Sixteen of Canada’s largest companies—including some with major operations in BC—have US subsidiaries whose political action committees (PAC) donated directly to the campaigns of US Congress members after they voted against certifying the results of the 2020 US presidential election, a new report has found. …In the days after the attack on the Capitol, a number of US companies said they would pause all PAC donations to members of Congress who failed to certify the results of the election. Five years later, that commitment appears not to have held for the US subsidiaries of some of Canada’s companies. … The report points to BC-linked gas and forestry companies. …Domtar spokesperson Seth Kursman said the list of Congress members that received donations from its PAC represent states and congressional districts where the company has facilities. …“Our PAC supports Members of Congress aligned with our industry priorities and more broadly the manufacturing sector.”
- Related by Marc Fawcett-Atkinson in the National Observer: Fossil fuels, logging and Carney’s old employer: meet the Canadian companies backing election denialists
Richard Eaton, senior judge on the US Court of International Trade, has extended the US administration’s deadline for refunding about US$166 billion in tariffs. Eaton had orginally ordered US Customs and Border Protection to begin the refunding process at the start of the month after the US Supreme Court struck down global tariffs set by president Trump. …The administration has been inundated with lawsuits from companies like Costco, FedEx, and Pandora Jewelry – all looking to get their money back since Eaton’s order meant that everyone who had paid tariffs was entitled to a refund. Barnes, Richardson & Colburn partner 
The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario announced an investment of up to $94.5 million over five years through the Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program (SWSP). This investment will produce consistent, foundational labour market information (LMI) across key sectors, providing the information needed to help better coordinate the supply and demand of skilled labour while supporting a stronger economy. Through this initiative, 14 organizations will develop a range of informational products and employer toolkits to help workers and businesses adapt to current labour market challenges. The investment will support organizations in key sectors, including construction, trucking, advanced manufacturing, aerospace, tourism, forestry, agriculture, mining, energy, information and communications technology, the environment, and the bio-economy. 
The Municipality of North Cowichan is calling for urgent support to help laid off workers. In an open letter to the minister of jobs and families from the municipality, United Steelworkers Union, and Western Forest Products said workers continue to be impacted by layoffs. “These workers aren’t facing a short-term layoff,” said the letter. “They’ve been formally advised that there will be no return to work this year. Yet many are now being told their Employment Insurance (EI) benefits will soon expire.” Last year, Western Forest Products announced the curtailment of 120 workers at the Chemainus sawmill due to what they call weak market conditions and limited access to economically viable fire. It’s estimated 80 workers will be affected if changes aren’t done to protect their benefits that are scheduled to end in March, and all parties are asking the minister to treat workers equally.
STURGEON COUNTY, AB — Corey Hogan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced a federal investment of over $4.4 million for ten projects that will strengthen the forest sector in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. These projects will advance manufacturing and processing, diversify Canada’s forest products and their export markets and support First Nation and Métis groups and forestry businesses. Among the projects funded, Western Archrib Enterprises Ltd. is receiving $2.3 million through the Investments in Forest Industry Transformation program to commission a 160,000-square-foot mass timber plant in Sturgeon County, Alberta. The facility represents a total capital investment of over $80 million and will transform Western Archrib’s operations to a fully automated manufacturing line, increasing production capacity from 12 million to 30–35 million board feet annually. This investment will strengthen Alberta’s supply chain for advanced wood-based building material, such as mass timber panels, which directly support the construction industry and housing supply.
OTTAWA — The federal government is being accused of creating an uneven playing field in Canada’s shipping industry, and critics claim the Prime Minister’s Office is unwilling to rectify it. Later this spring, Ottawa is expected to launch a federal subsidy program to help reduce the cost of shipping lumber and steel between provinces by 50%. But the subsidies — promised by Carney back in November — will only go to rail companies. “We support this initiative to give a boost to those Canadian industries. But what we were asking was for parity because many destinations and commodities, only maritime transport can handle that,” said Etienne Duchesne, business development project manager at Desgagnés, a maritime shipping company based in Quebec. …In the House of Commons last week, Bloc Québécois MP Claude DeBellefeuille said the government was creating “unfair competition between rail transportation and marine transportation,” putting jobs and supply chains at risk.
VANCOUVER, BC – Canfor Pulp Products announced that at the special meeting of the holders of common shares in the capital of the Company held earlier, the Shareholders voted in favour of approving the special resolution authorizing the previously announced arrangement whereby Canfor Corporation will acquire all of the issued and outstanding Common Shares that it and its affiliates do not already own by way of a statutory plan of arrangement. …The Arrangement was approved by 96.02% of the Shareholders and 84.42% of the Shareholders excluding any votes of the Purchaser and its affiliates and any other Shareholders whose votes were required to be excluded. …Assuming that all remaining approvals are obtained and all other remaining conditions precedent to the completion of the Arrangement are satisfied or waived, the Company anticipates that the Arrangement will be completed on or about March 17, 2026.
As mass timber construction continues to build momentum, critical lessons learned on jobsites are emerging to ensure successful project outcomes. The aesthetics and many benefits of mass timber are well known, but bringing these projects to life involves significant technical and logistical challenges. Common issues that need careful consideration include moisture management, lack of experience, site logistics, safety and more. “The single most important time in any mass timber project – and where most mistakes are made – is early involvement,” said Scott Comfort, president of Seagate Mass Timber who was a speaker at Buildex Vancouver. “You can never talk about mass timber too early in your project. Always have an engineer lifting and bracing plan in place – absolutely critical for the safety of the job and for it to do well.” …To help the industry with moisture management, best practices are being explored by the Canadian Wood Council and FPInnovations.
Leveraging locally made forest products supports local jobs, efficient builds, and community resilience. …Forestry is more than just an industry; it is the lifeblood of some 300 Canadian communities. In the face of trade and market headwinds, some forest-dependent communities across the country are experiencing a worrying trend: the hollowing out of their economic base. Recent trade and market impacts on forestry have reduced production or closed mills, eliminated jobs, and reduced municipal revenues. With new challenges bring new opportunity – to take action on what we control. To streamline regulations to make our industries more competitive, diversify export markets, and do more here at home with Canadian grown and made products. Municipalities across the country can be part of the solution to help improve prospects for the forestry sector and its employees. Municipalities have the power to choose Canadian wood and wood fibre-based products in local projects.
The Rainbow, Jordan and Frisby valleys in British Columbia’s rare inland temperate rainforest are home to endangered species and ancient trees. Two logging companies hold licences to log in the old-growth valleys, while the government agency BC Timber Sales has operating areas there. A 2019 proposal to permanently protect 10,500 hectares in the three valleys as a provincial park has gained renewed interest as Revelstoke city council announced in February that it supports increased conservation of the critically endangered inland temperate rainforest.
Quesnel City Council has endorsed the “Forestry is a Solution” campaign. Erin Robinson, Forestry Initiatives Manager at the City, talked about the “Forestry is a Solution” campaign at the most recent Council meeting. “It was launched in January at the BC Natural Resources Forum in Prince George. The “Forestry is a Solution” campaign is led by a coalition of forest sector organizations, community leaders, workers, and industry advocates to demonstrate strong public support for British Columbia’s forest sector. The initiative highlights forestry’s role in: supporting affordable housing, reducing wildfire risk through active forest management, sustaining family-supporting jobs, generating public revenues, and contributing to lower carbon construction.” Robinson said it is in line with Council’s concerns over the current state of the industry.
City of Powell River councillors were provided an overview on March 5 of Tla’amin Nation’s negotiations to repatriate access to forest lands currently held by Western Forest Products (WFP). Adam Culos, general manager of Thichum Forest Products, said that Tla’amin had announced a milestone agreement, where Thichum Forest Products, through Tla’amin, is working on an agreement with WFP to acquire Tree Farm Licence 39 block one. Seanna McConnell, Western Forest Products vice-president, Indigenous partnerships, said Qwoqwnes Forestry Holdings Limited Partnership, wholly owned by Tla’amin, will be purchasing 100 per cent ownership of WFP’s Stillwater forest operation for $80 million. …Culos said the acquisition … supports Thichum’s long-term success through investment in their business and the future of the community, [adding] that almost all the wood supplies domestic mills, so there are three fibre supply agreements. One will be WFP, supporting the company’s five coastal mills, along with Mosaic Forest Management and Domtar.
Webinar: March 24, 2026 | Invasive species are an unintended consequence of globalization and one that is wreaking havoc on forest ecosystems. From the blister rust fungus that decimated BC’s white pines to more recent invasions of Dutch elm disease and the emerald ash borer beetle, invasive pests and pathogens are a real and present danger that are reshaping forest and urban ecosystems in lasting ways. Join Dr. Richard Hamelin, a forest pathologist specializing in forest health and the application of genomics to disease management, for a timely and engaging look at the scope of the problem and the scientific tools being used to respond, including the application of genomics and tree breeding. Increasingly, citizen scientists play a critical role in detecting emerging threats, helping enable early intervention and improved forest protection.
The lack of significant snowfall in the mountains around Cowichan Lake could be a problem for water levels during the upcoming dry season, according to Brain Houle, the environment manager at the now closed Domtar pulp mill in Crofton. While Domtar shut the mill down earlier this year, the forest company agreed to continue operations at the weir until the end of 2026. Houle said that while there is still time to accumulate more snow before the winter ends, it is possible that the weather will not bring more snow to the mountains before warm weather begins the annual snow melt. “With the Crofton mill now shut down and water withdrawals from the river significantly reduced, it is even more important to avoid the need to use pumps this year,” …Houle said that a stakeholder meeting was recently held … to discuss water issues related to the Cowichan watershed in 2026, including weir operations.
More local governments, contractors and First Nations will take on wildfire-risk-mitigation roles in and around their communities thanks to a $30-million investment in training, equipment and FireSmart programs. “Through powerful partnerships with local communities, we’re doing the work to get ahead of wildfire season,” said Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests. “We’re investing in local governments, contractors and First Nations to mitigate the risks of wildfire, protecting people and community. This is how we create jobs, support workers and build more resilient forests, restoring confidence in our sector.” The FireSmart Community Funding and Supports program is receiving an additional $15 million to continue prioritizing core FireSmart activities to protect the most vulnerable communities in B.C. The program is part of B.C.’s Community Resiliency Investment (CRI) program. Along with the Crown Land Wildfire Risk Reduction program, it reduces wildfire risk by funding planning, education, co-ordination and fuel-management activities on publicly owned and Crown land.
The president of a logging company says anti-logging activists are fuelling a “social crisis” in the Mauricie region by sabotaging his company’s legal and government-authorized forestry projects and he called on the Quebec government to take action to protect workers and restore order. Antoine Langlois, president and founder of Forex Langlois Inc., contacted The Gazette this week to denounce what he and police believe was an intentionally set fire in Lac-aux-Sables last month that destroyed two machines owned by his company. …Sgt. Valérie Beauchamp of the Sûreté du Québec said police believe the fire was set intentionally sometime during the previous night…. Anonymous activists did take responsibility for sabotaging a forest in the same region on Jan. 26. In a statement posted on the Instagram account of a collective called Soulèvements du fleuve, an “anonymous group” said they had inserted metal spikes in trees in the Mékinac forest north of Ste-Thècle.
OLMYPIA, Washington – Washington state is poised to significantly expand its efforts to combat climate change with a proposed agreement to link its carbon market with those of California and Quebec. The move, announced Tuesday by the Washington Department of Ecology, aims to stabilize and reduce the costs associated with decarbonizing the state’s economy. The draft linkage agreement is now open for public comment until May 1, 2026, with the shared market potentially launching as early as 2027. This collaboration represents a major step forward in regional climate action, building upon Washington’s 2021 Climate Commitment Act. …The linkage would allow businesses in all three jurisdictions to participate in joint auctions and trade carbon allowances freely. This expanded market is expected to stabilize Washington’s relatively new and more expensive carbon market, as California and Quebec have been operating linked markets since 2014. While aligning with California and Quebec, Washington maintains distinct climate goals. 
When it comes to WorkSafeBC, one of the most misunderstood issues we hear about from business groups is the surplus. Specifically, many small-business associations have been calling on WorkSafeBC to rebate the surplus back to employers since our funding level is above target. For background, the funding level is simply a ratio of assets over liabilities on a funding basis. …What is also not well understood is that WorkSafeBC has been returning significant amounts of surplus funds to employers annually to keep rates both stable and below the actual costs of the system. …The reality is that if WorkSafeBC refunded the entire surplus to employers we would no longer be able to price premiums below system costs, meaning rates would have to be raised in subsequent years. …Rate stability for employers is a priority for WorkSafeBC. Some sectors benefiting from rate reductions in 2026 include sawmills (down 40%), framing and residential forming (down 40%).