Region Archives: Canada West

Opinion / EdiTOADial

Poll demonstrates public support for BC forestry

By Ian MacNeill
Truck LoggerBC Magazine
January 5, 2023
Category: Opinion / EdiTOADial
Region: Canada, Canada West

Ian MacNeill

If you got all your news about forestry in BC from the mainstream media and social media websites, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the majority of British Columbians do not approve of the way the province’s forests are being managed. A recent Leger survey tells a far different story. The first finding is that while some British Columbians are indeed polarized on the issue, only one in five is actively opposed to current management practices. …[However] at the other end of the spectrum, only one in five approve of the way in which our working forests are being managed. …Which means that more than half of British Columbians are neutral on the subject. …This isn’t to say they do not care about our forests, they most certainly do, but it also means they haven’t bought into the sky-is-falling fear mongering.

In other words, the war is no longer in the woods, at least not the part of it that really counts, it’s in the hearts and minds of the nearly 60% that simply wants to be assured that the business is being run sustainably. The survey results came as a relief to many industry and association leaders. More good news comes from the fact that four in five British Columbians believe that forests can and should play a significant role in combatting climate change, and… most see timber as a renewable resource that provides economic prosperity as well as one of nature’s most adaptive and beautiful building materials. …“This information tells us that there remains substantial support for our sector,” says TLA Executive Director Bob Brash. “But there are substantial opportunities to better inform the public about our forestry practices. To some extent, it’s about winning, or perhaps in some cases, gaining more trust.”

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Business & Politics

Canfor, province need to be held accountable for Prince George layoffs

By Neil Godbout – Editor In Chief, Prince George Citizen
Prince George Citizen
January 12, 2023
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

Neil Godbout

The finger pointing and excuses from Canfor were as loud as a chainsaw from the outset of the company’s announcement that it was axing its pulp line at its Prince George Pulp and Paper Mill… It’s because of the closed sawmills in the Prince George area (Canfor’s choice), they said. It’s because of the reductions in the annual allowable cut (the B.C. government’s choice) and the difficulty getting “cost-competitive” fibre, they said. …we’ve arrived at this week because of the greed and incompetence of the big forest companies and the provincial government more interested in milking every cent out of the sector on a month-to-month basis to bolster their revenues than on the long-term management and protection of this invaluable resource. …Premier David Eby will be in Prince George next week for the Natural Resources Forum. It’d be nice to see the affected employees [and] local residents when Eby is at the Civic Centre giving the keynote speech.

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Canfor Pulp Announces Right-sizing of Operating Footprint with Permanent Closure of Pulp Line at Prince George Pulp and Paper Mill

Canfor Pulp Products Inc.
January 11, 2023
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

VANCOUVER, BC – Canfor Pulp Products is announcing the decision to permanently close the pulp line at its Prince George Pulp and Paper Mill, which will result in a reduction of 280,000 tonnes of market kraft pulp annually. The Specialty Paper facility at the site will continue to operate. “Several sawmills have permanently closed in the Prince George region due to reductions in the allowable annual cut and challenges accessing cost-competitive fibre. This has had a material impact on the availability of residual fibre for our pulp facilities and we need to right-size our operating platform. As a result, we have made the very difficult decision to shut down the pulp line at Prince George Pulp and Paper Mill,” said Kevin Edgson, President and CEO, Canfor Pulp. …The pulp line is expected to close by the end of the first quarter of 2023 and is anticipated to impact approximately 300 positions across the organization by the end of the year.

Additional Coverage in CBC: Canfor permanently closes pulp line in Prince George

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Government weighs in on Canfor’s PG Pulp Mill operations

CKPG TV Prince George
January 11, 2023
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

PRINCE GEORGE, BC — The forestry giant announcing today that operations will be shuttered in late March. Three hundred will be affected. …Canfor attributes the decision to declines in fibre supply. …Bruce Ralston, BC’s Minister of Forests, and Brenda Bailey, BC’s Minister of Jobs issued a joint statement following the announcement pledging to work with workers affected. …“This is extremely difficult news considering the impacts this closure will have on the community”. “Our government has invested $185 million in supports for people impacted by weakeningmarkets and changes in the forest sector. …“At a local level, ministry staff will work with the community during this period to share information and co-ordinate an in-community response to ensure supports are in place for both individuals and the community.” …“Government is also working collaboratively with the B.C. Pulp and Paper Coalition, and has acted on many of its recommendations to improve fibre access for pulp mills.

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Aspen Planers Merritt remains shut down, reopening date uncertain

By Marius Auer
Merritt Herald
January 11, 2023
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

One of Merritt’s major economic powerhouses currently lies dormant, closed by a lack of timber supply and government approval of timber harvesting. Aspen Planers, owned by Surrey based AP Group, shut down their Merritt lumber mill at the beginning of December without an official reopening date. With no cutting permits having been issued since the beginning of the two Merritt sites’ closure, senior officials with AP Group say the closure could drag on to the end of January, or even longer.  …AP Group officials told the Herald in December that they were frustrated with the “unnecessarily complicated and opaque” process for obtaining a cutting permit. This fact has not changed, with Aspen saying the key issue is still a lack of supply and provincially approved cutting permits.

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Paper Excellence announces donation of $50,000 to the Canadian Red Cross

Paper Excellence Canada
January 9, 2023
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

Richmond, BC – Paper Excellence Canada announced today it has donated $50,000 to the Canadian Red Cross. A majority of the donation will support ongoing emergency management operations in British Columbia and Saskatchewan, while a donation of $20,000 was made earlier this fall to Nova Scotia Red Cross in response to Hurricane Fiona. Paper Excellence Canada currently has operations in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Nova Scotia. …Since 2021, Paper Excellence Canada has supported communities across Canada with over $1.7 million in community donations and community investment initiatives, including large donations to Pacific Salmon Foundation, Take A Hike Foundation, INDSPIRE, Vancouver Island University, Saskatchewan Polytechnic, and more.

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Skeena Sawmills in Terrace shuts down log deliveries

By Rod Link
The Vanderhoof Omineca Express
January 9, 2023
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

TERRACE, BC — Skeena Sawmills has stopped taking logs at its Terrace sawmill for three weeks, citing the high cost of logging and other factors affecting its business. But the mill itself will continue to produce lumber, drawing down what inventory there is in the log yard until the end of the month. Chipping operations will continue. ..Skeena Sawmills chief operating officer Greg DeMille said “Skeena is not immune to the same pressures that the rest of the industry is under, including high operating costs, limited secure fibre availability and adjusting to government policy pressures on permitting and fibre access.” …Its sister facility, the Skeena bio-energy pellet plant next door has closed temporarily. …“This is largely due to the availability of fresh raw material from the sawmill as a result of the reduction in production output,” said DeMille. Skeena Sawmills employs 150 people, not including contractors and suppliers.

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Trade Show and Suppliers’ Night Tickets Still Available for TLA’s 78th Annual Convention + Trade Show

BC Truck Loggers Association
January 10, 2023
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

The TLA’s Annual Convention is SOLD OUT, but tickets still remain for the Trade Show and Suppliers’ night events.

Trade Show: no charge
Thursday, January 19, 2023 — 1:15 – 5:30 p.m.
Friday, January 20, 2023 — 11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. AND 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Lunch on the Trade Show Floor: $85
Thursday, January, 19, 2023 — 12 – 1:30 p.m.

Suppliers’ Night and After Party: $140
Friday, January, 20, 2023 — 6 p.m. – 1 a.m.

Click READ MORE to register.

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Family-run Vaagen Fibre Canada has shut its Midway, B.C. mill indefinitely

By Chelsea Powrie
Castanet
January 6, 2023
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

The Vaagen Fibre Canada mill in Midway, B.C. has been shut down indefinitely, citing trouble sourcing wood fibre at market prices.  In a message posted Friday from the Vaagen family, they said 85 employees and nearly 100 contractors, vendors and suppliers were told the news Thursday.  “Our workers, their families, suppliers, and contractors will be impacted, not to mention the countless businesses our employees support like local restaurants, stores, and other general services in the rural communities in the local area,” the family wrote.  “Although the news we are sharing is not good news, we are steadfastly committed to continue to look for solutions for every possible way forward.” …The Vaagens are not ready to give up. While the closure is indefinite, they are hoping for help lobbying the provincial government to make policy changes.

Additional coverage in Business in Vancouver by Nelson Bennett: Family sawmill in Midway shutting down

Vaagen Fibre Canada: A Message from the Vaagen Family Regarding the Shut Down of Vaagen Fibre Canada

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A Stronger and More Sustainable BC for Everyone

By David Eby, Premier of British Columbia
Truck LoggerBC Magazine
January 4, 2023
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

David Eby

…Forests in BC are changing because the climate is changing. …it’s important that those who rely most on healthy forests are centred in forest policy. This means making sure First Nations are full partners in managing this critical resource and see real material and tangible benefits from forestry in BC. …As part of reflecting this commitment, government is moving quickly to create a new revenue sharing model that respects Indigenous self-determination. Good management of forest resources also requires us to make sure manufacturers can access the fibre they need to run their businesses. Maximizing the economic benefits of the wood we harvest by moving it up the value chain is key to making sure this industry can continue to sustain families and communities. …Going forward, I’m committed to learning from and listening to the perspectives of people who work in the forest, in mills, and manufacturing plants —people who know this industry best.

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Firmly Planted. Standing Strong. Tickets are limited and will sell out!

By Bob Brash, Executive Director
Truck Loggers Association
January 4, 2023
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

In a few short days, the TLA has the honour of holding its first in-person convention in three years. For three days, we’re bringing together informed, professional, passionate, credible and dedicated people—who take their responsibility seriously—to those working in our forest and the communities they live in to find real and balanced solutions to the challenges of the day. We will talk about the future landscapes in the world of forestry, innovation in forest practices, the ever-expanding use of technology, the complex task of advocacy, improving our public awareness activities, climate change solutions, carbon sequestration, the complexity of carbon markets, and the challenges of keeping our sector viable with a strong workforce. In short, we’ll hear from leaders in the sector who have the knowledge to advance solutions that can work in real terms. And we’ll be honoured to hear First Nations’ unique perspectives as their participation in the forest sector evolves. We’ll also hear from new senior leaders in BC’s forestry sector within industry and government. They will each provide their insights of today and their visions for the future. Additionally, we will be fortunate to hear from the new premier and minister of forests.

The TLA Convention is fast approaching — January 18-20th. If you are interested in attending, we strongly encourage you to register now. This will be a sold out event and there are a limited number of tickets left. See you there soon.

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Patti LeFrancois retires as Executive Director of the BC Log & Timber Builders Association

BC Log & Timber Builders Industry Association
January 4, 2023
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

Patti LeFrancois is stepping down from the BC Log & Timber Builders Industry Association (BC LTBIA). LeFrancois’ involvement with the association began in 1997 at the Association’s first gathering in Harrison Hot Springs, where she was representing a builder client and became a charter member of the Association.  In 1998, Patti joined the Board and executive as Treasurer and served in this capacity for a few years before taking on consulting roles with the association in various capacities. She participated with the IAS committee and assisted with the development of the Industry Occupational Health and Safety Program and has continued to update the program over the years; she was the lead writer and program liaison with the ITA and RCITO for the Log Builder Apprenticeship program; and most recently has served as the BC LTBIA Executive Director since the fall of 2011.

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BC’s New Chief Forester Shares His Vision for Future of Forestry

By Mike Hall, ABCFP
The Association of BC Forest Professionals Magazine
January 3, 2023
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

Shane Berg

Shane Berg was appointed BC’s 18th chief forester, and assistant deputy minister for the Office of the Chief Forester, in August. His journey to that position spans 35 years, and much of what shapes his vision for the future of forestry in this province was influenced by the many roles he’s held throughout his forestry career, including those west of the Rocky Mountains. …“My role as chief forester is to ensure that we are practising sustainable forest management. I don’t make land-use decisions. I make decisions on how the timber harvesting land base is operated and to ensure that the forest and range practices being employed are following current legislation and guidance. Decisions made to further protect our most ‘at risk’ old forests will be addressed through the recommendations endorsed by government from the Old Growth Strategic Review. There will still be old forests within the timber harvesting land base that need to be managed appropriately.” [From the 2023 Winter edition of BC Forest Professional]

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Canfor Extending Temporary Curtailments in B.C.

Canfor Corporation
January 3, 2023
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

Canfor Corporation is announcing an extension of sawmill curtailments in British Columbia (B.C.) due to ongoing weak market conditions and the lack of available economic fibre. The production capacity will be reduced through two-week curtailment extensions in January at select solid wood facilities in B.C. This will remove approximately 21 million board feet in addition to the 150 million board feet previously announced on December 5, 2022. The Company will continue to adjust operating rates to align with market conditions and the available supply of economically viable timber.

Additional coverage in the Alaska Highway News: Canfor extends sawmill curtailments.

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Premier David Eby says the outlook for B.C.’s forestry industry is dire

By Gloria Macarenko
CBC News
January 3, 2023
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

On The Coast with Gloria Macarenko – Jan. 3, 2023: Premier David Eby says the outlook for B.C.’s forestry industry is dire: Interview with Jake Power is the owner of PowerWood, a specialty mill in Agassiz and Brian Menzies is the executive director of BC’s Independent Wood Processors Association. They speak with Gloria Macarenko about the future of the forestry industry.

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B.C. man fined $2.3M for starting huge wildfire

By Ben Bulmer
InfoTel News Ltd
December 24, 2022
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

A B.C. man is on the hook for $2.3-million for causing a wildfire that destroyed 345 hectares on East Redonda Island, north of Powell River.  Duffy Damgaard was issued a $2,358,272 bill for the fire which took place in August 2018.  According to the B.C. Ministry of Forests, the fire burned on Crown land, which included an ecological reserve.  In October 2021, the B.C. Wildfire Service found that Damgaard had contravened the Wildfire Act by lighting, fuelling or using an open fire in an area subject to an open fire prohibition.  Damgaard was fined $2,500 plus the costs of putting out the fire and the value of the timber destroyed.  The B.C. Wildfire Service spent $386,868 putting the fire out, while the cost of the Crown timber came in at just under $2 million.

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NDP continuing to hollow out B.C.’s invaluable forest industry

By Jock Finlayson and Ken Peacock
Business in Vancouver
December 27, 2022
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

Jock Finlayson and Ken Peacock

…B.C.’s exceptionally high proportion of public ownership of forest resources, coupled with the private sector’s dominant role in harvesting and processing, is unique in North America. This structure ensures that government policy and its implementation are principal determinants of the domestic business climate for the industry. … But government policies have aggravated the powerful headwinds confronting the industry, by further diminishing access to fibre and making it increasingly difficult for companies to operate day to day. This unappetizing mix has resulted in many mill closures and substantial job losses. …Unfortunately, the mandate letter for newly appointed Forest Minister Bruce Ralston signals that the NDP government’s policy priorities are likely to remain misaligned with the commercial success of B.C.’s biggest export industry. To us, this suggests that capital will continue to leak out of the province and that more forestry-related jobs are likely to disappear in the coming years. 

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Wood, Paper & Green Building

Designing Mass Timber for the 21st Century – Winnipeg

Wood WORKS! and the Canadian Wood Council
January 10, 2023
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada, Canada West

SEMINAR: Wood has become the material of choice for sustainably-minded designers due to its high strength-to-weight ratio, speed of construction, and positive environmental performance. This seminar is geared toward those structural engineers and structural design technologists wanting to expand their proficiency and knowledge of timber engineering. Sessions include Intro to Mass Timber (Design for Gravity Loads), Connections in Mass Timber, and Lateral Load Design of CLT Shearwall. The seminar will be taught by Ghasan Doudak, Ph. D., P. Eng., Professor of Structural Engineering, Civil Engineering Department, University of Ottawa. His area of expertise includes multi-scale understanding of how complete structural systems function, encompassing issues such as how complete buildings respond to effects of wind storms, ground shaking during earthquakes, or other actions like impacts and blasts.

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Perkins&Will begins construction on mass timber gateway to University of BC campus

By Niall Patrick Walsh
Archinect News
January 4, 2023
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada, Canada West

Construction is underway on the $180 million Gateway Building at the University of BC, designed by Perkins&Will and Schmidt Hammer Lassen. Intended as a “principal point of entry” to the UBC campus, the design of the six-story, 267,000-square-foot mass timber building seeks to balance sustainability, personal well-being, and Indigenous collaboration. The scheme comprises two five-story wings connected by a central naturally-lit six-story atrium, which includes a large interconnecting staircase and lounging spaces. The building’s mass timber structure is fully expressed in the interior; a decision driven by the importance of timber for the Indigenous Musqueam people on whose territory the UBC campus sits. …Mass timber also plays a central role in the scheme’s environmental ambitions. The project is aiming to be the first building to meet the Canada Green Building Council’s Zero Carbon Building standard and is also targeting LEED Gold certification.

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Mass Timber: Design for Manufacturing and Assembly Workshop

UBC Centre for Advanced Wood Processing
January 4, 2023
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada, Canada West

Design for Manufacturing and Assembly focuses on ease manufacture and efficiency of assembly. In North America, due to the fragmented nature of construction whereby the designers, engineers, manufacturer, and contractors all work independently, the bridging of the knowledge gap will help improve the success rate of projects. …This 3-day hands-on workshop will guide participants through the process of designing mass-timber projects with the consideration of manufacturing technologies. The participants will be supported through a design-build exercise utilizing Computer Aided Design (CAD) software for design and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) software for manufacturing of components. The project will culminate with the fabrication of components and the assembly of a mass-timber structure. February 9 @ 8:00 am – February 11 @ 5:00 pm $695

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Forestry

Toilet paper toxin found in endangered killer whales, say B.C. researchers

The Canadian Press in CTV News
January 12, 2023
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Toxic chemicals from toilet paper have been found in the bodies of BC’s endangered orcas, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of BC. …Dr. Juan Jose Alava, co-author of the study, said… the toxic chemical substances could affect killer whales’ hormone systems, disrupting physiological function and making them susceptible to diseases. The findings were published last month in the journal Environmental Science and Technology. One of the most common pollutants found in the killer whales’ bodies was 4-nonylphenol, which is often found in toilet paper and can influence the nervous system. In addition to toilet paper pulp, it is also used in soap, detergents and textile processing, and is listed as a toxic substance in Canada. …Another group of toxic pollutants of great concern is known as “forever chemicals”… used in food-packaging materials, stains, cookware and fire extinguishers.

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Paradigm shift needed to halt and reverse biodiversity loss

By David Suzuki
The Boundary Sentinel
January 11, 2023
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

David Suzuki

Despite Canada’s important commitments at the December UN COP15 in Montreal, we’re not halting, let alone reversing, biodiversity loss. More than 5,000 wild species face some risk of extinction, according to the recently released report “The Wild Species 2020: The General Status of Species in Canada.” The main driver is habitat loss. Yet, the Ontario government plans to run a major highway through the valuable greenbelt around Canada’s largest city. In British Columbia, fracking and clearcut logging continue to decimate lands and waters. …Take forestry. You’d think research by scientists like Suzanne Simard at the University of British Columbia would have shifted the way we “manage” forests. …To show how little has changed, in recently resigning from the Association of BC Forest Professionals, eminent ecological forester Herb Hammond delivered a damning indictment of ongoing practices that maximize profits and destroy forests.

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The University of British Columbia Establishes Trimble Technology Lab Serving the Faculty of Forestry

By Trimble
Cision Newswire
January 12, 2023
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

VANCOUVER, B.C. — Building on a commitment to cultivate a highly-trained workforce that will drive the innovative solutions of tomorrow, Trimble and the Faculty of Forestry at the University of British Columbia (UBC) are collaborating to establish a state-of-the-art Trimble Technology Lab at UBC’s Forest Sciences Centre. The forestry profession is undergoing digital transformation to improve productivity and drive sustainability. Research and teaching at UBC Forestry is offering students new opportunities to learn and gain skills using industry-focused software and hardware technologies. With an in-kind gift from Trimble, the lab at UBC will be the first forestry-focused lab for Trimble and the first lab of this type in Canada. …”The Trimble Technology Lab at UBC gives students and researchers access to some of the most innovative digital tools that are being integrated into forestry practices across the industry,” said Dr. Nicholas Coops, UBC Forestry professor and Canada research chair in Remote Sensing. 

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Canada and the Yukon Sign Agreement in Principle to Deepen Collaboration on Planting 2 Billion Trees Nationally

By Natural Resources Canada
Cision Newswire
January 12, 2023
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

WHITEHORSE, YT – Tree-planting efforts across Canada have played a large part in tackling the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. As part of the Government of Canada’s broader approach to nature-based climate solutions, trees planted as part of the 2 Billion Trees program will help restore nature, create healthy forest ecosystems and clean our air. Today the Government of Canada and the Government of Yukon signed an Agreement in Principle (AiP) under the 2 Billion Trees program. While the Government of Canada engages directly with individual organizations across the country toward planting trees under the 2 Billion Trees program, working closely with provinces and territories on shared planting plans is another way to strengthen the program and tailor results for local communities. AiPs are a vital first step in moving toward concrete agreements further supporting tree-planting initiatives across the country.

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40 acres of oceanfront property donated to Comox Valley Regional District to create a park

By Terry Farrell
The Ladysmith Chemainus Chronicle
January 10, 2023
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

The Comox Valley Regional District has received a donation of 40 acres (16 hectares) of oceanfront property in the Merville area for use as a park. …The property, identified as Maris Estates, was donated by Christopher Investments, Ltd. …There are no structures on the property, and at this time, no access to the oceanfront from area roads. “The property is all mature, second-growth forest, with some old growth in there,” explained Mark Harrison, manager of parks for the CVRD. “There are no trails, there is no driveway access. It’s basically just wilderness. “At this stage, we do not want to promote public use. We just got the land. We still want to do inventory in there, do an assessment and come up with some kind of management plan on what we are going to do with that park.”

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BC Natural Resources Forum bringing B.C. Premier Eby to Prince George next week

By Ted Clarke
Prince George Citizen
January 10, 2023
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

David Eby

B.C. Premier David Eby, in his first scheduled visit to Prince George since taking over from John Horgan as head of the provincial government, will address the 20th annual BC Natural Resources Forum banquet at the Prince George Civic and Convention Centre next Tuesday evening.  It will be the first time in thee years the forum will be an in-person event, after two years as a virtual conference during the pandemic.  The forum begins Wednesday morning with an opening address from Sarah Weber, president and CEO of C3 Alliance Corp, followed by short speeches from Lheidli T’enneh chief Dolleen Logan, Prince George-Peace River-Northern Rockies MP Bob Zimmer, Cariboo-Prince George MP Todd Doherty, Prince George Valemount MLA Shirley Bond and Prince George Mayor Simon Yu.

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B.C. old-growth forest rally planned in Victoria

By Hana Mae Nassar and Mike Lloyd
Vancouver City News
January 10, 2023
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

More than 160 organizations have signed a declaration demanding B.C. take faster action to protect the province’s remaining old-growth forests. The document calls on Premier David Eby to fulfill commitments on old growth, pushing for “immediate action to stop logging” of these areas. The Union of BC Indian Chiefs, municipal leaders, and the BC General Employees Union are among those who’ve signed on “Today, and every day, we, the undersigned, stand together in an unprecedented show of unity amongst working people, Indigenous land stewards and knowledge-keepers, activists, scientists, youth, educators, communities, celebrities, environmental and social justice groups, faith organizations and more. Standing united against the destruction of old growth forests. Standing strong for future generations,” the declaration reads, in part. The groups have announced a rally set for Feb. 25 at the Legislature in Victoria, marking Eby’s 100th day as premier.

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Elphinstone Logging Focus sees risks in proposed Joe Smith Creek logging

By Connie Jordison
Sunshine Coast Reporter
January 9, 2023
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Two cutblocks identified as TA 0521 near Joe Smith Creek are on BC Timber Sale’s (BCTS) proposed “auction block” list for this year. Located on the slopes above the residential areas and the Highway 101 corridor between Roberts Creek and Gibsons, they are BCTS’s only lower Sunshine Coast cutblocks scheduled for sale in 2023. Elphinstone Logging Focus (ELF) called for cancellation of that sale stating that logging the area “threatens local water security, infrastructure such as culverts and roads, and undermines the resilience and livability of our communities.” ELF… asserts that it should be “kept intact to safeguard hydrological function.” …A virtual or in-person community meeting to discuss updated South Elphinstone area forest harvest plans is to be arranged by March. BCTS Nov. 22 press release also stated that an area hydrologic assessment is to be released this month.

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B.C. should consider ending stumpage timber fees, MLA says

By Ted Clarke
Prince George Citizen
January 10, 2023
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

John Rustad

Rustad says forestry uncertainty is scaring away investors, proposes tax system to reward value-added producers. …Nechako Lakes MLA John Rustad says mills in the north central B.C. region are going to require nine-figure investments to modernize and reconfigure their operations to make them more profitable in a province that’s recognized as the highest-cost producer in North America. …Rustad says the answer to create more certainty in the market might be for B.C. to scrap its stumpage fee system while it looks for ways reduce the cost of harvesting to timber companies. …”We should actually go to a tax on the end products , where the more you can do with a log, the less tax you pay. So it becomes an incentive for creating more value-added and creating more higher-value products.”

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RCMP has spent nearly $50M on policing pipeline, logging standoffs in B.C

By Brett Forester
CBC News
January 6, 2023
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

An RCMP squad charged with policing resistance to resource extraction in British Columbia spent nearly $50 million enforcing injunctions obtained by the petroleum and forestry sectors in its first five years, an internal accounting shows.  The figures, released to CBC News under access-to-information law, offer the first publicly available, if rough, estimate of the costs incurred by Community-Industry Response Group (C-IRG).  Formed in 2017, the C-IRG has no defined territorial jurisdiction, an unknown number of members, and no set budget. It goes where industry meets land occupations, blockades and civil disobedience.  The unit says it needs this flexible mandate to respond to unpredictable protests, but critics fear the C-IRG received a blank cheque and little oversight from governments. …Forestry firm Teal Cedar has estimated the value of timber products in the Fairy Creek area at about $20 million.  The Mounties spent $18.7 million at Fairy Creek in just 16 months, the numbers show.

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Cops bust would-be wood poachers in Lake Country

The Kelowna Daily Courier
January 5, 2023
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Lake Country RCMP have arrested two men for cutting down at least 13 trees in Jack Seaton Park, apparently for use for firewood.  Kelowna RCMP media relations officer Const. Mike Della-Paolera said officers were patrolling the area on Jan. 2 after hearing of the illegal wood-cutting through social media.  During their rounds, the officers discovered marks in the snow left by trees that had been dragged out and bucked up, Della-Paolera said in a media release.  It was then the officers noticed 13 freshly cut tree stumps, as well as one full cut tree left behind.  Armed with photos taken by neighbours, the officers were able to identify a suspect vehicle and two male occupants, the release said.  Later that day, the officers saw the two men removing fresh cut trees from the park and arrested them.

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Actions to Address Challenges

By Bruce Ralston, BC Minister of Forests
Truck LoggerBC Magazine
January 4, 2023
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Bruce Ralston

As Minister of Forests I understand the full value forests offer to people in our province. …Our government has taken a number of important actions to address challenges facing the today’s forest industry. We are working with forest companies and First Nations to strengthen how we manage our old-growth stands. …We are introducing Forest Landscape Plans to bring more people around the table to ensure local and regional knowledge is reflected in how we manage our old-growth forests, accounting for all perspectives and values. …The newly introduced Wildfire Salvage Opportunity Agreements are providing faster and easier access to timber salvage opportunities, improving fibre supply while also expediting the opportunity to restore lands impacted by fire… …Our …year-round BC Wildfire Service model is already showing benefits. …In 2019, we created the Forest Employment Program (FEP) which provides employment opportunities for forestry contractors and workers affected by mill curtailments, old-growth deferrals and other impacts to the sector. 

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Setting the record straight on the ‘imperilled’ Municipal Forest Reserve

Letter by Larry Pynn
Cowichan Valley Citizen
January 4, 2023
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Beware of false information spread by a few pro-logging advocates. …It’s coming from a loud few who believe in continued logging of North Cowichan’s Municipal Forest Reserve… the most imperilled forest landscape in B.C. …Among the more exaggerated statements is the suggestion that outside environmental organizations and their money are flowing in to help stop clearcutting of the reserve. …Both conservation scenarios are estimated to bring in millions of dollars more than logging revenue over 30 years thanks to carbon credits for leaving the forest standing. …the social media claims by the pro-logging camp seem to get stranger by the day. …The effort to end logging in the forest reserve is also not part of a greater campaign against logging in general. It is simply based on the need to protect the at-risk forest in our backyard, and the potential to receive revenue from an alternative source.

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Judge weighs destruction of Fairy Creek protester’s camping gear in sentencing decision

CTV News
January 5, 2023
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

A University of Victoria instructor has been sentenced to 70 hours of community service for his role in protesting old-growth logging in the Fairy Creek watershed on southwestern Vancouver Island. Keith Cherry, 34, admitted to violating a 2021 court injunction that was imposed to prevent protesters from blockading logging operations in the watershed, according to a B.C. Supreme Court decision issued last month but only published online Thursday. In his reasons for the sentencing, Justice Douglas Thompson gave consideration to evidence that Cherry lost more than $1,600 in camping gear that was destroyed during his arrest. According to the court, Cherry had chained his arm inside a large log that was laid across a logging road on Sept. 13, 2021. …The judge credited the destruction of Cherry’s personal property as a “collateral consequence” that warranted reducing his initial sentencing consideration from 100 hours of community service to 70 hours.

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Mosaic and Mount Washington Celebrate Renewed Access Agreement

Mosaic Forest Management
January 3, 2023
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Nanaimo, BC — Mosaic Forest Management announced today that it has renewed its access agreement with Mount Washington Alpine Resort, extending the partnership that began in 2016 between the two organizations. The agreement offers Mount Washington access to roads, Nordic trails, and outback areas on Mosaic’s private forest lands. “Our relationship with Mount Washington is an exemplary collaboration on access to Mosaic’s forest lands,” said Molly Hudson, Director of Sustainability at Mosaic. “Mount Washington consistently demonstrates a track record of responsible use and shares Mosaic’s focus on public safety and protecting the environmental values associated with our working forest.”

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B.C. needs fire. Meet the man bringing it back

By Marc Fawcett-Atkinson
The National Observer
January 5, 2023
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Joe Gilchrist

When Skeetchestn fire keeper Joe Gilchrist was young… he spent hours in front of the flickering flames, learning how they grew and moved as the fire slowly turned logs to ash. …Decades later, Gilchrist is on a mission to make the regenerative burning practices his grandfather taught him commonplace. At stake is an important practice for culture, food security and the future of the province’s forests. Forest fires have slammed B.C. in recent years, burning on average 348,000 hectares each year. …The problem is set to get worse as the climate crisis deepens, with experts predicting Western Canada will see up to 50 per cent more days with the dry, windy conditions that drive wildfires. …”In the (B.C.) Interior, it’s a fire-inclusive landscape,” Gilchrist explained. “It needs fire … and if fire isn’t put there, you start seeing the catastrophic fires like you’re seeing now.” 

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Managing Forestry Projects with Ecosystem Services in Mind

By Jason Fisher, LLB, RPF, Partner MNP
The Association of BC Forest Professionals Magazine
January 3, 2023
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Jason Fisher

Kaizen is an approach to continuous improvement that is based on the seemingly simple processes of setting standards, committing to those standards, and then improving on them. …The default approach to forest management, even integrated resource management, has been to manage land for certain attributes within a defined area. …But what if there was a better way? …The traditional ecological knowledge held by Indigenous communities, more accurately known as Indigenous Science, can be very beneficial to forestry businesses… Indigenous Science comes from studying the land and making informed decisions based on a body of knowledge accumulated through experimentation and observation. It is a living process. …To meet current challenges and expectations those entrusted with forest management are uniquely positioned to improve the resilience of ecosystem services over time through active management. The tools, knowledge, and practices are out there. Let’s celebrate and learn from those who bring them together to continuously improve forest practices and ecosystems.

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Manning wins provincial award for woodlot innovations

Burns Lake Lakes District News
December 28, 2022
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Cliff Manning

Burns Lake professional forester Cliff Manning has been applying his lifetime’s worth of accrued industry knowledge to his own personal woodlot, and that especially applies to his deep understanding of wildfire.  After decades of forestry management for others (he was instrumental in starting the Burns Lake Community Forest, now a model for the province), plus silviculture and wildfire endeavours, he now focuses on his own 572-hectare Guyishton Woodlot.  …He paid special attention to mitigating forest fires. His neighbours appreciate this and his peers applaud it, to the point Manning was just named the northern BC winner of this year’s Minister’s Award for Innovation and Excellence in Woodlot Management. …“Diversity in our forest licenses, and woodlots are just small-scale licenses, is a good thing,” Manning said. “The point of these awards is to encourage licensees to plant crops that will be sustainable.” 

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North Cowichan extends its forest engagement survey to Jan. 31

By Robert Barron
Cowichan Valley Citizen
December 27, 2022
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

North Cowichan will extend the deadline for people to fill out its forest engagement survey from Dec. 31 to Jan. 31, council decided at its meeting on Dec. 21.  The unanimous decision was made after council received a letter stating that a lot people were not focused on the future of North Cowichan’s 5,000-hectare municipal forest reserve during the Christmas season.  Coun. Tek Manhas made the motion to extend the deadline, saying that the letter writer is absolutely correct.  He said North Cowichan rushed through the development of its official community plan that was adopted earlier in 2022 during the summer months.  …The public is being asked to consider four options for the management of North Cowichan’s municipal forest reserve which were developed with input received last year in round one of the public engagement process to help determine the future management of the forest reserve, as part of the ongoing review of the MFR.  

Additional coverage in the Cowichan Valley Citizen, letter by Larry Pynn: North Cowichan won’t identify citizen who successfully sought forest consult extension

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Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy

Moving Forward: Carbon Credits

By Jason Fisher, LLB, RPF, Partner MNP
Truck LoggerBC Magazine
January 4, 2023
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: Canada, Canada West

Jason Fisher

Carbon offsets in the context of forestry are coming up more and more, particularly in relation to projects that set aside forest land. There are concerns that setting aside forests in a time of increasing climate change and fire risk may not be the best way to store carbon. …In order to turn your carbon-busting initiative into a saleable credit, the activity must result in real reductions that are additional to business-as-usual and can be verified by a third party. …For land-based carbon offsets, private land is at an advantage because land-based offsets require ownership of the carbon rights and the ability to control the future of the land. On Crown land, forest and range tenure rights do not include the right to benefit from atmospheric impacts, like carbon offsets. First Nations tenure holders do have the opportunity to negotiate a separate agreement with the Crown, called an Atmospheric Benefit Sharing Agreement.

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