Vancouver —Forest Professionals British Columbia (FPBC) honoured 11 individuals as part of its recognition program in Victoria on February 6. FPBC recognized four Distinguished Forest Professionals, one Forest Professional of the Year, one volunteer of the year, and five authors for best magazine article at the 77th FPBC forestry conference recognition banquet. Mark Hay, RPF, of Vernon, Steve Kozuki, RPF(Ret), of Williams Lake, Randy Waterous, RFT, of Grand Forks, and the late Cindy Stern, RPF, of Parksville, were honoured as Distinguished Forest Professionals. This category recognizes significant accomplishments over a career, for providing outstanding service to the profession of forestry and for furthering the principles of FPBC. It is the profession’s highest honour for a registrant. Colin Mahony, PhD, RPF, of Victoria, is the Forest Professional of the Year, recognizing a Registered Professional Forester (RPF), Registered Forest Technologist (RFT), or Affiliated Forest Professional (AFP) for recent, outstanding service to the profession of forestry and furthering the principles of FPBC.
Related coverage in:
- The Vernon Morning Star: Mark Hay recognized as Distinguished Forest Professional
- My Grand Forks Now: Randy Waterous, Grand Forks local honoured as distinguished forest professional
Revenge, they say, is a dish best served cold. And for an endangered owl breeding program in Canada, it’s also a dish best served dead. For the price of a coffee, spurned and disgruntled lovers can revel in the satisfaction of having a dead rat named after an ex, before it is fed to a northern spotted owl. The British Columbia-based breeder is running its 
WASHINGTON — President Trump is taking a blowtorch to the rules that have governed world trade for decades. The 
WASHINGTON — Reports indicate that the B.C. Minister of Forests has created an “Advisory Council” to develop strategies for combating U.S. antidumping and countervailing duties. These duties are in place as a result of repeated findings by the U.S. Department of Commerce and U.S. International Trade Commission that Canada’s egregious ongoing dumping practices and long-standing subsidies to its industry have caused havoc in the U.S. market. Andrew Miller, Chairman and Owner of Stimson Lumber, stated that “this is not a complicated issue. Canada must stop dumping its excess lumber production into the U.S. market and should stop subsidizing its industry instead of convening an ‘Advisory Council’ in British Columbia to study ways of getting around U.S. trade laws.”
As President Donald Trump ushers in a slew of new policy changes, the proposed 25 percent tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico—if implemented after the recently introduced 30-day pause—could significantly escalate the cost of lumber, further complicating the already strained U.S. housing market. Some experts predict a near-tripling of costs that could undermine home affordability at a time when the nation grapples with a housing crunch. …According to Carl Harris, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), over 70% of softwood lumber and gypsum, which is used in drywall, originate from Canada and Mexico. …Robert Dietz, chief economist at the NAHB, outlined the risks posed by tariffs as it relates to lumber costs. …Per Dietz, not only could they nearly triple the cost of lumber, a critical component of home building, but they would also drive up prices for consumers, putting homeownership out of reach for many Americans.
The first session of B.C.’s 43rd Parliament opens Feb. 18, with traditional rituals like the Speech from the Throne. …This threat [of US tariffs] has since become much more real. Double-digit tariffs from the United States on key exports such as energy, minerals and lumber now loom over B.C. with some potentially reaching or exceeding 50 per cent in the case of aluminum and lumber. “The lumber industry, in particular, is vulnerable,” Werner Antweiler, Chair in International Trade Policy, at UBC’s Sauder School of Business said. “They are not very profitable at the moment and any further setback in terms of accessing the U.S. market will really hit hard. So I’m really worried about jobs in the lumber industry.” …But the threat of tariffs could also spur developments that government has previously neglected. They include efforts to finally break down barriers between provinces.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Western Forest Products Inc. and Eastwood Forests, LLC announced today that Western has completed the sale of approximately 14,500 hectares of fee simple land on northern Vancouver Island in British Columbia, to a Canadian affiliate of the Eastwood Climate Smart Forestry Fund I LP for $69.2 million. “Eastwood has a dedicated focus on delivering climate benefits by supporting responsible forest management globally and we believe they will be excellent stewards of this land and partners in the region,” said Steven Hofer, President and CEO of Western. “The sale reflects our ongoing focus on optimizing and investing in our BC operations. We plan to use the sale proceeds to reduce our debt and support our accelerated transition to higher value products manufacturing, including the previously announced continuous kiln investments in BC.” “This forestland fits perfectly with Eastwood’s interest and experience in sustainable forest management and climate change mitigation,” said Alex Finkral, CEO of Eastwood. 
British Columbia’s lumber industry is facing uncertainty, as looming tariffs threaten the sector. “We don’t know what’s going to happen, businesses don’t like that because you can’t make investment plans,” said Nick Arkle, CEO of Gorman Bros. Lumber. …“About 60 per cent of our lumber in B.C. for the last couple of years has been going to the U.S., which in a way is funny because we have the president saying ‘We don’t need their trees.’ Well, that’s false,” BC Forest Minister, Ravi Parmar said. Gorman Bros. Lumber in West Kelowna sends about 50 per cent per cent of its product to the States, while about 30 per cent stays in Canada. “The U.S is a strong market, you never want to walk away from a market, where first of all you have loyal friends, partners, and customers, people we’ve sold to for 30 to 40 years in some cases,” Arkle said.
The largest creditor of the San Group wants to take control of some other Vancouver Island businesses connected to the former sawmill company. Kingsley Group operates in Coombs, and court documents show that it has some close ties to the San Group. The Royal Bank of Canada, which is owed $6.7 million from the Kingsley Group, wants to recall its loan and secure the company’s assets. The bank is owed more than $107 million from the San Group. It comes as the San Group’s Alberni Valley mills remain for sale as a court-appointed-monitor tries to drum up interest. …Kamal Sanghara and Sukhjit Sangara are directors with a 32.5 per cent stake each in Kingsley Group, and both are former owners of the group. …CHEK News spoke with Sukhijit Sanghera, a former owner of San Group at Kingsley, and asked if the San Group moved money to Kingsley Trucking and other places to hide assets or prop up Kingsley’s business.
The minister responsible for forestry and local MLA Ravi Parmar said a new council on softwood lumber will bring industry expertise together to help navigate the economic concerns with U.S. duties, and any potential tariffs that could be coming Canada’s way. While many people across the country have let out a sigh of relief about the pause on U.S. tariffs, Parmar said those in the forestry industry are still feeling the economic threat loom. “We’re already dealing with duties to the tune of 14.4 per cent. With tariffs on top of that—we could be dealing with 50 to 55 per cent duties and tariffs on our softwood lumber going into the United States,” he said, adding how that scenario would be devastating. …However, Parmar acknowledged the softwood lumber dispute with the U.S. has been a long-time problem, adding that his task of getting the industry back on its feet is made difficult by the duties.
BURNABY, BC — Interfor recorded a net loss in Q4, 2024 of $49.9 million compared to a Net loss of $105.7 million in Q3, 2024 and a net loss of $169.0 million. Adjusted EBITDA was $80.4 million on sales of $746.5 million in Q4, 2024. …For the full year, Interfor reported a net loss of $304 million in 2024, a 14% increase from the $267 million net loss in 2023. Total sales fell 9% to $3 billion, down from $3.3 billion in the previous year. …Near-term volatility could be further impacted by a potential tariff on Canadian lumber exports… however, the Company is well positioned with a diversified product mix in Canada and the U.S., with approximately 60% of its total lumber produced and sold within the U.S. …Despite challenges, the company remains positioned to adjust production and capital spending in response to market conditions. …The company plans to invest $85 million in 2025, including the continued rebuild of the Thomaston, Georgia sawmill.
VANCOUVER, BC — Western Forest Products announced improved fourth quarter and fiscal 2024 results compared to the same period last year. Adjusted EBITDA was $14.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2024, as compared to negative $1.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2023, and negative EBITDA of $10.7 million in the third quarter of 2024. Adjusted EBITDA was $8.9 million for fiscal 2024, as compared to negative $29.9 million in fiscal 2023. Net loss was $1.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2024, as compared to a net loss of $14.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2023, and a net loss of $19.6 million in the third quarter of 2024. …“Despite challenging markets, we were successful in returning our business to positive EBITDA in 2024,” said Steven Hofer, CEO. …“The planned incremental US tariff will unfairly target and harm Canadian exporters like us, [and] will also hurt American consumers through higher lumber prices.” …We have informed customers of our intention to pass on the incremental US tariff.
The significant risk that tariffs pose to Canada’s economy casts a potentially dark shadow over the housing market. Any economic turbulence arising from tariffs would be felt by participants, whose confidence is critical to the stability of the housing market. …Therefore, assessing the outlook for Canada’s housing market at this juncture is like putting a price on a home before an earthquake—it’s hard to know what shape the structure will be in at the end of the day. Still, we highlight some of the key themes in 2025. …Lower interest rates heat up demand. …Inventory of homes for sale is rebuilding in Canada. …Strained affordability, immigration and uncertainty to keep buyers cautious. …Affordability relief from rate drop will only be partial. …Absent any major economic shock, we’d expect housing market demand and supply to stay balanced in the year ahead, yielding minimal price increases Canada-wide.
Pressing ahead with steep tariffs on Canada and Mexico risks exacerbating the US housing crisis and threatening the broader economy, dozens of congressional Democrats have warned Donald Trump. …In a letter to Trump seen by the Guardian, Democrats noted that the US imports key construction materials worth billions of dollars – from lumber to cement products – from Canada and Mexico each year. “Given the severe housing shortage, compounded by rising construction costs, persistent supply chain disruptions, and an estimated shortfall of 6m homes, these looming tariffs, while intended to protect domestic industries, risk further exacerbating the housing supply and affordability crisis while stifling the development of new housing,” they wrote. More than 40 Democrats urged the White House to consider housebuilding industry estimates that the proposed tariffs will raise the cost of imported construction materials by up to $4bn.
MONTREAL — CN and Tree Canada have awarded ten Canadian communities with $50,000 grants for tree planting and greening projects. These grants, totaling $500,000, are made possible through CN EcoConnexions – From the Ground Up program that invests in community greening projects along CN’s rail network across Canada. …CN has also funded 45 additional $10,000 grants through Tree Canada’s Community Tree Grants program, supporting municipalities in their efforts to expand and maintain urban forests. Through the From the Ground Up program, CN has helped municipalities enhance their natural environments, improve social well-being, and engage residents who value green spaces. …Together with mass reforestation projects, CN and Tree Canada, along with other partners, have planted over 2.4 million trees through EcoConnexions initiatives, with a goal of planting a total of 3 million trees by 2030. Tree Canada works closely with grant recipients to help ensure the long-term success of their greening projects.
GRAND FORKS – The Forest Practices Board has finished a complaint investigation into Interfor Corporation’s logging practices north of Grand Forks. The complainant believed Interfor did not properly manage whitebark pine and caused environmental damage during site preparation for planting. The board found that Interfor planned and implemented special management practices for whitebark pine in the cutblock during its operations from late 2021 into early 2022. The investigation also determined that Interfor’s mounding activities – a technique that uses an excavator to scoop and pile soil to create raised planting spots for seedlings – did not cause environmental harm. “Interfor retained whitebark pine trees, avoided scarring them and preserved the species’ natural seed bank,” said Keith Atkinson, chair, Forest Practices Board. “Interfor also planted around 5,200 whitebark pine seedlings on the cutblock, incurring extra expenses to help maintain the species into the future.” 
Len Apedaile, RPF, is the general manager of Tiičma Forestry, a small market logger based up in Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che:k’tles7et’h’ First Nations (KCFN) territory on Vancouver Island’s north coast. He thinks, if anything, the American tariffs scenario of 25% on all Canadian imports will give businesses the opportunity to re-evaluate how they fundamentally do things. …“This doesn’t happen overnight, but I think that you’ll see that this will spur on those efforts over time,” said Apedaile. …“We really don’t understand where these tariffs are coming from because they just don’t make sense for the Americans or us. …Tiičma Forestry operates in a high-cost area of Vancouver Island. The relatively new First Nations forestry company sells west coast old and second growth logs to a Terminal Forest Products sawmill on the mainland who exports primarily to the U.S.
MONCTON, New Brunswick –
Dear Premier Houston, On January 21st, you sent a letter to your caucus addressing potential actions your government could take in response to US President Trump’s threat of tariffs, later made available in the Chronicle Herald. We are extremely concerned with some of the content of your letter …as well as the disrespectful way you have described the interests of Nova Scotians and the environmental groups that represent them, referring to opposition voices to unsustainable resource extraction activities as “special interest” groups. …we are left wondering if your term “special interest” group refers only to organizations based in Halifax, or urban areas in general, or perhaps only to organizations led by scientists and other experts in environmental fields. In this case, where does Nature Nova Scotia fall? Our staff and board are rural Nova Scotians, some of us woodlot owners, and foresters, but we are also scientists, and we are certainly environmentalists. 
OTTAWA, ON
