For years, three Greater Victoria men have been locked in the ultimate game of hide-and-seek with its most celebrated player and current reigning champion: Sasquatch. …Inspired by some of North America’s most renowned Sasquatch researchers – including Comox Valley’s John Bindernagel and Canadian journalist John Green – and driven by their own deep-seated fascination, the trio founded the Vancouver Island Sasquatch Society in 2018. Dedicated to rigorous fieldwork and evidence collection, the citizen science group aims to move the Sasquatch conversation from myth toward fact. …Dave Hill and Stephen Gray have both worked for the Canadian Forest Service, experience that helps them assess if a woodland area could realistically support a large, primate-like beast. …Alex Solunac, a senior media analyst at the University of Victoria, has been involved in Sasquatch research since the ’80s. …It was a similar story for gorillas, the threesome notes. The species was widely considered a mythical creature by European explorers until the mid-19th century, when an American named Thomas Savage found gorilla bones in Liberia.
Northern BC communities know better than most how closely their fortunes are tied to major industry. Mills, mines and power generation facilities are more than workplaces — they’re economic anchors… When an industrial business shuts down, it stops paying most of its share of property taxes. This means …the rest of their community must now share more of the tax burden. That’s why a push to revise or eliminate the closure allowance in the BC Assessment Act deserves strong backing from municipalities across northern BC — 
Alberta — Are you passionate about forestry education and inspiring the next generation? Looking for work that’s anything but a desk job — flexible, dynamic, and always evolving. You just found your next opportunity. Work Wild, a program within the Alberta Forest Products Association, reaches out to people who are making one of the most important choices in their lives — finding a career they love! We are looking for an engaging, people-orientated individual to join our Work Wild team in the role of Southern Alberta Forestry Educator. Reporting to the Program Manager, the Forestry Educator implements Work Wild program objectives, which include educating Albertans on forest sector practices as well as career opportunities in Alberta’s forest industry. The Forestry Educator will spend much of their time traveling to communities throughout southern Alberta engaging middle and high school students, educators, and job seekers about the variety of rewarding opportunities in Alberta’s forest sector.
NANAIMO, BC — Snuneymuxw First Nation is calling for a temporary closure and environmental investigation of a hazardous waste services company following a January oil spill on Duke Point near Nanaimo, BC. City of Nanaimo staff were informed of oily residue near a storm drain close to the Duke Point Ferry Terminal on Jan. 5. Staff said the spill originated from a business in the nearby industrial park, and a BC Ministry of Environment spokesperson said there was an estimated 350 to 1,600 litres of oil sheen on the water between Duke Point and Mudge Island. …The First Nation, along with a Feb. 19 statement from the Ministry of Environment, said the industrial park business Environmental 360 Solutions was responsible for the spill. …Snuneymuxw Chief Michael Wyse Feb. 6 urged governments to take action to address polluting activities in their territory.b…Western Forest Products said the company has implemented multiple measures to manage “wood and wood particle water discharge.”.png)
Federal help is being called on to assist laid-off workers at the curtailed Chemainus sawmill to access Employment Insurance benefits. Brian Butler, president of United Steelworkers Local 1-1937, which represents workers at the mill, Jennifer Foster, senior vice president of human resources at Western Forest Products, which owns the mill, and North Cowichan Mayor Rob Douglas recently sent a letter to Minister of Jobs and Families Patty Hajdu on the issue. “We write to you as representatives of labour, industry, and local government to request urgent federal intervention to address barriers that prevent Chemainus sawmill workers from accessing the full range of Employment Insurance supports available to them,” the letter said. …They pointed said that the workers are not facing a short-term layoff. “They have been formally advised that there will be no return to work this year, yet many are now being told their Employment Insurance benefits will soon expire,” their letter said.
STURGEON COUNTY, AB — Corey Hogan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced a federal investment of over $4.4 million for ten projects that will strengthen the forest sector in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. These projects will advance manufacturing and processing, diversify Canada’s forest products and their export markets and support First Nation and Métis groups and forestry businesses. Among the projects funded, Western Archrib Enterprises Ltd. is receiving $2.3 million through the Investments in Forest Industry Transformation program to commission a 160,000-square-foot mass timber plant in Sturgeon County, Alberta. The facility represents a total capital investment of over $80 million and will transform Western Archrib’s operations to a fully automated manufacturing line, increasing production capacity from 12 million to 30–35 million board feet annually. This investment will strengthen Alberta’s supply chain for advanced wood-based building material, such as mass timber panels, which directly support the construction industry and housing supply.
Conifex Timber announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary Conifex Mackenzie Forest Products has completed a $19 million secured term loan with the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) under the Softwood Lumber Guarantee Program. The loan has a maturity date of July 15, 2033. …The loan allows for interest-only payments until August 2028. A portion of the loan was used to repay a bridge advance from Conifex’s existing senior secured timber lender. The balance of the loan is available for working capital and general corporate purposes. Conifex also announced that it successfully restarted its sawmill in February. With the successful completion of the term loan, the Company is progressing toward normalized operations and currently anticipates sustaining two-shift operations in the second half of 2026, subject to fibre supply conditions.
The Musqueam First Nation’s agreement with Ottawa to advance the nation’s rights and title over an area that spans the western half of Greater Vancouver will force Canada to grapple with overlapping Indigenous claims, the boundaries of civic governance, and the principles of co-operative federalism. The deal acknowledges the existence of constitutionally protected Aboriginal title and creates a framework to implement Musqueam’s rights and title in their traditional territory. It is accompanied by two other agreements that create a framework for shared decision-making over fisheries, marine stewardship and land use. Just where that title will be recognized, and what rights will be affirmed, are yet to be negotiated. The Musqueam’s traditional territory has overlapping and shared territories with its First Nation neighbours. …Ottawa’s deal with Musqueam First Nation raises alarm about property rights in Vancouver area. …Cowichan decision leads to another claim on private lands in BC. [to access the full story a Globe & Mail subscription is required]
March 19, 2026 | 6:30-9 PM | UBC Robson Square Theatre — Experts from the Allard School of Law (Ljiljana Biuković), Vancouver School of Economics (Torsten Jaccard), Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship (Harry Nelson), and Political Science (Stewart Prest) will explore the evolving Canada–U.S. economic relationship and what it means for Canada’s future. As the 2026 joint review of the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) approaches, Canada faces significant shifts in its most important trading relationship. From tariffs on steel to ongoing tensions in British Columbia’s forestry sector, long-standing trade dynamics are being tested and the era of predictable trade and stable multilateral rules may be coming to an end. Policymakers, industry leaders, and people interested in understanding the structural changes shaping Canada’s economic future are encouraged to attend. Panelists will examine emerging geopolitical realities and their implications for Canada, highlighting BC forestry as a case study on how international trade pressures are affecting local industries, workers, and communities.
The head of B.C.’s Declaration Act Secretariat has left government on the eve of Premier David Eby’s move to change the landmark law to address court rulings that threaten private property rights. Jessica Wood, the province’s first Indigenous deputy minister, announced late last week she was departing the secretariat. “The Declaration Act was the first legislation in Canada to require consideration and alignment of provincial law with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in consultation and cooperation with Indigenous Peoples,” Wood said in a post on 
Twenty years after spinning out Canfor Pulp Products as a separate entity, Canfor Corp. plans to bring it back into the fold to prevent the subsidiary from sinking. …Since December, its stock has plunged to about $0.50 per share. A March 6 shareholder vote on a plan of arrangement is just one of the vital signs indicating how bad 2025 was for the forestry sector in general, and BC forestry companies in particular. …But B.C. has been particularly hard hit with sawmill and pulp mill closures due to its fibre constraints and higher operating costs. The most recent high-profile mill closure in BC was the Domtar pulp mill in Crofton at the end of December. BC pulp mills rely on wood chips from sawmills to produce pulp. But so many sawmills have permanently shuttered in B.C. in the last few years that pulp mills now struggle to find enough fibre to run their mills.
A large B.C.-based mass timber company is receiving $5.5 million in federal funding to expand its production capacity, the government’s latest support for prefabrication as a means to boost housing supply. Castlegar-based Kalesnikoff Mass Timber Inc. is receiving the funding from Pacific Economic Development Canada’s Regional Tariff Response Initiative. The initiative is investing more than $13 million in 10 projects across B.C.’s southern Interior, helping businesses impacted by tariffs, said a March 2 press release. Kalesnikoff is receiving a repayable investment of $5.5 million to help purchase new equipment to make prefabricated housing components used in multi-family housing, schools, daycares and commercial buildings, said the release. Kalesnikoff’s new mass timber facility in Castlegar, which went into operation last year, is ramping up production, said Andrew Stiffman, the company’s vice-president of construction services.
VANCOUVER — UBC’s newest building, Gateway Health, is opening as a hub for student health, interdisciplinary teaching and collaborative research. The 270,550-square-foot building gives a purpose-built home to the school of nursing, consolidates kinesiology programs from eight campus locations, and centralizes student health and wellbeing services for the first time. …
District of 100 Mile House Council voted unanimously to write a letter of support, as well as sign a petition related to the Forestry is a Solution initiative. A letter was written to the District Council by Kim Haakstad, the president and CEO of B.C. Council of Forest Industries, which outlined its key priorities: speeding up access to economic wood, improving competitiveness and cost certainty, fixing B.C. Timber Sales and supporting First Nations partnerships. The letter asked council to endorse the campaign, sign a petition and send a letter to their MLA, government officials and the Forests critic. Finally, it asked council to support the District of 100 Mile House staff to share information about the campaign through official communication channels.
The City of Revelstoke and the Columbia-Shuswap Regional District have passed motions formalizing their intention to push the provincial government to protect an old-growth forest. The proposed Rainbow-Jordan park would stretch 11,000 hectares… Until now, the forest has been spared from logging because the area is difficult to access… But David Brooks-Hill, a Columbia-Shuswap Regional District director said the steep slopes and lack of roads will not protect the rainforest forever. …Brooks-Hill said there is a forest tenure on the Rainbow-Jordan forest, a harvest agreement between a logging company and the B.C. government. …Brooks-Hill brought the motion to protect the area to the regional district after the City of Revelstoke passed its own resolution in February. Next, the city and regional district will present the resolution at the Southern Interior Local Government Association meeting in April. If successful, it will then be presented at the Union of B.C. Municipalities meeting in September.
Woodland Almanac from the Federation of BC Woodlot Associations is now available, offering a look at the people, programs, and practical tools shaping woodlot management in British Columbia. This issue highlights the Charles Bloom Forestry Program, a hands-on training initiative that introduces high school students to forestry skills and careers while working on a real operating woodlot. The newsletter also features the Executive Director’s report, details on the 2026 Woodlots BC bursary program, and an invitation to attend the Woodlots BC Annual Conference and Workshop in Parksville, October 1–4. Readers will also find updates on value-added opportunities for woodlot licensees and revisions to the Commercial Thinning Guide, along with two “Meet a Woodlotter” profiles featuring the Zemanek Family and Garrett Ranches. Together, the stories showcase the innovation, stewardship, and community connections that continue to define BC’s woodlot sector.
North Cowichan has a looming water crisis. A permanent closure of the Crofton Pulp Mill and the shutdown of the pulp mill supply system would result in the diversion of most of North Cowichan’s future development water to supply water to Crofton. As a former process engineering and environmental supervisor at the mill…. my solution would solve the looming Cowichan Valley water crisis regardless of the mill situation. First, the province should revoke the mill water licence and assign it to the CVRD. Second, the CVRD would purchase the pulp mill water supply system from Domtar with a contractual obligation with Domtar that the pulp mill would continue to be provided with water at the CVRD‘s cost of operation. Third, The CVRD/North Cowichan/Duncan/Ladysmith… would install a new water supply distribution system from Ladysmith to Cobble Hill using the old E&N railway grade and the Crofton pulp mill spur line.
Ecologists Rachel Holt and Karen Price, landscape analyst Dave Daust, veteran forester Garry Merkel and economist Lisa Matthaus, members of a former panel the British Columbia government appointed to identify old-growth for potential protection in 2021 now says they’re concerned about continued logging in those same rare and “irreplaceable” forests. In a document sent to Premier David Eby, Forests Minister Ravi Parmar and Resource Stewardship Minister Randene Neill they say the proposed old-growth deferrals were meant to be an interim measure to reduce the risks of logging, allowing time for long-term planning. But the process has not worked as intended says the document provided to The Canadian Press. Instead, the B.C. government continues to approve logging in forests the panel identified, while long-term plans have yet to be finalized, Holt said in an interview.
Join us in Nanaimo, March 25 at the Shaw Auditorium, for an exclusive screening of this urgent and impactful documentary, exploring the roots of British Columbia’s wildfire crisis and what we must do to protect our forests, communities, and future. This powerful documentary addresses British Columbia’s escalating wildfire crisis and the urgent need for solutions. … But within this crisis lies opportunity. The film explores how proactive forest management and policy reforms can reduce fire risk. A fact-finding journey to California highlights innovative strategies from its Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan. BC is Burning is more than a documentary—it’s a call to action to rethink how we manage our forests, protect our communities, and secure a sustainable future for British Columbia.
Whistler’s forests are home to one of the region’s most elusive birds of prey: the northern goshawk. Bob Brett, a local biologist and co-founder of the Whistler Naturalists, says Whistler is almost uniquely positioned among southern B.C. communities to support the at-risk forest hawk because of the remaining old-growth forests scattered along the valley’s lower slopes. “[Goshawks] hunt inside the forest, so they need wide-spaced trees, they need big branches to nest on and they need access to the forest floor for hunting,” Brett said. “They’re in big trouble on the coast of British Columbia because of all the logging and the lack of old-growth suitable habitat,” he added. “…And our challenge is to make sure that Whistler continues to have habitat for them.” Brett said that challenge extends to the protection of connected ecosystems—particularly the Rainbow Wildlife Corridor, identified as the 21-Mile Creek corridor.
Taan Forest, the forest management enterprise owned by the Council of the Haïda Nation, is leading the way under the Forest Stewardship Council Verified Impact program. This milestone marks the first Verified Impact project in Canada and one of the first globally to be verified for enhancing Indigenous cultural values, showcasing how FSC certification can credibly demonstrate positive outcomes for biodiversity, cultural heritage, and community-led stewardship.
Fears of a wildfire devastating a drinking water source for up to 80,000 people in the North Okanagan are bringing local Indigenous and non-Indigenous governments together to protect their shared watershed. Last month, leaders of Okanagan Indian Band (OKIB), the District of Lake Country and City of Vernon declared that protecting the crucial North Aberdeen Plateau watershed goes far beyond just preventing or mitigating wildfires. “We can’t let it go back to what it was,” Lake Country Mayor Blair Ireland told fellow members of the Okanagan-Similkameen Collaborative Leadership Table at the Feb. 20 meeting. …In November, a North Aberdeen Plateau Guidance Plan was signed by Ireland, OKIB Chief Dan Wilson, and Vernon Mayor Victor Cumming. The plateau, near Kalamalka Lake in the North Okanagan, includes four smaller watersheds that provide water for homes and farms across Lake Country and the greater Vernon areas. 
Alberta’s forestry minister says wildfire preparations have gone smoothly as the season opens, but he is concerned about the lack of precipitation and warm weather in the southern part of the province. Alberta’s wildfire season officially began March 1 with 30 wildfires extinguished already so far this calendar year. Two fires remain active, according to the province’s online wildfire dashboard, and more than 280 hectares have been affected so far. Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen said Wednesday that while parts of the province are in relatively good shape ahead of the key spring weeks still to come, the southwest corner of the province in particular faces a more risky set of conditions. …Loewen said the province’s overall wildfire readiness is in a good state with most staff hiring already completed, but added the weather over the next two months will greatly affect how many fires crews the province will have this summer.
City of Powell River councillors were provided an overview on March 5 of Tla’amin Nation’s negotiations to repatriate access to forest lands currently held by Western Forest Products (WFP). Adam Culos, general manager of Thichum Forest Products, said that Tla’amin had announced a milestone agreement, where Thichum Forest Products, through Tla’amin, is working on an agreement with WFP to acquire Tree Farm Licence 39 block one. Seanna McConnell, Western Forest Products vice-president, Indigenous partnerships, said Qwoqwnes Forestry Holdings Limited Partnership, wholly owned by Tla’amin, will be purchasing 100 per cent ownership of WFP’s Stillwater forest operation for $80 million. …Culos said the acquisition … supports Thichum’s long-term success through investment in their business and the future of the community, [adding] that almost all the wood supplies domestic mills, so there are three fibre supply agreements. One will be WFP, supporting the company’s five coastal mills, along with Mosaic Forest Management and Domtar.
Webinar: March 24, 2026 | Invasive species are an unintended consequence of globalization and one that is wreaking havoc on forest ecosystems. From the blister rust fungus that decimated BC’s white pines to more recent invasions of Dutch elm disease and the emerald ash borer beetle, invasive pests and pathogens are a real and present danger that are reshaping forest and urban ecosystems in lasting ways. Join Dr. Richard Hamelin, a forest pathologist specializing in forest health and the application of genomics to disease management, for a timely and engaging look at the scope of the problem and the scientific tools being used to respond, including the application of genomics and tree breeding. Increasingly, citizen scientists play a critical role in detecting emerging threats, helping enable early intervention and improved forest protection.
The lack of significant snowfall in the mountains around Cowichan Lake could be a problem for water levels during the upcoming dry season, according to Brain Houle, the environment manager at the now closed Domtar pulp mill in Crofton. While Domtar shut the mill down earlier this year, the forest company agreed to continue operations at the weir until the end of 2026. Houle said that while there is still time to accumulate more snow before the winter ends, it is possible that the weather will not bring more snow to the mountains before warm weather begins the annual snow melt. “With the Crofton mill now shut down and water withdrawals from the river significantly reduced, it is even more important to avoid the need to use pumps this year,” …Houle said that a stakeholder meeting was recently held … to discuss water issues related to the Cowichan watershed in 2026, including weir operations.
More local governments, contractors and First Nations will take on wildfire-risk-mitigation roles in and around their communities thanks to a $30-million investment in training, equipment and FireSmart programs. “Through powerful partnerships with local communities, we’re doing the work to get ahead of wildfire season,” said Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests. “We’re investing in local governments, contractors and First Nations to mitigate the risks of wildfire, protecting people and community. This is how we create jobs, support workers and build more resilient forests, restoring confidence in our sector.” The FireSmart Community Funding and Supports program is receiving an additional $15 million to continue prioritizing core FireSmart activities to protect the most vulnerable communities in B.C. The program is part of B.C.’s Community Resiliency Investment (CRI) program. Along with the Crown Land Wildfire Risk Reduction program, it reduces wildfire risk by funding planning, education, co-ordination and fuel-management activities on publicly owned and Crown land.
Prince George is once again surpassing expectations with the sale of two commercial thinning areas in the region, says BC’s forests minister. The sales were made to Freya Logging, a contractor based in Prince George. The total volume between the two sales is 14,005 cubic metres in the West Lake and Greg Creek area. Freya Logging will undertake commercial thinning, a forest management process that removes a portion of trees in a 35-year-old or older stand to create space and provide more light and nutrients for younger trees in the area, while older trees are cut down and sold. The process is also known to decrease the risk of forest fires by reducing fuel loads and increasing forest resilience against pests. BC Forest Minister Ravi Parmar has been a strong advocate for commercial thinning in the province and considers these two sales a milestone for forestry in BC.
The Alberta government has released a new wildfire mitigation strategy aimed at reducing wildfire risk and protecting communities, forests and critical infrastructure across the province. The Alberta Wildfire Mitigation Strategy outlines measures to improve preparedness and strengthen prevention efforts as wildfire seasons become more frequent and severe. Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen said the strategy is intended to help communities better prepare for wildfire and reduce potential damage. …The strategy outlines six focus areas: improving knowledge of wildfire risks, strengthening community and Indigenous partnerships, reviewing legislation and policy, expanding the use of technology and innovation, integrating wildfire mitigation into landscape planning and prioritizing hazardous fuels management.
North Cowichan wants the province to expedite increases to water licences for the Cowichan and Chemainus aquifers. Council authorized Mayor Rob Douglas to write a letter to Randene Neill, B.C.’s Minister of Water, Land, and Resource Stewardship, asking the government to accelerate the licence process at its meeting on Feb. 18. The request came after a presentation by North Cowichan’s engineering director Clay Reitsma on key infrastructure constraints in the municipality. Reitsma said that increased growth and development demands, provincial housing targets, and the recent closure of the Crofton pulp mill have combined to create significant constraints and impacts on North Cowichan’s limited water and sewer servicing, and water-licensing limits. He pointed out that most of Crofton’s water currently comes from the now closed Domtar mill… Domtar has committed to keep the water flowing from the mill’s water systems to Crofton until the end of 2026, but no promises have been made beyond that.
Canada’s drinking water can remain at risk long after wildfires burn out, according to a 
PRINCE GEORGE – Recent shifts in the global wood pellet industry have started a debate in BC about forestry, climate impacts, and local jobs. Drax, a UK-based energy company, plans to stop using wood pellets from BC at its power plant in England. Environmental groups believe this move will not affect BC much, but the province’s Forest Minister disagrees. Ravi Parmar, BC’s forests minister, says critics are spreading fear and insists the industry uses byproducts from forestry, not old-growth trees. Michelle Connolly from Conservation North says that although Drax stopping shipments to the UK seems important, the situation in BC is actually much more complex. …Forest Minister Ravi Parmar says BC uses some of the world’s strongest sustainable harvesting practices. He adds that pellet plants use leftover byproducts from logging, not valuable logs from primary forests. 
One of the most persistent myths in BC business circles is that WorkSafeBC is sitting on a massive surplus—a piggy bank that should be cracked open and handed back to employers. Manitoba did it, Ontario did it. …So why not BC? Because the surplus is depleted. It didn’t disappear overnight. It was frittered away, year by year, policy by policy, under an NDP government. …And now, BC’s small business owners are staring down the consequences. …According to WorkSafeBC’s own financial statements, in 2019 the system was funded at 153%—a full 23 points above the 130% floor set by policy and insurance best practices. That cushion, billions built up over decades, was a rainy day fund. It was never meant to finance an ever-expanding bureaucratic empire. …In 2019, WorkSafeBC’s rate of $1.55 per $100 of assessable payroll was among the lowest in Canada—only three provinces were cheaper. By 2024, that same $1.55 is higher than every province except two.
When it comes to WorkSafeBC, one of the most misunderstood issues we hear about from business groups is the surplus. Specifically, many small-business associations have been calling on WorkSafeBC to rebate the surplus back to employers since our funding level is above target. For background, the funding level is simply a ratio of assets over liabilities on a funding basis. …What is also not well understood is that WorkSafeBC has been returning significant amounts of surplus funds to employers annually to keep rates both stable and below the actual costs of the system. …The reality is that if WorkSafeBC refunded the entire surplus to employers we would no longer be able to price premiums below system costs, meaning rates would have to be raised in subsequent years. …Rate stability for employers is a priority for WorkSafeBC. Some sectors benefiting from rate reductions in 2026 include sawmills (down 40%), framing and residential forming (down 40%).
Transport truck drivers have the most injury claims for work-related crashes of any occupation in BC over the last 10 years. And driver fatigue is a contributing factor in many crashes. Developing a strategy for reducing driver fatigue is smart business. It can help save lives and reduce the risk of injuries. It can also help you meet your legal responsibilities. Use Road Safety at Work’s no-cost resources to create or enhance your fatigue management strategy. Transport truck drivers account for nearly one-quarter of all injury claims from work-related vehicle crashes in our province, according to WorkSafeBC. …A successful fatigue management strategy depends on an effective safety culture and employee engagement. Encourage drivers to report fatigue and to pull over for a short rest when they feel it. Discuss it at safety meetings. Make fatigue part of your fit for duty assessments. Emphasize the importance of adequate sleep.