Region Archives: Canada West

Business & Politics

Conversations That Matter: British Columbia Forestry on its Knees

By Stuart McNish, Conversations That Matter
Vancouver Sun in You Tube
September 5, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

Independent of Trump’s tariffs, the US Department of Commerce increased its duty on Canadian softwood lumber from 14 to 35 percent. Kim Haakstad, the President of the BC Council of Forest Industries, says, “It’s a blow to an industry in trouble.” The war in the woods in the early 1990s led to the Forest Practices Code, which led to ongoing changes in legislation that hampered the industry and has seen more than 40,000 jobs disappear. The reasons the forestry sector is on its knees have more to do with regulations and approval processes that undermine the economics of forestry.

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A fresh look, rooted in the same commitment

Western Forest Products
September 3, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

Western is proud to launch a refreshed brand that better reflects who we are, where we’re going and what our customers, communities, and partners expect from us. Our refreshed brand is rooted in our belief that wood plays a vital role in building a more sustainable future. Wood has always been part of everyday life – in the homes we live in, the furniture we use and the warmth and comfort we seek in natural materials. At Western, we are proud to carry that legacy forward by helping meet today’s demand for beautiful, low-carbon building materials. This brand refresh is grounded in our long-term strategy and shaped by the people who make Western what it is. It reflects our continued commitment to quality, sustainability and stewardship. Explore the rest of our site to see how our refreshed brand reflects the care we put into everything we do, from forest to finished product.

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Provincial Forest Advisory Council launches website, engagement process

Provincial Forest Advisory Council
September 2, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

Shannon Janzen

VICTORIA – The Provincial Forest Advisory Council (PFAC or the council) has launched a new website where people in British Columbia can learn about the council’s work and share their input about the future of forestry in B.C. Announced in May 2025 by the Ministry of Forests, the council is an independent group of forestry experts tasked with developing recommendations for how to build a stronger, more stable forestry system that works for communities, the economy and the environment. The council’s work will focus on understanding and articulating the underlying issues facing the forestry sector and the systematic changes required to facilitate an effective transition to a new forestry model in B.C. “Through engagement with ministries across government, First Nations and targeted inquiries, were closely examining the changing conditions of B.C.’s forests and the foundation on which our forestry sector has been built,” said Shannon Janzen, Registered Professional Forester and co-chair of PFAC.

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B.C.’s unionized public service workers authorize strike to start Tuesday

By Mark Page
Oak Bay News
August 29, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada West

The union representing 34,000 B.C. public service workers (including conservation officers, B.C. Liquor Store employees and social workers) is planning to begin striking at the conclusion of Labour Day weekend if the provincial government doesn’t come forward with a better wage offer for the next two-year collective bargaining agreement. B.C. General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) President Paul Finch announced on Friday, Aug 29, that 92.7 per cent of workers voted in favour of authorizing a strike, with 86.4 per cent of eligible members voting. …The union plans to issue a 72-hour strike notice on Friday afternoon for action taking effect as early as 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday. Professional Employees’ Association (PEA) members (representing 1,800 provincial government workers such as geoscientists, foresters, engineers and psychologists) have also voted to authorize a strike and will be issuing a 72-hour strike notice alongside the BCGEU. 

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Monitor responsible for selling forestry company assets applies for more time

By Andrew Duffy
Victoria Times Colonist
September 2, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada West

The monitor overseeing the credit-protection process for San Group, a Langley-based forestry company with debts in excess of $150 million, has applied to the courts for an extension of the process in order to complete the sale of the company’s assets. Deloitte Restructuring has asked the courts to extend the process to Oct. 31. It currently expires Sept. 5. …According to the monitor’s ninth report to the courts, filed this week, the sale of three San Group properties has now closed, and only a Langley farm remains of the major assets. The sale of the Coulson Mill in Port Alberni closed June 20 with proceeds of $12.06 million, the Langley mill site closed July 15, netting $12.37 million, and the Port Alberni value-added facility sale closed July 29, netting $8.25 million. On top of that, Tradewest Asset Solutions has now completed the sale of all of San Group’s remaining inventory, which resulted in $1.178 million being added to the pile.

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West Fraser Timber perseveres despite challenging economic pressures

By Jordy Cunningham
The Clearwater Times
August 28, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada West

West Fraser Timber is continuing to succeed in this ever-changing world, despite a lower second quarter. …Sales were up slightly from Q1 — $1.532 billion, compared to $1.459 billion. However, earnings were nearly cut in half — $24 million compared to $42 million in the first quarter. “Demand for many of our building products slowed in the second quarter as spring building activity fell short of our expectations,” said Sean McLaren, West Fraser’s President and CEO. “This was more acute in our North America Engineered Wood Products segment, which experienced further easing of demand as the quarter progressed [with] softer U.S. new home construction.” …West Timber’s director of communications, Joyce Wagenaar, told Black Press Media that this year has been a challenge economically. “2025 has brought a number of changes, most notably sluggish demand for building products in Canada and the U.S. due to challenging economic conditions, leading to a slowdown in new home construction,” said Wagenaar.

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Wood, Paper & Green Building

BPWood brings first ignition-resistant Saferwood ThermoWood to North American market

By BPWood
The LBM Journal
September 4, 2025
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada West

BPWood, in partnership with SaferWood Thermex-FR, has announced its ThermoWood Ayous and ThermoWood Nordic Pine successfully passed independent third-party testing to achieve Class A ignition-resistant status per ASTM E2768 (E84 30-minutes) after ASTM D2898 accelerated weathering; the first available in North America. BPWood supplies ThermoWood to North America in partnership with LDCwood, a member of the International ThermoWood Association. SaferWood with Thermex-FR by Chemco, Inc., is a one-time permanent fire-retardant pressure treatment to all surfaces as required by IBC 2303.2, which renders natural and thermally modified wood ignition-resistant. Approved for exterior use, per IWUIC 503.2, in residential and commercial design and construction, in all WUI designated and FHSV zones.

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Discover Vancouver’s legacy and North Shore’s community spirit — built with wood!

Woodrise 2025
August 28, 2025
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada West

As part of Woodrise 2025, the Offsite Technical Tours presented by WoodWorks open the doors to two inspiring full-day experiences. In Vancouver, explore the lasting architectural impact of the 2010 Winter Olympics — from the iconic Richmond Oval to contemporary landmarks like the VanDusen Botanical Garden Visitor Centre and Fast+Epp’s award-winning office. In North Vancouver, see how community-driven design and mass timber innovation come together in spaces like the Tsleil-Waututh Administration and Health Centre, Maplewood Fire and Rescue, and Lonsdale1. These exclusive tours showcase how wood is shaping sustainable, resilient, and culturally meaningful architecture across the region — and they’re selling out fast.

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BC firms receive $6.8M federal boost to advance waste-reducing tech

By Pacific Economic Developement Canada
Government of Canada
August 25, 2025
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada, Canada West

COQUITLAM, BC — Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan), announced an investment of over $6.8 million for two Coquitlam-based businesses that are developing technologies to reduce waste and advance sustainability in the energy and textile sectors. …Novo Textile Company is receiving an investment of over $1.8 million to expand its textile recycling capacity. Novo plans to bind recycled fibres with BC wood pulp fibres to produce Canadian-made textiles at a competitive price. This will strengthen Canadian supply chains and divert 15 million pounds of garment waste from landfills annually. …Novo Textiles was incorporated in 1991 as a supplier of fibre-filled home textiles. Most recently, Novo introduced a textile recycling production line, continuing its evolution within the textile sector. It is estimated that 92 million tonnes of textile waste ends up in landfills annually.

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Forestry

Wildsight Golden hosts UBC forestry professors to tackle local forestry challenges

Wildsight
September 5, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

Last week, Wildsight Golden welcomed professors from the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Forestry for a collaborative visit focused on the unique forest management challenges facing the Golden region. The visit brought together representatives from the forestry industry, woodlot and community forest sectors, environmental groups, and wildfire risk reduction experts. The UBC professors were here investigating the feasibility of holding forestry field camps in Golden. …UBC professors have committed to returning in Spring 2026 – this time with forestry graduate students. These students will explore Golden’s forestry challenges firsthand, with the opportunity to develop local research projects with real-world impact—projects that may influence provincial policy. With strong collaboration across sectors already underway in Golden, and plans to host UBC’s 2026 Sustainable Forestry Field Camp and participate in provincial forestry conferences like SISCO, local leaders aim to showcase Golden as a model for sustainable, community-driven forestry.

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B.C. still failing to protect old-growth forest: Wildsight

By Wildsight
The Cranbrook Daily Townsman
September 5, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

Five years after the release of the Old-Growth Strategic Review report, the BC NDP’s momentum towards a “new, holistic approach” to the management of old-growth forests has slowed almost to the point of regression. “Rather than the ‘paradigm shift’ we were promised, we’ve seen Premier Eby’s government doubling down on its prioritization of timber and industry profits over all other values,” said Eddie Petryshen, Wildsight Conservation Specialist. After its public release on September 11, 2020, the BC NDP government promised to enact all 14 recommendations made in the landmark Old-Growth Strategic Review (OGSR). The goal: to shift its focus towards ecosystem health, rather than timber. Since then, temporary logging deferrals have been put in place in high-risk old-growth stands in some parts of the province, and a 2023 Draft Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health Framework was released for public review. 

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Chance to explore deeper in Maple Ridge’s UBC research forest

Maple Ridge – Pitt Meadows News
September 7, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

Nature lovers have a rare invitation to “Explore the Hidden Side of the Forest,” from UBC’s Wild and Immersive Programs which are held in the Malcolm Knapp Research Forest. The forest at 14500 Silver Valley Road has seen 76 years of teaching and learning, and hosted more than 1,000 research projects about a variety of topics. Now the public is invited to go behind the scenes and discover what researchers have learned over the decades. They can join a guided van tour through rarely-seen areas of the forest, and explore a rotating selection of research sites and studies each year. This tour is led by Hélène Marcoux, Registered Professional Forester and manager of the research forest.

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BC logger fighting provincial government for return of $180,000 timber sale licence deposit

By David Carrigg
The Vancouver Sun
September 4, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

A BC logger is fighting for the return of a $180,000 deposit he paid to the provincial government to access a timber lot that he did not harvest for lack of demand. In 2023, Bill Bosovich struck a deal with BC Timber Sales to log 116 hectares of forest between Osoyoos and Midway. …Bosovich promised to pay the government at least $1.7 million for the wood he would harvest, and put down a cash deposit of $176,700 to cover any contingencies. However, before any logging had occurred and as wood prices fell, Bosovich learned that the four major log buyers in the area were not interested in his wood. …Bosovich let BC Timber Sales know he could not find buyers and was offered a 12-month extension, but only if he committed to paying a further $83,000 deposit. …Bosovich did not want to extend the licence. …BC Timber Sales’ Allan Powelson responded that the government would be keeping his money.

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B.C.’s late-season wildfires a serious issue, minister says, as smoke descends

By Brenna Owen
The Canadian Press in Victoria Times Colonist
September 4, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

©BCWildfireService

Drought, heat and lightning have spurred late-season wildfire activity in British Columbia, with the forests minister saying the risk of new starts and growth remains a “serious issue” and there is no relief in the short-term forecast. Ravi Parmar said the heat is expected to persist through the weekend, with temperatures reaching 10 C above seasonal in some areas. There is no significant rain in the forecast for the coming days, and another bout of lightning strikes is expected along B.C.’s coast later this week, he said. …There are about 150 active wildfires across B.C., with close to 60 classified as burning out of control. There were eight fires burning on Vancouver Island as of Wednesday night, including one discovered earlier in the day west of Parksville and just east of the Wesley Ridge fire. Four of the fires were considered under control and the others were being held.

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Regional District of Nanaimo plans $30M purchase of Hamilton Marsh south of Qualicum Beach

Parksville Qualicum Beach News
September 2, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

The Regional District of Nanaimo and Mosaic Forest Management have signed a conditional contract of purchase and sale for approximately 360 hectares of land known as Hamilton Marsh. An offer of $30 million was accepted. The sale is anticipated to be completed by March 31, 2026 if all conditions of the purchase and sale contract are met. To acquire the lands as regional parkland and conservation area, the RDN needs to secure a minimum of $7.5 million in funding through other partners. Owned by Island Timberlands and managed under Mosaic Forest Management, the Hamilton Marsh site is located south of the Town of Qualicum Beach… “We recognize the importance of Hamilton Marsh to the community, which is why we’ve entered into a conditional purchase agreement — a key step that enables the Regional District to begin working with potential funding partners toward permanent conservation of the area,” said D’Arcy Henderson, Senior Vice President, Timberlands and Chief Operating Officer, Mosaic Forest Management 

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A walk through the Cai Creek watershed, about to be logged

By Neighbours United
Nelson Star
August 29, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Local forests like Cai Creek, rich in biodiversity, cultural heritage, and tourism value, are disappearing across the province. …The at-risk cutblock is situated in the Cai Creek drainage area, just east of Crowsnest Highway 3, above Ootischenia.The hike was led by Matt Casselman, a local biologist and founder of the Save Cai Creek campaign. …“Cai Creek is a mostly intact watershed with no resource roads or recent logging, something that is increasingly rare in the West Kootenays. Intact forests should be protected because they offer areas of refuge for wildlife, and are more resilient to climate change,” says Casselman. …“The BCTS logging and road plans for Cai Creek extend across the whole drainage and will irreversibly disrupt the forest and its ecosystems,” says Casselman. …However, Cai Creek is not considered old growth by the Ministry of Forests and has no protections from logging.

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New forestry group ‘branching’ out

The Columbia Valley Pioneer
September 2, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

A new forestry organization is branching out in its goal to become an ‘impartial’ provider of information pertaining to the role forestry plays in all walks of life. Steve Kozuki from Forestry Works for BC Society gave a presentation to the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) to let directors know what the group hopes to accomplish. Kozuki said the forest sector has been the recipient of a lot of criticism over the years, with people getting the idea that forests are disappearing or being logged out of existence, which is “not true.” But he noted the sector shares common concerns about climate change, housing and health care. Kozuki said the Society wants to get non-forest sector people involved in the industry which has promoted the financial and economic benefits of forestry and the jobs it provides. …He … reminded regional directors that “we all depend on a strong forest sector.”

Similar coverage in the Penticton Herald: ForestryWorksForBC makes another case for forestry

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BC First Nations Forestry Council August Newsletter

BC First Nations Forestry Council
August 29, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

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

  • Message from the CEO, Lennard (Suxʷsxʷwels) Joe: “Advancing international partnerships in Australia, delivering new workforce tools in Quesnel and Williams Lake, and engaging youth in hands-on forestry experiences. …Our Policy team is ensuring First Nations voices are at the table in provincial and national forestry processes.”
  • I Am Forestry — Meet Shane Harsh, a proud member of the Skidegate Band from Haida Gwaii… As Vice President of Specialty Products at Woodtone and HaiCo board member
  • Forest Governance: Policy Team ensures First Nations’ voices are at the center of forestry decision-making in British Columbia. 
  • Trade Mission Insights from Rob Manuel, BCFNFC Business Development Strategic Advisor

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BC Community Forest Association News

The BC Community Forest Association
August 29, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

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

  • Coming Soon: 2025 Community Forest Indicators Report: Our annual snapshot of community forest impact is based on the 2025 Indicators Survey, the report pairs hard data with member stories and photos to highlight wildfire risk reduction, Indigenous partnerships, local jobs and value-added activity, and stewardship of water, wildlife, and recreation.
  • An Opinion Editorial, Community Forests: Rooted in community, growing for generations, by BCCFA Executive Director Jennifer Gunter was published in several forestry publications on August 1st. It was written in response to a July 25th article in The Tyee that questioned community forests’ support for value-added production and small manufacturers.
  • BCCFA Conference & AGM in Vernon June 3-5, 2026: It will be hosted by Monashee Community Forest—a partnership between the Splatsin First Nation and the Village of Lumby BC.

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Cyclists cautioned about month of logging coming for Revelstoke mountain

By Evert Lindquist
The Revelstoke Review
August 28, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

Bikers should take note that end-of-summer logging operations are kicking into gear at Revelstoke’s Mount MacPherson for a month starting next week, but minimally impacting recreational trails, according to a local cycling group. In a Facebook post on Wednesday afternoon, Aug. 27, the Revelstoke Cycling Association (RCA) advised that forest harvesting begins at the mountain’s upper trail network on the weekdays following the Labour Day weekend. This comes one week later than previously indicated in RCA’s trail report. Logging will run from 3 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays through most or all of September, with no activity planned for weekends, according to the association.

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Council decision puts logging back on the table for North Cowichan’s municipal forest reserve

By Eric Richards
The Discourse
August 28, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

North Cowichan council has voted to make logging in the municipal forest reserve a strategic priority, despite warnings from some councillors and staff that the move could jeopardize years of work with the Quw’utsun Nation on a forest co-management framework. Timber harvesting in the roughly 5,000-hectare public forest has been on pause since 2019 to allow for public engagement, consultation with local First Nations and advice from experts on how to manage the publicly-owned woodland. Surveys found a majority of residents preferred conservation over harvesting — with 67 per cent of telephone respondents and 76 per cent of online respondents supporting either limiting timber harvesting … or not harvesting timber at all. In 2021, North Cowichan signed a memorandum of understanding with the Quw’utsun Nation… While it could take years before harvesting resumes, some around the council table warned that exploring harvesting options could negatively impact progress made towards a co-management framework with the Quw’utsun Nation.

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Quesnel’s partnership with First Nations in forestry management

By Gary Barnes
The Quesnel Cariboo Observer
August 29, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

QUESNEL, BC — The Three Rivers Community Forest (TRCF) is showing how local control can bring fresh ideas to forest management, general manager Nick Pickles told Quesnel council this week. The area-based tenure, signed in October 2024, covers more than 38,000 hectares and is jointly owned by the City of Quesnel and the Esdilagh, Lhtako Dene, and Nazko First Nations. It comes with an allowable annual harvest of about 43,000 cubic-metres of conifer and another 10,500 cubic-metres of deciduous timber, Pickles explained at council’s Aug. 26 meeting. …Pickles said the TRCF mandate is more than just cutting trees. “It’s designed to provide long-term access to forest resources for community benefit. It focuses on local decision-making, stewardship, and sustainable forest use.” Profits are reinvested locally, whether it’s jobs, education, or infrastructure, Pickles added.

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Documentary screening in Roberts Creek highlights logging and flooding risks

By Jordan Copp
The Penticton Herald
August 29, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

Younes Alila

A powerful new documentary connecting industrial logging to catastrophic flooding is coming to the Sunshine Coast this September. On September 17, the Sunshine Coast Conservation Association (SCCA) and RhizomeUp!Media will host a screening of Trouble in the Headwaters at Roberts Creek Hall. The 25-minute film, directed by award-winning filmmaker Daniel J. Pierce, investigates the 2018 Grand Forks flood and its links to industrial clear-cutting practices. The documentary features the research of Dr. Younes Alila, a professor of forest hydrology at UBC, whose work has helped illuminate the hydrological consequences of logging in B.C.’s watersheds. …“This event comes at a critical time,” the release states, “as BC Timber Sales prepares to auction a logging cutblock in the recharge zones of Aquifers 560 and 552.”

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What are forestry companies doing to prevent wildfires?

By Mick Sweetman
The Discourse
August 28, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

A reader wrote The Discourse recently with a question about why the BC Wildfire Service protects privately-owned forest land on Vancouver Island. It was an interesting question, but it hinted at a bigger one: What are forestry companies doing to prevent and mitigate wildfires from happening in the first place? Recent major wildfires on Vancouver Island have been on a mix of Crown land and private land owned by or under license of forestry companies. This includes the fire from early this week on Block 290 near Mount Benson that was recently transferred to Snuneymuxw First Nation. A recent special investigation by the BC Forest Practices Board on aligning forestry practices with wildfire risk reduction conducted in the Cariboo-Chilcotin, Peace and Sea to Sky areas found that “logging occurs at 11 times the rate of [wildfire risk reduction] treatments” in the wildland-urban interface near communities. 

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Melissa McHale Receives 2025 Wall Fellowships Award

By The Faculty of Forestry
The University of British Columbia
August 27, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

Melissa McHale

UBC Forestry congratulates Dr. Melissa McHale on receiving one of two prestigious Wall Fellowships, UBC’s highest-value internal research awards. The fellowships will fund innovative research to help B.C. communities adapt to climate change and address rising housing demands. The Okanagan Valley is feeling the effects of climate change more than ever with hotter summers, more frequent wildfires and growing pressure on water supplies. On top of this, rapid growth and urban development are adding new challenges for local communities. Melissa’s research, entitled “Rising Heat, Roaring Flames, and Waning Waters: Building a Climate-Resilient Research Hub for British Columbia” is tackling these issues head-on in partnership with the City of Kelowna, Indigenous communities and local organizations. The project is exploring how cities can: Use trees and vegetation to cool neighbourhoods while saving water; Design greener spaces that also reduce wildfire risk; and Build healthier, more inclusive communities through nature-based solutions.

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North Cowichan’s council votes to make harvesting in municipal forest a top priority

By Robert Barron
The Ladysmith Chemainus Chronicle
August 26, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Harvesting in North Cowichan’s 5,000-hectare municipal forest reserve (MFR) is considered a primary issue for the rest of council’s term, which ends in October, 2026. On Aug. 20, council voted 4-3 to make harvesting, which hasn’t taken place since 2019, one of its strategic priorities. Coun. Bruce Findlay pointed out that the municipality has received no revenues from harvesting in the MFR for six years, and it may take several more years yet as negotiations with the Quw’utsun Nation on co-management of the MFR continue. …Despite the vote, CAO Ted Swabey advised council that he thinks that it’s unlikely that any harvesting could actually take place before the end of council’s term. …The public engagement aspect of the forest review concluded in early 2023, and the feedback from that process found very strong support for active conservation in the MFR, which would allow for targeted harvesting to provide some income, while restoring and enhancing biodiversity.

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Prolonged heat brings renewed fire risk to Vancouver Island

Cowichan Valley Citizen
August 26, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

On the heels of record-breaking daily high temperatures, Vancouver Islanders face warmer than usual weather this week. Temperatures will continue to “remain well above seasonal” into mid-week for east and inland Vancouver Island with cooler temperatures overnight, according to an Environment Canada statement issued early Aug. 26. The extra warm conditions are expected to persist from inland Greater Victoria, up the east coast from Nanoose Bay to Fanny Bay. Cloud cover is expected Thursday. The Malahat area broke the newest record on the Island, hitting 30.2 C, topping the 29.8 daily record set in 2022. Nanaimo tied the oldest record, hitting a high of 33.3 set in 1958. Campbell River, Courtenay and Comox all flirted with 2016 records, with Campbell River shading the old 30 C temperature, hitting 30.2. Comox and Courtenay both tied the 2016 record of 30.3. The heat coincided with a new wildfire discovered Aug. 24 south of Nanaimo. The 8.6-hectare fire was classified as being held as of Tuesday morning.

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Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy

B.C. says it’s starting to close ‘gaps’ in forest carbon accounting after critical audit

By Stefan Labbé
Business in Vancouver
August 26, 2025
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: Canada, Canada West

B.C.’s Ministry of Forests has approved a new way to calculate the amount of carbon in forests — what it says is a direct response to an auditor general investigation that found the province had failed to transparently do so in the past. …But according to… the auditor general, the ministry’s guidelines for calculating carbon projections — which in turn help it determine the allowable annual cut — contained “gaps in methodology.” On Tuesday, the Ministry of Forests said it had moved to address that failure. …The auditor general’s investigation had also found the ministry did not use a “defined methodology” when it calculated the carbon impact of investments under the Forest Investment Program. …But the audit found the ministry used a methodology that “wasn’t specific enough to allow review or replication.” …The ministry said in a statement it is still working to solve that problem, and expects to complete a “defined and approved methodology” this year.

BC Government Press Release by The Ministry of Forests: B.C. sets standard method to measure forest carbon

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Health & Safety

Construction safety improving in BC despite high-profile incidents

By Jami Makan
Business in Vancouver
September 3, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

There are fewer injuries and deaths occurring on B.C. construction sites compared to previous years and decades, although much work remains to ensure worker safety. “Struck by’s,” “falls from” and “trips and slips” are among the most common incidents on job sites, and major events like Kelowna’s deadly crane collapse in 2021 highlight the risks that accompany modern construction. Work-related death claims in the construction sector totalled 31 in 2020, 29 in 2021, 54 in 2022, 39 in 2023 and 25 in 2024, according to data provided by WorkSafeBC. …Dave Baspaly, president of the Council of Construction Associations (COCA), which represents all major construction associations in BC said… the industry’s improved safety record is a result of more training, stricter enforcement of WorkSafeBC rules, and a culture of compliance where non-adherence is not tolerated. He emphasizes that proactive measures, like rigorous inspections and coordinated site management, are making construction sites safer.

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Renewed calls for alternative route as Vancouver Island road faces indefinite closure

CBC News
August 27, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

There are fresh calls for an alternative route to the west coast of Vancouver Island after it emerged the main route between Port Alberni and Bamfield, B.C., is closed indefinitely. …The only alternative is a logging road detour through Youbou in the Cowichan Valley. …Ditidaht First Nation Chief Councillor Judi Thomas said she hopes the province will go further and redesignate the forest service industrial road as a provincial road and fast-track investment. But the Ministry of Transportation and Transit said, “there is mixed ownership of the road(s) in this area, but all are private industrial roads, and the ministry has no plans to take over the ownership”. …The province says it’s working with Mosaic Forest Management, which is responsible for maintaining 15 kilometres of Bamfield Road, to beef up maintenance on the detour road . …D’Arcy Henderson, Mosaic’s chief operating officer, said it was working with stakeholders on maintaining that detour route.

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BC Forest Safety News

BC Forest Safety Council
August 28, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada West

In this edition of Forest Safety News you’ll find these stories and more:

  • As we pass the halfway mark of 2025, BC’s forestry industry is facing a sobering reality: six workers have lost their lives on the job. These tragedies are a stark reminder that while we have strong safety systems in place, we must never become complacent.
  • A recent ruling from the Supreme Court of British Columbia has highlighted the serious risks posed by defective or expired bear bangers—pyrotechnic devices commonly used to deter wildlife in remote work environments.
  • Fall is coming bringing shorter days, wetter roads and the return of school speed zones, all of which contribute to increased hazards on the road. Whether you’re heading to a job site or driving through town, it’s a good time to adjust your habits behind the wheel.
  • BCFSC Safety Awards: Celebrating Safety Leadership – Nominations are open to anyone in forestry

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Forest Fires

BC Wildfire Service fighting 18 out of control wildfires across Cariboo Fire Centre

By Patrick Davies
The Cranbrook Daily Townsman
September 5, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada West

@BCWildfireService

Eighteen wildfires remain out of control across the Cariboo Fire Centre this Friday, Sept. 5. The BC Wildfire Service has brought eight of the 31 active wildfires under control and while another five are being held. The largest wildfires near Anahim Lake, however, remain out of control and have prompted several evacuation orders on Friday morning. The largest wildfire in the fire centre remains the Itcha Lake Wildfire, now estimated to be 32,255 hectares as of Thursday, Sept. 4, at 11 a.m. Originally started by lightning, the fire is primarily located within the boundaries of the Itcha Ilgachuz Park, which has been closed to the public. …The majority of the province is currently under a special air quality statement due to wildfire smoke, including the Cariboo and Northern B.C. regions. As a result, many cities in those areas are at a six on B.C.’s air quality health index, with the potential of ranging up to nine on the scale.

Related Content:

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Mine Creek wildfire grows to 1,900 hectares, crosses Coquihalla Highway

By Aaron Schulze
CFJC Today Kamloops
September 4, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

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KAMLOOPS — The BC Wildfire Service is warning of a dynamic situation on the Mine Creek wildfire burning along the Coquihalla Highway north of Hope. As of Thursday (Sept. 4) morning, the Mine Creek wildfire is measured at around 1,900 hectares in size, and its nearly quadrupled from the last update of 483 hectares. Taylor Stewart-Shantz, a fire information officer in the Kamloops Fire Centre, said most of the fire’s growth was to the east. Due to “flowing burning pieces,” the Mine Creek wildfire crossed the stretch of Highway 5. The wildfire service currently has one initial attack crew and four helicopters on site although additional resources will flown in throughout the day. “The flanks of the fire are in very steep, rocky terrain and are difficult to address,” Stewart-Shantz told CFJC Today. 

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Large wildfire in B.C.’s Cariboo region sparks evacuation order

By Akshay Kulkarni
CBC News
September 2, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

An evacuation order has been issued due to a large wildfire in B.C.’s Cariboo region, covering 150 parcels of land and multiple First Nations reserves. The Ulkatcho First Nation and the Cariboo Regional District issued the evacuation order for a swath of properties east of Tweedsmuir Park and just north of Anahim Lake on Tuesday afternoon. Evacuees have been told to head east via Highway 20 and head to Williams Lake, about 320 kilometres northeast of Vancouver as the crow flies. The Beef Trail Creek wildfire covers an area of about 60 square kilometres as of Tuesday night, nearly 15 times the size of Stanley Park in Vancouver. Mikhail Elsay, a fire information officer with the B.C. Wildfire Service, said the fire’s size is expected to increase in the days ahead amid hot conditions in the Cariboo area.

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Whistler’s fire danger hits extreme as massive fires rage north of the resort

By Braden Dupuis
Pique News Magazine
September 3, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada West

@BCWildfire Service

The Bastion Peak fire at Lillooet Lake is still listed at 20 hectares, according to an update from the BC Wildfire Service. “The fire was active Sept. 2, with moderate downslope growth and some upslope growth. Moving forward, crews will be working to prevent further growth downslope, and to contain the fire on the flanks where it is safe to do so,” the update reads. “Higher, inaccessible portions of this fire will continue to be active until weather conditions change. Heavy helicopters will continue to bucket on active flanks as required. Heavy equipment has been brought in to open the Green River Forest Service Road – crews will work to keep the fire from crossing this road. To the east there is a burn scar from 2020, which may slow down potential growth in that direction.” The two fires in the Elaho Valley, northwest of Whistler, are being left for now due to terrain.

Related coverage in the Vancouver Sun, by the Canadian Press: Helicopter with B.C. wildfire crew makes forced landing near Pemberton 

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After summer of clear skies, smoke blankets Lower Mainland — with more to come

By Simon Little
Global News
September 3, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada West

It’s been a summer of blue skies for British Columbia’s Lower Mainland, but that’s changed with a wave of wildfire smoke rolling into the region. The Metro Vancouver Regional District has issued an air quality advisory for Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley due to elevated levels of fine particulate matter causing hazy conditions across the region. At a Wednesday briefing, B.C. Forests Minister Ravi Parmar said conditions were expected to worsen, with much of Southern B.C. to be affected in the days to come. “We should expect to see wildfire smoke come south in the days ahead. Weather forecasters are saying that the smoke is going to be a major factor in the next 24 to 72 hours,” Parmar said. “There are already reports of smoke hitting communities. We do expect more smoke to arrive in the central and southern interior tonight or tomorrow, and reach Abbotsford and the coast by Friday.”

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B.C. wildfire closes Coquihalla Highway between Hope and Merritt

By Simon Little
Global News
September 3, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada West

@BC Wildfire Service

The Coquihalla Highway was closed in both directions between Hope, B.C., and Merritt on Wednesday due to wildfire activity. The BC Wildfire Service said the Mine Creek fire is threatening the highway and that the Ministry of Transportation had closed the route at its recommendation. The fire, which is burning about 44 km northeast of Hope, was last measured at 483 hectares in size, and is classified as out of control. It was first spotted on Monday, and officials believe it was sparked by lightning. The wildfire service has deployed structure protection units to protect critical infrastructure in the area, and is attacking the fire with bombers and helicopters.

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Crews battling Fort Providence wildfire gearing up for challenging conditions, officials say

CBC News
September 2, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

N.W.T. fire crews plan to take advantage of the favourable weather conditions expected on Tuesday to do everything they can to protect Fort Providence from a wildfire burning less than a kilometre from the community, according to one of the territory’s fire information officers. Crews successfully held back the fire on Monday, Mike Westwick said. …”Sustained gusting between 25 and 40 kilometres per hour is in the forecast right now. And you know, the levels of moisture in the air, the relative humidity at a point that would sustain decent fire activity. And with the fire right on the community’s doorstep … that’s obviously a significant concern.” Hamlet leaders ordered an evacuation Sunday morning because a line of fire approximately 10 kilometres wide was dangerously close to the community. Most of the hamlet’s 700 residents went to Hay River.

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Active wildfires jump as heat warnings continue for parts of B.C.

Canadian Press in CBC News
August 28, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada West

The number of active wildfires in British Columbia has leapt by more than a dozen following several days of hot, sunny weather. B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) figures Thursday morning show 81 active blazes, up from 68 on Wednesday, with 19 new starts and seven fires declared out over the past 24 hours. There are now 17 fires classified as burning out of control, up from four on Monday, including a cluster of new starts in the northwestern part of the Cariboo region. The wildfire service’s map also shows three new blazes detected Thursday in conservancy areas northwest of Whistler. BCWS says hot, dry conditions have left fuels across much of the province highly susceptible to ignition and spread. …The wildfire service says thunderstorms in the south are bringing a risk of lightning to the Coastal and southern Interior fire centres, and while those storms could help moderate temperatures slightly…

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Fires on Lake Nipissing and Kahshe Lake remain active and uncontained

The Soo Today
August 28, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada West

Three new wildfires were confirmed today in the Northeast Region, one is out and two are burning out of control, according to the latest report from Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services. North Bay 14 is on the north side of French River, about 4.5 km south of Sandy Island on Lake Nipissing. This fire is 1.5 hectares and not under control. Haliburton 26 is 0.5 hectares and located on Coo-ee Island on Kahshe Lake. The fire is also not under control. Chapleau 14 was 0.1 hectares and located on the south side of Bunting Lake, approximately 2.6 kilometres west of Perth Lake, and 1.1 kilometres south of Nackawic Lake. It is out. There are six active fires in the Northeast region; one is under control, two are not under control, and three are being observed.

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