It has been two years since the BC government presented its vision to reshape the province’s forest sector. …A large part of the reason for the industry’s underwhelming response is the lack of specific direction from government on what exactly it meant by “more jobs and higher value.” …The irony is that the industry recognizes that change is needed in order to continue operating in this province. Even without policy changes, there are various pressures driving decisions to shift paths including a declining BC Interior timber supply, wildfire management and need to grow relationships with First Nations to name a few.
Without an overall plan with goals, the forest industry is left in paralysis and has no ability to move forward with investment to drive the government’s desired change. …From a politicians’ perspective, having no explicit goals is a conservative approach as it means no accountability. Unfortunately, the industry’s frustration mounts, and capacity continues to retrench. …Problems like those facing the sector can be resolved when there is decisive and clear direction with measurable, transparent goals. A vision to be implemented and expected to bear results within a four-year election cycle (or less) is not realistic given the size and complexity of the forest sector. A good first step that would hopefully withstand political pressures and help move the necessary conversations forward is having a forest sector economic strategy supported by all that rely on British Columbia’s forests…otherwise the Recipe For Gridlock will continue as evidenced by the closures of Canfor’s Houston sawmill and subsequently Brink’s Pleasant Valley Remanufacturing.
People and businesses in British Columbia will benefit from new jobs, diversified supply chains and a stronger, cleaner economy following the Province’s successful trade mission to Asia. The two-week trade mission included Japan, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Singapore and Vietnam. …Premier Eby went to Japan and the ROK, where he was accompanied by Josie Osborne, Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation; Brenda Bailey, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation; and Jagrup Brar, Minister of State for Trade. The Premier also went to Singapore. Brar went to Vietnam, where he officially opened B.C.’s trade and investment representative office. …The trade mission focused on promoting B.C.’s strengths in key sectors, such as clean energy, clean technology, natural resources and critical minerals, information and communications technology, and agrifood.
A new mid-rise, mixed-use building project on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia will boast North America’s first underground mass timber structure for vehicle parking, according to Massive Canada Building Systems. The Port Moody-based company specializes in fabricating mass timber materials and modular building manufacturing. It has just secured the contract to design and build a single-level underground mass timber parkade at the 1.3-acre development site of 718 North Road in Gibsons. Of course, underground parkades are typically built as reinforced concrete structures, but Massive Canada says it wants to challenge that assumption. They state that if mass timber structures — such as the tall trestle bridges in BC’s interior — are able to carry the weight of locomotives and freight trains and still stand a century later, a mass timber parkade can support a six-storey building.
Anyone who is looking to find meaningful employment opportunities, especially those who have been affected by the roller-coaster ride in the forest industry, are encouraged to investigate the DeNovo program. It is a free and subsidized program, funded through the Ministry of Post Secondary Education and Future Skills, that helps individuals transition into new career paths. It will begin in Kelowna on Monday, June 12. The program was created to assist workers impacted by mill closures in B.C. but is open to anyone looking to make a career change. …Those who complete the DeNovo program will collect computer skills and up to five short-term occupational certificates. Examples are real estate, office administration, skilled labour, security, early childhood education, B.C. Corrections and special driver licence designations.
VICTORIA – An audit of Interfor Corporation’s Tree Farm Licence (TFL) 18 in the Thompson Rivers Natural Resource District found Interfor’s forestry activities generally complied with the Forest and Range Practices Act and the Wildfire Act, except for bridge maintenance, road construction and road maintenance. Interfor was found to have removed material from a riparian management area for use in road surfacing, even though other material sources were available nearby. “The legislation prohibits the removal of material from a riparian management area during road construction unless the material is within the road prism, at a stream crossing or there is no other practicable option,” said Bruce Larson, vice-chair, Forest Practices Board. “None of these exceptions applied.”
Travellers hoping to find the Horne Lake Connector open as a route around the Cameron Bluff fire Friday were instead met with signs telling them the road was closed. Mosaic Forest Management…says the gravel logging road is closed to the public and that the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure specifically chose the Cowichan detour route instead. “Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure reviewed multiple options with Mosaic, including the Horne Lake route, and they selected the Cowichan route for public access as the safest alternative to Highway 4,” Mosaic said. …Another route that CHEK viewers emailed about is between the Comox Valley and Port Alberni, using Comox Lake Road. It connects with Ash Main and Beaver Creek Road, but it too is closed by Mosaic because of active logging. But that didn’t stop travellers showing up there, many saying they followed the map on their phone indicating the route was open.
Rain Friday morning brought some reprieve for crews battling the out-of-control Cameron Bluffs wildfire, which has grown to 208 hectares in rugged, steep terrain on mid-Vancouver Island. More rain could still show up … but hot and dry weather is expected to return. Bryce Moreira, fire incident commander, said that firefighters are seeing “just a little bit of open flame or smouldering ground fire, which is good news for the crews.” …Port Alberni-based businesses that rely on heavy trucks are looking at chartering barges to transport supplies and products in and out of their operations. After a brief shutdown, Paper Excellence is reopening its paper mill, and normally has 100 trucks moving per day, Pat Deakin, Economic Development Manager said Friday. Trucks used by the company are heavier than permitted by the province on the detour route. The San Group Global Forestry Products similarly has a few dozen trucks going back and forth daily, Deakin said. 
Highway 4 remains closed at Cameron Lake Bluff due to wildfire affecting the area. A detour is in place and drivers are strongly encouraged to avoid travel in the area unless essential. The detour will route traffic from Port Alberni through to Lake Cowichan via Bamfield using forest-service and privately owned industrial roads. The gravel detour route has narrow sections, sharp curves, single-lane bridges and challenging terrain. There is no cell service, gas stations or washroom facilities on the detour route. Regular passenger vehicles, such as cars, vans and commercial vehicles weighing less than 63,500 kilograms, can travel through the detour corridor. No over-height or over-weight vehicles will be permitted. The detour route extends travel by four hours and includes difficult driving conditions. It is strongly encouraged to wait to travel if possible.
A wildfire burning roughly 10 kilometres east of Port Alberni on Vancouver Island has led to the shutdown of Highway 4. The Cameron Bluffs wildfire is currently burning out of control and is an estimated 140 hectares. The shutdown of Highway 4 concerns officials, as it is the only major route connecting Port Alberni with the rest of Vancouver Island, outside of logging roads. According to the Ministry of Transportation, the closure is now expected to last beyond the fire itself, due to damage to the road and instability of the slope above the highway. Port Alberni’s mayor, Sharie Minions, said the region is extremely dependent on Highway 4 and the closure will be challenging. …Minion said supplies, goods, and food all come to the community from the highway route. Luckily, she said the community is prepared for a short-term closure. …“We are fortunate right now it is only a transportation risk, not a community risk.”
