John Rustad

VANDERHOOF — B.C. Conservatives are promising changes they say will bring more stability to the province’s struggling forest industry. Leader John Rustad announced his plan for the sector a week before the official launch of the provincial election campaign, saying a Conservative government would do away with stumpage fees paid when timber is harvested and instead put a tax on the final products that are produced. Rustad said Saturday that under a provincial Conservative government, a small fee may be charged upfront, but the bulk would come at the end of the process, depending on what type of product is created. He also promised to review how wildfires are managed, as well as streamline the permit process and review what he calls the province’s “uncompetitive cost structure.” …The governing New Democrats meanwhile, say eliminating stumpage fees would inflame the softwood lumber dispute with the U.S. and hurt forestry workers.