Blog Archives

Kodiak AI is slated is conduct pilot operations for autonomous driving technology in Alberta. The Silicon Valley upstart, founded in 2018 in Mountain View by Don Burnette and Paz Eshel, has developed purpose-built, AI-powered ground autonomy solutions. Kodiak’s solutions specifically targeting the commercial trucking industry, which is where Alberta comes in; the region serves as a practical testing ground for explore the deployment of trucks equipped with the Kodiak Driver, the firm’s AI-powered autonomous log-hauling operations system. Logging truck routes often involve challenging roads with rough terrain and limited resources. The Mountain View innovator is partnering with Vancouver-based West Fraser Timber Co. to explore deployment of trucks equipped with Kodiak’s flagship Driver technology, which aims to address an industry-wide shortage of drivers and increase consistency of raw material supply to mills. “Innovation that improves safety and sustainability has long been central to how West Fraser operates,” says Mark Cookson, Woods Operations Manager for West Fraser.

VANCOUVER, BC — As BC’s forest sector continues to evolve, helping students understand career opportunities in modern forestry remains important. The BC Council of Forest Industries (COFI) welcomes new support from Forestry Innovation Investment (FII) for COFI’s Forest Education Program, helping expand career awareness and workforce initiatives focused on modern forestry and wood products manufacturing. The program will connect students and job seekers with opportunities in the modern, high-tech forest sector through sawmill and manufacturing awareness events, Indigenous career events, career fairs, and trade and technology awareness initiatives. Delivered in partnership with COFI member companies, Indigenous organizations, school districts, training providers, and community partners, these initiatives are designed to increase awareness of the many career opportunities available in today’s forest sector. Through guided mill tours, classroom presentations, field tours, and career fairs, participants will gain direct exposure to local forestry operations and the technologies driving the industry, including advanced manufacturing, automation, and digital systems. 

Alberta Forest Week is just behind us – one of those natural moments throughout the year where I take time to pause and reflect on the challenges behind us, the opportunities that lie ahead, and all of the people who make that work possible. This year, I find myself thinking about what it truly means to be part of a forest community. Because at its core, this sector isn’t just about trees — it’s about people. The ones who show up early, stay late, and take pride in work that often goes unseen. The ones who build their lives around the forests, who care deeply about the land, and who understand that what they do today matters for generations to come. …So however you choose to celebrate Alberta Forest Week — whether it’s a walk in the woods, taking a closer look at the products we rely on every day, or simply learning something new — please take a moment to recognize the people behind it all.

In a public alert, the Village of Sayward — located just over 300 kilometres north of Victoria, B.C. — issued a warning to its residents after the grizzly was spotted within the village on May 4. Residents had been seeing the bear in the area around the village in the days leading up to it officially entering the village’s boundary. …While it’s the first sighting of a grizzly on the Island for the year, sightings are becoming more common. …Historically, the Island has not been considered a year-round habitat for grizzlies, says Nick Scapillati, executive director with the Grizzly Bear Foundation. But sightings of the mom and her cubs goes back to 2024 and Scapillati says that due to the small size of the cubs, they wouldn’t have been able to swim over. He believes it could be evidence of the first ever grizzly cubs to be born on Vancouver Island — a sign that grizzlies could be wintering on the Island. 

The West Coast Lumberjack Show returns to the 2026 Cloverdale Rodeo and Fair May 14 – 18. …As every year, fair-goers can expect high energy, fast action, and hilarious antics at the lumberjack shows over the course of the weekend. This year, the show is being presented by S&R Sawmills. …The event features some of the best professional lumberjacks in Canada. The competitors will showcase their strength, speed, and skill. Cloverdale is usually the first stop on the calendar for the logger-sports season. As such, the lumberjacks are always excited to come to Cloverdale, ensuring some high-octane enthusiasm is added to the weekend events. The West Coast Lumberjack Show performs 50 to 60 “show days” per year at between 12 to 15 different events spread across, mostly Western Canada, some back east, and a few south of the 49th….The lumberjack show has been entertaining fair-goers for more than 40 years. The event was first showcased at the 1982 Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair.

A new UBC study has found that lands managed by Indigenous Peoples consistently protect forests, biodiversity and carbon stores at levels equal to or greater than government-designated protected areas—yet most of these lands remain inadequately recognized or resourced. The paper analyzed 111 peer-reviewed papers… Three-quarters of those studies found a positive relationship between Indigenous lands and conservation. …The study also highlights a major gap in the research itself: only seven per cent of the 111 papers included Indigenous authors. “This is a significant disconnect,” said Garry Merkel, co-author and director of UBC’s Centre of Indigenous Land Stewardship and a member of Tahltan Nation. “Scientists often find it difficult to accept Indigenous science as legitimate, resulting in academic research that does not fully reflect Indigenous knowledge systems or perspectives. This work will help future research to be more inclusive and respectful in its acknowledgement of Indigenous communities.”

A large part of the Central Okanagan is under an extreme fire danger rating, as prolonged dry conditions and wind continue to elevate wildfire risk across the region. Forest fuels are extremely dry, allowing fires to ignite easily, spread rapidly, and become difficult to control. West Kelowna fire chief Jason Brolund says the current conditions are unusually persistent for this time of year and should be taken seriously. “This should be a very strong reminder to people that wildfire is a reality now,” Brolund said. He stressed that while conditions are concerning, officials are not expecting a large-scale disaster at this stage. “We’re not going to see a catastrophic wildfire that causes community to be evacuated,” he said, “But it is a reminder that wildfire is a very real risk, and we could see a fire that spreads quickly.”

Parks Canada is scrambling to overhaul its wildfire prevention strategy after internal and federal records tied massive fuel loads of dead timber to the devastation that tore through Jasper in 2024. Appearing before the Senate national finance committee, interim CEO Andrew Campbell said the agency is now shifting toward more aggressive fire mitigation, including controlled burns and clearing dead trees near vulnerable communities. Blacklock’s Reporter said the move comes after widespread criticism that previous management allowed dangerous conditions to persist inside Jasper National Park. …The Canadian Forest Service report, titled Jasper Wildfire Complex 2024 Fire Behaviour Documentation, Reconstruction And Analysis, linked the conditions to a severe mountain pine beetle infestation that peaked years before the blaze. Researchers found the widespread deadwood significantly altered forest conditions, increasing sunlight and wind exposure at ground level, which accelerated drying and made fuels more combustible.