Region Archives: Canada West

Special Feature

Invest in Visibility and Connection: The Value of Sponsoring or Exhibiting at the TLA Convention

By Sarah O’Dea, director of events
BC Truck Loggers Association
November 21, 2025
Category: Special Feature
Region: Canada, Canada West

For more than 80 years, the annual TLA Convention + Trade Show has been the premier gathering place for forestry’s top decision-makers. Whether you choose to sponsor the convention or exhibit at the trade show, your participation offers unmatched opportunities to connect, showcase, and grow your business. Unparalleled Networking: The TLA Convention + Trade Show brings together the leaders who shape the future of BC’s forest industry. As a sponsor or exhibitor, you’ll gain direct access to influential professionals—contractors, suppliers, government representatives, and business owners—all in one place. …Premium Brand Exposure: Visibility at the TLA Convention & Trade Show extends well beyond the event.Sponsors enjoy high-profile recognition before, during, and after the convention, ensuring your brand stays top of mind among key industry players. Tracey Russell, Vice President-Equipment, Inland Truck & Equipment Ltd. is a regular at the Convention, “We sponsor the TLA Convention + Trade Show every year because it’s one of the best opportunities for exposure and relationship building – connections that have made a lasting impact on our business and our brand.”

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Business & Politics

Ottawa’s coastal double-cross risks more than one pipeline fight

By Rob Shaw
Business in Vancouver
November 24, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

@Wikipedia

In Ottawa, on the desk of one of the prime minister’s many strategists, it wouldn’t be surprising to find a document titled: Operation Butter Up B.C. The plan would go something like this: Repeatedly visit British Columbia … to dispense federal cash on feel-good announcements… Add a disproportionately high number of projects from the province onto the new federal major projects list… And then, when British Columbia is all nice and fattened up like a Christmas goose, guillotine it with an oil pipeline that you know it cannot and will not support. …It’s all building to an apex this week with a final one-two combination. Ottawa is expected to unveil a new softwood lumber aid package, addressing concerns by Premier David Eby that B.C. forestry gets less attention than Ontario’s aluminum and steel. Then, it will drop a memorandum of agreement with Alberta on energy policy, and support a pipeline to B.C.’s north coast.

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BC Distinguished Professional Forester Bruce Devitt dies at 92

Victoria Times Colonist
November 22, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

Bruce Devitt

Shy of his 93rd birthday, Bruce Devitt passed away peacefully on Nov 8, 2025 surrounded by family. Born in Burnaby BC, Bruce grew up in Bridge River near Lillooet. Bruce graduated from the University of BC with a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry in 1957. He was Forester in charge of Seed & Nurseries for the Province; he joined Pacific Logging in 1972; he was Chief Forester for Canadian Pacific Forest Products and executive VP of the BC Professional Foresters Association. …Bruce served as a director of Pacific Regeneration Technologies Management, and worked for the Provincial Forest Appeals Board and the Environmental Appeals Board. …Bruce received recognition from his fellow foresters in 1983 when he received the Distinguished Foresters Award. Bruce holds the Western Forestry Lifetime Achievement Award (1991) and the Canadian Forestry Achievement Award (1995). …In lieu of flowers donations to: Vancouver Island Prostate Cancer.

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Why a lack of access to timber is leading to B.C. mill closures, job losses

By Akshay Kulkarni
CBC News
November 24, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

The looming closure of a lumber mill in central BC is highlighting the forestry industry’s challenges in accessing an economically viable timber supply — with one academic urging an “emergency response” to deal with it. West Fraser Timber  announced it would shut its mill in 100 Mile House by the end of the year. BC’s forestry industry has taken major hits over the last few years, as escalating US duties on softwood lumber imports have piled atop challenges like a major beetle infestation and wildfires, leading to thousands of jobs lost. …UBC professor Gary Bull explained that to have an “economically viable fibre supply,” it needs to make sense financially for a company to transport logs from a forest to its mill. And the viability is complicated by the fluctuating price of lumber. …Bull estimated that insect outbreaks and wildfires have contributed to a 50 to 60 per cent reduction in available fibre near 100 Mile House.

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Dr. Lori Daniels wins Faculty Community Service Award

By Faculty of Forestry
University of British Columbia
November 21, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada West

Lori Daniels

We are proud to congratulate Dr. Lori Daniels, MSc’94, on receiving this year’s Faculty Community Service Award at the Alumni Achievement Awards. A leading expert in wildfire resilience, Dr. Daniels has made an extraordinary impact through her commitment to community engagement and knowledge sharing. As a co-founder and the inaugural Koerner Chair of the Centre for Wildfire Coexistence, she works closely with Indigenous and rural communities to co-develop science-based, culturally grounded solutions that support wildfire preparedness and long-term forest health. Her dedication to public education, spanning hundreds of media interviews, speaking events, and national forums, has helped shape policy, strengthen stewardship, and deepen understanding of how we can coexist with wildfire.

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Lumber Tariffs Are Killing My Logging Town

By Surinderpal Rathor, Mayor of Williams Lake
Maclean’s Magazine
November 20, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

Surinderpal Rathor

I moved from Punjab to Williams Lake, B.C., in 1974. At age 21. …Williams Lake is an industry town at heart. When you drive in, you see stacks of processed wood in the lumber factories and massive trucks rumbling to nearby mines. A railway that transports our products to the rest of Canada runs through the town. …Since then, it’s grown to become the biggest industry in our region. …Much of the wood from Williams Lake gets sold across the border. …For a long time, the US has been Canada’s best customer for wood, but it may be time to diversify our customer base. In a twisted way, the tariff has been a wake-up call to reduce our reliance on the US and think seriously about developing our Asian export market. The practice of selling primarily to the US hasn’t been sustainable for a while, and it’s time to finally do something about it.

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Programs to help advance your career in the lumber and sawmill sector

By Linh Tran
BC Institute of Technology
November 21, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada West

“The BCIT School of Construction and the Environment offers two Associate Certificate programs designed to support workforce development in the North American lumber and sawmill sector: Industrial Wood Processing (IWP) and Business of Sawmilling (BOS). The programs were developed in collaboration with industry experts to equip professionals with the skills and knowledge needed to advance their careers while meeting the evolving demands of the sector. Both programs are delivered online, on a part-time basis, and over 12 months. The programs are designed to allow working professionals to gain practical, job-relevant skills through formal education while balancing their workplace responsibilities. Registration is now open for IWP January 2026 intake.”

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Large fire breaks out at former sawmill on banks of Fraser River in Delta, BC

By Cheryl Chan
The Vancouver Sun
November 20, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

VANCOUVER, BC — A large fire broke out on the banks of the Fraser River in Delta on Thursday morning. Fire crews from Delta and Surrey were called between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. to the former sawmill under demolition north of the Alex Fraser Bridge on Alaska Way. The land is owned by the Port of Vancouver and the organization confirmed the fire is at the site of the former mill. There are currently no impacts to port operations. …The fire broke out on the site of the former Acorn mill, which stopped operations after a blaze in April 2024. The sawmill was built in 1963 and was acquired by forestry giant Interfor in 2001. It was used primarily to cut specialty timber for traditional Japanese home construction. In 2022, the mill was purchased by San Group, a Langley-based forestry firm. The company filed for creditor protection last November.

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The fault lines in B.C.’s ‘Go West’ economic plan

By Kirk LaPointe
Business in Vancouver
November 20, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

The BC NDP’s new Go West agenda bills itself as the most ambitious economic strategy in a generation. It purports to be a 10-year sprint for “nation-building” projects, a magnet for $200 billion in private investment, swifter permits and a pipeline of skilled workers to fill the gaps. On paper, it suggests a province ready to grow up economically, and not a moment too soon. Public finances are a shambles. Investment eludes us. As critical industries, mining is mired, energy is enervated, forestry is forlorn. …Premier David Eby calls Look West part of his new “relentless and remorseless” approach. …The problem is how development actually works in a province bound by geography, litigation and a fragile relationship with Indigenous nations. …Many of the promised terminals, ports, transmission lines and mining corridors have been queued for years. …Bill 15, which lets cabinet declare “provincially significant” projects, might speed things up but raises legal risks.

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Building momentum through forestry trade mission

By Ministry of Forests
Government of British Columbia
November 19, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

Delegates from B.C.’s largest forestry trade mission to Asia have returned home, bringing back business deals, signed agreements and deeper ties with key trading partners in Japan and South Korea, driving growth and investment for B.C.

Summary:

  • More than 60 delegates travelled throughout Japan and South Korea as part of the largest forestry trade mission
  • Three memoranda of understanding signed
  • Twenty site visits, tours and meetings

The trade mission strengthened B.C.’s forestry relationships with existing trade partners and opened new doors to growing markets in both Japan and South Korea. It also highlighted how B.C. plays a pivotal role in expanding wood construction markets in other countries through sharing research and development in wood construction, building designs and safety codes to help inform policy, and accelerating the adoption of wood construction in homes, offices and public spaces.

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Fraser Valley has prefab potential despite slow market, says board

By Jami Makan
The Richmond News
November 18, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

©Fast+Epp

The Fraser Valley is in pole position to adopt prefabrication and other innovative construction methods despite the current market downturn, says a new report. There is a fundamental need for faster, “smarter” housing delivery, according to an Oct. 30 report by the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board (FVREB). …The FVREB report gives nine policy recommendations to accelerate prefab adoption. Chief among them is the need to harmonize municipal zoning. …The FVREB report highlights mass timber prefabrication as a particularly promising technology, saying it’s “a key component in off-site building methods.” One Metro Vancouver mass timber company with Fraser Valley projects says benefits include sustainability, suitability for prefabrication and quicker installation. But challenges include the need for wider education about how mass timber works differently as a structural system. …Coquitlam-based Seagate Mass Timber’s current projects in the Fraser Valley include a 92,000-square-foot covered soccer field.

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Millworkers heartbroken over West Fraser-100 Mile Lumber closure

By Patrick Davies
100 Mile House Free Press
November 18, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

West Fraser-100 Mile Lumber employees like Kris Taylor are taking each day as it comes, following the announcement of the closure of their mill. Taylor is one of 165 West Fraser employees who were informed that they’ll be losing their jobs by the end of the year. He said receiving the news was absolutely devastating for him and his coworkers. …Despite how it’s ending, Taylor said he still looks back on his time with West Fraser fondly. …“I would like to thank West Fraser for giving me the opportunities I dreamt of”. …Taylor said for those who have been there for more than 40 years, he predicts they’ll just retire early. People like him, who still have families, will struggle with this change. …He did note that West Fraser is working to come up with a list of jobs at other mills they could potentially transfer to. 

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Prince Albert pulp mill will not re-open, OSB plant still looking to build on the site

By Lisa Risom
CBC News
November 18, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

PRINCE ALBERT, Saskatchewan — The sale of a defunct Prince Albert pulp and paper mill from Domtar to the Ontario-based BMI Group has ended plans to re-open the mill and sparked a search for industrial business tenants for the site. “The site will never be a pulp mill again. That is for sure,” said Chris Rickett, BMI Group’s head of government and community relations. After eight months of negotiations, BMI purchased the former Weyerhaeuser Prince Albert pulp mill site and buildings from Domtar, Canada’s largest pulp and paper company. …The former Weyerhauser Prince Albert Pulp and Paper Mill ceased operations in 2006. Approximately 700 workers at the mill lost their jobs, with further indirect job losses in the forestry industry. A spokesperson for the One Sky Forest Products said it is gathering investors to build an oriented strand board (OSB) manufacturing plant on the former mill site. 

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The Forest Practices Board is seeking its next Chair

BC Forest Practices Board
November 18, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

This is a rare opportunity to lead highly respected, independent oversight in one of the province’s most important and visible sectors. The Chair plays a pivotal role in strengthening public confidence in forest and range practices across BC. Ideal candidates bring strong governance experience, a background in forestry, and a commitment to transparent oversight. The Chair is a flexible, full-time role leading BC’s independent watchdog for forest and range practices. The Chair plays a key role in strengthening public trust in how the province’s forests and rangelands are managed. The Chair provides strategic leadership, oversees audits and investigations, approves reports, and represents the Board in engagements with Indigenous governments, provincial agencies, stakeholders, and the media. The role is well suited for someone with strong governance experience, sound judgment, and a balanced understanding of BC’s natural resource sector. Appointed by Order-in-Council for an initial term of 3 to 5 years the position may be re-appointed for additional terms of up to 5 years. Closing Date: December 11, 2025

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Wood, Paper & Green Building

Online toolkit helps build homes faster as rents fall

By Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs
Government of British Columbia
November 20, 2025
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada West

More people will find their place in a community they love as B.C. continues rolling out new innovations that are making it easier and faster to build affordable homes, helping contribute to the decline in the asking price for rent in communities throughout B.C. A new online platform called DASH, Digitally Accelerated Standardized Housing, is helping developers and non-profit organizations design and construct three- to six-storey buildings more quickly and at lower cost using products manufactured in B.C. DASH replaces traditional review and construction methods with a modern, industrialized approach built around standardized building components and designs, digital co-ordination and prefabrication.  For example, developers, builders or non-profit organizations designing a wood-frame, multi-family structure can enter details, including land parcel shape and size, planned building storeys, unit bedroom counts, and so on. New construction techniques, such as mass timber and off-site building, are helping reduce waste and deliver homes faster.

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Wood Connections November Newsletter

BC Wood Specialties Group
November 19, 2025
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada West

In this newsletter you’ll find these headlines and more:

  • Minister Parmar Kicks Off BC Wood’s B2B Speed-dating Lumber Mission in Japan — BC Wood organized a formal industry mission to Japan. This was based on requests from members to have targeted and more intimate B2B networking sessions as a supplement to our major trade show events.
  • Save the Date: 2026 RAIC Conference on Architecture — May 5-8 in Vancouver. Canada’s largest annual gathering of architecture professionals
  • BC Wood to Exhibit at The Buildings Show and IDS Toronto This Winter — two great opportunities to connect with builders and designers in Ontario
  • Exhibit in the BC Wood Pavilion at BUILDEX VANCOUVER — February 11-12 in Vancouver. Western Canada’s largest forum to provide Architecture & Engineering, Construction, Interior Design and Property Management professionals a meaningful platform to build community and gain industry advancement 
  • Join the BC Wood Pavilion at the Spring Cottage Life Show — March 26-29 in Toronto. Over 28,000 people attended in 2025!

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UBC Certificate Program in Industrial Wood Finishing

By Jason Chiu
UBC Centre for Advanced Wood Processing
November 19, 2025
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada West

The UBC Centre for Advanced Wood Processing (CAWP) is please to announce the schedule for the 2026 Industrial Wood Finishing Certificate Program.  This part-time online training program with a one-week hands-on practical session is North America’s most comprehensive wood finishing certificate program. The certificate program provides participants with a broad understanding of the field of wood finishing.  It’s designed for individuals who have some general experience in wood finishing and would like to expand their knowledge. Once completed, learners will have knowledge and experience to do the following: Understand why finish is applied to wood and how wood properties affect finishing; To be able to identify the best finishing system based on the end use; Trouble-shoot wood finishing problems; and Design a safe and efficient finishing facility. This course will provide you with the knowledge and tools to start a finishing business or to improve an existing one.

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Forestry Innovation Investment 2026-27 Call for Proposals

BC Forestry Innovation Investment
November 20, 2025
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada West

The 2026-27 Calls for Proposals for the Market Initiatives and Wood First programs are now open. Between these programs, delivered in partnership with the forest industry and other funders, a total of $7.5 million in funding from FII is available. This support helps advance market development initiatives that diversify and strengthen the B.C. forest sector and provincial economy. The Market Initiatives program is primarily focused on advancing opportunities in existing markets such as China, Japan, South Korea, India, Vietnam and the UK, where the greatest short- and medium-term opportunities exist for the sector. Planning and delivery of the Wood First program is a collaborative effort involving the building construction industry, government and the forest sector. FII develops an investment plan that allocates funding on an annual basis. All funding proposals must be complete and submitted through the FMS by 17:00 PST on January 15, 2026.

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MycoToilet: Behind UBC’s Mushroom-Powered, Waterless Toilet

By James Darley
Sustainability Magazine
November 17, 2025
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada West

A group of researchers from the University of British Columbia (UBC) have launched a new prototype for a waterless toilet, which uses mushroom root networks to decompose human waste into compost. The MycoToilet, which opened for use on 26 September in the university’s Botanical Gardens, is the result of several years of development by lead researcher Joseph Dahmen and his team. …The system uses mycelia, the underground networks of fungi, to break down solid waste in lined compartments while separating liquid waste for use as fertiliser. “Fungi are very good at breaking down biomass, including human and animal waste,” says Dr Steven Hallam, a Professor in UBC’s Department of Microbiology and Immunology. “No added water, electricity or chemicals are required.” …”If successful, the MycoToilet could provide a self-contained, cost-effective solution for managing waste in parks, municipalities, remote communities and developing regions,” Joseph says.

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Forestry

Lheidli T’enneh First Nation bans herbicide use across north-central B.C.

By Andrew Kurjata
CBC News
November 25, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

A First Nation in north-central B.C. says it is banning the use of herbicides across all of its territory, which includes Prince George and the Robson Valley. The Lheidli T’enneh First Nation says the ban is being put into place because of the negative impacts herbicides, and glyphosate in particular, have had on the environment and wildlife for which they are stewards. “It is our duty to disallow toxic chemicals in our territory that reduce biodiversity and have negative impacts on our members’ health, wellbeing and the environment where we exercise our living rights and traditions,” Lheidli T’enneh Elected Chief Dolleen Logan said in a statement. She also says the nation expects both government and private industry workers operating in the region to adhere to the ban. It was not immediately clear if the ban would also apply to private and municipal property. More details coming Tuesday morning.

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Return to sustainable levels key behind Annual Allowable Cut reduction near Vernon, BC

By Roger Knox
Vernon Morning Star
November 21, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

The new allowable annual cut (AAC) for Tree Farm Licence (TFL) 49 near Vernon has been chopped. The cut, which is the maximum amount of timber that can be harvested each year, is now 150,500 cubic metres, and takes effect immediately. That’s a 26.2% reduction from the previous AAC. “That decision reflects a return to sustainable harvest levels following wildfire impacts in 2021 and 2023,” said the Ministry of Forests. “It considers updated land base and ecological considerations, including the removal of the Brown’s Creek area from the TFL, and reflects adjustments for increased riparian reserve buffers.” TFL 49 is held in the name of Tolko Industries of Vernon. BC Timber Sales also has volume apportioned. …“The new AAC considers current forest-management practices being implemented on the TFL for enhanced riparian buffers and retention of areas containing cultural heritage resources,” said the ministry. The chief forester’s AAC determination is an independent, professional judgment.

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Invest in Visibility and Connection: The Value of Sponsoring or Exhibiting at the TLA Convention

By Sarah O’Dea, director of events
BC Truck Loggers Association
November 21, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

For more than 80 years, the annual TLA Convention + Trade Show has been the premier gathering place for forestry’s top decision-makers. Whether you choose to sponsor the convention or exhibit at the trade show, your participation offers unmatched opportunities to connect, showcase, and grow your business. Unparalleled Networking: The TLA Convention + Trade Show brings together the leaders who shape the future of BC’s forest industry. As a sponsor or exhibitor, you’ll gain direct access to influential professionals—contractors, suppliers, government representatives, and business owners—all in one place. …Premium Brand Exposure: Visibility at the TLA Convention & Trade Show extends well beyond the event.Sponsors enjoy high-profile recognition before, during, and after the convention, ensuring your brand stays top of mind among key industry players. Tracey Russell, Vice President-Equipment, Inland Truck & Equipment Ltd. is a regular at the Convention, “We sponsor the TLA Convention + Trade Show every year because it’s one of the best opportunities for exposure and relationship building – connections that have made a lasting impact on our business and our brand.”

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Rumour Mill RoundUpDate — Federal Budget 2025 Winds Down 2-Billion Tree Program

By John Betts
Western Forestry Contractors’ Association
November 24, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

A 2-Billion Tree Program report showed that its Provinces and Territories Funding Stream had reached only 40% of its target after four years and signed agreements with 11 of the 13 provincial and territorial governments. …Nevertheless, if … enthusiasm for the 2BT was low, BC was the exception. It accounted for 67.5 million of the 110 million trees planted by 2024, according to BC Ministry of Forest’s Forest Investment Program figures (FIP). Fortunately, FIP signed a four-year $99-million contribution agreement with 2BT that will be honoured according to Budget 2025. BC will continue to plant 40 to 50 million seedlings annually under FIP-2BT until 2029. Unfortunately, reduced harvest in BC has seen the total trees planted per year drop from ~300 million in 2020 to ~230 million in 2026. To make up for those 70 million fewer seedlings, the WFCA proposed to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, before Budget 2025 was released, that the federal government double the current 2BT contribution agreement. The minister has yet to reply. 

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Zombie fires: how Arctic wildfires that come back to life are ravaging forests

By Patrick Greenfield and Kristi Greenwood
The Guardian
November 24, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West, International

The return of cold and snow at the close of the year typically signal the end of the wildfire season. …Zombie fires, sometimes betrayed by a plume of steam emerging from the bubbling ground in the frozen forest, were once a rare occurrence in the boreal regions that stretch across the far north through Siberia, Canada and Alaska. But in a rapidly heating world, they are becoming increasingly common. The overwintering burns are small – and often hard to detect – but they are transforming fires into multi-year events. …“It is a massive problem,” says Lori Daniels, a professor at the University of BC. Current estimates show that only about 15% of the northern hemisphere is underlain by permafrost, yet these frozen soils contain roughly twice as much carbon than is now in the atmosphere. By burning slowly and at a lower temperature, they release vastly more particulate pollution and greenhouse gas emissions than flaming fires.

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Woodlot Tools Readily Available

Woodlots BC
November 21, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

Woodlotters, foresters, contractors and consultants alike can now easily access all Woodlots BC Guides and Tools. These valuable resources used to be located in the Members area of the website. With organizational changes over the past two years and continual website upgrades, it became evident that there was no need for the guides and tools to be kept in the members area. If you are looking for items like the cut control guide, CP reminders list or the woodlot licence plan template, you can go to the Resources menu on the Woodlots BC website and choose “Woodlot Licensee Guides and Tools”. From there you find dropdown menus for a variety of topics. Please note the disclaimer that all the reference materials contain information to assist with the management and administration of Woodlot Licences. It is not legal advice or professional guidance.

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North Cowichan backs off harvesting of municipal forests

By Robert Barron
Ladysmith-Chemainus Chronicle
November 20, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

North Cowichan council reaffirmed its commitment to the development of a co-management plan for the 5,000-hectare municipal forest reserve with the Quw’utsun Nation at its meeting on Nov. 19, and to prioritize ecological and conservation principles in response to public feedback [see North Cowichan Council Press Release]. In August, council adopted a direction to pursue five new strategic priorities … which included resuming forestry harvesting in the MFR, were endorsed in a 4-3 vote… In May, a consultant was selected to lead the North Cowichan/Quw’utsun Nation co-management framework process, but Quw’utsun Nation members signalled a pause in this process following the August announcement regarding the resumption of forest harvesting in the MFR. The decision to make harvesting one of the strategic priorities without consulting the Quw’utsun Nation … raised concerns. …Following a discussion, council voted to complete the co-management framework and plan in partnership with Quw’utsun Nation prior to reconsidering forest harvesting as a strategic priority.

Additional coverage, letter by Bryan Senft, Ladysmith-Chemainus Chronicle: Logging to offset taxes will not work

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City confirms second case of Dutch elm disease in 2025

By Ramin Ostad
The Edmonton Journal
November 19, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

The City of Edmonton has confirmed that an elm tree removed in October from the Glengarry neighbourhood has tested positive for Dutch elm disease (DED), the second confirmed case in 2025. City arborists inspected a declining tree in October and decided to remove it, the City of Edmonton said in a Wednesday news release. The tree initially tested negative for DED, but fungal collections from the tree appeared to match DED under a microscope and were submitted for more tests, where the results confirmed DED. A total of seven trees have tested positive since August 2024, when the disease was first detected. …Elm trees make up nearly 22 per cent of Edmonton’s boulevard and open-space trees, with an estimated population of around 90,000 trees. The city has conducted 185,510 visual surveys and submitted 57 samples for testing this year.

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David Suzuki headlines B.C.’s Broken Promises rally for old growth, watersheds

By Bill Metcalfe
Vernon Morning Star
November 19, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

The crowd stretched from the doors of City Hall to the Ward Street sidewalk in Nelson to hear guest speaker David Suzuki and other forest ecology advocates at a rally held Nov. 18 in Nelson. …The Broken Promises rally was held simultaneously in Nelson, Victoria, Vernon, Revelstoke, Smithers, Courtenay, Parksville, and Powell River to protest what is seen as provincial government backtracking on the protection of old growth forests, biodiversity and watersheds, and continuing with timber volume as the only priority. …Speaker Suzanne Simard said failure to use that foresight, to respect all life and give back more than we receive, has resulted in climate change, biodiversity loss, and land degradation. …She said the province should stop clearcutting and creating tree plantations that are flammable and subject to erosion. …Slocan Valley ecologist and forester Herb Hammond spoke about secondary forests… That’s where we should get our wood and our employment…

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Forests minister defends B.C. logging. Experts say clearcuts are still a problem

By Shannon Waters
The Narwhal
November 20, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

Younes Alila

In early September 2025 … Forests Minister Ravi Parmar was asked about a study from the University of British Columbia which found clear-cut logging can make catastrophic floods larger and much more likely. “The clear-cut logging that I think people would assume is leading to that is 1950s-style harvesting,” Parmar said. “I don’t think that’s happening in British Columbia anymore. We lead with world-class silviculture practices.” That statement might come as a surprise to some who have seen recent photos of logged areas of Vancouver Island’s Walbran Valley, which show once-dense forests cut down to nothing. The minister’s comments came as a shock to Younes Alila, a professor at the University of British Columbia’s Department of Forest Resources Management and the lead author of the study Parmar was asked about. …B.C.’s current forestry practices balance environmental considerations and the needs of the provincial forestry industry, according to Parmar. Alila disagrees.

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Protests held province-wide urging forestry reform, targeting B.C. Timber Sales

By Tom Summer
CBC News
November 18, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

©SaveOldGrowthForests

©WestKootenayH20shed

BC non-profits calling for protection of old growth organized protests across the province Tuesday. …They feel the status quo, and the logging of old-growth forests in particular, increases wildfire and flood risk. Rallies were held by environmentalist groups in 10 communities, including Save What’s Left Conservation Society in Nelson and Conservation North in Prince George. …Michelle Connolly, at Conservation North, says logging in old-growth deferral areas has been more aggressive. “It’s almost like it was targeted. …UBC forestry professor Lori Daniels feels there still needs to be some management in old growth and primary forest to remove fuels that increase wildfire risk. …The Boundary Forest Watershed Stewardship Society has proposed what they call the “New Forestry Act” — a framework that would dramatically reduce the AAC to just 20 million cubic metres. …Forests Minister Ravi Parmar said he’s “proud of the work that we’re doing to strike the balance.

In related news:

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BC Wildland Firefighter Awards: Nominations Now Open!

FireSmart BC
November 19, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

We are thrilled to announce that nominations are now open for the 2026 BC Wildland Firefighter Awards! In recognition of the critical role that wildland firefighters play in keeping the province safe, FireSmart BC, the First Nations’ Emergency Services Society, and BC Wildfire Service have partnered to create the BC Wildland Firefighter Awards. These awards will recognize four outstanding firefighters, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, during the Wildfire Resiliency & Training Summit (WRTS) taking place from April 8-12, 2026, in Victoria, BC. Each recipient will receive a personalized award plus a $1000 grant towards furthering wildfire resiliency efforts. Individuals will be notified of their nomination in advance and encouraged to attend the WRTS. Event registration and travel expenses will be covered for the four award recipients plus one guest each. Four awards will recognize both long-standing and early-career firefighters: Vanguard Award (early career firefighter: less than 10 years), and Guardian Award (long-standing firefighter: over 10 years).

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BC Green Party leader joins Prince George protest against old-growth logging

By Matthew Hillier
The Prince George Citizen
November 19, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Emily Lowan

PRINCE GEORGE, BC — More than 30 people took part in a demonstration outside the BC Ministry of Forests office in Prince George on Tuesday, Nov. 18 to show their animosity toward the continued logging of old-growth forests in the province. Among the protesters at the Ospika Bouleveard office was BC Green Party Leader Emily Lowan. …“We’ve seen massive backsliding from the province,” said Lowan. “From the minister of forests on the protection of primary forests. We’re seeing a continuation of decades of neglect, of a rip-it-and-ship-it mentality in the province that is purely driven by the profit motive rather than protecting critical primary and old-growth forests.” …Lowan emphasized how large forestry monopolies and the province’s continued old-growth cutting may have further consequences for small and medium-sized forestry businesses in the North.

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Leaked report claims B.C. timber harvest is vastly overestimated

By Stefan Labbé
Business in Vancouver
November 19, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

A leaked technical review prepared for a group of First Nations claims British Columbia is greatly overestimating how much timber it can sustainably harvest in a push for short-term economic gains. The previously unreleased report charges that the methods the province uses to calculate how many trees are on the landscape—and therefore how much can be logged—is fundamentally flawed and based on “wildly extreme assumptions” that hurt the long-term health of B.C.’s forests. The report’s authors … only agreed to speak with BIV after it independently obtained a 572-page draft of the report originally dated September 2024. “There’s a strong likelihood that throughout the province we’re cutting almost at twice the rate of what is considered sustainable,” said co-author Dave Radies. The report focuses on the Mackenzie timber supply area… The analysis challenges the methods B.C. uses to determine the annual allowable cut …concluding their numbers are likely double what can be harvested without causing significant long-term damage.

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Lynn Orstad Award: Nominations Now Open!

FireSmart BC
November 18, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

We are thrilled to announce that nominations are now open for the 2026 Lynn Orstad Award: Women in Wildfire Resiliency! In memory of Lynn, FireSmart BC, FireSmart Alberta, and Co-operators are honouring women across Canada who have made significant contributions to enhancing wildfire resiliency within their community, agency, or province. Lynn Orstad was a respected advocate and leader in fire safety, deeply committed to advancing wildfire resiliency. This award was created to recognize and elevate the outstanding female leaders who work tirelessly to make our communities safer and improve fire management practices. The 2026 award winners will be revealed at the Wildfire Resiliency & Training Summit, taking place from April 8-12, 2026, in Victoria, BC. If you know a woman who exemplifies Lynn’s values and legacy, we encourage you to nominate them by clicking the link below.

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Group works to raise over $7 million to conserve Discovery Islands gem

By Robin Grant
Victoria News
November 17, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

The Forest Trust for the Children of Cortes Island Society is working to purchase 261 acres of old and second-growth forest valued at $6.8 million on the northwestern side of Cortes Island in the Discovery Islands. According to the society, an agreement with Mosaic Forest Management has been reached to purchase what they propose to call the Children’s Forest, but they must secure the funds by Nov. 19. Chris Dragseth, with the trust, said the forest has incredible ecological value and its role in safeguarding several at-risk species. He said for the children who have either grown up on or visited Cortes Island, the forest’s influence on their lives has been profound. …The society has set a fundraising goal of $7.5 million to cover purchase and closing costs, as well as to establish an endowment to cover future ownership and maintenance expenses.

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B.C.-wide ‘broken promises’ forestry protest comes to Nelson

By Save What’s Left Conservation Society
The Nelson Star
November 15, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Save What’s Left Conservation Society is calling on all those who are concerned about B.C.’s forests to join the province-wide Broken Promises Protest on Tuesday, Nov. 18, from noon to 2 p.m. The Nelson action will gather at City Hall, then at 1 p.m. march up Ward Street to Baker Street, stopping outside MLA Brittny Anderson’s office. Two of Canada’s most respected science voices will headline both the protest and an evening speaking event: Suzanne Simard, the University of British Columbia forest ecologist named to TIME magazine’s 2024 list of the world’s most influential people, and David Suzuki, the venerable 89-year-old scientist, activist and national icon.

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Smithers embraces cleaner air and safer forests with innovative waste-burning technology

By Wetzin’kwa Community Forest Corporation
The Interior News
November 17, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

In the heart of Wet’suwet’en territory just outside Smithers, the Wetzin’kwa Community Forest Corporation (WCFC) is reshaping how communities think about forest stewardship.  Managing more than 30,000 hectares of mixed forest and alpine terrain, WCFC works to balance environmental health, local economic opportunity and cultural responsibility – a model of sustainable forest management rooted in collaboration and respect.  “Our main goal is to reduce waste as much as we can,” says General Manager Sam Coggins. “We wanted a method that was safe, efficient and respected both the land and the people who live here.”  For decades, the standard practice for disposing of forestry waste was open pile burning. – While effective, locals expressed concerns about air quality impacts. …Determined to find a cleaner solution, WCFC introduced an innovative new technology to the Bulkley Valley: the Air Curtain Burner – a pollution-control system that transforms how forest waste is managed.

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Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy

Nanaimo city council interested in limiting ‘emissions-intense’ industry

By Chris Bush
Nanaimo Bulletin
November 19, 2025
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: Canada West

Nanaimo city council Coun. Paul Manly tabled a motion that asked staff to prepare a report with options for a zoning amendment for industrial lands that would exclude emissions-intense heavy industry such as “waste energy, incinerators, chemical plants, thermal electrical generators, petroleum refineries and [liquefied] natural gas export facilities” from existing industrial zones in order to require site-specific zoning. …Ryan Prontack, a manager for Harmac Pacific, Nanaimo Forest Products, also appeared as a delegation. He said Harmac is looking to diversify its operations and has about 61 hectares of industrial-zoned land ready to develop. “While this motion represents many different activities we currently do, it also represent many that we have plans to diversify in the future,” Protack said. Manly said the motion does not affect Harmac’s current operations and is not about “blocking industry uses in perpetuity” but is about ensuring the city has a democratic process to evaluate project proposals.

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Health & Safety

WorkSafeBC: November 2025 virtual public hearing on proposed regulatory amendments

WorkSafeBC
November 24, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada West

WorkSafeBC is holding a virtual public hearing on proposed amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. The virtual public hearing will be streamed live on November 25, 2025, in two sessions. The first will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the second from 3 to 5 p.m. Participating in the public hearing process: We welcome your feedback on the proposed amendments. All feedback received will be presented to WorkSafeBC’s Board of Directors for their consideration. You can provide feedback in the following ways: 1. Submit feedback online or by email until 4:30 p.m. on Friday, December 12, 2025, via our website, worksafebc.com, or by email to ohsregfeedback@worksafebc.com. 2. Register to speak at the hearing by phone by calling 604.232.7744 or toll-free in B.C. at 1.866.614.7744. Each organization or individual will be permitted to make one presentation.

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WorkSafeBC November Health & Safety Updates

WorkSafeBC
November 19, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada West

In this newsletter you find these stories and more:

  • Multiculturalism Week in BC supporting new workers: We’re proud to honour the diverse cultures and communities that make up workplaces across the province. WorkSafeBC research shows that workers who have been in Canada for five years or less are significantly less likely to speak up about workplace health and safety and are less aware of their right to file a claim if they’re injured on the job.
  • New videos: Return-to-work information for workers and employers: Do you and your workers know what to do after a workplace injury? Our videos highlight what to expect after an injury and the responsibility of employers and workers to collaborate for a safe return to work. 
  • WorkSafeBC inspections: Helping you create a healthier and safer workplace: Learn how inspections support your health and safety program and what to expect when a prevention officer visits.

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