Trade watchers say they are shocked at the latest tactic being used by the US to shore up its tariff wall against Canada after a legal setback last month. US Trade Representative (USTR) launched investigations into 60 economies under Section 301(b) of the U.S. Trade Act of 1974 to determine whether they have failed to impose or enforce bans on imports produced with forced labour. But critics in the Washington beltway say the 301 probes are basically a “show trial” and that the verdict is sure to go against trading partners such as Canada. Canada is being grouped together with China and dozens of other countries for these investigations. The probes will examine whether Ottawa’s forced-labour rules and framework… are sufficient for screening goods produced by child or forced labour. …“This has nothing to do with forced labour,” said Inu Manak, at the Council on Foreign Relations. …He thinks the administration is constructing a pretext to defend the tariffs it’s already planning.
Trade talks with Canada ahead of the mandatory review of the continental trade pact are lagging behind those with Mexico, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Wednesday. …“We’re having talks separately with Canada, but we’ve moved along with Mexico,” Greer said. “Canada is behind on this.” Canada-US Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc met with Greer on March 6, days after the Trump administration announced it was officially beginning negotiations with Mexico. The meeting was seen by some as a sign of a thaw in Canada-US relations. …But no announcement of formal negotiations with Canada has emerged from the Trump administration since that meeting took place. …Greer has complained that Canadians maintain barriers that make it difficult to hold bilateral trade talks, citing provincial bans on US alcohol. …Greer also has floated the idea of abandoning the trade pact in favour of two separate bilateral agreements with America’s closest neighbours.
While Canada’s economy is far more reliant on exports to the US than vice versa, Canadian negotiators have crucial ammunition in their efforts to land a trade deal that reduces or eliminates tariffs imposed by US President Trump. …Canada’s attempts to negotiate relief from Trump’s tariffs on such exports as steel, aluminum, automobiles and softwood lumber are now wrapped into fresh talks on renewing the Canada-US-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). …Barry Appleton, says Canada needs to shift its strategy by exerting its leverage as a crucial U.S. customer. …Inu Manak, says the US needs Canadian natural resources to achieve the industrial policy goals set out by the US administration. …Canada is among the top sources of foreign direct investment in the U.S., largely as a result of decisions by pension funds. …The US has repeatedly emphasized the importance of steady access to a reliable supply of critical minerals.
Kemptville, ON — Under the leadership of Canadian Forest Owners (CFO), the Ontario Woodlot Association (OWA), along with partnering associations nationwide, has appointed BrokerLink as our exclusive insurance broker. This 
Last year was hard on workers in some industries within B.C.’s resource sector, particularly forestry, and 2026 doesn’t look like it’s starting much better. Statistics Canada’s February labour force survey, the report that tracks overall unemployment, tracked job losses in both the natural resources and manufacturing sectors for both the previous month and for the 12 months since the same month in 2025. Natural resources … had a year-over-year loss of 9,300 jobs from February 2025 to February 2026. The manufacturing classification, which includes lumber production, had a year-over-year loss of 12,200, according to StatCan. StatCan’s … survey of employment and payroll counted at least 1,200 job losses in forestry, which include logging and supporting jobs, and at least 800 job losses in sawmills between December 2024 and December 2025. …“The worst was probably in the fourth quarter (of 2025) when the full bite of the duties hit, and then the (U.S.) tariffs,” said industry consultant Russ Taylor. “That’s when we saw a lot more of the jobs falling off.”
Mercer posted Q4 earnings per share (EPS) of -$4.61 against a consensus estimate of -$0.83, a miss that signals the commodity cycle has gone from painful to existential. The headline driver was a $238.7 million non-cash impairment charge, including a $203.5 million write-down on its Peace River hardwood pulp mill. …International Paper’s Q3 2025 losses look alarming on the surface, with a $1.01 billion impairment on its Global Cellulose Fibers business and $675 million in accelerated depreciation from mill closures. But adjusted EBITDA came in at $859 million, up 28% sequentially. IP is taking pain by choice. Mercer is absorbing pain it cannot control. …IP’s pivot to pure-play global packaging via DS Smith gives it pricing leverage and diversified end markets. Mercer’s mass timber order book, at roughly $163 million in contracts including data center projects, is a genuine bright spot, but it cannot offset a pulp business bleeding cash.
The Bank of Canada held its benchmark interest rate at 2.25% today as the economy performs below expectations, but war in the Middle East threatens higher inflation. The central bank’s decision to keep to the sidelines today was widely expected, but the future path for the policy rate is much less clear. Governor Tiff Macklem says in prepared remarks that the Bank of Canada is in a “dilemma” with U.S. trade uncertainty keeping the economy soft, but the Iran war sending global oil prices surging and likely spurring higher inflation in the months to come. Macklem says the central bank will look through the immediate inflationary hit from the war, but monetary policymakers will move to prevent persistent price hikes if the conflict persists or broadens. Statistics Canada reported an economic contraction in the fourth quarter of the year and sharp job losses in February.
Lumber futures climbed past $600 per thousand board feet as stabilizing housing sentiment and tightening production capacity across North America reversed a two month downward trend. The NAHB Housing Market Index edged up to 38 in March with buyer traffic and future sales expectations showing marginal gains despite persistent economic uncertainty. While 37% of builders continue to offer price cuts to attract buyers the market is finding support from a 29.1% surge in multifamily housing starts and a 7.2% rise in total residential construction activity. On the supply side mill closures and elevated duties on Canadian imports are projected to remove over 1.3 billion board feet from the market this year. Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East further pressure the outlook as rising energy costs inflate transport and shipping expenses for global timber. These factors suggest a shift toward a supply constrained environment that offsets the impact of high mortgage rates.
TORONTO — Bespoke Metrics announced the finalization of its Mass Timber Project Scoring Methodology, following the close of a public comment period. Bespoke Metrics was engaged by the Climate Smart Buildings Alliance and the Canadian Wood Council, through the Mass Timber Insurance Action Plan, to develop this methodology as part of broader efforts to enhance transparency, comparability, and insurability in the use of sustainable construction materials. By standardizing how mass timber experience and risk management practices are evaluated, the framework supports more informed decision-making among owners, insurers, and lenders. …Mass timber presents significant opportunities as a lower-carbon building material, but it also introduces unique risk factors–including combustibility considerations, moisture sensitivity, supply chain constraints, and a more limited pool of experienced subcontractors and suppliers. The finalized methodology is designed to ensure these factors are consistently and transparently reflected in contractor risk assessments. …The final methodology is 
PCL Constructors Canada Inc. (Toronto) earned a pair of awards at the Toronto Construction Association’s (TCA) Best of the Best Awards. Presented at the TCA’s 158th Annual General Meeting, PCL was awarded Project Achievement Awards for the Kingsway College Senior School Phase 2 renovation and George Brown Polytechnic’s Limberlost Place. Creating a new era for George Brown Polytechnic students and faculty, Limberlost Place exemplifies what’s possible through collaboration, out-of-the-box thinking and a shared commitment to building a resilient future. The 10-storey mass timber, net-zero educational facility integrates first-of-its-kind solutions including the cross-laminated timber (CLT) slab band structural system and North America’s largest mass timber columns spanning three storeys. Early engagement from the entire team during the preconstruction phase was crucial to design development and determining constructability.
GATINEAU, QC — Today, during Canada Water Week, the Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature, is announcing the release of the National Freshwater Science Agenda, which aims to better align freshwater science and research efforts across Canada. The Science Agenda is the result of over two years of engagement efforts led by Environment and Climate Change Canada with input from more than 800 science experts, Knowledge Holders, experts, and science users across governments and sectors, Indigenous organizations, and Canada’s freshwater science community. It is grounded in Western science and Indigenous Knowledge and reflects the diverse scientific needs and perspectives that are relevant to partners and stakeholders across the country. It outlines interconnected themes including bridging, braiding, and weaving Indigenous science and Knowledge; water availability; land‑use stressors and water pollution; ecosystem resilience and biodiversity; socio‑ecological considerations; and economic research.
Daria Mykhailovych, a Sooke resident, has been raising awareness across Greater Victoria about a petition calling on the provincial government to strengthen protections for British Columbia’s remaining old-growth forests in hopes of encouraging more people to support it. …Originally from Ukraine, she said landscapes like those on Vancouver Island are rare elsewhere in the world. …The petition was launched in fall 2025 by two B.C. forest ecologists, Dr. Suzanne Simard, a professor at University of British Columbia, and independent ecologist Dr. Rachel Holt. Originally, the petition was started with a goal of getting 10,000 signatures. As of March, 16, the petition has received support from about 4,070 people. …“Our concern is that we’ve been cutting these forests at an unsustainable rate,” Simard said. “We wanted to raise awareness and encourage people to question whether the path we’re on is good for the people of British Columbia and for the forests themselves.”
BC Timber Sales is bringing forward an application to establish 17 new cut blocks on Crown land east of Okanagan Falls and Penticton. The application is being brought to the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen on March 19 for support, as the proposed cut blocks are located within the boundaries of the Okanagan Falls electoral area. The 17 cut blocks total 494.7 hectares, and the proposal would also see road construction and road deactivation. The rehabilitation process for the roads would include tree replanting. The land is in an RDOS-designated resource area, and a staff report says the proposed cutblocks fall within watercourse development permit areas and “important ecosystem areas.” The advisory planning committee for Okanagan Falls gave its support to the application at its March 9 meeting, while requesting that any approval be subject to a full environmental assessment.
A tree felled in B.C.’s coastal rainforest, is towed by tugboat to lumber mills along waterways like the Fraser River. It’s difficult work. In the cold months, gales tear through inlets and the river ices over; tides and storms can yank logs out of formation all year round. For decades, beachcombers salvaged escaped logs and sold them back into use. But fuel and boat costs are rising, and beachcombers’ ranks are thinning. Reave Dennison is sometimes a tugboat worker, sometimes a beachcomber and sometimes even an arborist, doing maintenance work on trees. …Over the last 10 years, he’s assembled a collection of photographs that document the beauty he sees while toiling in the field. …As part of this year’s Capture Photography Festival in Vancouver, Dennison’s images will be displayed at the Pale Fire art gallery from March 19 to May 9. The exhibit, called Tree Work, folds three of his projects into one. 
At the Natural Resources Forum in Prince George, the Council of Forest Industries announced its new platform entitled “Forestry is a Solution”. It is asking British Columbians to voice their support for forestry workers by pushing the BC government to speed permitting and access to timber but the main problem is that much of the timber needed does not exist because of decades of over-cutting. That is why more than 100 mills in BC have shut down since 2005. What COFI is really asking for is more access to protected areas, fire- and insect-damaged forests and the very modest and dwindling areas of remaining, unprotected old growth forests. …What is needed now are some major changes in how forests are monitored and trees allocated, with a lot less cutting and no cutting in primary forests whether old growth or fire or insect-damaged forests. …But what is allocated for cutting must make ecological sense.
Columbia Basin organizations and residents are benefiting from $3 million in wildfire reduction funding through a partnership between the Province of British Columbia and Columbia Basin Trust, according to a March 17 funding announcement. The projects are guided by FireSmart principles and aim to reduce wildfire risk and strengthen local resilience. The practical projects range from managing wildfire fuels to educating residents. Actions include hiring FireSmart coordinators, preparing fuel-treatment plans, carrying out on-the-ground fuel management and providing FireSmart training. The program is tailored to the Columbia Basin and is part of B.C.’s Community Resiliency Investment Program. The Ministry of Forests, BC Wildfire Service and Columbia Basin Trust are partners in delivering this support.
From the moment he became BC’s forests minister, Ravi Parmar has been under pressure to increase logging rates in the province. One way he has decided to do that is by expediting the logging of forests burned in recent wildfires. He issued the Fort Nelson First Nation a new licence to log 100,000 cubic metres of trees in burned forests in BC’s remote northeast corner. …A number of industry associations, including the Council of Forest Industries, asked him to set “definitive, aggressive timelines for completion” of plans to accelerate logging in burned forests. …But increasing “wildfire salvage” of forests, Parmar is travelling down the same road that has seen BC’s logging rates plummet by more than half since the heyday of the 1980s. …Accelerated logging of burned trees may help bend the curve, but history shows that it is short-lived and comes at the cost of degraded ecosystems and even sharper declines ahead.
With the April 1, 2026, deadline for the Alberta-Ottawa memorandum of understanding fast approaching, leading climate policy experts are calling on Prime Minister Mark Carney to restore the strength and integrity of Canada’s industrial carbon pricing system to increase competitiveness and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The 
A key plank of Canadian Prime Minister Carney’s climate plan will likely miss its target implementation date, industry sources said, raising new doubts about Canada meeting its environmental goals in the face of higher oil prices and uncertain US trade policy. Carney, a former UN climate envoy, committed last fall to negotiating a stronger industrial carbon pricing policy with Alberta by April 1. He is counting on a strengthened pollution pricing scheme to keep Canada’s emission reduction targets on track after rolling back many of his predecessor Trudeau’s climate policies to restore friendlier relations with the oil-and-gas producing province and prioritize economic growth. Two industry sources say these negotiations have been challenging, and that no deal will be struck by the April 1 deadline because large oil sands companies are pushing back on parts of the federal proposal. …Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson has acknowledged there may be a slight delay.
The Tree Frog Forestry News encourages readers to check out the WorkSafeBC Spring 2026 issue of WorkSafe Magazine. The lead story has a strong focus on preventing “struck-by” incidents and improving safety around mobile equipment. It highlights how B.C. forest-product operations are redesigning worksites with engineered controls—such as barriers, walkways, and traffic systems—to better separate workers from moving equipment. Additional features include practical tools to help employers assess and control struck-by risks, along with guidance on roadside work planning and traffic management. The issue also tackles hearing safety, cautioning that personal audio devices are not a substitute for approved hearing protection. WorkSafeBC updates round out the edition, including a refreshed commercial fishing safety guide, clarified rules for reporting tips and gratuities, and progress on asbestos licensing and certification programs. Together, the issue emphasizes proactive planning, clear controls, and shared responsibility as key to safer workplaces across B.C.
COCHRANE, Alberta — West Fraser Mills has been charged in relation to a workplace death in Alberta