Working in forestry can be challenging, not just physically, but psychologically as well. That’s why WorkSafeBC is advising forestry employers and workers about the importance of paying attention to psychological health and safety. 
Managing psychological health and safety in the workplace is as important as managing physical health and safety. A psychologically healthy and safe workplace prevents harm to workers’ mental health and promotes mental well-being. While many factors outside the workplace can affect mental health, it is an employer’s responsibility to address the factors that are within the control, responsibility, or influence of the workplace. Psychological health and safety involves how people interact with each other daily, how working conditions and management practices are structured, and how decisions are made and communicated. In the forestry sector, workers face unique psychological challenges, including financial stress from an unstable market, job instability, social isolation, and the impact of climate change and severe weather conditions.
They are also required to conduct regular emergency and first aid drills as part of their annual drill requirements to ensure workers understand their roles and responsibilities. As forestry operations in BC move into more remote and rugged areas, getting help to an injured worker quickly can be a serious challenge. …To help companies build stronger ERPs—especially when it comes to worker extraction—the BC Forest Safety Council and the Trucking and Harvesting Advisory Group created a video series.
Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is not just a long-term risk, it’s a fast-growing occupational disease that affects workers across the province. Over the past decade, WorkSafeBC has accepted almost 2,000 claims for hearing loss in the forestry sector. To prevent hearing loss, employers in the forestry sector must proactively recognize risks and understand the specific tasks workers will undertake, making pre-work planning a key step in injury prevention. The impact of noise on hearing “The risk of hearing loss depends on both noise level and exposure time,” says Sasha Brown, an occupational audiologist with WorkSafeBC. “For example, brief exposure to extremely loud noise or sustained exposure to moderate levels can be equally damaging to hearing.”
All resource road users play a key role in ensuring safe passage on these roads. Always exercise caution and have an understanding of the risks. Most resource roads have gravel surfaces and are often single lanes with limited visibility due to roadside brush and sharp, winding turns and curves. They often have soft shoulders, minimal ditches, steeper grades, changing road surfaces with loose or rough gravel and potholes. Drivers should always read and understand the signs at the start of the road and along the way as they provide important information about the road, radio channel, restrictions, expected traffic and other hazards and obstacles you may encounter while driving.
BC Hydro data shows that severe weather events in the last 3 to 5 years have led to some of the most damaging storms in BC Hydro’s history. BC’s forest health aerial surveys show that the area of windthrown timber in 2021 (12,600+ ha) was 3 times the average over the last decade. Wind events pose significant risks to people working on and traveling to and from woodlots and community forests. This bulletin provides licensees, managers and workers with guidance and resources they can use to plan and conduct operations that minimize risk of injury to workers during those events.
The following focuses on considerations for supervisors and owners when developing a PPE program. Components of a good PPE program include: Regulation Check; Planning; Appropriate Selection; Fitting; Education and Training; Supervisor and Management Support; Inspection and Maintenance; and Auditing the Program. Get all the details by clicking the Read More!
By implementing ergonomic practices, promoting proper body mechanics and fostering a culture of early reporting and prevention, employers and workers can work together to significantly reduce the occurrence and impact of MSIs across the industry. Although musculoskeletal injuries can affect workers across all areas of forestry, certain roles are particularly vulnerable due to the physical demands and repetitive nature of their tasks.
Steep slope harvesting can be approached in several ways, each with its own set of challenges and safety considerations. …Steep slope harvesting presents significant risks, but with careful planning, proper equipment, and a culture of safety, these risks can be managed. “Safety is not a one-time effort but an ongoing process that requires daily attention,” says Pawlowski. “By consistently prioritizing hazard assessment, equipment suitability, proper setup, and staying in the clear, employers and workers can minimize risks and help ensure that steep slope harvesting remains a safe and effective method of timber harvesting.”
A U.S. court delivered a sharp rebuke of President Donald Trump’s trade policy on Wednesday, declaring he abused his authority and striking down many of his tariffs — at least for now. The upshot for trading partners, including Canada: Certain specific tariffs on steel and aluminum remain in place, but gone, for now, are sweeping levies on entire countries. The order by the Manhattan-based U.S. Court of International Trade quashes Trump’s 10 per cent across-the-board tariff on most nations and his declaration of a fentanyl emergency to impose 25 per cent tariffs on numerous Canadian and Mexican goods. The White House vowed to fight back with every available tool. This means an 
The federal government has no plans to use legislative tools to penalize Canadian businesses for offshoring jobs to the United States or other countries to avoid American tariffs, the finance ministry says. The clarifying statement comes after Unifor urged Ottawa last week to use existing measures to prevent the loss of Canadian jobs to south of the border, and strengthen the law through legislative amendments. “The government is not implementing legislative tools to penalize Canadian companies who relocate abroad,” a finance ministry official said. “On the contrary, the government has put in place measures to support Canadian companies so they can continue to do business at home.” …The statement comes as Parliament returns for its first session in more than five months, finally allowing legislators to consider measures to respond to US President Trump’s trade war with Canada.
Weyerhaeuser Company and Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance (FBHA) today announced an extension of their Fighting Fires Together campaign, a partnership that provides specialized mental health support for wildland firefighters and their families across the Pacific Northwest. Fighting Fires Together, now in its fourth year, addresses the often-overlooked mental health impacts of wildland firefighting in isolated, hazardous and highly stressful conditions. Through a free online resource hub, first responders can find specially designed content, including videos about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, depression, anxiety and suicide prevention, along with mental health tips, educational articles and contacts for occupationally aware support groups and counselors in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. Weyerhaeuser’s support for wildland firefighting efforts in the Pacific Northwest began in the aftermath of the Yacolt Burn in 1902, when the company began advocating for Washington’s first forest fire legislation and the funding of community fire prevention education and patrols. 
Packaging is going back to its roots. Long before the advent of plastics, before the rise of mass production and the widespread adoption of synthetic materials, early civilisations relied on what the natural world had to offer – pressed bark, woven plant fibres, and rudimentary pulps – to store and transport food and goods. Paper, in particular, has long served as a trusted material for containment and communication alike. Today, that ancient material is undergoing a resurgence and is evolving to not only meet contemporary functional needs but also to respond to an urgent call for environmental responsibility. The rapid shift away from single-use plastic has created new momentum behind paper-based alternatives. From luxury goods wrapped in soft textured, bespoke papers to barrier coated containers engineered for performance and recyclability, fibre-based packaging is no longer confined to brown boxes or rustic aesthetics. It is becoming more refined, more versatile, and, crucially, more sustainable – at least on the surface.
The new La Pêche Town Hall, built on a promontory facing Route Principale, is a mass timber, highly energy-efficient building that will soon become the first Passive House-certified institutional building in Quebec. Rectangular in shape and located on an east-west axis, the building, by BGLA architecture + urban design, features a long façade which faces directly south onto the main road. This façade offers views of the hills of Gatineau Park from the inside, while also using natural solar gain to serve as the building’s primary heating source. The presence of wood is felt inside and outside the project. Eastern cedar cladding envelops all the façades, while the glulam and cross-laminated timber structure is exposed and highlighted in each of the interior spaces.
Today, the Honourable Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, and the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families, announced $15 million to create 470 employment and skills training opportunities for youth across Canada in natural resources sectors including energy, forestry, mining, earth sciences and clean technology. Through the Science and Technology Internship Program (STIP) – Green Jobs, employers in natural resources sectors can apply for funding to hire, train and mentor youth aged 15 to 30 for up to 12 months. These job opportunities will ensure that Canada’s natural resources sectors remain a source of economic growth and prosperity in the future. STIP – Green Jobs is part of the Government of Canada’s 
The Quw’utsun Nation and the Municipality of North Cowichan are moving forward on a co-management framework for the Municipal Forest Reserve. The initiative is being developed with the help of Your Wayfinders Management Solutions, a project management consulting firm. The goal is to create a partnership in key areas like shared decision-making, economic opportunities, Indigenous forest practices, recreation, and stewardship of culturally sensitive areas. A final draft plan is expected by early 2026. In the meantime, North Cowichan has paused new decisions on the forest reserve, but essential activities like FireSmart work and invasive species control will continue. North Cowichan had a technical review and public engagement done for the forest reserve between 2020 and 2023, and a preferred forest management scenario favouring ecological and sustainable values was presented to council.
NANAIMO — Larger, open fires are set to be banned for the summer months, effective at the end of this week. The Coastal Fire Centre will enact a sweeping ban on category two and three fires beginning at noon on Friday, May 30, a typical first step in their fire prevention efforts every summer. Banned across Vancouver Island and a vast majority of coastal B.C. will be large burn piles or burns over stubble or grass to certain measurements. Also banned are fireworks, exploding targets, burn barrels and cages, air curtain burners and other, similar open flames. …“Anyone found in contravention of an open fire prohibition may be issued a violation ticket for $1,150, required to pay an administrative penalty of up to $10,000 or, if convicted in court, fined up to $100,000 and/or sentenced to one year in jail,” the BC Wildfire Services stated.
To celebrate the dedication of our industry and our collective love for Alberta forests, the Alberta Forest Products Association (AFPA), will be hosting a raffle The prize? Be entered into a draw for a chance to win a $200 Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) or Marks Work Warehouse gift card (choice between the two) and a 
Boeing Canada says it’s investing millions of dollars into business ventures in B.C. and Quebec with the eventual goal of producing close to 200 million litres of sustainable jet fuel every year. The announcement, made Wednesday, includes nearly $17.5 million split between two projects looking to turn wood waste and carbon captured from industrial smokestacks into sustainable aviation fuel. The fuel, known in industry as SAF, has the potential to reduce carbon emissions by up to 80 per cent over its lifecycle and “offers the fastest route to decarbonization in the aviation sector,” according to Boeing. Boeing’s latest investment will direct $10 million to Project Avance, a joint venture between Bioenergie AECN and Alder Renewables in Port Cartier, Que. The project aims to convert wood residue from sawmills into low-carbon bio-crude that can later be converted into almost 38 million litres of unblended jet fuel every year.
A love of the outdoors and a deep desire to make a meaningful impact on communities affected by climate change keeps Greg Verkaik going back to Western Canada. The PhD student studies peatlands and their role in wildfires. Climate change isn’t an abstract concept in his research, it’s something he’s been seeing and experiencing in the landscapes he’s visited since 2018 as part of this work. The 2025 wildfire season is already shaping up to be another intense year for Canada. Early signs point to another active and dangerous season, particularly in Western Canada. As peatlands dry and fire seasons lengthen, the risk of deep-burning, smouldering fires – the kind that can persist underground and reignite months later, continues to grow. This only strengthens Verkaik’s commitment to his research, which aims to better understand how peatlands influence wildfire behaviour and how they might be managed to reduce risk.
Emergency crews are dealing with a fire in the woods east of Churchill Falls — an area of central Labrador currently under an extreme fire risk warning. The provincial government confirmed the fire is moving east, away from the town. It said crews and two water bombers were deployed. The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary closed part of the Trans-Labrador Highway between the company town and Happy Valley-Goose Bay, 300 kilometres east along the isolated road, for a stint Wednesday night. It has since reopened. N.L. Hydro said helicopters fought the fire from the air. The fire knocked out the power in Labrador City and Wabush for nearly three hours. N.L. Hydro restored electricity to all customers shortly after 9 p.m.
Thunder Bay – The Northwest Fire Region continues to face escalating wildfire activity, with 12 active fires currently being managed across the region. According to Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services, 4 of the fires are not under control, 3 are being held, and 5 are under control. As of Tuesday evening, five new wildland fires were confirmed: THUNDER BAY 13: Located at the south end of Dog Lake in Silver Falls Provincial Park, this 0.1-hectare fire is not under control. NIPIGON 3: Located 2 km west of Longlac, along the north end of Long Lake, this 0.1-hectare fire remains uncontrolled. RED LAKE 9: Found on the east side of Pikangikum First Nation beside Pikangikum Lake, this 0.1-hectare fire is now out. …The wildland fire hazard is high to extreme across most of the Northwest Region, driven by persistent dry conditions and strong winds.