OTTAWA, ON—Canadian Forest Owners (CFO) congratulates the Honourable Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, and members of the Forestry Transformation Task Force on the release of their report, which recognizes the important contribution of Canada’s private forests in building a competitive, sustainable, and resilient forest sector. Representing approximately 480,000 private forest owners across the country, CFO’s members manage 25 million hectares of privately owned forest land from coast to coast. Together, they account for approximately 10 per cent of Canada’s forest land base and 20 per cent of national forest production. As the report notes, “Canada has a proud tradition of private forest ownership.” Private forests contribute an estimated $14.5 billion annually to Canada’s economy and support nearly 40,000 direct jobs in silviculture, harvesting, transportation, and forest products manufacturing. …For CFO, the report’s recognition of private forests is an important step forward. However, the organization believes that recognition must now be accompanied by policy action.
VICTORIA, BC
The Trump administration wants to reimpose a 10% tariff on top trading partners including the EU and Canada, while hitting others with a higher rate, citing concerns about forced labor. The US Trade Representative’s Office made those proposals as part of a report with the results of its investigation into 60 trading partners over their failure to impose and enforce laws to prohibit goods made with forced labor. It’s one of two sprawling trade investigations the administration launched earlier this spring in an effort to restore President Donald Trump’s global tariffs that were struck down by the Supreme Court in February. …The USTR probe, conducted under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, found that six countries have failed to effectively enforce existing laws prohibiting goods made with forced labor: Canada, Ecuador, the European Union, Indonesia, Mexico and Pakistan. The report recommended a 10% duty. It recommended the same duty for another nine countries.
Canada has given the US and Mexico official notice that it wants the free trade deal between the three countries to be renewed. In a letter to his American and Mexican counterparts, Canada-US Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc said the country is seeking renewal of CUSMA when it comes up for review on July 1. LeBlanc is in Washington Tuesday for a meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. All the signals from the White House over the past year and a half indicate that the Trump administration does not want a straightforward renewal of CUSMA and instead wants significant changes to its terms. …LeBlanc calls CUSMA “highly beneficial to each of our countries and to the integrated North American economy,” but goes on to acknowledge that the other countries may want to propose “improvements.” …Whatever happens on July 1, CUSMA is slated to remain in effect until 2036. 
Both B.C.’s attorney general and lawyers for the Cowichan Nation welcomed the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision not to hear a case out of New Brunswick on First Nations’ ownership claims of private industrial forest land. It comes as the BC government and Cowichan Nation pursue appeals after a contentious BC Supreme Court ruling that recognizes that the Cowichan Nation’s Aboriginal title extends to privately-owned property in the Richmond area. …BC Attorney General Niki Sharma said that the decision not to hear that case bodes well for the province’s appeal in the Cowichan case. The Crown-Indigenous Relations Department said the Wolastoqey decision allowed by the Supreme Court of Canada to stand was an important ruling, adding that “private property rights are fundamental.” …Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie hopes the rejection of the Wolastoqey Nation’s leave application “is a signal of the current thought process of the Supreme Court of Canada.”
– The Trump administration’s trade agency said on Wednesday it will kick off the first of three negotiating rounds with Mexico this week to revamp the North American trade agreement, but made no mention of any talks with Canada. The U.S. Trade Representative’s office said in a statement that Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Jeffrey Goettman will lead bilateral talks in Mexico City on Thursday and Friday focused on “economic security and rules of origin for key industrial goods.” USTR Jamieson Greer stayed in Washington to attend a White House cabinet meeting on Thursday. USTR said the U.S. and Mexico will hold a second round of negotiations in Washington June 16 to 17, focused on agriculture and “a level playing field,” with a third set of talks in Mexico City scheduled for the week of July 20. …But USTR’s statement made no mention of bilateral talks with Canada.
Mayor Everett Baker was pleased to share some positive news about Interfor as a second shift resumed at the Interfor sawmill in Grand Forks. Baker stated in a text message to The Gazette he was pleased to hear that the second shift started on Monday. In addition, the planer mill is also expected to be back to two shifts by the end of the month. …“I want to thank Interfor for working with all levels of government to continue to keep our mill operating.” While the extra shifts are great news, Baker added the mill needs a log supply, but the team working to get the mill back up and running to at-or-near full shifts is getting closer to their goal. It wasn’t clear how many employees would be returning. In November, a single shift of 68 employees was hired back at Interfor.
Workers at Western Forest Products Value-Added Division (WFP VAD) in Chemainus, BC, have joined the United Steelworkers union. The successful union organizing campaign was driven by a desire for better representation and a stronger voice on the job with a union that will fight for improvements that forestry workers need and deserve. …After significantly falling behind other USW-represented forestry workers in terms of wages, benefits, job security and strength on the job, the WFP VAD workers decided to come together and join a union with a proven record of achieving exactly what they are lacking in their collective agreement. …“Our local union is happy to welcome new Steelworker members from WFP VAD,” said Brian Butler, USW Local 1-1937 President. …“These workers deserve a union that has the strength, experience and resources to deliver real results at the bargaining table,” said Jeff Bromley, USW Wood Council Chair.
VANCOUVER, BC 
FORT ST. JOHN, BC — After much speculation, the Canfor sawmill in Fort St. John has officially been sold to outside interests. Canfor media relations representatives confirmed the sale of the sawmill, planer, pellet plant and energy systems to Rocky Mountain Salvage on May 29th. Rocky Mountain Salvage is a scrap metal and garbage recycling company with interests in Hinton and Edson, Alberta. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. “Since announcing the closure of the Fort St. John sawmill, Canfor is working to divest the site and assets,” said Canfor. …The sawmill was announced as closing in September 2024, affecting 220 jobs, along with a facility in Chetwynd.
FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The sale of a former sawmill owned by industry giant Canfor in Fort St. John could be happening very soon. According to a news tip received by Energeticcity.ca, a purchase by a salvage company based in the province’s interior was “99 per cent complete” with the new ownership possessing the property and hourly employees would have their last shift on Friday, May 29th, at midnight. The sawmill at 9312 259 Road was announced as closing in 2024, following a “systematic, orderly wind-down process” affecting 220 jobs. However, when approached by Energeticcity.ca, media relations representative of Canfor, Mina Laudan, said that no sale has been finalized as of yet.
The US Trade Representative has determined that several Brazilian acts, policies, and practices are actionable under Section 301 and has proposed tariffs of 25% on all goods of Brazil, with specified exemptions and an annex of excluded products. …The determination covers multiple areas, including illegal deforestation, and states that timber and agricultural production linked to illegal deforestation can burden U.S. commerce by lowering costs for competing products and distorting prices. The notice describes timber-sector fraud risks, including the laundering of illegally harvested timber through supply chains, and states that illegally sourced timber products can devalue legally sourced timber prices by an estimated 7% to 16%. On wood-related findings, the notice references concerns that Brazilian products may be made with timber harvested illegally. It also describes limits in auditing and verification under Brazil’s Forest Code registration system. …The notice sets a public comment schedule that opens June 1, 2026.
JASPER County, Georgia — Firemen from the Jasper, Tri-Community, Beech Grove, East End Fire, Lake Rayburn and Angelina Fire Departments have all converged on the Lincoln Lumber Mill where a fire in the kiln has sent thick smoke into the air that can be seen for miles. No injuries have been reported. Mike Lout with our media partner KJAS reports the fire broke out this morning at the mill off Highway 96, just south of Jasper. First responders say the fire broke out in the dryer house or kiln of the operation. Firemen have so far been able to limit the fire to the drying house. However, flames and smoke are filling the building and firemen are continuing to pump water into the structure.
WAYNE, Pennsylvania — Saothair Capital Partners, a private equity firm, announced it has completed the acquisition of EAM Corp. from Domtar through a newly-formed affiliate. Founded in 1998 and headquartered in Jesup, Georgia, EAM is a manufacturer of nonwoven airlaid and laminated absorbent materials used in feminine hygiene, adult incontinence, baby diaper, medical, industrial and food packaging applications. …Following the acquisition, current EAM General Manager Vanecia Carr will serve as Chief Executive Officer and Lori Venn will serve as Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing.
