Kim Haakstad
VANCOUVER, BC — For too many people across this province, the consequences of inaction for the struggling forestry sector are no longer theoretical — they are happening in real time. We have been sounding the alarm that the situation in BC is dire and today is further evidence that the sector needs an urgent response from our government. While softwood lumber duties and trade uncertainty add significant pressure, not everything can be blamed on the dispute. It is important to focus on the areas within our control, and those remain the core issues facing BC forestry: access to predictable, economic wood supply and the ability to operate in a competitive and efficient regulatory environment.
The solutions are well known and long overdue. The provincial government must urgently:
- Remove barriers to getting wood moving — by improving the efficiency and timeliness of cutting permits and road-building approvals, and fast-tracking improvements to BC Timber Sales
- Address operating costs — both at the harvest level and in manufacturing facilities
- Support First Nations with the capacity and tools to expedite referrals, co-develop land use plans, and increase revenue sharing—so that partnerships can move at the speed of opportunity
“We acknowledge the recent steps taken by the federal government. …But the most effective way to protect workers is to keep their workplaces open. Now the Province must act with urgency to stabilize wood supply, restore competitiveness, and reverse the steady loss of jobs and investment. Without swift, decisive action, BC will continue to see more closures. …COFI and our members are at the table, ready to work with government, First Nations, labour, and communities to find solutions that can stabilize the sector and rebuild confidence. But we need the province to step up now — not months from now, not after further losses. The time for urgent action was yesterday.”
Montréal, Quebec – Domtar Wood Products announced today a curtailment in its lumber production. Due to challenging market conditions and ongoing economic uncertainty, Domtar will temporarily reduce its lumber production by 100 million board feet for the fourth quarter of 2025, including additional curtailments for the holiday season, at its facilities in Quebec, Ontario, and the United States. “Demand for lumber continues to stagnate in North America, exacerbating an already difficult market,” said Luc Thériault, President of Domtar Wood Products. Domtar will continue to monitor market conditions and adjust its production plans accordingly. [END]
The federal government has rejected an industry request for payouts to softwood producers in Canada on the hook for US duties, fearing that direct intervention would further irritate the US. Canadian softwood producers have paid more than $10-billion since 2017 in accumulated duties, which are cash deposits held in trust by the US that collect interest. The producers expect the US to refund a portion of the duties if and when the two countries resolve the trade dispute. In the meantime, the industry has suggested that the Canadian government make payouts to reflect the present value of anticipated refunds. The two sources said Ottawa would have received any future refunds in exchange for injecting much-needed liquidity into the struggling industry. Ottawa rejected the idea because of fears that such payouts would be viewed as subsidies and become a serious irritant during the wider US trade war, according to a senior government official. [to access the full story a Globe & Mail subscription is required]
As Canada’s trade deal with the US and Mexico faces a crucial review, many US industries are urging the Trump administration to preserve the agreement and to stop putting tariffs on imports from its northern and southern neighbours. Ahead of the public hearings scheduled this week, some of the heaviest hitters in the U.S. manufacturing, industrial and retail sectors have submitted briefs extolling the agreement’s benefits to the domestic economy. …CUSMA is “the most pro-US manufacturing trade agreement in history,” said the National Association of Manufacturers, the largest organization in a sector that contributes $2.9 trillion US to the nation’s GDP. …The National Association of Home Builders calls on the Trump administration to scrap all tariffs on building material imported from Canada and Mexico, including Canadian softwood lumber, which it says “fills a unique niche in residential construction that is not easily replaced with domestic sources.”
More than 100 unionized North Island forestry workers on strike rallied in Campbell River on Wednesday. They’ve been without a contract for more than six months. They warned their employer that they are united and will succeed in their demands… The United Steelworkers marched to the Campbell River offices of Western Forest Products… The company owns a controlling 55 per cent share of La-kwa sa muqw Forestry (LKSM). On Oct. 20, the union filed a common-employer application with the Labour Relations Board. “…we’re challenging the fact that LKSM is actually a separate company. …We believe our members deserve the same collective agreement that all WFP members have,” said Brian Butler, president of United Steelworkers Local 1-1937 …“What this issue is really about is the union’s demand that it wants all contractors, new contractors, working for us, including First Nation contractors, to be mandatorily certified with the union,” said Greg DeMille, Operations Manager of La-kwa sa muqw Forestry.
CROFTON, BC — The company that runs a pulp mill on Vancouver Island says it is permanently ending operations at the facility, affecting around 350 employees. Domtar says pulp operations at the mill in Crofton, about 70 kilometres north of Victoria, have been struggling for a while. Last year, Domtar announced that it was indefinitely halting paper operations at the site, which affected around 75 employees at the time. Domtar, formerly called Paper Excellence, confirmed that this latest curtailment will permanently close the entire site. The company says the site will continue to be managed in compliance with environmental laws, and it’s “exploring a variety of possibilities for the future of the site.” …Chris Stoicheff clarified that the mill will cease operations on Dec. 15 but most staff will still be employed at the mill until mid-February, some until April. Stoicheff says the company has three remaining mills in BC. 
The District of 100 Mile House’s mayor and one of its councillors went to Victoria for meetings with provincial government officials over the impending West Fraser Mill closures on Monday, Nov. 24. During the Mayor’s Report at the Nov. 25 District of 100 Mile House Council meeting, Mayor Maureen Pinkney and Coun. Donna Barnett both revealed details about a visit to Victoria regarding issues surrounding 100 Mile, including the impending permanent closure of the 100 Mile West Fraser mill, as well as frequent closures of the emergency department at the 100 Mile Hospital. On Nov. 6, West Fraser Lumber announced in a release that it would be closing its 100 Mile House lumber mill following a two-month wind-down.
Private woodlot owner Andrew Clark says this year is one of the toughest he’s seen in the six decades he’s worked in the woods. For him, sales are ‘maybe 50 per cent’ of what they were last year. “It is the lack of markets which are the result of the tremendous uncertainty that the industry is in now because of the actions of the American government,” he said. He feels some of the federal government’s new supports – announced this week – could help. Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Wednesday a $500-million increase to the previously announced Softwood Lumber Development Program, which gives companies access to government-backed loans, totaling $1.2 billion. He also said Ottawa is working with railway companies to cut freight rates when transporting Canadian lumber across the country by 50 per cent. But Clark says the current situation – with the U.S. duties and tariffs amounting to 45 per cent – isn’t sustainable.
Prime Minister Carney announced measures to help protect and strengthen the sectors most affected by U.S. tariffs. …The focus of the liquidity initiatives are to reduce bankruptcy or closure risk for leveraged or high-cost lumber mills through initiatives such as the BDC Softwood Lumber Guarantee Program… and enhancing EI worksharing and training grants. The demand support initiatives include working with railway companies to cut freight rates, prioritizing shovel-ready, multiyear projects that use Canadian wood products and creating demand for Canadian Wood products. The structural initiatives include a “forestry concierge” at Natural Resources Canada to help mills navigate loans and programs as well as an industry-led transformation task force to expand, diversify and identify opportunities and support affected communities. …The measures will help the sector but the bigger picture is really about duties and a supply/demand balance that has traditionally been difficult to obtain given this industry’s capital intensity. [to access the full story a Globe & Mail subscription is required]
B.C.’s largest-ever forestry trade mission to Asia
The December edition — issued by FSC Canada — includes several major updates: the Canadian home-improvement and construction retailer RONA has become the first such retailer in Canada to use DoorDash for distribution; there’s news that Chantiers Chibougamau reaffirmed its commitment to FSC certification; Esri donated $1.65 million worth of geospatial technology to FSC; and there are recap highlights from the 2025 General Assembly in Panama. The newsletter also announces the launch of a new registry for certificate holders (ES Registry), publishes a new “Advice Note” on Indicator 55 of the Risk Assessment Framework, and opens two major consultations — one on Indigenous Cultural Landscapes and another to revise FSC’s Chain-of-Custody standards.
A BC Resource Sector Coalition says current federal and provincial policymaking has become unpredictable enough to justify an immediate pause on all implementation and action under Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA). …“We write to you on behalf of thousands of British Columbians whose livelihoods, communities, and futures are tied to the natural resource sector. Today, those livelihoods are at risk,” the letter begins. “A series of federal and provincial policy decisions have destabilized the industries that sustain our province and are eroding the economic foundations of British Columbia.” …The coalition is composed of a cross-industry membership spanning land and marine activity: BCCA, Geoduck Underwater Harvesters Association, ICBA, Deep Sea Trawlers Association of BC, Guide Outfitters Association of British Columbia, Pacific Prawn Fishermen’s Association, North West Loggers Association, and the Council of Marine Carriers.
Prince George residents had better pay attention to last week’s report showing that unelected bureaucrats in Victoria are playing politics when they decide how much can be logged up here. I’ve been informed that our unelected Office of the Chief Forester, currently led by Shane Berg, is figuring out the Annual Allowable Cut (AAC) in the Prince George Timber Supply Area for the next 10 years. The process, known as a Timber Supply Review (TSR), masquerades as scientific and expert-driven, but in reality it’s politics. The amount we log is largely pre-determined and the game is how to manipulate the models and forests to achieve it. That’s why we get glyphosate with our blueberries and fertilizer-poisoned cattle. It’s why we don’t thin the plantations or do more selective logging. …The Office of Chief Forester prioritizes the “timber supply” over diverse, fire-resistant forests, as if the two are mutually exclusive.
I am writing to express my concern for the fate of B.C.’s remaining old growth forests, including the globally rare and at-risk Inland Temperate Rainforest. Most of this endangered forest is still not protected, and thus all creatures who dwell therein are equally unprotected. The Valhalla Wilderness Society … is putting forth a plan to protect the remaining intact Inland Temperate Rainforests through its three park proposals: the Rainbow-Jordan Wilderness proposal; the Selkirk Mountains Ancient Forest Park proposal; and the Quesnel Lake Wilderness proposal. This protection is crucial for the survival of these rare temperate rainforests. David Eby, you are undoubtedly well informed as to the many scientific reasons for protecting more forest, especially old growth forests…Importantly, only the BC Park Act and the BC Protected Areas Act can provide secure protection to preserve forest for future generations. Please adopt and implement the VWS park proposals as quickly as possible. 
Researchers with the Nature Trust of New Brunswick are on the hunt for four different types of lichens and they’ve found one – in an unusual spot. The scaly fringe lichen, known scientifically as heterodermia squamulosa, was found between Alma and Riverside-Albert, east of Fundy National Park. “As far as I know, it’s the most eastern recorded occurrence of the species to date,” said Ilana Urquhart, a conservation coordinator with the Nature Trust. …Urquhart said lichens can be a good indicator of a healthy environment that can support a variety of species. “We might not directly see what the importance of them is, but they’re often found in areas that are really rich, that are biodiverse.” The biggest threat to lichens is habitat loss, according to Urquhart, which can be caused by logging and harvesting.
The Province has released the 2025 Climate Change Accountability Report, reaffirming its commitment to climate action and affordability while highlighting progress in cutting emissions and advancing clean energy throughout B.C. The report shows that CleanBC is working. British Columbia is making progress in many areas… In spring 2025, the 2024 Climate Change Accountability Report indicated that B.C. was not on track to meet its 2030 emissions targets. The recently released CleanBC review provides independent advice to strengthen the climate plan and keep delivering results. Government is reviewing the recommendations to guide the next phase of action, with a focus on expanding clean energy, supporting cleaner industry and making low-carbon choices more accessible for people and communities.
TORONTO — Environmental experts are calling out the City of Toronto for not including a what they say is a key climate tool in its five-year climate action plan. The Toronto Environmental Alliance is highlighting the lack of building emission performance standards (BEPS) in the plan. BEPS are regulations that set emission limits for new and existing buildings. How-Sen Chong, TEA’s climate campaigner, such standards are one of the most significant policy tools as they would help the city cut emissions more efficiently. …Bryan Purcell, at the Atmospheric Fund, said, “Buildings are the largest source of GHG emissions in Toronto, accounting for over half of the emissions,” he said. “Reducing emissions from buildings is absolutely key to reaching the city’s climate targets.” …Chong “we’re hoping city council recognizes how important this is because so much of the city’s emissions are coming from the building sector,” he said.
