Blog Archives

Today’s Takeaway

US Senate considers Michael Boren to lead the US Forest Service

Tree Frog Forestry News
June 4, 2025
Category: Today's Takeaway

Confirmation of Michael Boren to lead the US Forest Service is underway in the US Senate. In other Business new: Lumber Liquidators are back in business; West Fraser renewed its credit agreement; International Paper is considering a new packaging facility in Salt Lake City, Utah; KPMG purchased the assets of BC forest tech firm LlamaZoo; US home prices rose but tariffs will hinder construction; and Rayonier touts the benefits of mass timber construction. 

In Forestry/Wildfire news: First Nations urge Quebec to scrap its forestry reform bill; the BC government and First Nations kick-off land-use planning in the northwest; logging is debated in Pennsylvania and Montana; US senators introduce bill to reduce wildfire risk with carbon removal; a new study says boreal wildfires will slow global warming; and wildfire updates from Saskatchewan; and the BC/Alberta border.

Finally, Europe’s largest floating housing development will include prefabricated CLT homes.

Kelly McCloskey, Editor

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Special Feature

Navigating the Shifting Landscape of US Tariffs: Robert Mckellar

Kelly McCloskey, Editor
The Tree Frog Forestry News
June 3, 2025
Category: Special Feature
Region: Canada, United States

Robert McKellar

At International Pulp Week, political risk expert Robert McKellar delivered a timely and unconventional keynote that used a real-world policy shift to test a scenario-based approach to geopolitical uncertainty. Titled “Managing Geopolitical Uncertainty and Its Challenges,” the presentation featured a hypothetical pulp company navigating a shifting landscape of US tariffs, culminating in an unexpected twist: a policy reversal on tariffs the day after the analysis was completed. McKellar, Director of Harmattan Risk, emphasized from the outset that his session was not about delivering forecasts or policy advice, but about helping companies become more comfortable working with uncertainty. The tool he introduced—a scenario-based assessment—was less about pinpoint accuracy and more about creating a “living intelligence picture” to guide decisions in real time.

The unique twist, however, was that McKellar’s own process of preparing for the keynote presentation mimicked the very conditions of uncertainty he was seeking to illustrate. As he developed the ‘fictional company’ Thor Wood Pulp AB’s case study throughout late March and early April, the global trade landscape kept shifting. His assessment was finalized on April 8. On April 9, the Trump administration abruptly announced a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs. This reversal not only disrupted his planned narrative, but underscored his entire thesis: in volatile times, any analytical framework must remain adaptive, fluid, and responsive. …In a world of rapid political change, pulp producers and global businesses don’t need perfect foresight. What they need is a way to stay balanced, make timely decisions, and keep moving forward—even when the path ahead is constantly shifting.

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Looking Back, Moving Forward: 20 Years of Industry Insights at IPW 2025

Kelly McCloskey, Editor
Tree Frog Forestry News
June 2, 2025
Category: Special Feature
Region: Canada, United States, International

International Pulp Week 2025 opened in Vancouver with a note of celebration and reflection as delegates marked the event’s 20th anniversary. “After decades of being in Montreal in January… we decided to move the event to Vancouver and into the spring and summer months,” said Tim Brown, Vice-President at Numera Analytics. Over the years, Brown noted, the event has drawn participants from more than 50 countries and consistently focused on the industry’s most pressing challenges and opportunities. “It’s an industry that has innovated, adapted, and is one that itself is smarter and more sustainable.” Following Brown’s welcome, he introduced Kevin Mason, Managing Director of ERA Forest Products Research, who returned to the IPW stage to reflect on two decades of transformation in the global pulp sector—and to look ahead.

…Mason highlighting four key developments that have defined the past two decades: “A dramatic rise in demand for market pulp from China… Chinese demand met by massive growth in hardwood capacity in Latin America… hardwood steadily gained share versus softwood… and tissue expanded while printing and writing papers contracted.” Looking ahead, Mason projected the estimated end-use composition of pulp demand in 2040: tissue at 54%, specialty papers at 24%, packaging at 12%, fluff-based products at 7%, and graphic paper at 3%. He also shared a slide titled “Potential Developments Over the Next 20 Years,” listing several scenarios: continued expansion of domestic pulp capacity in China; hardwood gaining further share over softwood (though possibly nearing saturation); and the potential for dramatic growth in specialty papers and packaging—if government policy supports a shift away from plastics.

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Tariffs, Uncertainty, and the US Economic Outlook: A Macro View

Kelly McCloskey, Editor
Tree Frog Forestry News
June 2, 2025
Category: Special Feature
Region: United States, International

At International Pulp Week 2025, the global macroeconomic backdrop took centre stage in a session led by Joaquin Kritz Lara, Chief Economist and Head of Macro at Numera Analytics. With trade tensions escalating and US tariffs rising sharply, Kritz Lara presented a data-rich assessment of the economic policy shifts reshaping global markets—and what they could mean for business decisions in the months ahead. “This year, the word of the year is ‘uncertainty,’” he said, echoing a sentiment already raised earlier in the conference. …Uncertainty, he stressed, has a clear and measurable impact: “If you’re a corporation, a high level of uncertainty essentially stifles decision-making… You postpone your projects just until you get a little more clarity around the rules of the game.”

For the US, tariffs present a dual threat. “They create uncertainty around growth, but they also create uncertainty around inflation,” he said. The risk, he argued, is stagflation—a combination of slowing economic activity and rising prices. …Kritz Lara cautioned that while inflationary pressures may ease absent new tariffs, markets are likely too optimistic about US growth. “We find a 75% chance that the economy will grow less than what the market expects it to grow next year,” he said. “That will likely reverse the US exceptionalism narrative.” In terms of interest rates, Kritz Lara believes the Fed may end up cutting more than markets expect. “If all those [macro expectations] are weaker than what the market expects, the chances of long-term rates falling are far higher than what the market is anticipating right now,” he said. “So again, this is not to say the debt situation doesn’t matter—but macro matters more.”

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Emerging Tools in the Pulp Sector: Carbon Removal and EU Deforestation Regulation Compliance

Kelly McCloskey, Editor
Tree Frog Forestry News
June 2, 2025
Category: Special Feature
Region: International

The final two presentations at Day 2 of International Pulp Week introduced delegates to emerging business and compliance tools with implications for pulp producers globally. One focused on capturing and monetizing biogenic carbon dioxide (CO₂), the other on meeting the fast-approaching requirements of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). Jonathan Rhone, CEO of CO280, began by stating that “capturing and permanently sequestering biogenic CO₂ from boiler stack emissions represents a $100 billion per year market opportunity for the global pulp and paper sector.” The market, he said, is being created by global technology and financial firms—“Microsoft, JPMorgan, Google”—that are purchasing high-durability carbon dioxide removals (CDRs) to meet their net zero obligations.

…Parker Budding, representing Osapiens, followed with a presentation on how pulp producers can prepare for the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which comes into force on December 31, 2025. The regulation prohibits companies from placing products on the EU market unless they can prove the goods are deforestation-free and legally produced.

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Softwood and Hardwood: Market Signals from Metsä Fibre and Suzano

By Kelly McCloskey, Editor
Tree Frog Forestry News
June 2, 2025
Category: Special Feature
Region: International

At International Pulp Week, delegates heard directly from two of the world’s largest pulp producers on the state of global fibre markets—one representing softwood, the other hardwood. Mikko Antsalo, Senior Vice President of Sales and Supply Chain at Metsä Fibre, and Leonardo Grimaldi, Executive Vice President of Global Pulp Sales at Suzano, shared contrasting perspectives on supply, demand, and market dynamics across the fibre spectrum. …Mikko Antsalo began by stating, “Softwood pulp markets are projected to remain well-balanced,” citing steady demand growth and the absence of new capacity announcements as stabilizing factors. He concluded by reinforcing Metsä Fibre’s preparedness for the future: “We offer customers an optimized supply chain, fossil-free production, and are well positioned to fulfill upcoming sustainability requirements.”

…Leonardo Grimaldi then shifted focus to hardwood, providing a global view of bleached eucalyptus kraft pulp (BHKP) markets from the perspective of Brazil-based Suzano. He closed by showing that BHKP demand-to-capacity ratios are projected to remain under pressure through 2028, but may improve through a combination of fibre substitution, fossil-to-fibre applications, and unexpected supply shortages.

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Opinion / EdiTOADial

Forest Product Prices And Section 232 Tariff Exposure: ERA

By Kevin Mason, Managing Director
ERA Forest Products Research
June 4, 2025
Category: Opinion / EdiTOADial
Region: Canada, United States, International

Kevin Mason

As investors struggle to understand the implications of trade wars and the current tariff regime in the US, we offer our thoughts on the likely impacts (broken down by commodity). We note that trade parameters continue to change dramatically (e.g., tariffs blocked by the courts but then overturned on appeal). To be clear, tariffs are taxes on imports, with the degree of cost-sharing between importer and exporter determined by supply and demand. Some commodities experienced pre-tariff demand pull-forward, but, across the board, tariffs have reduced buyer appetite for any inventory accumulation and have had a generally chilling effect on investment, planning and normal business activity. We note that the ongoing Section 232 investigation into timber and timber products is sure to target lumber, but it may also expand to many others forest products. Uncertainty is now a constant in the sector.

…Tariffs on Canadian lumber imports are on hold pending the outcome of a Section 232 investigation. However, the long-standing softwood lumber dispute rumbles on; with duty rates set to more than double in the second half of 2025, price risk for S-P-F appears to be upside-weighted from current levels. SYP producers—and perhaps to a lesser extent European lumber exporters—should benefit from a drop in the volume of S-P-F going to the US when/if higher duties/tariffs are implemented. OSB and plywood could also be impacted by the Section 232 outcome. In OSB, a tariff on Canadian imports would likely see needed mill downtime north of the border.

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Business & Politics

US Lumber Coalition Comments on National Association of Home Builders FoxBusiness Statement

The US Lumber Coalition
June 4, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, United States

The NAHB has a long-established policy priority of working with Canada to promote unfettered access to the US market for unfairly traded Canadian lumber. …In a recent FoxBusiness report highlighting falling lumber prices… CEO of the NAHB, again indicated a desire to ensure continued access to Canadian lumber imports by stating that “we need to make sure that we have a reliable, affordable source of lumber.” “It is no secret that Canada engages in harmful unfair trade practices,” stated Andrew Miller of Stimson Lumber Company, adding “yet NAHB continues to advocate for the importation of injurious unfairly traded Canadian lumber while paying lip service to the idea of fair and balanced trade. …”It is ironic that NAHB and Canada are pushing the theme that US consumers pay for the duties, yet they are spending upwards of $50 million dollars a year fighting against the imposition of antidumping and anti-subsidy duties,” said Zoltan van Heyningen.

Related coverage in Mortgage Professional America: Experts split over lumber market’s role in housing slump

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West Fraser Credit Facility and Term Loan Renewals Increase Liquidity

West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd.
June 2, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, United States

VANCOUVER, BC — West Fraser Timber announced it has entered into a syndicated credit agreement providing for the renewal of its $1 billion credit facility and extension of the facility’s maturity from July 2028 to May 2030. The renewed credit facility is undrawn and is made available on substantially the same terms and conditions as the Company’s existing credit facility. Additionally, the Company has increased and extended its existing $200 million term loan maturing July 2025. The new term loan is for $300 million and matures May 2028.  “We exited the first quarter of 2025 with more than $1.4 billion of available liquidity, and with this renewed credit facility and expanded term loan we have further strengthened West Fraser’s near-term liquidity and financial flexibility,” said Sean McLaren, President and CEO, West Fraser.

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Will recent mergers in the global pulp and paper industry partly offset trade tensions?

By Simon Matthis
PulpaperNews.com
June 5, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, International

While the pulp and paper industry is inherently local—particularly in terms of production and sourcing of raw materials—trade is fundamentally cross-border and international. As a result, the sector is highly exposed to trade barriers and tensions, such as those created by the tariff policies introduced during the Trump administration. Tariffs are expected to put significant pressure on transportation and logistics—sectors that are intrinsically linked to the pulp and paper industry. This strain is partly mitigated by the fact that many pulp and paper companies have made substantial investments in overseas production capacity. Recent mergers in the industry, such as the Smurfit Kappa–WestRock merger and the International Paper–DS Smith merger, are also likely to offset some of the negative impacts of tariffs. These newly formed giants now operate production facilities in both Europe and the US. …This consolidation trend may render the pulp and paper industry more resilient. 

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International Paper to Explore Building a New State-of-the-Art Sustainable Packaging Facility in Salt Lake City, Utah

By International Paper
PR Newswire
June 3, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US West

MEMPHIS, Tennissee — International Paper announced the strategic exploration of a new sustainable packaging facility in Salt Lake City, Utah. The exploration of a prospective new facility is part of International Paper’s strategic growth plans to expand manufacturing capabilities in the US. The company is eyeing Utah to increase its footprint in the region and better serve customers by meeting the growing demand for high-quality, sustainable packaging. This announcement comes shortly after the company celebrated the groundbreaking of a new state-of-the-art sustainable packaging facility in Waterloo, Iowa. …”This exploration would be a new market for IP and an opportunity to better serve existing customers in the region,” said John Berry, Packaging Group West.

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Swiss Krono Group to acquire Collins Pine Company’s Klamath Falls facilities in Oregon

The Collins Pine Company
May 30, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US West

KLAMATH FALLS, Oregon – The Swiss Krono Group has entered into an agreement to acquire Collins Pine Company’s particleboard and engineered wood siding manufacturing facilities located in Klamath Falls, Oregon. This acquisition marks a strategic expansion for Swiss Krono in North America, complementing its existing operations in Barnwell, South Carolina, and building its presence in the Western United States. The decision by Collins to divest the Klamath Falls facilities supports the company’s strategic focus on its core business of timberlands management and softwood and hardwood lumber manufacturing. The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions. Financial terms of the deal will not be disclosed. …Collins Pine Company, founded in 1855, is family-owned with over 370,000 acres of FSC certified land in California, Oregon, and Pennsylvania. 

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BlueLinx Announces Expansion of Distribution Partnership with LP Building Solutions

By BlueLinx
The Financial Times
June 2, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US East

ATLANTA — BlueLinx and Louisiana-Pacific announces the expansion of their distribution partnership to Springfield, Missouri. The expanded collaboration will include LP’s renowned Siding Solutions brands and prefinished solutions, namely LP® SmartSide® Trim & Siding and LP® SmartSide® ExpertFinish® Trim & Siding. This strategic move expands BlueLinx’s stocking footprint of LP® SmartSide® to 19 locations, spanning five of BlueLinx’s regions across the United States.

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South Carolina paper mill with stinking past also had toxic mercury discharges

By Sammy Fretwell
The State
May 30, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: United States, US East

YORK COUNTY — South Carolina’s New Indy paper mill… releases more of a powerful neurotoxin into the air than any other major paper plant in the country, a new report says. The amount of mercury leaving New Indy’s York County plant is detailed in a study that examines air pollution at the nation’s largest 185 paper and pulp mills. A major finding is that many paper mills aren’t fully reporting the amount of greenhouse gases they release into the air because of a loophole in federal law. The report says they are burning fuels that release too much air pollution. But the report also provides insight about the discharge of mercury. The study, conducted by the Environmental Integrity Project, calls New Indy’s plant “the worst polluter in the nation’’ for mercury at paper mills, as well as for zinc, another type of metallic waste.

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UPM invests over 10 million euros in UPM Tervasaari mill in Finland

UPM Specialty Papers
May 28, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: International

UPM Specialty Papers will invest over 10 million euros in the modernization of UPM Tervasaari mill in Valkeakoski, Finland. The investment will allow UPM Specialty Papers to boost capacity and improve production stability in its highly specialized products, such as glassines and flexible packaging papers. …“This investment underscores our commitment to serving customers in the label, tape and industrial value chains as well as packaging,” highlights Tomi Lonka, Senior Vice President, Global Specialty Papers, UPM Specialty Papers. The modernization project includes the paper machine drying section rebuild and related steam system upgrade. The project is expected to be completed at the end of 2026. In recent years UPM has also invested approximately 20 million euros in boosting the energy efficiency of UPM Tervasaari mill. For example, in 2023, a new electric boiler was installed.

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Finance & Economics

Bank of Canada holds policy rate at 2.75%

The Bank of Canada
June 4, 2025
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: Canada

The Bank of Canada today maintained its target for the overnight rate at 2.75%, with the Bank Rate at 3% and the deposit rate at 2.70%. Since the April Monetary Policy Report, the US administration has continued to increase and decrease various tariffs. China and the US have stepped back from extremely high tariffs and bilateral trade negotiations have begun with a number of countries. However, the outcomes of these negotiations are highly uncertain, tariff rates are well above their levels at the beginning of 2025, and new trade actions are still being threatened. Uncertainty remains high. While the global economy has shown resilience in recent months, this partly reflects a temporary surge in activity to get ahead of tariffs. …In Canada, economic growth in the first quarter came in at 2.2%. …CPI inflation eased to 1.7% in April. …Excluding taxes, inflation rose 2.3% in April.

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LBM Dealers comment on how lumber and other materials sold will be impacted by tariffs

The LBM Journal
June 4, 2025
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: Canada, United States

There has been a lot of news recently on higher tariffs between the U.S. and its trading partners, including Canada and Mexico. One concern that is top of mind for many LBM dealers is how these new tariffs will affect lumber and other materials sold at yards and stores across the country. How concerned should I be and what action, if any, can I take to protect my business? Responses from lumberyards, full-line building material dealers, and specialty dealers/distributors:

  • Stock up heavy now and ride the wave. Things will straighten up.
  • Keep a sharp eye on inventory levels and don’t make any rash moves. Steady as she goes!
  • When the tariff goes on, adjust your prices that same day.
  • Don’t quote too far in the future. Quote only subject to tariffs.
  • Communicate with customers and suppliers regularly. Keep things transparent when possible.

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Straight talk on tariffs: Brass tacks guidance amid ongoing uncertainty

By Neil Agarwal, Frisco Woodline CEO
The HBS Dealer
June 4, 2025
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: Canada, United States

Uncertainty regarding tariffs continues to challenge companies across industries. It’s a common theme in every conversation I’ve had with fellow business owners lately: How do we plan, price or grow when the rules are constantly shifting? In our case, the lumber industry got a temporary break—framing lumber from Canada, which makes up over 30% of the US market, was exempt from the original tariffs. That’s good news for now, especially for residential construction. But there’s still no clarity on imports from other key countries like Brazil and China, where tariffs remain in full effect. That could have a serious impact on specialty products like Ipe and hardwood veneers. Other building materials—fasteners, finishes, flooring, and more—are also caught in the middle. …That cost will be passed on to the end user. Businesses like ours don’t have the luxury of absorbing increased costs indefinitely. If we did, we’d be out of business.

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RBC forecasts further declines in lumber and OSB prices

Investing.com
June 3, 2025
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: Canada, United States

On Monday, RBC analysts reported a decrease in the prices of lumber and oriented strand board (OSB) over the past week. The Framing Lumber Composite price fell by $4 to $438, while the OSB Composite price dropped by $7 to $282, according to Random Lengths data. These price movements are particularly relevant for building materials companies like AZEK, a significant player with a $7.17 billion market capitalization and strong 37.22% gross margins. RBC Elements, in collaboration with its in-house data science team, developed a multi-variable time series model to project future price movements. This model estimates that the Framing Lumber Composite will decrease by an additional $1 to $437 in the coming week. Similarly, the OSB Composite is forecasted to decline by $5 to $277 next week, based on the same predictive model. These projections are part of RBC’s ongoing analysis of the paper, packaging, and forest product sectors.

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If a Tree Falls in the Forest: Softwood Lumber Trade

By Sean Steuart, Kasia Trzaski Kopytek, Chris Krueger
TD Securities
June 2, 2025
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: Canada, United States

For Canadian lumber producers, US market access restrictions are a long-term reality. We expect increasing duty rates plus an incremental tariff will be applied to Canadian lumber imports by the third quarter of 2025 (Q3/25). …Short-term hurdles are notable (demand headwinds, rising US duties, and expected incremental tariffs) but for some companies, we believe that recent valuation contractions discount excessive risk. …A mutual lumber trade agreement between Canada and the US is not expected in the near- to medium-term but is more likely in five years. …We include an incremental US 25% tariff applied to Canadian lumber imports (Section 232 investigation) starting Q3/25 in addition to cumulative countervailing duties (CVD)/anti-dumping duties (ADD) collection rates expected to rise to almost 35% for most sawmills by mid-Q3/25. For the average Canadian sawmill, we estimate that Canadian lumber prices would need to rise 30% from current levels to pass on the increase to duty deposit rates plus the incremental tariff to customers.

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Fight over lumber tariffs could reshape future of US home building

By Aislinn Murphy
Fox Business News
June 2, 2025
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: Canada, United States

Lumber is in the spotlight as the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the US Lumber Coalition disagree over what’s behind the U.S. housing market slump. The NAHB has pointed to tariff uncertainty and lumber prices as being partly responsible. The US’s current anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duty on imported Canadian softwood lumber stands at 14.5%. It could potentially climb later in the year to nearly 35%. “I share President Trump’s desire to create fair and balanced trade across our borders, certainly would bring back as much production as we can,” NAHB CEO Jim Tobin said. “But until we do that, and it will take years and millions of dollars of investment, we need to make sure that we have a reliable, affordable source of lumber.” …The US Lumber Coalition has also been critical of Canada, saying that “ongoing unfair trade practices” by its lumber industry have been “extremely harmful to US lumber producers.”

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US growth forecast cut sharply by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) as Trump tariffs sour global outlook

By Sophie Kiderlin
CNBC News
June 3, 2025
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: Canada, United States, International

Economic growth forecasts for the US and globally were cut further by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OEDC) as President Trump’s tariff turmoil weighs on expectations. The US growth outlook was downwardly revised to just 1.6% this year and 1.5% in 2026. In March, the OECD was still expecting a 2.2% expansion in 2025. The fallout from Trump’s tariff policy, elevated economic policy uncertainty, a slowdown of net immigration and a smaller federal workforce were cited as reasons for the latest downgrade. Global growth, meanwhile, is also expected to be lower than previously forecast, with the OECD saying that “the slowdown is concentrated in the United States, Canada and Mexico”. “Global GDP growth is projected to slow from 3.3% in 2024 to 2.9% this year and in 2026. It had previously forecast global growth of 3.1% this year and 3% in 2026. …The OECD adjusted its inflation forecast, saying “higher trade costs will also push up inflation.”

Related news in the Financial Post: Canada to take brunt of one of the worst slowdowns since the pandemic, warns OECD

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Going No Where in 2025-Q2, But Higher Prices Coming in Q3 from Duties (and Maybe Tariffs)

By Russ Taylor
Russ Taylor Global
June 2, 2025
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: Canada, United States

US market conditions have been lackluster since the Trump tariffs on Canadian lumber were postponed for the second time in early April. …The proposed 25% tariffs were the catalyst for SPF prices rising in the first two months of 2025. …Today, this puts BC Interior SPF mills back near break-even levels at current lumber prices and 14.4% duties with other Canadian regions looking to be marginally profitable. With tariffs in suspension mode, the US market fundamentals have now been exposed – the market is weak and remain weak – and there is too much supply – again! ….The silliness of the Trump administration’s irrational rhetoric as well as biased trade policies will only result in raising all lumber prices to the US home builder, the renovation contractor, and the consumer. How much of the tariffs (or Canadian duties) are passed on to the consumer is the only wild card, but it will likely be the majority.

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Multi-family starts boost Canada, U.S. new home starts

By Joel Schlesinger
The Calgary Herald
May 29, 2025
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: Canada, Canada West

New homes development got a shot in the arm this spring with April starts rising in Canada and the United States. Recent reports from TD Economics examined new home data in both markets, finding month-over-month rises in starts for April. In Canada, starts jumped 30 per cent month over month, marking the largest rise since June 2023. Driving growth was the multi-family family segment that saw starts rise 34 per cent, whereas single-family detached home starts gained six per cent from March. …TD noted the “bounce-back” in activity was not unsurprising given levels were so low to start the year. What’s more, housing starts could “be softening,” amid higher construction costs and lower immigration, it cautioned. In the U.S., activity was less robust by percentage growth. Starts there increased less than two per cent month over month.

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Wood, Paper & Green Building

A Guide to Mass Timber Construction: The Future of Sustainable Architecture and The Role of Forestry

Rayonier Inc.
June 3, 2025
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States, US East

Mass timber, a renewable, durable, environmentally friendly building material, is changing the building industry for the better. In this article, we take a deeper look at the environmental, economic and human benefits of mass timber and highlight some mass timber success stories. …In this guide, we’re looking at the benefits of mass timber and how it is reshaping the commercial building industry. We’re also taking a close look at the story of 619 Ponce, an entirely locally-sourced mass timber structure championed in part by the Georgia Forestry Foundation in the heart of Atlanta.

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Domestic vs. international: The trade-offs in mass timber suppliers

By McCownGordon Construction
Dallas Business Journal
June 1, 2025
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: United States, US East

Mass timber continues to gain traction in the United States for its sustainability, strength and aesthetic appeal. …In just the last four years, Texas saw a 168% increase in the amount of mass timber projects either in design, construction or completed. As mass timber developments in Texas increase in popularity, owners and contractors face a critical decision: whether to source the material domestically or internationally. The decision isn’t as simple as price — although it is a big factor. There are other points to consider when selecting your mass timber provider. …With threats of tariffs and rising material costs, builders might feel inclined to source mass timber from domestic providers. According to Forisk, an industry research and consulting firm, there are 38 mass timber production facilities across the United States and Canada —24 of which can produce cross-laminated timber (CLT). Nearly 51% of those facilities are located in the Northwest region of the United States.

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Forestry

‘No end in sight’ for systematic killing of BC wolves to save caribou

By Rochelle Baker
The National Observer
June 2, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

The BC government spent a decade killing wolves to protect caribou. Now, critics warn that despite questions about its effectiveness, ethics and impact on the rest of the environment, the government is moving to make the wolf cull a permanent part of its strategy. Launched as a short-term emergency measure in 2015, the decade-long wolf cull is a morally outrageous tactic to divert public attention from the root cause of caribou declines — the province’s failure to significantly address habitat destruction — said Pacific Wild co-founder Ian McAllister. …The future for caribou and wolves is looking even more dire given the federal and provincial plans to fast-track permitting and reduce environmental assessments for development, McAllister said. …The province is looking to make its “short-term emergency” measure of shooting wolves to protect caribou a permanent practice in lieu of protecting habitat, critics warn.

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What happens during a Red Flag Warning? Alberta Wildfire explains

By Steven Sandor
The Edmonton Journal
May 29, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

The Red Flag Warning has been sounded by Alberta Wildfire. But what does it mean? It means conditions are ripe for the ignition and fast-moving spread of wildfires. The forest-fire experts use a sliding scale, first adopted by the U.S. National Weather Service, to determine how dry the conditions are in the forest areas, and how the wind could help fan the flames if that dry tinder is ignited. Basically, a score is calculated based on wind speed, heat and the lack of humidity. A sample document provided by Alberta Wildfire shows a hypothetical watch being created when the maximum daily temperatures is expected to hit 33 Celsius, the humidity is at 25 per cent or lower, and wind speeds are 10 km/h. Basically, when it is punishingly hot and dry, it doesn’t take a lot of wind to trigger an alert. “And, just like weather alerts, “watch” is one level below “warning.”

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New Maine law will require landowners to report enrollment in forest carbon programs

By Kate Cough
The Maine Monitor
June 2, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: United States, US East

MAINE, USA — A law signed by Gov. Janet Mills last week requires landowners who are participating in the forest carbon credit market to report basic data — including a landowner’s name, contact information, date of enrollment and total enrolled acreage — to the state on an annual basis, information the state will use to create a database and track the impact of carbon credits on Maine’s forests. “We need to understand how Maine woodland owners are participating in the emerging forest carbon market, given both Maine’s forest-based economy and its climate change initiatives,” said Morten Moesswilde, the division director of Forest Policy and Management for the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, in a work session on the legislation in February. …The law was supported by conservation organizations as well as the Maine Forest Products Council and several woodlot owners, who stressed the importance of understanding an emerging market.

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Analyzing the Role of the FSC Across Diverse Economic and Climatic Contexts

By Inoussa Boubacar and Yaya Sissoko
Science Direct
May 31, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: International

This study investigates the role of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification in advancing sustainable forest management and influencing forest cover changes across 70 countries from 2000 to 2021. Using dynamic panel data model and Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimations, the analysis addresses endogeneity concerns, such as those stemming from lagged dependent variables, providing robust and unbiased estimates. Results indicate that FSC certification significantly enhances forest cover, with the most pronounced effects observed in low- and middle-income countries. Additionally, the study explores how FSC certification interacts with income levels and climatic conditions, revealing region-specific variations in its effects. These findings highlight the importance of market-based conservation tools, such as FSC certification, which align economic incentives with sustainability objectives. The analysis provides practical insights, recommending the integration of FSC certification into responsible trade practices and the development of regionally tailored forest management strategies to maximize conservation outcomes.

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Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy

Most of Western Canada’s glaciers ‘doomed’ to disappear, researchers find

By Stefan Labbe
Business in Vancouver
May 31, 2025
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: Canada, Canada West, International

Climate change has put Western Canada’s glaciers on track for devastating loss over the coming decades, with the southern half of BC expected to lose nearly 75% of the alpine ice — even if warming stops today, a new study has found. The planet has so far warmed an average of about 1.2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial temperatures. If that increase climbs to 1.5 degrees C, 81% of Western Canadian and US glacier mass would melt, according to the study published Thursday in the journal Science. …Harry Zekollari, the study’s lead author and a glaciologist at Belgium’s Vrije Universiteit Brussel, said the international research team used eight glacier computer models to analyze the potential long-term evolution of the year-round ice. The results painted a dire picture for the world’s glaciers, as the planet has already locked in enough warming to melt 40% of the Earth’s year-round ice by the end of the century.

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BC climate action has reduced emissions, with economic success

By Mark Zacharias (SFU) & Rachel Doran (Clean Energy Canada)
Business in Vancouver
June 1, 2025
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: Canada, Canada West

Seventeen years on and the evidence is clear: B.C. has moved the needle on emissions. While the province’s population has grown 25% over this period, carbon emissions between 2008 and 2023 are down almost 5% — or nearly 7% if you measure from 2018, when CleanBC was announced. …BC’s industrial sectors, spurred by provincial regulation and investments, have done much of the heavy lifting. Heavy industries, including mining, smelting, pulp and paper, cement, steel, gypsum, and chemicals and fertilizers have seen emission declines of 16% over this period, while oil and gas production emissions are down 30%. …Admittedly, not everything is good news. The province is not on track to meet its 2030 climate target, and many CleanBC policies — including the oil and gas emissions cap, capping emissions from natural gas utilities and the clean transportation action plan — remain incomplete. …BC has announced a review of its CleanBC plan to be completed this fall. 

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Toyota’s Biofuel: a new lease on life for combustion engines

Global Fleet
June 1, 2025
Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy
Region: International

Even if conversations are dominated by electrification, Toyota is working on a different course to keep combustion engines relevant. A recent Nikkei Asia report reveals that Japanese automakers led by Toyota have opened a bioethanol facility in Fukushima, aiming to slash the carbon footprint of conventional engines with a new kind of “better biofuel”. …What sets this project apart is its focus on second-generation biofuels: non-edible plants and agricultural waste serve as the feedstock, rather than food crops like corn or sugarcane. By avoiding feedstocks that compete with food supply, Toyota’s program addresses a key criticism of traditional biofuels. …The choice of Fukushima for the facility is symbolic. The site reuses land in an area devastated by the 2011 nuclear disaster, turning “disaster zones” into productive, green-energy facilities. In doing so, Toyota’s project ties regional recovery to climate innovation. …Feedstock: Uses non-food biomass (e.g. wood chips, rice straw, plant waste) instead of edible crops.

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Health & Safety

Thousands evacuated in 3 provinces as Canadian wildfires threaten air quality into some US states

By Julie Walker
The Associated Press
June 1, 2025
Category: Health & Safety
Region: Canada, United States

FLIN FLON, Manitoba — More than 25,000 residents in three provinces have been evacuated as dozens of wildfires remained active Sunday and diminished air quality in parts of Canada and the US, according to officials. Most of the evacuated residents were from Manitoba, which declared a state of emergency last week. About 17,000 people there were evacuated by Saturday along with 1,300 in Alberta. About 8,000 people in Saskatchewan had been relocated as leaders there warned the number could climb. Smoke was worsening air quality and reducing visibility in Canada and into some US states along the border. “Air quality and visibility due to wildfire smoke can fluctuate over short distances and can vary considerably from hour to hour,” Saskatchewan’s Public Safety Agency warned Sunday. “As smoke levels increase, health risks increase.” …In some parts of the U.S., air quality reached “unhealthy” levels Sunday in North Dakota and small swaths of Montana, Minnesota and South Dakota.

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Forest Fires

‘This is classic climate change’: Sask. faces worst wildfire season in decades

By Aliyah Marko-Omene
CBC News
June 1, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

Saskatchewan is battling the worst wildfire it’s seen in decades — including the 300,000-hectare Shoe Fire in northern Saskatchewan — and experts say it’s largely caused by climate change. “This is classic climate change,” said Colin Laroque, head of soil science and professor at the University of Saskatchewan. Laroque said climatology is studied using 30-year timeframes of weather patterns, which “weren’t that different” until recently. …”These are things that we traditionally saw more in June, July and later summer, when everything dried out and then the fires took off,” Laroque said. Saskatchewan is making its way out of a relatively dry period. Few places had snow for long periods of time over winter. In the past, “snowpacks” would take time to fully melt and trickle into the ground as it warmed up. This would recharge the moisture of the soil.

In related coverage: In the CBC No relief in sight as 20 Sask. communities under evacuation orders

Brandon Sun, by Tom Brodbeck: Climate change a ‘right now’ problem

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Cool temperatures, chance of rain as crews battle wildfires near Flin Flon, Man.

The Canadian Press
June 2, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

FLIN FLON, Manitoba – Cooler temperatures and a chance of rain this week is expected in a northwestern Manitoba city that’s had to evacuate thousands of people due to wildfire. Environment Canada says temperatures in the mid teens to mid 20s are forecasted this week, with a good chance of rain coming Saturday in Flin Flon. Fire crews have been trying to keep a blaze near Flin Flon at bay, and have said the fire has been contained to outside its perimeter highway. Crews say there have been no structures lost due to the wildfire. More than 17,000 people have been displaced by wildfires in Manitoba, including 5,000 from Flin Flon. Thousands have been affected by wildfires across the Prairie provinces, with Saskatchewan issuing an evacuation alert Sunday morning for dozens of residents in the small northern community of Timber Bay, located about 260 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon. [END]

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There’s a wildfire crisis in Western Canada. Why is this happening so early in the season?

By Tiffany Crawford
Vancouver Sun
May 31, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

It’s not yet summer, but out-of-control wildfires are raging across Western Canada, fuelled by drought, warmer temperatures and lack of rainfall. Residents in northeastern BC, near Kelly Lake, have fled their homes, as Manitoba and Saskatchewan declared provincial emergencies this week. As of Friday, wildfires in Manitoba had displaced more than 17,000 people. Thousands more have been given evacuation orders because of wildfires in Saskatchewan and Alberta, including 1,300 residents of Swan Hills, a community northwest of Edmonton. …“We did see similar early-season activity like this in the far northeast in 2023 and in 2024 in BC,” said Budd. “That’s really the result of prolonged drought in the region that goes back as early as 2022.” …Manitoba is also facing a dire situation. The Flin Flon fire, located on the Manitoba-Saskatchewan border near Creighton, started at a landfill before crossing over the Manitoba border. It has grown to more than 200 square kilometres.

Related coverage in:

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Hot, dry forecast spells trouble for Saskatchewan wildfires

By Jeffrey Tram
CBC News
May 30, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada West

A meteorologist is warning the upcoming weather forecast isn’t good news for the wildfire outlook in northern Saskatchewan, with hot, dry and windy conditions in the foreseeable future. “We’re not getting any relief, unfortunately,” said Justin Shelly, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada. “We’re expecting very warm conditions to continue.” A cold front will develop from Alberta that will move to Saskatchewan on Friday, but it will only create some isolated chances of showers and thunderstorms, said Shelly. “There’s not going to be a lot of accumulations in terms of rainfall amounts associated with this,” he said. Shelly said another system from Alberta will be coming Saturday night into Sunday morning, but most of the rainfall will hit isolated spots of northern Saskatchewan, with only about five to 15 millimetres in those areas.

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Nova Scotia wildfire season off to a slow start after cool, wet spring

By Danielle Edwards
CBC News
May 31, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada East

The wildfire season in Nova Scotia has been off to a “slow” start, according to the manager of forest protection with the province’s natural resources department. Scott Tingely told CBC News that so far, the number of fires and the amount of hectares burned are both below average at this point. “We had a pretty cool, wet spring so far, so that has certainly helped kind of mitigate the conditions and the risk,” Tingley said. As of Thursday, 39 fires have burned about 35 hectares across the province so far. …The wildfire situation in Nova Scotia has changed rapidly over the last week, according to data from Natural Resources Canada. On Tuesday, the department listed the fire danger across most of the province as low. And as of Thursday, that classification was raised to high for the bulk of the mainland and Cape Breton.

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Wildfire activity persists in northern Ontario

By Dan Bertrand
CTV News
June 2, 2025
Category: Forest Fires
Region: Canada, Canada East

Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) continues to monitor wildfires across the province, with varying conditions in the northeast and northwest regions. While some fires have been brought under control, others remain active, prompting ongoing suppression efforts and precautionary measures. The northeast region reports two active wildfires, with one recently contained. Sudbury 13, a 0.5-hectare fire near Wikwemikong that was identified on Saturday, was declared out Sunday morning. Cochrane 2, an 8-hectare fire northwest of Attawapiskat, is now under control. Cochrane 3, burning 48 kilometres west of Attawapiskat, remains not under control at 150 hectares. Though the MNR confirms no immediate threats to communities or infrastructure at this time. The northwest region remains a focal point, with 15 active fires and persistent high-risk conditions.

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