On the eve of the 81st Annual Truck Loggers Association Convention, ForestNet brings us an exclusive interview with the new TLA executive director, Peter Lister. This episode explains the practical drivers behind BC’s current forestry downturn — rising permit costs, trade duties, changing land‑use governance, and the operational impacts those forces are having on mills, contractors and communities. Peter Lister, MASc, PEng, ICD.D — Executive Director of the Truck Loggers Association with more than 35 years in the sector — outlines the immediate causes and possible responses. He details specific examples (Altmill, Crofton, 100 Mile House), quantifies key impacts (BC harvest ≈ 30 million m³; planning costs rising from $4/m³ to $14/m³ = roughly $300M additional industry cost), and explains how U.S. duties near 45% and higher operating costs make BC uncompetitive for investment.
MONTREAL, Quebec – Domtar announced a curtailment in its lumber production. Due to challenging market conditions, US tariffs, and ongoing economic uncertainty, the company will temporarily reduce its lumber production by 150 million board feet for the first quarter of 2026 across its facilities in Quebec, Ontario and the United States. “The demand for lumber in North America remains weak, requiring us to adjust our production levels in line with market conditions,” said Luc Thériault, CEO, Wood Products, and President – Canada, for Domtar. “While this decision is necessary, we are fully aware of the impact it will have on our employees, contractors, suppliers and the communities in which we operate.” Domtar will continue to monitor market conditions and adjust its production plans accordingly. Domtar has a workforce of nearly 14,000 employees in more than 60 locations across North America.
Environmental group Greenpeace is calling for more transparency on the part of Canada’s largest pulp and paper company, saying it has received millions of dollars in government funding without providing the public with details of how that money is being used or sharing its plans for the future of Canada’s forests. In a report entitled 
With the fate of North America’s free trade pact on the line, 2026 will be a significant year for some of Canada’s hardest-hit sectors in the trade war with the United States—including auto, steel, forestry and aluminum—as they advocate for Ottawa to do what’s necessary to preserve the deal, and to also help these sectors in the meantime by following through on domestic support measures. …Derek Nighbor, CEO of the Forest Products Association of Canada, said that Canada’s auto and forestry sectors are among the most highly-integrated with the US. While both sectors share this deep integration, Nighbor highlighted a critical distinction for forestry: unlike other industries, forestry facilities cannot be relocated to another country because the natural resource—the trees—remain in Canada. This comment comes amid heightened concerns regarding the 2026 CUSMA review and ongoing trade disputes, such as US softwood lumber tariffs. [to access the full story a Hill Times subscription is required]
Two recent decisions from the courts of British Columbia and New Brunswick have addressed the relationship between Aboriginal title and private property rights. In Cowichan Tribes v. Canada, the Supreme Court of BC granted a declaration of Aboriginal title, which included lands held in fee simple by third parties. In contrast, in JD Irving Limited et al. v. Wolastoqey Nation, the New Brunswick Court of Appeal held that such a declaration could not extend to privately-owned lands. While these remedial declarations are discretionary, the apparent conflict in judicial approaches raises questions about the future approach to Aboriginal title claims in respect of private property. What you need to know:
BLUE RIDGE, Alberta — A fire at Blue Ridge Lumber in Woodlands County started on Saturday, Jan. 10 and was contained in the evening on that day, West Fraser confirmed with the Whitecourt Star. Woodlands County posted a message on social media on Monday, Jan. 12 that there were no injuries “Emergency response procedures were immediately activated, and all employees were safely evacuated,” the statement reads. Firefighters from Blue Ridge, Goose Lake, Anselmo and Whitecourt responded. The social media post states that West Fraser is investigating the cause of the fire, as well as how much damage was done and when mill operations can re-start. …The Blue Ridge Lumber mill falls under West Fraser and has a forest management agreement with the Alberta government. The mill is located north of the Hamlet of Blue Ridge.
Nathanson, Schachter & Thompson LLP is again ranked as a Tier 1 firm in Dispute Resolution in British Columbia by The Legal 500. We are included as one of four firms in British Columbia ranked as Tier 1. We are also the only firm in Tier 1 that received a Client Satisfaction accolade. Partners Irwin Nathanson, K.C. and Stephen Schachter, K.C. are included in the Hall of Fame category once again. They are the only two partners from the same firm included in this category. Partner Karen Carteri continues to be recognized as a Leading Partner, particularly for her work in complex shareholder and partnership disputes. Clients describe NST as a firm that “whole-heartedly embraces and delivers a hands-on and effective approach” while offering particular praise for partners Karen Carteri, Emily Hansen, Julia Lockhart and Kayla Strong. 
Lumber futures rose toward $535 per thousand board feet, rebounding from the September low of $528 reached on January 7th after a low liquidity holiday sell off unwound, improving seasonal demand expectations and longer term supply tightening. Renewed engagement from market participants, signaled that forced selling and the thin trading conditions that pushed prices to multi month lows have faded. Seasonal demand expectations have strengthened as builders begin positioning ahead of the spring construction period, when consumption typically improves following year end destocking. Industry forecasts point to a modest pickup in US housing starts and repair and remodel activity in 2026 as interest rates ease and trade uncertainty recedes, supporting demand after a weak finish to 2025. At the same time, longer term supply growth remains constrained by ongoing tariffs on Canadian softwood and slower capacity expansion across North American sawmills, limiting surplus.
Nearly 1,060 hectares is being added to West Twin Protected Area to increase protection of important wildlife habitat across the Robson Valley. …West Twin Protected Area was established in 2001, and together with adjacent West Twin Park, covers more than 30,000 hectares to form the only protected wildlife corridor across the Robson Valley. The area spans from the Cariboo Mountains in the south, through the main Robson Valley trench and up to the front ranges of the Rocky Mountains. The additional land improves habitat connection for caribou, moose, elk, deer, grizzly bears and many other species. The Crown land was originally identified for protection through the Robson Valley Land and Resource Management Plan, but the land had two historical mineral claims that have now been forfeited. The land also contains old-growth priority deferral areas and an existing old-growth management area.
FORT ST. JOHN, B.C.— In the 2025 wildfire season, 199 wildfires were fought in Fort St. John, Fort Nelson and Dawson Creek areas in the “second-worst wildfire season in Canadian history.” The Ministry of Forests said in a news release on December 29th, 2025, the province has experienced over 1,350 wildfires burning an estimated 886,360 hectares of land since April 1st that year. In the news release, Ravi Parmar, minister of forests, said: “We’re coming off our second-worst wildfire season in Canadian history.” The Prince George Fire Centre specifically – the branch of the BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) covering northeast B.C. – recorded 354 fires in the 2025 wildfire season. …For the 2026 wildfire season, the province says it will continue to look at new technology and opportunities for better prevention and response.
In late August 2025, FREED (Field Research in Ecology and Evolution Diversified) at their University of Toronto (UofT) chapter hosted their fourth annual weeklong event in Algonquin Park. FREED, created in 2020, was founded to provide accessible, barrier-free outdoor and fieldwork opportunities for Indigenous, Black, and/or Racialized (BIPOC) undergraduates. Experiencing the outdoors and nature can be formative in building a connection to the land and pursuing a career in a related field but these experiences are often inaccessible to underrepresented communities due to financial, societal, cultural, or other potential barriers. …At the Algonquin Wildlife Research Station (AWRS), we welcomed a wonderful group of fifteen BIPOC undergraduate students bringing bright, inquisitive energy, teeming with excitement for the week to begin. The 7-day program was filled with activities to help students build skills and confidence in the outdoors and field work, as well as to build community and relationships amongst their peers and with the Land.
