Region Archives: Canada

Opinion / EdiTOADial

2025 is a supply-side story as demand is weak across all forest product segments

By Kevin Mason, Managing Director
ERA Forest Products Research
July 7, 2025
Category: Opinion / EdiTOADial
Region: Canada, United States, International

Kevin Mason

In looking across the entire forest products space this year, it is abundantly clear that demand is weak across all segments. There is no expectation of an improvement in 2025 as consumption remains poor and restocking efforts are expected to be limited. As such, any hopes of better supply/demand dynamics are going to come down to supply discipline (slowbacks/downtime/closures). We have some thoughts about how this might play out in the various sectors: Timber and Timberland—Timber harvest guidance will naturally follow wood products demand. Finding a home for pulpwood has been problematic for several years and will only become more difficult amid ongoing downstream capacity shuts. New demand is possible over time, but nothing is expected in the near-term.

Solid Wood—A raft of capacity closures in both Canada and the US had brought the lumber market into better balance to begin 2025. However, with demand weakening further through the first half of 20025 (and given a bleak medium-term outlook), further capacity rationalization will be required to restore balance and lift prices (Canada will be the focus, but the US could also see shuts). In OSB, prices are already at cash- cost levels, demand could slip further in the coming months, and new greenfield capacity is slated for late ’25 and early ’26. Accordingly, closures/downtime are sorely needed. For both lumber and OSB, producers may be awaiting the outcome of the Section 232 investigation before making major changes to operations.

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Business & Politics

US Homebuilders comment on new tariff deadline, pending Section 232 lumber tariffs

The National Association of Home Builders
July 10, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, United States

President Trump has announced he will extend the pause on reciprocal tariffs for another three weeks until Aug. 1 and impose a 50% tariff on copper. …The US imports nearly half of its copper. …The timeline for enactment of the copper tariffs is still unclear, but the market has already begun to respond with record-high prices. …Separately, the administration previously launched a Section 232 investigation focusing on whether lumber imports constitute a threat to national security. NAHB strongly disputes this notion and we filed comments underscoring that housing is a critical component of national security. …“Our housing crisis is a bigger threat to national security than imported lumber or timber,” NAHB’s letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated. “Lumber from Canada simply does not present the same national security threat as oil from the Middle East or steel, aluminum, rare earth minerals, or advanced computing chips from China.”

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Kim Haakstad, BC Council of Forest Industries CEO, named to BIV BC 500 list

By Council of Forest Industries (via LinkedIn)
Business in Vancouver
June 30, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada West

Congratulations to COFI’s President & CEO, Kim Haakstad, on being named to BIV’s BC 500 list recognizing influential leaders shaping British Columbia’s future! Haakstad was selected for her leadership in advocating for a competitive, sustainable, and inclusive forest sector that supports jobs, communities, and climate solutions across B.C. With over 20 years of experience at the intersection of business and government, Haakstad’s work reflects COFI’s commitment to the long-term success of forestry in our province. She has over 20 years of experience at the intersection of business and government. She leads advocacy for BC’s forest sector, emphasizing sustainable forestry, Indigenous reconciliation and economic growth. Haakstad also serves on non-profit and innovation boards, reflecting her commitment to community and forward-thinking leadership. 

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Newfoundland’s Richard Dewey takes on Corner Brook pulp mill over Deer Lake contamination

By Diane Crocker
The Telegram
July 9, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada East

ST. JOHNS, Newfoundland — St. John’s lawyer Bob Buckingham is not sure how an investigation into the illegal burial of hazardous and contaminated materials in Deer Lake will take place, but he’s giving all the credit for it happening to one man. Buckingham represents Richard Dewey, a resident of Deer Lake who, for more than a decade, has worked to bring attention to three separate environmental issues in the town: the burial of the hazardous and contaminated materials, pollution of the town’s drinking water and property damage caused by seepage from the Humber Canal. …Dewey made a complaint to the provincial government claiming that creosote-contaminated soil was trucked from beneath the penstocks on the Humber Canal and buried near the town’s water supply, and that creosote-soaked penstocks were dumped at the closed town landfill.

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Finance & Economics

BC/Canada’s dilemma in the US and export markets

By Russ Taylor, Russ Taylor Global
Truck LoggerBC Magazine
July 3, 2025
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: Canada, United States, International

Russ Taylor

Today’s lower prices put BC Interior SPF mills back near break-even levels at current lumber prices and with 14.4% duties, with other Canadian regions looking to be marginally profitable. …In August, Canadian lumber will be subject to elevated US import duties (~34.5%). This factor alone will require Canadian lumber prices in the US market to rise by another 10% – 20%. Any tariffs imposed on Canada and/or other countries will only increase lumber prices further to attract enough imports into the US market. If prices do not rise enough, then expect mill curtailments in BC. …No one knows if or when tariffs could be applied to timber and wood products as well as derivative products from the US Section 232 investigation and what the tariff levels might be by country. If tariffs are applied, that will cause some major dislocations to the BC and Canadian lumber industry, as higher costs for imported lumber will ultimately cause US lumber prices to rise. 

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Wood, Paper & Green Building

Is mass timber worth the risk? ‘It’s a birch of a problem’

By Peter Caulfield
The Journal of Commerce
July 9, 2025
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada, Canada West

Although mass timber is widely praised for speedy, low-carbon construction, not everyone has boarded that train yet. Many people in construction still believe the risks of using mass timber outweigh the benefits. To shed some light on the subject, Urbanarium and the UBC School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture recently sponsored a debate in Vancouver on the proposition: “Mass timber is not worth the risk(s).” On the pro side (not worth the risk) were Adam Rysanek, an associate professor at SALA, and Graham Brewster, the senior director of development at Wesgroup Properties. On the con side were Shawn Keyes, the executive director of WoodWorks BC, and now VP strategic growth and development at Intelligent City, and Jana Foit, a principal and higher education practice lead in the Vancouver studio of Perkins&Will. …“Everybody came in wanting mass timber to work. What they heard were practical arguments that showed that it’s not that easy.”

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Forestry

Five Canadians awarded national 2025 Green Dream Internship

The Forest Products Association of Canada
July 10, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada

Five students from across the country are bringing their unique voices to the forests this summer. Now in its twelfth year, Forest Products Association of Canada’s (FPAC) 2025 Green Dream Internship Program offers students an opportunity to explore the sector from the inside out, share their experiences, and receive a $1,000 scholarship to support their studies. Over six weeks, interns will document their time in the field through creative storytelling on social media and short videos capturing everyday moments in forest operations…. “The Green Dream Internship is a window into the next generation of talent in our sector”, said FPAC President and CEO, Derek Nighbor. 2025 Green Dream Interns include: Marina Penner, Mercer International, Peace River, AB; Cynthia Laflamme, Domtar, Dolbeau-Mistassini, QC; Andy Chen, West Fraser, Slave Lake, AB; Elizabeth Phillips, Tolko Industries, Meadow Lake, SK; and Logan Englot, Weyerhaeuser, Hudson Bay, SK

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Wisconsin and Minnesota Republicans call on Canada to curb wildfire smoke

By Kelly Malone
The Canadian Press in CTV News
July 9, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, United States

Six Republican lawmakers have sent a letter to Kirsten Hillman, Canada’s ambassador, calling for action on the wildfires sending smoke billowing across the international border into their states. Representatives Tom Tiffany, Brad Finstad, Tom Emmer, Michelle Fischbach, Glenn Grothman and Pete Stauber of Wisconsin and Minnesota said their constituents are coping with suffocating smoke from Canadian wildfires. “We would like to know how your government plans on mitigating wildfires and the smoke that makes its way south,” the letter said. The lawmakers said successive years of wildfires in Canada have undermined air quality in their states and robbed Americans of their ability to enjoy the summer. They pointed to forest management and arson as possible factors behind the fires. They did not mention climate change. …Canadian officials warned last month that this year’s wildfire season could shape up to be the second-worst on record… although the threat appears to have eased somewhat recently.

Related coverage in:

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Why Are There Stone Tree Trunks in the Arctic?

Nova by PBS
July 7, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada

Ellesmere Island, high in the Canadian Arctic, is only 800 miles from the North Pole. 50-million years ago, the treeless hillside would have been completely different.
[Watch on Youtube below or stream on PBS site – click Read More]

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Registration now open for the 2025 Canadian Institute of Forestry National Conference

By Rachel Brown, Communications Manager
Canadian Institute of Forestry
July 7, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada

Thunder Bay, Ontario –  The Canadian Institute of Forestry (CIF-IFC) would like to invite you to attend the 2025 National Conference and 117th Annual General Meeting. Registration is open and early- bird ticket discounts are currently available until August 1, 2025! Hosted in collaboration with the CIF-IFC Northwestern Ontario Section and the CIF-IFC Lake of the Woods Section, this year’s Conference will take place in from October 5-8, 2025 with the theme, “Finding Opportunity in Complexity”, and will explore the interconnected dimensions of climate change, forest fire management, biodiversity conservation, Indigenous forest stewardship, socio-economic considerations, and the evolving forest industry. …Throughout the duration of the Conference, there will also be a variety of social events and networking opportunities, including the National Awards Ceremony, Student Quiz Bowl, Poster Symposium, evening social event, and a Silent Auction to benefit Forests without Borders.

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What’s with the white stuff? Why the Northwest Territories has so much tree fluff this summer

By Natalie Pressman
CBC News
July 9, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

Floating fluff? Summer snow? Cotton balls? If you’ve been noticing more of that white stuff floating around the N.W.T. this summer, you’re not alone. “One thing I noticed is a buildup of that stuff in my yard,” Yellowknifer Justin Grandjambe said. “When it’s windy it kind of gathers in corners and stuff … almost looks like a little bit of snow.” Turns out, that fluff is from trees dispelling their seeds. It’s a stress response from the poplars, aspen and willows reacting to the dry conditions from the past few years, according to the N.W.T.’s department of Environment and Climate Change (ECC). Within each fluff ball is a bunch of tiny seeds. The department’s experts couldn’t say how much more “fluff” there is this year compared to other years. That’s something that might also vary depending on where in the territory you’re looking.

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Wildfires scorched hundreds of thousands of hectares of forest, so what happens to those ecosystems after the flames die down?

By Stephanie Massicotte
CBC Radio
July 9, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Host Stephanie Massicotte speaks with an expert from the University of Saskatchewan about how long it takes forests to grow back, and whether people should step in to help. [Listen to the segment from Saskatoon Morning here]

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Next stage of engagement begins on Heritage Conservation Act improvements

By the Ministry of Forests
Government of British Columbia
July 9, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

In partnership with the First Nations Leadership Council, the Province is moving forward to the next stage of consultation and engagement on modernizing the Heritage Conservation Act. The act, which regulates the protection, management and conservation of cultural and heritage sites in B.C., was last substantively updated in 1996. “The Heritage Conservation Act is how we protect important cultural and archeological sites in B.C., but the current system doesn’t work well for people, and it doesn’t fully reflect our shared values or commitments,” said Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests. “As we embark on this important engagement, I am committed to ensuring our collective work will lead to a system that will support faster permitting, better planning and more meaningful discussions with people, communities, industry and First Nations.” The project is a multi-year collaborative effort, mandated in 2021 and co-developed through the Joint Working Group on First Nations Heritage Conservation…

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Parks Canada and British Columbia invest more than $8 M to improve ecological connectivity

By Parks Canada
Cision Newswire
July 9, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

KELOWNA, BC—Parks Canada announced $5.3 million in federal funding to support an agreement to advance ecological corridor projects, nature conservation and Indigenous stewardship in British Columbia. The Honourable Randene Neill, Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, announced that the Province of British Columbia is contributing an additional $3 million, further strengthening this collaborative effort to improve ecological connectivity. …With support from both governments, the Stewardship of Ecological Corridors in British Columbia initiative focuses on identifying, planning, and acting to improve movement of wild species through ecological corridors — linkages that connect natural habitats, including protected and conserved areas. Ecological corridors provide biodiversity and human well-being benefits and are vital for the long-term health of ecosystems.

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Cowichan River flow to be reduced with dry weather ahead

My Cowichan Valley Now
July 9, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

Flow at the Cowichan River will be reduced again with the lake at 48 per cent full. Brian Houle, environmental manager at Domtar’s Crofton pulp mill, says a meeting with regulators of the watershed on July 7 led to an agreement to reduce flow from seven cubic metres per second (cms) to 5.5. “Given the summer 2025 drought conditions in Cowichan Lake, careful watershed management decisions need to be made,” reads a news release from Houle. “Today’s water levels are not dissimilar to 2023, when several factors resulted in a fish kill event in the upper Cowichan River and pumping of lake to river was needed for extended period of 36 days in the fall.” In May, the flow was reduced to seven cms and Houle said the plan was to hold that rate through July and August. In 2023, the river flow was reduced to 4.5 cms in May. Houle says keeping it at seven this year was intended to reduce impacts on fish.

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B.C. not out of the woods yet as quieter fire season smoulders on

By Mark Page
Comox Valley Record
July 8, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

As the summer rolls on and the province heats up, B.C. is in a better position in terms of wildfires than in either of the past two years, according to a July 8 update from the BC Wildfire Service. So far this year, there have been 514 wildfire starts in B.C., but only 71 active fires as of July 8. By this date in 2024, there had been 422 starts, but 149 were active, and a province-wide campfire ban went into effect on July 12. Both years had a similar amount burned. The previous year, 2023, was the worst in B.C.’s fire season history. Officials noted that as the summer progresses, dry lightning events can become more frequent, resulting in an increased number of fires. …Taylor Colman, a fire information officer for the BC Wildfire Service appeared alongside Forests Minister Ravi Parmar to present the update to the media in Fort St. John at a BC Wildfire Service parattack base.

Additional coverage from the Canadian Press: B.C. Wildfire Service expecting more fires with forecast thunderstorms: minister 

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BC Timber Sales plans logging, wildfire mitigation in Bonnington area

By Bill Metcalfe
The Nelson Star
July 8, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

NELSON, BC — BC Timber Sales is talking to residents about logging and wildfire protection planned for the Falls Creek watershed in the Bonnington area. In a June 6 letter to residents posted on social media, Mark Tallman, planning forester for BCTS, said the agency is beginning a community watershed planning process that will include local residents. …Will BCTS have already decided which trees will be cut before the watershed plan is created? …A Ministry of Forests spokesperson said potential cut blocks have not yet been mapped. “The project is being designed to use early engagement with interested parties to help guide BCTS planning around forest harvesting, road construction, and wildfire risk reduction.” …An initial draft of the watershed forest plan is expected to be completed by “early winter 2026” and the “timing of the timber sale is anticipated to be around 2028-29 at the earliest.

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When normal forestry practices don’t cut it

By Bob Covey
Jasper Local
July 7, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

It’s a widely-accepted mystery: whether or not a tree that falls in the forest makes a sound. But what about the riddle that Jasper National Park officials were faced with last year: If hundreds of thousands of burned trees are down in high visitor use areas, who clears them away? Since the Jasper Wildfire Complex razed 33,000 ha of Jasper’s forests last July, Lethbridge’s Adam Ross and his team of arborists, foresters, danger tree specialists and wildlife tree assessors, have been cutting, pruning, clearing, mulching, sawing, chipping and generally making passable the area’s roads, right-of-ways and trails. “Bush surgeons, that’s who we are,” says Ross, who owns and operates Rossco’s Tree Service.  Ross’ company has been contracted to clear all of Jasper’s campgrounds, day-use areas and roadways impacted by the fire. The enormity of the crews’ task is difficult to put into perspective, and not just because of the sheer volume of trees to be cleared.

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Wildfire hazard assessment and abatement

By BC Wildfire Service
Government of British Columbia
July 4, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West

Fire hazard assessments and hazard abatement are key activities in reducing the potential threat of wildfires arising from fuels left on the land base following industrial activities. Under the Wildfire Act a person carrying out an industrial activity or prescribed activity is required to assess and abate fire hazards as necessary. The BC Wildfire Service has developed A Guide to Fuel Hazard Assessment and Abatement in British Columbia to assist those carrying out industrial activities determine whether or not fuel hazard abatement is necessary, and if so, the threshold necessary to comply with the legislated obligations. The guide provides a procedure to determine fuel hazards created by an industrial or prescribed activity on forest land and contains a straightforward step by step instruction to enable a person to determine when fuel hazard abatement is needed in relation to the fire risk, proximity to interface, and, fuel loading and arrangement.

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BC Is Burning! The film and the missing elephant in the room

By Eli Pivnick
Castanet
July 8, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Eli Pivnick

Late last month, the new documentary film, B.C. Is Burning!, was shown in Kelowna and Vernon. …The solutions [to reducing wildfire] proposed by the film include prescribed burns to reduce fuel load. By burning forested lands when conditions are not conducive to forest fires, the fires will be more controllable and cooler and not overly damaging to trees and soil, as can be the catastrophic fires we are now seeing. The other solution offered is thinning tree stands so fires spread less rapidly through the forest. …In the film, Murray Wilson, the film’s primary narrator and promoter, with more than 40 years experience working in the forest industry, perpetuates a number of the forest industry’s most frequently repeated myths. First, the film does not mention clearcut logging… Clearcut logging is the elephant in the room.

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BC is Burning — Merritt Premiere

Interior Logging Association
July 1, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

The Interior Logging Association is very pleased to announce they will be hosting the Merritt B.C. premiere of the newly released “BC Is Burning” documentary on Thursday, July 17th at 7pm at the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology. Tickets are capped at a maximum of 140 and both premiere events in Kelowna and Vernon sold out quickly! Tickets are just $15.00! Get your tickets today on line through Eventbrite at the read more link below.

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B.C. plans to allow logging in endangered southern mountain caribou habitat: report

By Tiffany Crawford
Vancouver Sun
July 5, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

B.C. plans to log old-growth forest, threatening endangered southern mountain caribou habitat, despite commitments to conserve these forests, warns a new report. The report, from three B.C. conservation groups — Wildsight, Stand.earth, and the Wilderness Committee — uses provincial satellite data to show that 57 square kilometres of old-growth forests are either approved or pending approval for logging in the ranges of three endangered caribou herds: the Columbia North, Groundhog and Wells Gray South herds. …For the report, the researchers used Forest Eye alerts — Stand.earth’s remote sensing systems developed two years ago that detect an unseasonal drop in forest cover using satellite monitoring. This showed old growth logging across the endangered herds as recently as May. …In an emailed statement Friday, Forests Minister Ravi Parmar said the government is performing a balancing act between conservation and forestry.

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Hydro-Québec using AI to reduce power outages caused by trees

By Charlotte Lepage
CBC News
July 9, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada East

Montreal’s tree-lined streets are one of the city’s greatest assets — they clean the air, add bursts of green to the scenery and help push the concrete background. But when storms hit, those trees clash with the urban landscape and are a major cause of power outages. That’s why Hydro-Québec is now using new technologies to find a way for trees to coexist with its power lines. “We’re trying to make a digital twin of the network to see if there are interactions between the tree and the network,” said Étienne Langdeau, director of vegetation management for Hydro-Québec. Artificial intelligence then measures the trees before and after a weather event, like a windstorm, to see which branches broke. The algorithm uses this information to get better at predicting which branches are most likely to snap. In turn, technicians can preemptively cut these branches before they become a problem.

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‘It weighs on you’: Ontario wildland firefighters being overworked due to lack of resources, union says

CBC News
July 5, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada East

The union representing Ontario’s wildland firefighters says they’re working long hours that are contributing to “fatigue,” and is calling for a funding increase to address a lack of resources. “Historically Ontario’s had about 180 four-person fire crews,” said Noah Freedman, a wildfire crew leader in northwestern Ontario and vice-president of Local 703 of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU). …”While we should be looking to staff more firefighters, and have more water bombers and pilots and all of our incredible support staff that we need more of, we’re just going the other direction at the moment.” Freedman said the union has been unable to confirm the exact number of crews currently operating; last year, there were 143. …The province is also short water bomber pilots.

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Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy

Exciting Line-up: Biomass for a Low-Carbon Future

Wood Pellet Association of Canada
July 9, 2025
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: Canada

The Wood Pellet Association of Canada will host the largest gathering of the Canadian wood pellet industry. Biomass and wood pellets play a key role in ensuring Canada has renewable and responsible energy. Join us in Halifax, Nova Scotia, September 23-24, 2025.

Sessions include:

  • Bioheat Opportunities for Canada
    Explore the potential of bioheat in the Canadian context. Case studies highlight how locally sourced biomass can replace fuels and create local jobs.
  • One on One: Powering the Net-Negative Transition
    Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage will be presented by Ørsted. Unpack the key ingredients for success, from feedstock and infrastructure to policy and public trust.
  • Inside the Smoulder—How to Detect, Prevent, and Survive Self-Heating in Biomass Storage
    Panel experts will dive into the mechanics of self-heating and offer guidance for operators, engineers, and executives alike. Learn about the cultural shifts required to strengthen safety outcomes to save your operation from a costly incident.

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‘It’s too late’: David Suzuki says the fight against climate change is lost

By David Legree
iPolitics.ca
July 8, 2025
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: Canada, International

David Suzuki

“Public concern in the late 1980s was right at the top and we had the first international conference on the atmosphere in 1988, where there were over 40 governments, environmentalists, scientists, private sector people. At the end, they said global warming represented a threat to humanity, second only to global nuclear war. If the world had followed the conclusions from that conference, we would not have the problem we face today and we would have saved trillions of dollars and millions of lives. Now, it is too late. I’ve never said this before to the media, but it’s too late. I say that because I go by science and Johan Rockström, the Swedish scientist who heads the Potsdam Institute, has defined nine planetary boundaries. …As long as humans, like any other animal, live within those nine constraints, we can do it forever, and that includes the amount of carbon in the atmosphere.”

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Wildfire Smoke Brings a Forgotten Danger to the Arctic: Black Carbon

By Danielle Bochove
Bloomberg in the Financial Post
July 7, 2025
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: Canada

In 2023, the Canada wildfires that incinerated more than 17 million hectares of boreal forest were so hot they … smoldered underground all winter. That heat created vast columns of rising air, carrying dust, volatile organic compounds, and huge quantities of a simple particle with the potential to exacerbate climate change: black carbon. Commonly known as soot, black carbon is a type of pollution formed by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels or biomass such as trees. It’s a risk to human health, having been linked to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. It’s also a potent short-term warming agent. Black carbon absorbs copious heat from the sun and, when it coats a layer of ice or snow, reduces its ability to reflect solar energy back into space. …The research on black carbon needs to be updated as more becomes known about the aerosol, and that makes tracking wildfire smoke even more important. 

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Bioenergy research project tackles wildfire risk in Watson Lake

By Jake Howarth
Yukon News
July 9, 2025
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: Canada, Canada West

Yukon — Researchers with the Canadian Forest Service are exploring how forest fuel biomass from high-fire-risk areas around Watson Lake could be transformed into local energy, potentially reducing wildfire risk while providing sustainable power for remote Yukon communities. The multi-year project is part of a collaborative national research effort to assess the feasibility of linking wildfire mitigation with local bioenergy solutions. “We have to work with the community because we really want to use real-world data, real-world experience to determine if can we effectively apply this,” said Natural Resources Canada researcher Nicolas Mansuy. Researchers previously assessed biomass availability across Canada and found that nearly all 276 northern and remote communities facing wildfire risks could replace fossil fuels with local bioenergy. …Watson Lake emerged as a top candidate due to its dense forest fuels and strategic location, Mansuy said. 

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Funding announced for several biomass projects

By Gerald Tracey
The Eganville Leader
July 9, 2025
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: Canada, Canada East

Five Eastern Ontario companies – three of them in Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke – will receive just over $9.1 in government funding under the Forest Biomass Program to create new products and expand markets for existing products produced from low quality forest products. The announcement was made Monday morning by MPP Kevin Holland, the Associate Minister of Forestry and Forest Products at one of two Killaloe Wood Products sites in Bonnechere Valley Township, south of Eganville, where landscaping mulch and other biomass products are processed… “These investments support good paying jobs, drive local growth and encourage innovation,” he said. “But today isn’t just about numbers on a page. Behind every dollar are businesses right here in Eganville and in Whitney that form the backbone of our local economy. The forestry sector is the cornerstone of the economic ecosystem that supports every corner of the riding.”

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Ontario Protecting Forest Sector Jobs and Workers

By Natural Resources
Government of Ontario
July 7, 2025
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: Canada East

EGANVILLE, Ontario — The Government of Ontario is protecting workers and jobs in the forest sector by investing over $9.1 million in five research, innovation and modernization projects in Eastern Ontario. The investments from the Forest Biomass Program will help boost Ontario’s forest sector’s competitive advantage by creating new jobs, increasing productivity and opening up opportunities for revenue streams in new markets. …The government’s investment is supporting projects related to underused wood and mill by-products, known as forest biomass. …These projects will help create good-paying local jobs while supporting the delivery of high-quality, made-in-Ontario products to market at a lower cost. In addition, they will strengthen Eastern Ontario’s economy by creating added demand for the harvesting, hauling and trucking industries, and develop new opportunities for Indigenous communities to participate in the growing forestry industry.

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Health & Safety

Safe Phase Integration: Preventing Congestion in Forestry Operations

By Alexandra Skinner
The Truck LoggerBC Magazine
July 3, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada West

Overlapping work activities are one of forestry’s most complex safety challenges; without proper controls, phase congestion can pose serious hazards to workers. However, with proper management, forestry operations can achieve safe, efficient phase integration. “Preventing injuries and fatalities takes ongoing commitment to coordinated planning, qualified supervision, worker training, and clear communication, says Tom Pawloski, manager of prevention programs and services at WorkSafeBC. Phase congestion occurs when multiple harvesting phases overlap in the same or nearby area, often due to insufficient time or distance between phases. It often builds gradually and can go unnoticed until a serious incident occurs. …When phases aren’t properly coordinated, workers face greater risks of being struck by or caught between equipment or missing other hazards. …Safe phase integration begins before work starts. …”Phase congestion doesn’t always show up right away … staying proactive, adjusting plans as conditions change, and maintaining clear communication is essential to keeping workers safe,” Pawlowski says.

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Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Ontario reaches tentative agreement to end labour disruption

WSIB Ontario
July 5, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, Canada East

TORONTO – The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) announced a tentative agreement has been reached with the Ontario Compensation Employees Union (OCEU). The organization looks forward to welcoming back its full team within 24 hours of a successful ratification vote. …As normal service resumes, people can continue to log in to the WSIB’s website anytime, 24/7 to: Report an injury or illness; Submit documents for an existing claim; See claim, payment, and health benefit information in real time; Register a new business; and Access clearances. “We thank Ontarians for the patience they’ve shown us during the labour disruption,” said Jeff Lang, President and CEO. …The WSIB provides workplace injury and illness insurance to more than 5.3 million people in more than 300,000 workplaces across Ontario. 

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SafetyCo Partners Launches New Division to Serve Northern Ontario’s Evolving Safety Needs

By SafetyCo Partners
Cision Newswire
July 7, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada East

TORONTO – SafetyCo Partners, Canada’s fastest-growing provider of integrated safety solutions, continues to expand with the launch of SafetyCo North, following the acquisition of Norpro’s Health & Safety Division. Headquartered in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. and female-led, SafetyCo North brings unprecedented access to safety training, consulting, staffing, rescue, and compliance services for industries across Northern Ontario. “As Canada prioritizes domestic resource independence, the Northern Ontario is fast emerging as an industrial hub with rising demand for comprehensive, scalable safety services,” said Mark Ferrier, Co-Founder and President of SafetyCo Partners. “SafetyCo North is uniquely positioned to meet this need.” SafetyCo North will serve organizations across Northern Ontario, including Sault Ste. Marie, North Bay, Sudbury, and Timmins. The new division will be led by locally-based safety professionals Jessica Amadio and Shannan Boston, who bring experience in heavy industrial industry, construction, and sectors including mining, energy, and forestry.

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Forest Fires

BC Wildfire assists on Washington State fire

The Times Chronicle
July 8, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, United States

The BC Wildfire Service said Tuesday (July 8) afternoon it’s aware of the wildfire in Washington State 16 km southwest of Northport and is assisting in fire suppression. The location is south of Highway 3 between Christina Lake and Trail, and is being referred to as the “Hope Fire”. The fire was first reported at approximately 1:15 p.m. was estimated later in the afternoon to be 600 acres (243 hectares) in size. BC Wildfire said in a social media post that the US Department of Natural Resources is responding and have resources on-site. BC Wildfire has also deployed airtankers to support wildfire suppression efforts. “At this time there is no threat to the Canada-US border,” it said. Stevens County Emergency Management has announced Level 3 (LEAVE NOW) evacuation orders in the area of Three Pines Youth Camp, according to a statement from Stevens County Emergency Management.

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New Zealand to send seven specialist personnel to support wildfire response in Canada

By Fire and Emergency Portal
Government of New Zealand
July 9, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, International

A seven-person specialist team from New Zealand will depart to Canada Wednesday to support with the response to severe wildfires. The team will be situated in Manitoba where there are over 80 active wildfires resulting in more than 20,000 people being evacuated from their homes. This deployment comes as a result of a formal request received from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre and consists of an Incident Commander, Operations Sections Chief, Planning Sections Chief, Logistics Section Chief, Safety Officer and two Division Supervisors. They will provide crucial management and coordination support to the on-the-ground firefighting teams in Manitoba.  The team is highly skilled and includes career and volunteer Fire and Emergency personnel as well as one specialist from the forestry sector. A much larger second deployment of firefighters from Fire and Emergency, the forestry sector and Department of Conservation is set to join the team in Canada next week. 

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Smoke clears in the Kootenays as U.S. wildfire grows

By Sheri Regnier
Nelson Star
July 9, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada West

Wildfire smoke from just across the U.S. border is drifting into southern B.C., prompting a Level 1 activation of the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary’s Emergency Operations Centre (EOC). As of Wednesday night, the Hope Fire had grown to 3,500 acres with zero per cent containment, burning 11.4 miles southwest of Northport, Washington. Wednesday morning, the regional district issued an update on the Hope (USA) Fire. According to the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB), as forecasted, favourable weather conditions last night resulted in shifting winds that blew the fire back onto itself and away from the Canada/US border. The United States has put considerable resources on the now 3,200-acre fire. For current information on the Hope Fire, residents are advised to consult U.S. agency sources, such as inciweb.wildfire

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Wildfire north of Lytton grows to 185 hectares

By Jordy Cunningham
Victoria News
July 5, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

BC Wildfire Service now estimates the Izman Creek blaze to be 185.3 hectares in size. Crews were able to come up with a more accurate number after being able to mapping of the fire perimeter, however, not all areas within the perimeter are actively burning or have burned. In BCWS’s latest update, which came out just after 2 p.m., it states the east flank moving upslope is experiencing increased activity. Additionally, pockets of smoke in the perimeter are displaying Rank 1 and 2 behaviour. Highway 12 remains open with alternating single lane traffic to ensure first responder safety.

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Saskatchewan’s massive Shoe Fire still only 68 per cent contained

News Talk 650 CKOM
July 5, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada West

©Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency

There were 64 active fires burning in Saskatchewan on Saturday, with the massive Shoe Fire first reported on May 7, still only 68 per cent contained, according to Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA). SPSA said in its daily report at 11 a.m. on July 5 that number includes grass and forest fires, and there have been 343 blazes so far in 2025. In 2024 at this time 221 fires had been recorded. SPSA said there were five evacuation orders in the province… The Saturday report said that 22 of the 64 blazes were not contained, while another 24 of the fires were under ongoing assessment and firefighters were protecting values in 11. Eight fires were considered contained.

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Four new forest fires reported in the Northern Ontario region Monday

By Darren MacDonald
CTV News
July 7, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada East

Ontario Forest Fires says there are now six forest fires in the northeast region after four new ones were discovered Monday. One of the fires is under control while the other five are being held, the group said in its daily update on the area’s forest fire situation. “The fire hazard is low across the central and southern section of the region and moderate to high with a few pockets of extreme values across the northern section of the northeast region,” the update said. Wildland fires can affect communities when they occur in or near neighbourhoods near forested areas. The FireSmart program offers tangible tips on how to mitigate the risk of wildland fires spreading to your home, cottage, or community. “Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services would like to remind the public to use caution when performing any outdoor burning,” the update said.

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Ontario’s largest forest fire is now being held

By Gary Rinne
NWOnewswatch.com
July 7, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada East

The province’s biggest-ever forest fire is now considered unlikely to spread beyond its existing boundaries. The 196,000-hectare Red Lake 12 was declared “being held” by the Ministry of Natural Resources on Sunday. The MNR described it as “a significant milestone” for the fire that prompted the evacuation of both Deer Lake and Sandy Lake First Nations. Eighteen firefighting crews supported by seven helicopters are still assigned the task of bringing the fire under complete control, but some other equipment has now been demobilized. Logistic support staff will be shipping firefighting apparatus out of Deer Lake and Sandy Lake over the next few days. 

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