BC Wood recently announced that Premier David Eby will open the 22nd Annual Global Buyers Mission (GBM) on Friday, September 5th. This shows the significance of the GBM to British Columbia’s forestry and value-added wood industry. Kicking off the tradeshow, the Premier will join delegates on the tradeshow floor. Premier Eby’s presence highlights the critical role of British Columbia’s wood and forestry sector in driving innovation, sustainability, and economic growth. With recent U.S. decisions increasing countervailing duties on Canadian softwood lumber to over 35%, there’s an unprecedented level of uncertainty about how the market will be impacted. A newly announced panel presentation will analyse the escalating tariffs threatening to disrupt supply chains, inflate costs, and reshape the forestry industry. Forest Minister Parmar will introduce the panel and participants Mo Amir, Nick Arkle, Liz Kovach and Kurt Niquidet on September 4th.
It will take time to fully understand the implications of a landmark court ruling that appears to place Aboriginal title in British Columbia above standard private property rights. But already, there’s a fierce political debate. The BC Supreme Court ruled that the Cowichan Tribes holds title over federal, city and private land in Richmond that it historically used as a fishing village. This title sits higher in the legal hierarchy than fee simple land rights of other current owners. The ruling could set a precedent that fundamentally changes the security of standard private property in B.C. …Eby’s comments hit at the core of the fallout — that with most of British Columbia identified by First Nations as traditional territory, the court ruling could scare away not only the general public but businesses considering investing in the province. …But Justice Young appeared to set a new precedent by calling Aboriginal title the “senior interest in land vis-a-vis the fee simple titles.”
For one local lumber mill, the federal government’s announcement of support for the Canadian softwood lumber industry is a step in the right direction. Nick Arkle, CEO at Gorman Brothers Lumber, said in his 50 years of working in the forestry industry, he hasn’t sensed a government that has been this supportive at a federal level. “Both federally and provincially, I’m seeing some major shifts,” Arkle said after Prime Minister Mark Carney visited the Gorman Brothers Lumber mill in West Kelowna to announce the federal government’s strategy to bolster Canada’s softwood lumber industry. …Arkle said Canada also has to figure out how to get along with its neighbours. Gorman Brothers has strong relationships with many customers in the U.S., said Arkle, and those customers can’t figure out why they’ve got this trade action going on because they want Gorman Brothers’ lumber.
A BC manufacturer that says it’s facing closure is accusing the provincial government of hypocrisy after the premier recently touted a product it had a hand in. BC Veneer Products provided the wood fibre that UBC designers used to fabricate a soccer ball out of innovative “wood leather,” something which Premier Eby promoted while on a June trade mission to Japan. …The problem, Gunia explained, is the company hasn’t been able to secure more logs to keep his plant and its 17 employees working. The forestry company he works with on Vancouver Island has already reached its maximum allowable cut for the year. The operator has another block it can harvest in January, but Gunia says that will be too late. …Gunia said his company’s troubles are particularly galling, given the emphasis the premier and the province have put on promoting value-added wood products.
VANCOUVER, BC — Conifex Timber reported results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025. EBITDA was negative $3.2 million for the quarter compared to EBITDA of $4.9 million in the first quarter of 2025 and negative $7.1 million in the second quarter of 2024. Net loss was $8.3 million for the quarter versus net income of $0.6 million in the previous quarter and net loss of $9.7 million in the second quarter of 2024. …Lumber production in the second quarter of 2025 totalled approximately 35.3 million board feet, representing operating rates of approximately 59% of annualized capacity. Second quarter production was negatively impacted by operating the sawmill on a four-day configuration, necessitated by reduced log availability.
With recent U.S. decisions increasing countervailing duties on Canadian softwood lumber to over 35%, there’s an unprecedented level of uncertainty about how the market will be impacted. These escalating tariffs threaten to disrupt supply chains, inflate costs, and reshape the forestry industry. At BC Wood, we’re dedicated to helping you navigate these challenges. Which is why we will be hosting a Tariffs Panel at the Global Buyers Mission (September 4, 2025). Introduced by Minister Ravi Parmar, the panel will bring together top leaders to analyze the challenges, opportunities, and strategies amid escalating trade tensions. Moderated by Mo Amir, GM of SPF Precut Lumber, the panel will include: Nick Arkle, CEO, Gorman Brothers Lumber; Liz Kovach, President, Supply-Build Canada; and Kurt Niquidet, President, BC Lumber Trade Council.
BARRIE, ON – As Canada faces rampant wildfires, non-profit charity Forests Canada and forestry consulting firm Cariboo Carbon Solutions are partnering to help private landowners and First Nations communities restore their forests. They supported the planting of 100,000 trees in North Shuswap and Criss Creek, British Columbia in response to the 2023 Bush Creek East wildfire and will plant 2.2 million in other areas of the province over the next five years. “Canada is facing a devastating wildfire crisis,” Elizabeth Jarrett, Chief Operating Officer, Forests Canada, says. “This new partnership will enable us to support restoration efforts.” In regions across British Columbia, Cariboo Carbon Solutions is providing private landowners and First Nations communities that have been devastated by wildfires with professional reforestation services for their properties. After the successful planting of 100,000 trees in North Shuswap and Criss Creek this spring, the organization is looking to support other communities in BC.
…It’s a rare sight today to see a spar tree in a timber harvesting area, but you can see them at any loggers’ sports shows. This year locals will have a chance to see climbers in action on Sunday, Sept. 14 at the Transfer Beach Amphitheatre. Just a couple of weeks ago the state of the two spar poles at the amphitheatre was in question. …Dave MacLeod from Husky Forest Service, a professional tree climber as well as a loggers’ sports tree climber, said instead of destroying the trees, they could be taken out to find out where the rot ends. His suggestion was accepted and the trees were taken out by RKM Cranes on July 30 and laid down to be examined. MacLeod did tests at various lengths of the trees and it was determined that the rot was up 10 feet from the bottom, so 11 feet was cut off.
The number of trees planted in British Columbia is set to decline for a third year in a row, falling a combined 135 million seedlings short of a B.C. government’s election promise to increase planting amid a string of devastating wildfire seasons. In B.C., the logging industry is legally required to reforest after harvesting. But as harvest levels have dropped, so too has tree planting. The province planted 281 million tree seedlings in 2024. But by the end of the 2025 season, that number is expected to drop to 238 million, according to the Ministry of Forests. By the end of 2026, projections from the Canadian Tree Nursery Association (CTNA) suggest the number could fall even further to 226 million — far short of the 300 million trees promised by the NDP government in the last election.
Ottawa is offering $45.7 million for projects in B.C. and across Canada that advance knowledge about wildfires. The projects will be focused on protecting Canadians from the growing threat of wildfires, strengthening wildfire risk assessments, and improving mitigation and adaptive forestry practices. …The Vancouver-based Métis Wildfire Community Research Initiative is among the funding recipients. “Our approach is different because we are building strong relationships with local people.” said Joe Desjarlais, Director of Research for the B.C. Metis Foundation. “We’re training them to do wildfire research, to recover their own knowledge for their own benefit, to give them a voice.” …Natural Resources Canada said annual national costs for fighting wildland fire total over $1 billion. It says fire-suppression costs could double by 2040.
CNC’s Applied Research team received a $170,775 Applied Research Tools and Instruments (ARTI) grant through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) for the creation of a state-of-the-art remote sensing lab. …The grant allows for the acquisition of terrestrial LiDAR scanners, allowing researchers to capture, analyze and better understand individual tree characteristics, forest structure, and wildfire hazards, among other forest attributes. CNC research fellow Dr. Pablo Crespell will lead research activities related to remote sensing lab purchases and operation, including drones, LiDAR sensors and scanners, multispectral sensors, software applications, and computer hardware. Grant funds will also be used to support the costs of relevant training for CNC research staff, such as drone pilot training and new analysis approaches.
…as climate change fuels more frequent and intense wildfires, governments can reduce the damage and protect lives with proactive, targeted actions. That means strengthening policies that guide where and how we build, investing in land and fuel-management strategies, supporting Indigenous leadership and stewardship, expanding emergency-response capacity and accelerating emissions reduction. The solutions are within reach, but they require governments to lead with urgency, coordination and commitment. …Here are five key actions governments can take to reduce wildfire risk — noting that no single strategy can solve the problem by itself: Stop encouraging building in harm’s way; Make new development fire-resilient; Manage forests and reduce wildfire fuel; Strengthen firefighting capacity; and Cut carbon pollution to avoid runaway risk. Governments at all levels face a clear choice: continue with business as usual and see fire seasons grow worse or take bold action to reduce risk, protect people and ensure public resources are spent wisely.
The human side of forestry is often overlooked but always present. Seeing the forest for the trees in this case means connecting the dots between the many ways that people interact with, benefit from and shape natural spaces, and the consequences these activities are having on everything from environmental sustainability to community wellbeing. In this issue, we delve into the social sciences of forestry, highlighting how the academic work, career paths and actions taken by our UBC Forestry community are shaping the future for the sake of humans and the planet.
SMITHERS – The Forest Practices Board has released the results of its investigation into a complaint about logging in the Lemieux and Gardner Creek watersheds, 30 kilometres southeast of Smithers. A resident alleged that over-harvesting had dried up creeks and wells, and that logging proceeded without proper public consultation. Board investigators examined recent harvesting, road construction and maintenance by three licence holders: BC Timber Sales (BCTS), Kyah Development Corporation (KDC) and the holder of woodlot licence W0104. Investigators assessed whether licensees met legal requirements for water management and public review. All three licensees complied with requirements for public review. BCTS and KDC exceeded requirements by voluntarily sharing operational-planning information with stakeholders. BCTS and KDC also met all water- management requirements.
Castlegar sawmill and mass timber producer Kalesnikoff Lumber received a mention from Prime Minister Mark Carney on Aug. 5 during a visit to Kelowna. Carney was talking about his government’s Build Canada Homes initiative when he brought up Kalesnikoff’s innovations. The Build Canada Homes program prioritizes domestic materials in construction and requires companies contracting with the federal government to source Canadian lumber. It also calls for the use of Canadian technologies and resources in off-site construction of prefabricated and modular homes. “One example of the possibilities, just a few hours drive from here in Castlegar, Kalesnikoff Mass Timber recently opened its 100,000-square-foot mass timber prefabrication and modular facility – the first of its kind in North America,” said Carney. “They’re adding new products and services, including prefabricated wall panels, mass timber modules, and trusses designed and manufactured for construction efficiency.”
One of Revelstoke’s most popular mountains for Nordic skiing and cycling has reappeared on the map for B.C.’s lumber licensee, raising questions of how recreationists’ favourite routes could be impacted. Within the last year, BC Timber Sales (BCTS) issued a Forestry Operations Map outlining plans for Mount MacPherson, home to the Revelstoke Nordic Ski Club (RNSC) and various Revelstoke Cycling Association trails. Currently, several dozen hectares in the Wetask-Mt. MacPherson area are licensed for cut blocks, while several hectares more are mapped for retention areas and roads. …Operations are indicated to run until 2027, and all six cut block licenses have a planned development date of last Jan. 15. In a statement the Ministry of Forests said one of its recent licences was auctioned last spring and will be harvested this fall or winter. Another licence currently sits in the development stage, slated for auction next summer.
Pointing to several recent closures that caused major traffic disruptions on Highway 97, Okanagan MPs and MLAs are urging the provincial and federal governments to work together on a solution. The group of six politicians gathered outside Okanagan Lake West-South Kelowna MP Dan Albas’ office on Tuesday (Aug. 12) to offer their own idea — pave 201 Forest Service Road (201 FSR) between Kelowna and Penticton so it can be used during emergency closures of Highway 97. “People are going to be taking that road, as we’ve seen reported by local journalists, and they’re getting lost,” Albas pointed out. “So this is going to happen whether or not the federal and provincial governments decide to act, but we can’t tolerate that.” The 201 FSR is a long and winding route that many Okanagan residents use during extended closures of Highway 97.
Hundreds of residents who were forced out of their homes by a wildfire burning near Cameron Lake on Vancouver Island are being allowed to return. The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) has posted an update removing 257 properties from its evacuation order, although residents remain on alert and must be ready to leave right away. The district said 37 properties in Little Qualicum River Village remain under evacuation order due to the six-square-kilometre wildfire that is now classified as being held. The B.C. Wildfire Service updated the status of the Wesley Ridge blaze, burning about 60 kilometres northwest of Nanaimo, saying it’s not expected to grow beyond its existing containment lines. An update from the wildfire service on Monday said the Wesley Ridge fire did not grow Sunday and was displaying mostly rank-one fire behaviour, a “smouldering ground fire with no open flame.”
