclosing the cost of restoration, and Pynn says the historical value alone should make that worth exploring.

Read More