Region Archives: Canada West

Alberta’s water reckoning has begun in earnest. Snowpack accumulations in the Oldman River basin, the Bow River basin and the North Saskatchewan River basin range from 33 to 62 per cent below normal. A reduced snowpack means less summer water for the fish and all water drinkers. …Fifty-one river basins from Milk River to Hay River report critical water shortages due to low rainfall and high temperatures. Groundwater levels in parts of Alberta have reached record lows. Wells in Rocky View County just outside of Calgary, for example, show steady declines and the lowest levels ever measured. Some 600,000 rural Albertans depend on groundwater. …With less water in the rivers and ground, the cottonwoods and willows that decorate the banks of prairie rivers are dying. …Yet the Alberta government has not declared an emergency. It says it is planning for extreme drought but hoping for snow and rain.

High populations of mountain pine beetles can overwhelm forests by killing trees and altering ecosystems. A University of Alberta study examined the role fungi may play in how trees defend themselves from these beetles. Rashaduz Zaman, a U of A PhD candidate in forest biology and management, led the study. According to the study, the fungus atropellis canker increases a tree’s production of compounds toxic to mountain pine beetles, thereby protecting the tree. The researchers collected inner-bark samples from lodgepole pines. Some of these trees were infected by western gall rust, atropellis canker, or other fungi pathogens. The researchers compared how different fungal species altered the chemistry of lodgepole pine trees and their ability to resist attacks from insects.

Todd Loewen & Christie Tucker

The Alberta government will hire an additional 100 firefighters to work this season but the opposition is concerned this won’t be enough in a year that could be worse for fire than 2023. Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen announced the new staffing measures on Tuesday in a news conference at the Whitecourt fire base. “We are confident we are ready to tackle the upcoming wildfire season head on to better direct our resources to fight new and existing wildfires,” Loewen said. “We are declaring an early start to the 2024 wildfire season.” The 100 new firefighters will be added to the usual contingent of 900 personnel. Funding for this extra staff depends on the legislature passing the provincial budget, which will be introduced next week. …Heather Sweet, the NDP critic for forestry, is concerned about the province’s readiness for what could be another record-breaking season for fire.

TAYLOR, B.C. — Peace River North MLA Dan Davies believes the $7 million sale of Canfor’s pulp mill in Taylor is the latest example of the provincial government’s mismanagement of the forestry industry. Davies says it’s a tragedy the mill has closed down following months of curtailments and other closures within the province. Forestry is a massive industry in B.C., and according to Davies, when a large company such as Canfor starts curtailments or permanently shuts down mills — it’s “not a good sign.” The MLA says he’s glad there was a purchase and hopes to hear more details soon, including if the mill in Taylor will reopen. …Davies believes the province has poor forest management practices. “We don’t do enough prescribed burns, we don’t manage our forests, generally, as well as we should,” Davies said. “We need to look at other jurisdictions, [such as] Finland and Sweden.”

Todd Loewen

ALBERTA — After a tumultuous 2023 wildfire season and amid dry conditions, Forestry Minister Todd Loewen visited Whitecourt on Tuesday afternoon to declare the start of the 2024 wildfire season. Loewen underlined plans to add 100 new wildland firefighters to the Alberta Wildfire Team, bringing the total number of firefighters to approximately 1,000 by May 15. The wildfire season has started 10 days early this year. Loewen said this means permits are now required before burning in the Alberta Forest Protection Area, which includes the Whitecourt Forest Area. “Wildfire prevention is a shared responsibility,” Loewen said during a press conference at the Whitecourt Forestry Warehouse. …Loewen asserted that more than 60 per cent of Alberta’s wildfires in 2023 were caused by humans. …The addition of 100 firefighters is dependent on the approval of the 2024 provincial budget, according to Alberta Forestry. As for the possibility of budgeting for more than 100 new firefighters, Loewen deferred to “the budget process” in the Alberta legislature.

Advocates for Saskatchewan’s boreal forest are raising awareness about the impacts of clear-cut logging. An event was held Saturday at St. George’s Senior’s Centre in Saskatoon to raise awareness and funds to support a legal action to stop clearcut logging. Cathy Sproule, a representative for Big River Forest Advocates said the clear-cut logging interferes with Indigenous peoples who exercise their inherent treaty right to hunt. “There are better ways to log in these heavily populated and well-loved and widely used areas,” she said. …“The ministry and also the government of Saskatchewan is not upholding the provision of the Forest Resources Management Act, which requires a balance between industry and all kinds of other activity and values,” Sproule said. “So we’re going to see what a judge says about it.”

The B.C. government is consulting the public on reforms to the Land Act to facilitate shared decision-making under the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA). The Land Act deals with how public land is used and covers tens of thousands of tenures on public land. …As we approach the five-year anniversary of DRIPA, there are now several examples of mechanisms for shared decision-making with Indigenous governments on land and resource use in B.C.  …The debate and public reaction to the reforms under the Land Act point to the larger question of how the province is approaching shared decision-making in British Columbia, whether under DRIPA or otherwise. …Reconciliation also requires transparency for Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples alike, to advance mutual prosperity. By providing structure and clarity for shared decision-making agreements, the province could advance these two important objectives. 

An interesting story has been emerging about two Merritt residents who have created a hybrid (diesel/electric) logging truck prototype that displays innovations and dedication to sustainability. It has taken them two years and over a million dollars (of crowd-source funds mostly from other truckers) to build their first two prototypes. Eric Little and Chace Barber (Edison Motors’ co-founders) were inspired to create their own electric truck since Tesla was so slow at releasing their electric truck as promised in 2016. The hybrid truck is a specially designed heavy-duty vehicle intended to replace traditional diesel-powered logging trucks. Their inspiration came from their mission to protect the environment. …While we wait for the delivery of these hybrid trucks we might start seeing electric motors on the logging trailers. FPInnovations is currently developing a hybrid trailer for forestry operations, with plans to replace a conventional trailer axle with an electrically powered drive axle.

Laura Jones

The BC government is conducting an intensive series of meetings with industry and outdoor recreation groups this month, in an attempt to assuage concerns about its proposed changes to the law that governs Crown land. The province plans to amend the Land Act in the spring legislative session to pave the way for joint decision-making with Indigenous communities about public land, bringing it into line with the intent of B.C.’s 2019 Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA). But the little-advertised process with its hasty timeline alarmed stakeholders who rely on Crown tenures, stirring up uncertainty about future access. Minister Nathan Cullen is now leading a “reset” of the consultation process. …One of Mr. Cullen’s meetings drew 90 corporate leaders for a two-hour session, with a follow-up promised. Laura Jones of the Business Council of B.C. said, “I wouldn’t say that all of their questions have been answered.”

New research at the UBC Malcolm Knapp Research Forest in Maple Ridge could lead to healthier forests that take more carbon out of the atmosphere, say researchers. Dr. Suzanne Simard and Dr. Dominik Roeser are leading field-based experiments looking at silviculture practices by the B.C. lumber industry in the 1960s and 1970s, and how those 60-year-old forests could now be much improved. The view back then was to grow and harvest stands of Douglas-fir, like a Saskatchewan farmer might raise fields of wheat. The result is plantations that are not as biodiverse, nor as productive as they should be, said Simard. …Selective logging and cutting-edge equipment will be used to address biodiversity and carbon deficits in industrialized conifer plantations. The project involves transitioning monoculture stands to healthier forests, with greater species diversity, and testing various retention levels and harvesting techniques.

Groups concerned about increased logging on the edges of Saskatchewan’s boreal forest are raising money to challenge the province’s forestry policy in court. The Saskatchewan Forest Protection Network and the Big River Forest Advocates are teaming up for a “teach-in” event on Saturday. Spokeswoman Cathy Sproule said the fundraising drive comes after years of meetings and advocacy with industry and government have secured only “minor concessions. …While she said provincial officials and industry representatives have been willing to come to meetings, many conversations have left her feeling frustrated and dispirited as concerns remain unaddressed, with a court challenge now seen as a necessary step. …Sproule said she’s hopeful an application can be filed this spring after the government releases its annual forestry plan. …Saturday’s event will feature a talk from Halifax-based journalist Joan Baxter.

• BC Forest Safety Council safety tip.
• Fibre utilization projects in the Thompson-Okanagan.
• Skeetchestn Natural Resources Corporation leading the charge in sustainable forestry practices.
• Osoyoos Indian Band and Mercer Celgar increase fibre utilization of residual wood.
• Faces of Forestry features FESBC’s Board Chair, Dave Peterson.
• FESBC is hiring an Operations Manager. 

SLOCAN VALLEY, BC — A full environmental impact assessment of the proposed Zincton all-season resort is being called for by the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and the Sinixt Confederacy. Currently before the Mountain Resorts Branch of the B.C. Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, the back country ski development proposed for the Selkirk Mountains in the Slocan Valley needs a deeper view, said Jarred-Michael Erickson, chairman of the Confederated Tribes. “This proposed project is going to be built on high quality wildlife habitat within a critical wildlife corridor between two major parks,” he said in a Feb. 8 letter to the Province. “Our preliminary internal review has raised a number of concerns, including potential impacts to blue-listed species such as wolverine and grizzly bear.” …His view was supported by the West Kootenay EcoSociety website, arguing that the entire proposed development would disrupt a wildlife corridor between two provincial parks.

Additional coverage in the Langley Advance Times, by Bill Metcalfe: U.S. group wants formal assessment of massive B.C. back country ski resort

As many as 150 British Columbia lumber industry companies and their workers are getting a massive shock as they begin to sell their companies, retire, and start collecting pension benefits they have been paying into for decades. Some who are already collecting benefits from the Interior Lumberman’s Pension Plan have had their payments reduced by as much as 40 per cent due to a solvency deficit within the fund that the pensioners and their lawyer allege is a result of mismanagement. …The ILPP was started back in 1978 and covered independent, non-unionized forestry sector companies and their employees working in the B.C. Interior. According to David Wotherspoon of Wotherspoon Law, the plan was designed to provide independent contractors with medical and pension benefits. …A letter sent to the Minister of Finance by the Interior Logging Association’s Todd Chamberlain in January 2023 called on the province to step in and take some action on the issue. 

The Province is taking action to prepare for the upcoming wildfire season by upgrading and expanding B.C.’s firefighting aviation and ground fleet, as well as equipment for ground crews. …Drawing on feedback from the Premier’s expert task force on emergencies, the Province is strengthening its response to wildfire emergencies by expanding the amount of firefighting tools available to crews to provide broader response capabilities and keep people and communities as safe as possible. Upgrades are being made to firefighting equipment and fire camp infrastructure, which are critical to the safety and well-being of wildland firefighters. Nearly $16 million has been invested ahead of April 2024 to expand BC Wildfire Service’s on-the-ground firefighting equipment, including pumps, fire camp equipment, safety gear, and medical and hygiene equipment.

Three Manitoba First Nations are calling on the provincial government to reject a forest management plan for the Duck Mountain and Kettle Hills area. On Wednesday, Minegoziibe Anishinabe, Wuskwi Sipihk First Nation (WSFN), and Sapotaweyak Cree Nation (SCN) released a statement, saying that the government needs to take action to protect their land and Treaty rights. According to the statement, the province has allowed a U.S.-based logging company to harvest timber in First Nation territories without an approved forest management plan for nearly two decades. This commercial logging is taking place in Duck Mountain Provincial Park, as well as the Kettle Kills Area. Now, the province is set to approve a 20-year forest management plan. However, the First Nations are saying that studies show there are deficiencies in this plan. 

Nathan Cullen

The B.C. New Democrats face an uphill selling job with the public judging from an opinion poll on their plan to allow co-management of Crown Land with First Nations. Almost half of those polled said they had “heard nothing” about the government’s plan. …Only 13% considered themselves “familiar” with the proposed changes… [and] once informed of the basic outline of the NDP plan, 94% considered it a major change. The pollster found support for “reconciliation” with First Nations, but heard concerns that the changes could “hurt the economy.” Almost 75% of those surveyed supported a provincial referendum on the issue. The New Democrats say they will stay the course and pass the legislation this spring. …The government further insists that “the changes will have no effect on tenures, renewals, private properties, or access to Crown land.” …First Nations and some legal experts do maintain that the proposed changes are no big deal. Others disagree.

Anyone reading about proposed amendments to B.C.’s Land Act might believe there are major changes afoot. Private property is at risk. Outdoor recreation is threatened. Water access, mining, forestry and agriculture all now hang in the balance as the BC NDP threatens to quietly take away every land-use right that British Columbians currently enjoy. The government, the analysis goes, is about to quietly pass control over the vast majority of its land base to the First Nations who stewarded it for millennia….Except the changes wouldn’t do that — they are less radical, and more creeping bureaucracy. …They would “allow the government to enter into agreements with First Nations on what is likely very specific, large-scale projects,” Lands Minister Nathan Cullen said. …What the changes also wouldn’t do is affect the province’s 40,000 existing land tenures or the 2,500 renewals it issues on an annual basis, Cullen added.

The federal government, the last chance for species at risk, has told the province to produce and deliver on a plan to ensure caribou don’t go the way of the passenger pigeon. A recently released report, years late, shows little or no progress. Caribou task forces were formed of concerned conservation groups and Indigenous peoples plus the usual foot-draggers of industry. In particular, the timber and energy industries are the ultimate gatekeepers, trying to run out the clock for caribou, as they maximize economic opportunity. They are abetted by timorous provincial politicians, who hide in plain sight, behind the smokescreen of these committees. Caribou are running out of time. This species depends on mature to old growth forests. …Doing nothing is not a course of action. Instead, it is a flight from responsibility and accountability. It may be high time for the federal government to step in. 

There’s a big logging operation underway just west of Lake Louise. Parks Canada is a little past halfway through creating a safety barrier meant to stop wildfires from going too far and to give fire crews a place to stand and fight. A large strip of trees is being removed from the boundary of Banff and Yoho. “This area is prone to lightning strikes, so we’re creating a break in the fuels on the landscape to protect the communities of Field and Lake Louise in the event of a wildfire,” said Shelley Tamelin, Parks Canada wildfire risk reduction manager. The tightly packed lodgepole pine hasn’t burned in nearly a century.  The cut block is just over a kilometre long and about 500 metres across, stretching from Ross Lake to the Trans-Canada Highway. …marketable timber is being sent to lumber and pulp mills – standing dead wood will be sold for campfires.

Anthony Britneff

With many forestry communities upset with the poor stewardship of their local forests and with contamination of their drinking water from clearcut logging, one wonders why appeasing initiatives like the Old Growth Strategy (1991), the Protected Areas Strategy (1993) and the Old Growth Deferral Initiative (2021) have not delivered. The only substantive changes to how forests are stewarded, or not, have resulted from new legislation. Politicians eager to appease public concerns about forestry without conviction (i.e., without changing the law), do so by offering up these flavour-of-the-month initiatives, which are bound to fail because their requirement is not rooted in law. …Astonishingly, in 2024, the forest ministry has no stewardship purpose for the conservation of biodiversity, soil and water, for the maintenance of ecosystem health and for the sustainable use of forest resources. We need to rewrite the purposes of the forest ministry to include a stewardship purpose in a new Ministry of Forests Act.

James Steidle

So apparently taxpayers are going to spend $1.5 million researching the damage glyphosate is doing to our forests. We will have to wait five years for the results. It’s kind of a neat trick our federal funding authorities pulled. $1.5 million is a cheap hall pass to hold the critics at bay while we keep doing more studies amidst ongoing clouds of glyphosate in our forests. Shouldn’t the pesticide companies have footed the bill for this research before telling us spraying forests with a chelating, patented antimicrobial agent that kills 50 percent of select boreal fungi species at standard field application rates was A-OK? Ultimately, the research is a waste of taxpayer money.  …Another question: instead of paying for studies on glyphosate, why don’t we pay for studies on how much carbon tax we should charge the softwood industry for all the surplus carbon sequestration we lose out on because of their war on aspen?

Jamie Jeffreys & Peter Flett 

The head of the Osoyoos Indian Band’s Nk’Mip Forestry company was recognized for their responses to recovering after the Nk’Mip Creek Wildfire in 2021. Peter Flett, the head of forest operations, received the award from the BC Forest Professional Magazine (FPBC) for his article Keys to Improving Forest Recovery Post-wildfire: The Critical Roles of Proper Planning, Implementation, and First Nations’ Collaboration. The award was presented at the annual FPBC conference in Kelowna over Feb. 7 to 9. …Flett’s article delves into how to better collaborate on forest management based on the knowledge he has gained working with members of the OIB community. In addition to recognizing the standout work in Flett’s article, the FPBC recognized Nk’Mip Forestry for its response to the wildfire. The Nk’Mip Creek Wildfire covered over 19,000 hectares of land near Oliver and Osoyoos in 2021.

Bruce Uzelman

Liberal and NDP governments in Ottawa and Victoria are crafting very progressive agendas. They often have commendable objectives, but they show no regard for the proportionality of the actions taken, and no consideration of the impacts. …A January 2023 press release marked the beginning of another problematic policy. The government wrote that it reached a co-management deal with four First Nations to manage Crown lands in Treaty 8 territories. The release implied the agreement was necessitated by a 2021 Supreme Court decision, which found that Treaty 8 rights had been breached by the impacts of development authorized by the government of B.C. The reforms then and now, however, go far beyond compliance with that court decision. The Eby government now plans to share its authority to make land use decisions with the 203 First Nations across the province. …To facilitate this, the province is planning to make changes to the Land Act. The language describing the changes is confusing.

Kevin Falcon

Public Land makes up 95 percent of our province. It belongs to all British Columbians. Whether it’s for recreational access like hiking, camping, fishing, sledding, or hunting, for dock permits, or activities related to mining, forestry, agriculture or ranching, decisions about Public Land impact all five million of us — First Nations and non-First Nations alike. When the NDP introduced UNDRIP legislation in 2019, it promised the Legislature 17 times that it would not amount to a veto. Instead, they said it would align with the Supreme Court of Canada’s ruling that, while government has a duty to consult and — where required — accommodate First Nations, our Constitution does not provide First Nations with veto power over Public Land. …We want to be clear: the blame for all of this lies with David Eby and the NDP, not First Nations who are simply doing the important work of acting in the best interests of their communities.

Nathan Cullen

B.C.’s Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship Nathan Cullen has accused critics of pending First Nations-related legislation governing about 95 per cent of provincial land of fear-mongering. Cullen said these critics hope to turn back the clock to 1950s, adding that resource industry leaders themselves are asking for the kind of certainty in resource dealings with First Nations that the legislation is intended to provide. “My worry is that for some of the political actors here on the right, this is an element of dog-whistle politics,” Cullen said, adding that deliberate misinformation around the issue is hurting B.C.’s reputation. …Critics are accusing the government of not only downplaying the consultation process to avoid attention, but have also raised concerns that government is planning to give First Nations veto power over land decisions. Perhaps the important document making that point is a commentary from Vancouver-based law firm McMillan LLP.

Doig River and Fort Nelson First Nations have added their voice to several First Nations seeking a new federal tax policy on resource projects. The optional First Nations Resource Charge (FNRC) would see tax revenues collected from indigenous lands go directly to stakeholder nations. Under the Indian Act, tax revenue generated by resource projects is collected by the federal government and then dispersed from Ottawa back to First Nations. The proposal was formally announced in Vancouver last week, and endorsed by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, which he says would speed up negotiations and project approvals, dubbing it a First Nation-led solution to a made-in-Ottawa problem. The proposed charge would allow First Nations to directly collect 50 per cent of the federal taxes paid by industrial activities on their land, with industry getting a tax credit in exchange. The charge would not preclude communities from using other arrangements like impact benefit agreements.

In an open letter to the provincial government, the President of the Alberta Fire Chiefs Association (AFCA), Chief Randy Schroeder has expressed concern over a lack of cohesive wildfire preparedness strategy for the province. According to Chief Schroeder, combatting last year’s wildfire season in Alberta brought forth considerable challenges, highlighting the critical need for a comprehensive and proactive approach to wildfire management. “The AFCA has met with key Ministries presenting specific asks including additional resources, increased training capacity, equipment, and aerials and requesting the establishment of a Provincial Fire Services Advisory Committee to assist in developing a dedicated provincial strategy to better manage and mitigate the risks associated with wildfire seasons.” …He added that that is part of what the AFCA is asking, for ministries to work more cohesively, while also establishing a Provincial Fire Services Advisory Committee.

Jamie Jeffreys & Kevin Horsnell

Congratulations to Canfor’s Kevin Horsnell, MBA, RPF, SVP Canadian Operations, on receiving the Forest Professionals BC’s Distinguished Forest Professional Award, the Association’s highest honour, at recent conference in Kelowna. Through his 30 years as a Registered Professional Forester, Kevin has demonstrated his remarkable penchant for relationships, his dedication to professional excellence, and his advocacy for high standards, safety and innovation in all elements of sustainably caring for BC’s forests. “Over the course of his career, Kevin has made a tremendous positive impact on professional forestry and Canfor. He leads with integrity every day and isn’t afraid to challenge the status quo. Kevin is a vocal champion of BC’s forests, Professional Foresters and the sector. I value his honest advice and the meaningful contributions he has made to our company and the industry,” Don Kayne, President & CEO, Canfor. So proud to have Kevin leading the way at Canfor!

Mosaic Forest Management is pleased to be recognized as one of British Columbia’s Top Employers for the third consecutive year. Award recipients were announced in a special magazine published today and featured in the Vancouver Sun and BC’s Top Employer website. “Earning BC’s Top 100 Employers once again is a great honour for Mosaic Forest Management,” said Rob Gough, Mosaic Forest Management’s President and CEO. “Our focus is building a workplace culture centred on safety and sustainability, ensuring our employees and contractors feel they belong and where team members can contribute their authentic selves.” Many factors contributed to Mosaic securing the third straight BC’s Top Employers award, including its dedication to working alongside and supporting local First Nations, its focus on employee professional development with generous tuition subsidies, student programs and enabling careers in forestry for recent graduates, and its ongoing diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.