China will be front and centre at the renegotiations of the USMCA on trade despite not having a seat at the bargaining table. …With the USMCA now subject to annual reviews, the US is using the continuing trade talks to put pressure on Canada and Mexico to collaborate with its efforts to undercut China. Washington is alleging that China is exploiting loopholes in the USMCA to avoid US tariffs on its exports by using Mexico and Canada to gain back-door entry to the US market. But there is a difference between blatant customs fraud and legal shipments facilitated by third countries as part of global trade. The US, however, appears intent on blurring that distinction… providing Washington with a convenient pretext to fiddle with the USMCA’s rules of origin and compel more US content to the detriment of the two other signatories to the pact. [to access the full story a Globe and Mail subscription is required]
Canada’s Forest Products sector is one of our country’s economic anchors, an industry that supports close to 200,000 jobs in communities across the country and accounted for $19.9B in real GDP in 2025. At a time when Canada is facing massive shared challenges — from intensifying wildfires to the need for affordable housing — we cannot afford to let this industry decline. The federal government has already recognized the challenge — a 45% tariff in the US and supply chain bottlenecks and regulatory duplication here at home. And with the recent Forest Sector Transformation Task Force Report, they’ve acknowledged the solution. Now we need them to act. We are not asking for new promises or new frameworks. We’re simply asking government to implement the commitments that are already on the table. And we’re asking you to help us get there. Email the Minister For Natural Resources and your Member of Parliament today! Let them know that by implementing the recommendations from the Task Force Report, they’re protecting one of the key sectors that underpin our entire economy.
WASHINGTON — The Canadian government told the Trump administration new legislation combating forced labour in supply chains should shield Canada from new tariffs. In a written submission the Government of Canada said it “remains committed to working closely with the US to eradicate forced labour from global supply chains.” …Ottawa’s case was among more than 1,500 written submissions ahead of a hearing in Washington this week on the use of Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 to rebuild his global tariff wall. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer launched a trade investigations into 60 countries, including Canada. Greer said Canada, Mexico, the UK and some other countries should be hit with 10% duties because they are not doing enough to enforce bans on forced labour. …Canada already had legislation intended to curb forced labour in supply chains. But the federal government tabled a bill last month to boost enforcement.
The Trump administration’s decision to forgo renewal of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) on the July 1 deadline has opened a new front in the ongoing trade war — and one with direct consequences for US homebuilders and the mortgage professionals who serve them. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer confirmed on Wednesday that the three countries met virtually for the required joint review and that the US declined to extend the agreement in its current form. The USMCA remains in effect until 2036 but will now be subject to annual reviews that could force significant renegotiation of major sections of the treaty, a development that has rattled an already strained construction supply chain. …Canadian softwood lumber already carries a combined duty burden of 45%. That cost has steadily compressed builder margins even as new home demand remains sluggish and housing starts have declined every year since their 2021 peak.
Researchers at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) have received a grant to conduct studies on earthquake-resilient buildings, food packaging, forest diversity and more. The $866,000 granted to five faculty members is being supported through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Discovery grant program. …Erin Crockett, ecosystem science and management assistant professor, is receiving $202,000 over the five years to examine “how tree species diversity and structural complexity influence forest growth and resilience in British Columbia.” …Fei Tong, assistant engineering professor, is receiving $190,000 over five years to develop “a new structural system for tall buildings in seismically active regions like Vancouver… The approach, which will be adapted for both conventional construction and tall mass timber buildings, aims to keep buildings safe, functional, and repairable after major earthquakes.”
BC Supreme Court Justice Barbara Young sent a chilling message to BC landowners when she refused to reopen the case where she designated Aboriginal title over private land in Richmond. Montrose Properties argued it had never received any formal notification that its fee-simple title could be affected by the outcome. This being the first case where Aboriginal title was applied to private as well as Crown land in BC, the federal, provincial and Richmond city governments all supported reopening the application. …Young didn’t rule out that the Cowichan Nation might someday seek to take over all the private land included in the designation of Aboriginal title. …It will be months and maybe years before her findings and those of the New Brunswick court are reconciled. …In the interim, Young has put provincial landowners on notice that they… are at risk from a claim of Aboriginal title.
VANCOUVER, BC — Canfor Corporation announced it has completed the acquisition of PinkWood Ltd, Western Canada’s largest I-joist facility based in Calgary, Alberta. The acquisition, announced on June 9, 2026, complements Canfor’s existing operations in Alberta and British Columbia “We’re excited to welcome the PinkWood operation, its management team and its employees to the Canfor family,” said Susan Yurkovich, President and CEO of Canfor. “The acquisition represents a strong strategic fit for both companies and supports the continued growth of Canfor’s value-added manufacturing capabilities.” PinkWood will retain its name and operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Canfor. The operation will add 120 employees, and 46 million linear feet of annual I-joist production capacity.
HUNTSVILLE, Ontario — The Ontario government is investing an additional $425,000 through the Forest Biomass Program to help Daiken North America accelerate production of its new laminated board. This investment will help get a first-of-its-kind wood panel product to market faster, boosting productivity and protecting good-paying local jobs. As part of its plan to protect Ontario, the government is making strategic investments to help forest sector businesses adapt, compete and grow to stay resilient in the face of U.S. tariffs. Today’s announcement builds on the government’s recent investment of 
BELLEVILLE, Ontario — The government is investing more than $3.3 million in 
KAMLOOPS – Effective at 12 p.m. (noon) on Friday, July 10, 2026 Category 1 campfires will be prohibited throughout the Kamloops Fire Centre to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety. This campfire prohibition will remain in effect until October 9, 2026 at 12 p.m. (noon), or until the orders are rescinded. As of Friday, July 10, category 1, 2 and 3 fires are prohibited in the Kamloops Fire Centre: A campfire is defined as: Any fire no larger than 0.5 metres high by 0.5 metres wide (a fire larger than this is considered a Category 2 fire), Used by any person for recreational purposes or by a First Nation for a ceremonial purpose.
Starting July 9, the municipality of North Cowichan will be closing forestry gates and restricting vehicle access to Mount Prevost, Mount Sicker and Grace Road, to help reduce wildfire risks in the area. The municipality notes that access roads to Mount Prevost will remain open for firefighting efforts, as a 
…The 2021 floods in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley cost an estimated 
The Province is working with First Nations and other partners on conservation-planning projects in Qat’muk (west of Invermere), Skagit Headwaters (in the Manning Park area) and Raush Valley (in the Robson Valley south of McBride). This work will address watersheds, ecosystems and wildlife over a combined 127,000 hectares. Feedback collected from the public during fall 2026 engagement opportunities will shape conservation recommendations. The proposed conservation measures would support the B.C. government’s goal of protecting 30% of land and inland waters in B.C. by 2030 (the “30×30” goal).
REGINA, SK — Today, the Honourable Nathalie Provost, Secretary of State (Nature), highlighted eight tree-planting projects across Saskatchewan. These projects represent a $24.5 million investment to plant over five million trees, helping to protect nature and biodiversity in Canada by restoring critical habitats for species at risk and advancing Indigenous-led forest planting and restoration efforts. Announced in March 2026, the $3.8 billion A Force of Nature: Canada’s Strategy to Protect Nature is based on three pillars for action to harmonize nature protection and economic growth… Federal programs have made historic progress in restoring forests and building greener communities across the country as we work toward to our goals of protecting 30% of lands, waters, and oceans in Canada by 2030. Indigenous leadership is at the heart of protecting nature. Anchored in traditional knowledge and stewardship, it is critical to achieving our national and international commitments on nature.
Vancouver Island, BC — The Coastal Fire Centre reports a shift from warm, dry conditions to cooler, wetter weather over the first week and a half of July. However, previous weather conditions point towards a drier summer season for Vancouver Island. “Looking at the next seven days from a typical standpoint, we’re not elevating dryness specifically. But we’re also not bringing in much precipitation either. So, we’re essentially just keeping conditions generally steady,” said Ken Dosanjh, meteorologist with Environmental and Climate Change Canada, on July 2. In early July the Fire Danger Rating measure … shows much of Vancouver Island at the ‘low’ level, which entails easy fire start and quick spread but with minimal involvement of deeper fuel layers or larger fuels. Port Alberni, Nanaimo and the Victoria area have a ‘moderate’ fire danger rating, with forest fuels drying and an increased risk of surface fire starting. 
VANCOUVER — Technological limitations, high costs and infrastructure challenges raise questions about relying on carbon capture, utilization and storage as a cornerstone of federal and Alberta climate policy, according to a new 
Demand for biofuels has been growing in many parts of the world. …Disruption to oil exports via the Strait of Hormuz this year created a further incentive to switch to biofuels to ensure energy security. While biofuels can’t fully replace petroleum, they can be blended into gasoline and diesel, allowing countries to stretch existing fuel supplies. Many environmentalists contest the idea that biofuels are a sustainable alternative source of energy. And as more farmland is used to produce them, there’s less available to make food, increasing the risk of global food shortages and hunger in the poorest nations. …The priciest biofuel is sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF, which uses advanced refining processes to convert waste oils into jet fuel that can be blended for use in aircraft. There’s also so-called advanced or second-generation biodiesel, made from non-food sources such as crop waste, wood chips and even algae, which avoids competing with food crops.
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Ontario Forest Fires said there were five new wildland fires confirmed in the northeast region in its latest update issued Sunday evening. The organization also said that efforts to contain one of the fires — Cochrane 32 — were hampered by a drone flying illegally in the area. “A drone flying over Cochrane 32 tonight has grounded all firefighting aircraft in the area and delayed suppression operations,” Ontario Forest Fires said in its update. Regulations prohibit “aircraft, including drones, from the airspace over an active forest fire within 5 nautical miles and up to an altitude of 3,000 feet.” …The five new fires include Cochrane 32, which measures 2.8 hectares and is located two kilometres northwest of Harty.