Dorian Uzzell
The 81st Annual Truck Loggers Association Convention opened in Vancouver Wednesday, with a clear message about both the challenges facing the sector and the purpose of the gathering. TLA President Dorian Uzzell welcomed delegates by reaffirming the association’s belief “that a strong and sustainable working forest will generate long-term prosperity for the people of British Columbia,” and that those who work in the forests “must share in that prosperity.” He said the convention’s theme, Fostering Collaboration and Partnerships, reflects the TLA’s view that “the power of working together is the key to building a stronger and more sustainable forestry sector.”
Dorian Uzzell
While acknowledging strong attendance and thanking sponsors, Uzzell did not soften his assessment of current conditions, noting that while mill closures draw attention, “there is little said about the small independent operators” who are “the backbone of a healthy forest economy and the small rural communities of BC.” He warned that current policies are “creating inefficiency leading to the creation of uneconomical forests to operate in,” and stressed that the sector must be viewed as “having a symbiotic relationship” across the supply chain.
The convention formally began with a welcome and blessing from Squamish Nation Elder Calvin Charlie Dawson, who acknowledged the gathering on traditional territory and welcomed participants on behalf of the Squamish Nation and neighbouring Nations. Moderator Vaughn Palmer then opened the three-day program, expressing his admiration for the organization’s persistence in a difficult period for the industry before moving the conference into its first session.
Vaughn Palmer
Calvin Charlie Dawson
Day 1 of the TLA Conference kicked off its technical program with the Markets & Economy panel, examining how trade disruption, shifting construction trends, and fibre supply constraints are reshaping Canada’s forest sector. Moderated by Vaughn Palmer, the session featured David Fell, Director of Research and Analysis at Forestry Innovation Investment (FII); Rick Jeffery, President and CEO of the Canadian Wood Council; and Don Wright, Senior Counsel at Global Public Affairs. Fell outlined BC’s reliance on export markets, the importance of diversification, and the role of building codes in supporting domestic demand. Jeffery focused on housing, industrialized construction, mass timber, and the need for supply-chain adaptation to capture future growth. Wright addressed the economics of competitiveness, pointing to declining harvest levels, policy-driven fibre constraints, and their implications for government revenue. In the discussion, Wright said restoring an economically sustainable harvest level was “job number one.”
The second session of the TLA Conference featured the Closing the Gap on Fibre Supply panel, examining the BC government’s Path to 45 target and what it means for contractors and operating companies. Moderated by Vaughn Palmer, the session brought together Jim Girvan, Associate at IFS; Paul Sadler, GM & CEO of Harmac Pacific; and Jonathan Armstrong, Vice President of Forestry and Fibre Supply at Western Forest Products. Girvan contrasted the 45-million-cubic-metre goal with current projections of roughly 28 million, stressing that the real issue is not volume alone but whether fibre is economically viable to harvest. Sadler focused on the operational realities facing mills and contractors, including cost, access, permitting timelines, and the need for predictable supply. Armstrong described how policy and regulatory layering has complicated planning and investment, particularly on the coast, and emphasized the gap between theoretical fibre and what can actually be brought to market.
Day 1 of the TLA Conference continued with the Government Initiatives Update panel, offering a detailed look at current policy work within the BC Ministry of Forests, reforms at BC Timber Sales, and longer-term system challenges. Moderated by Vaughn Palmer, the session featured Makenzie Leine, Deputy Minister of Forests; Melissa Sanderson, Assistant Deputy Minister; and Garry Merkel, Co-Chair of the Provincial Forestry Advisory Council. Leine outlined the ministry’s priorities, including tariff response, the Path to 45 initiative, and a shift toward management-unit-level problem-solving rather than broad, one-size-fits-all policy. Sanderson provided an update on the BCTS review, its expanded public-interest mandate, and early implementation steps, including Category 4 value-added supply, stewardship work, and measures affecting contractors. Merkel addressed longer-term structural issues, questioning why repeated reviews have failed to deliver lasting stability and calling for governance approaches that better align economic activity, communities, and forest stewardship.
Day 1 of the TLA Conference concluded with the Improving Workplace Safety panel, examining how industry and regulators are addressing risk during a period of economic pressure and operational uncertainty. Moderated by Vaughn Palmer, the session featured Rob Moonen, CEO of the BC Forest Safety Council, and Todd McDonald, Head of Prevention Services at WorkSafeBC. Moonen, who noted he will retire at the end of March, warned that cost pressures and tighter margins are creating conditions that can undermine safety, stressing that the industry “cannot afford to wait for another crisis before acting.” He highlighted mental health as a growing concern and outlined the Council’s new Connection to Care counselling initiative. McDonald described WorkSafeBC’s prevention approach, emphasizing education and consultation alongside enforcement, and identified key risk areas including extreme weather, motor-vehicle incidents, ergonomics, and mental health. Both speakers underscored that sustained leadership and collaboration remain essential to protecting forestry workers.
British Columbia’s Forests Ministry has entered into a memorandum of understanding with China on modern wood construction, a development that the province hopes will bolster the provincial lumber sector as it seeks alternatives to the U.S. market. The five-year, non-binding agreement with the Chinese government also involves the Canadian federal Department of Natural Resources and is among the first reached with Beijing after the arrival of Prime Minister Mark Carney in China this week. On the other side is China’s housing and development ministry, with the memo agreeing on co-operation on the integration of modern wood construction into China’s urban renewal and rural revitalization strategies and exploring “practical approaches” for green developments. University of British Columbia political ecologist and China scholar Juliet Lu said the MOU is “relatively low-hanging fruit” in Carney’s attempt to rebuild trade momentum with Beijing…
Day 1 of the TLA Conference featured the Politics over Lunch session, a wide-ranging and candid discussion of BC’s political landscape and its implications for the forest sector. Moderated by Vaughn Palmer, the luncheon brought together Rob Shaw, Political Correspondent with CHEK News, and Richard Zussman, Vice President of Public Affairs at Burson. The pair examined shifting government priorities, with Zussman arguing that economic growth and jobs are increasingly shaping policy decisions amid trade uncertainty and fiscal pressures, while Shaw highlighted inconsistent communication around those priorities. They explored the BC Conservative leadership race, the challenges of translating regional resource issues into urban political discourse, and ongoing uncertainty surrounding land use and DRIPA. Discussion also touched on the province’s projected $11-billion deficit, and the gap between government rhetoric and forestry realities. Delivered with humour and frankness, the session offered delegates a clear-eyed view of how politics, policy, and economic pressures are colliding in BC’s forest sector.
With Canadian lumber producers facing crippling American duties and tariffs, Canadian sawmills that want to stay in business may have to develop markets outside the U.S. Since North America is the only major lumber market that still uses imperial measurements for lumber, this would require retooling logging and sawmill operations to metric. Some B.C. mills are already partway there. With Japan and China becoming saturated, Canadian lumber exporters will need to develop–or redevelop–markets beyond the Indo-Pacific. “We did this before,” said Rick Doman, chairman of Forest Innovation Investment (FII). In the 1990s and early 2000s, Canadian sawmills produced lumber for those markets, he said, but eventually lost them. “The North American market got so strong that we left those markets, and really the Nordic countries took over those markets,” Doman said. But the U.S. has since erected trade barriers in the form of duties and tariffs.
BLUE RIDGE, Alberta — A fire at Blue Ridge Lumber in Woodlands County started on Saturday, Jan. 10 and was contained in the evening on that day, West Fraser confirmed with the Whitecourt Star. Woodlands County posted a message on social media on Monday, Jan. 12 that there were no injuries “Emergency response procedures were immediately activated, and all employees were safely evacuated,” the statement reads. Firefighters from Blue Ridge, Goose Lake, Anselmo and Whitecourt responded. The social media post states that West Fraser is investigating the cause of the fire, as well as how much damage was done and when mill operations can re-start. …The Blue Ridge Lumber mill falls under West Fraser and has a forest management agreement with the Alberta government. The mill is located north of the Hamlet of Blue Ridge.
Nathanson, Schachter & Thompson LLP is again ranked as a Tier 1 firm in Dispute Resolution in British Columbia by The Legal 500. We are included as one of four firms in British Columbia ranked as Tier 1. We are also the only firm in Tier 1 that received a Client Satisfaction accolade. Partners Irwin Nathanson, K.C. and Stephen Schachter, K.C. are included in the Hall of Fame category once again. They are the only two partners from the same firm included in this category. Partner Karen Carteri continues to be recognized as a Leading Partner, particularly for her work in complex shareholder and partnership disputes. Clients describe NST as a firm that “whole-heartedly embraces and delivers a hands-on and effective approach” while offering particular praise for partners Karen Carteri, Emily Hansen, Julia Lockhart and Kayla Strong. 
The union representing 350 Crofton mill workers facing layoffs next month wants federal money earmarked for softwood lumber workers to pay for early retirement for some of its members. Geoff Dawe, president of the Public and Private Workers of Canada, said he’s not sure why it’s taken so long for the provincial government to negotiate its share of a $50-million federal fund aimed at supporting softwood lumber workers. The fund is for income support and costs of re-training an estimated 6,000 forestry workers across the country. …Dawe wants some of that $50 million to go toward an early-retirement fund for members who will be out of work when forestry company Domtar starts laying off its Crofton workers on Feb. 3. …Dawe said the provincial and federal governments should bring back a lump-sum payment program for older mill workers that will “leave them some dignity.”
Premier David Eby will lead a trade mission to India promoting British Columbia’s businesses, critical minerals and sustainable wood products, supporting work to build a more independent economy and creating more good jobs for people in British Columbia. … “India is a key market for B.C. with enormous opportunities for trade. This trade mission is about deepening our relationships, supporting good jobs in B.C. and strengthening our position as the economic engine of the new Canadian economy,” Premier Eby said. As India moves toward becoming the world’s third-largest economy, the Premier will highlight opportunities for sustainable forestry, clean energy and responsible mining through new partnerships that are available only in B.C. …During the mission, from Jan. 12-17, 2026, Premier Eby, along with Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs and Economic Growth, will meet with government and business leaders in major centres of commerce and technology, such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh and Bangalore.
Since 2018, notes forestry watcher David Elstone, the British Columbia government has introduced more than 43 measures, policies, plans, systems, laws, reviews and reports about and affecting the BC forest sector. Meanwhile, there have been a series of closures and curtailments (permanent, temporary or indefinite) of sawmills and pulp mills, and thus workforce reductions. “And the fibre-supply crisis has continued to worsen, and . . . the industry is in far worse condition than ever before.” Elstone’s basic message: “Government has been busy designing change rather than figuring out solutions and moving forward. …Kim Haakstad, CEO of the BC Council of Forest Industries (COFI) echoes the analysis “There’s been a significant amount of change that hasn’t settled itself into the system, and there’s been no look at what regulatory efficiency can be achieved to make processes clearer, more transparent, and more accountable.”
The District of Vanderhoof, says it is now feeling the full financial impacts of Canfor’s 2024 Plateau sawmill closure and is facing a substantial loss of tax revenue for 2026. Canfor closed its sawmills in both Vanderhoof and Fort St. John, B.C., in December of 2024 citing “increasing regulatory complexity, high operating costs and the inability to reliably access economically viable timber.” Kevin Moutray is the mayor of The District of Vanderhoof, says the closure will create a loss of $580,000 in tax revenue equivalent to 11 per cent of its tax base. …Recent closures include the West Fraser’s sawmill in 100 Mile House and Domtar’s permanent closing of its plump mill in Crofton on Vancouver Island. “It’s difficult and sometimes action only happens in a crisis even though you sort of, can see some of it coming,” said Kurt Niquidet, B.C. Lumber Trade Council president and B.C. Council of Forest Industries chief economist.
The Municipality of North Cowichan said it is hoping to reopen the Bridging to Retirement Program and lower the eligible age to increase support for workers affected by the Crofton mill closure. Mayor Rob Douglas said he has asked the premier and the minister of forests to work with the federal government to reinstate the program, which was launched in 2021. He said the program is aimed at workers over 55 who do not “relish the idea” of retraining for new careers. “We recognize workers who are in their 50s and 60s are in a tough spot and are able to access pensions,” Douglas said. “For obvious reasons some aren’t too excited about going back and getting retrained to work in a whole different field.” …Douglas said the decision rests with the province and there is no definitive timeline for when workers or the municipality could see results.
B.C.’s GDP is forecast to increase by 1.6% this year, 
In this naturally:wood newsletter you’ll find the following stories:
International Pulp Week (IPW) is the premier annual gathering of the global market pulp industry, hosted by the Pulp and Paper Products Council. As the leading event dedicated exclusively to the market pulp sector, IPW provides a unique platform for producers, end-users, and key stakeholders to exchange insights, strengthen relationships, and explore the trends shaping the industry’s future. 
In this Woodlots Weekly you’ll find:
Students and instructors at North Island College (NIC) say they’re disappointed following the institution’s recommendation to suspend 15 programs from its three main campuses on mid and north Vancouver Island. The recommendations were made as part of the college’s expedited program impact assessment that began last fall, and will go to the board of governors for approval on Feb. 5. …The suspensions are not permanent cuts, but create “opportunities to re-imagine how and what programs are delivered.” …NIC faculty president Jen Wrye says many of the programs have strong enrollment and offer good job opportunities for students at the Comox Valley, Campbell River and Port Alberni campuses — regions without other college-based post-secondary opportunities. The programs facing suspension include:
Nearly 1,060 hectares is being added to West Twin Protected Area to increase protection of important wildlife habitat across the Robson Valley. …West Twin Protected Area was established in 2001, and together with adjacent West Twin Park, covers more than 30,000 hectares to form the only protected wildlife corridor across the Robson Valley. The area spans from the Cariboo Mountains in the south, through the main Robson Valley trench and up to the front ranges of the Rocky Mountains. The additional land improves habitat connection for caribou, moose, elk, deer, grizzly bears and many other species. The Crown land was originally identified for protection through the Robson Valley Land and Resource Management Plan, but the land had two historical mineral claims that have now been forfeited. The land also contains old-growth priority deferral areas and an existing old-growth management area.
FORT ST. JOHN, B.C.— In the 2025 wildfire season, 199 wildfires were fought in Fort St. John, Fort Nelson and Dawson Creek areas in the “second-worst wildfire season in Canadian history.” The Ministry of Forests said in a news release on December 29th, 2025, the province has experienced over 1,350 wildfires burning an estimated 886,360 hectares of land since April 1st that year. In the news release, Ravi Parmar, minister of forests, said: “We’re coming off our second-worst wildfire season in Canadian history.” The Prince George Fire Centre specifically – the branch of the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) covering northeast B.C. – recorded 354 fires in the 2025 wildfire season. …For the 2026 wildfire season, the province says it will continue to look at new technology and opportunities for better prevention and response.
A BC judge has quashed a decision from the province to transfer a major forestry licence to an Indigenous-owned forestry company, after the government was found to have failed to uphold the “honour of the Crown” with a neighbouring nation. The Jan. 8 ruling centred on the BC Ministry of Forest’s decision to approve the transfer of a forest licence to the Kitsumkalum First Nation. The transfer, which occurred after the previous holder Skeena Sawmills entered into bankruptcy proceedings in 2023, was opposed by eight Gitanyow hereditary chiefs. … In his decision, the judge found the government oversimplified the impacts of the transfer, and relied on “hope and optimism” that the two First Nations could reach an agreement. …The Gitanyow had called on the court to quash the transfer of the forestry licence. Instead, the judge forced the province to reconsider the licence transfer while properly consulting with the Gitanyow.
North Cowichan will hire a wildfire specialist to support wildfire-protection planning in the municipality. At its meeting on Dec. 3, council voted to allocate $95,000 in North Cowichan’s budget for 2026 for the position from the Climate Action and Energy Plan’s reserve funds, and funding for the wildfire specialist will come from general taxation in following years. As well, council decided to allocate $115,000 in the 2026 budget for the creation of a Strategic North Cowichan Wildfire Plan, with the funding also coming from CAEP reserve funds. Council adopted a resolution establishing wildfire preparedness as a strategic priority in September, and the key actions identified and recommended by staff since then include strengthening the fire department’s wildfire-response capabilities, vegetation management, FireSmart education, evacuation planning, infrastructure standards, and community volunteer initiatives.
Three pieces of logging equipment owned by Fraser Valley Timber were torched overnight Jan. 1 into the morning of Jan. 2, putting multiple employees immediately out of work and potentially costing the company hundreds of thousands of dollars in replacement costs. …While a company spokesperson suggested to television media that the fire may be linked to nearby anti-logging protests, members of the Ada’itsx/Fairy Creek blockade denied any involvement. RCMP said investigators have not made any connection between the fire and the protest. Blockade members posted on Facebook that to assign blame to them before the facts are known “serves to vilify old-growth forest protectors without grounds.” …the Office of the Fire Commissioner brought an accelerant detection dog to the scene as part of the investigation. “…the Office of the Fire Commissioner is assisting in determining the circumstances, origin, and cause of the fires,” according to the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General.
A group protesting old-growth logging on Vancouver Island is hitting out at an “insinuation” they were involved in the suspected arson of logging equipment last week. Sgt. Kevin Mack with Lake Cowichan RCMP says officers responded to the scene of the suspected arson at a site operated by Fraser Valley Timber on Jan. 2, and they are keeping an “open eye to all possibilities.” Two grapple yarders and a log loader reportedly sustained more than $530,000 in damage in the fires… The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but media reports quoted a spokesman suggesting that the proximity of the protest camp wasn’t a coincidence. But the Walbran Valley Blockade protest camp says its code “explicitly prohibits violence and the damage or destruction of property.” It says it supports a full and transparent investigation and that “assigning blame before the facts are known serves to vilify forest protectors.”
…council was about to vote to log our protected community forest. At the last moment, a chief saved the day. But we are now forewarned — our forest isn’t protected. …a new council could throw down the gauntlet. So, once again we’re asking ourselves, as a community how do we protect the Six Mountains? Now that we know our North Cowichan council can ignore our public consultation, and our vote for conservation, what can we legally do? In the next election, vote in a pro-conservation council? This is our intention, but there are no guarantees. …an extraordinary solution [exists to] protect ecosystems from human destruction. It’s called the Rights of Nature movement (RoN). …founded on indigenous ancestral reverence for nature, as sacred and sacrosanct, beyond human control and ownership… it’s the perfect solution for our Valley where we, N. Cowichan and Quw’utsun, “own” the legal right to protect the ecosystem surrounding our home.
The in-creek infrastructure for the Peachland water treatment plant is at risk of a landslide in the aftermath of the summer’s Munro Lake wildfire. The 
The intense 2025 wildfire season in B.C. means firefighters will face challenges in 2026 because of overwintering wildfires, also called holdover or zombie fires, that smoulder deep underground through the colder season. As they spread below the forest floor in the dried-out peat, the fires can ignite in spring, sparking new life into last season’s devastating blazes. Canada’s 2025 wildfire season was the second-worst on record after 2023, with more than 6,000 fires burning more than 83,000 square kilometres across Canada, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. In B.C., the season started early because of several zombie fires in the northeast region of the province, where fire officials say overwintering fires and underlying drought combined to create challenging conditions in April and May. …Scientists say climate change is making B.C.’s wildfire season longer and more intense as drought dries out the forest floor and heat waves become stronger.
If we’ve reached the point where we’re fretting over barnacles being knocked off by drift logs, perhaps we’ve run out of real crises. A recent University of Victoria study warns that wandering logs — nature’s most passive travellers — are scraping B.C.’s intertidal ecosystems into oblivion. …I mean no disrespect to my academic descendants at UVic — my alma mater — but I can’t help recalling a time when a scientist would distinguish between data and drama. Anyone raised on this coast knows those “thundering” drift logs are as much a fixture of our marine landscape as kelp, rockweed, and yes, barnacles themselves. …Here lies the problem with this kind of “drive-by ecology.” A barnacle count taken on a single day, at a single beach, photographed from orbit, becomes a sweeping “coast-wide phenomenon.” Probability alone tells us that the fraction of shoreline simultaneously blanketed and agitated by free logs — especially those resting on sand — is marginal.
