Category Archives: Business & Politics

BURNABY — British Columbia’s public service workers’ union is expanding its job action even as it takes part in mediated talks with the government to end its dispute. The B.C. General Employees’ Union says in a statement that its members from the BC Wildfire Service and the Ministry of Forests are joining the picket lines. The wildfire service says there are 94 active wildfires still burning in the province, with 90 per cent of them considered under control, and the union says essential services remain in place to ensure public safety. The latest escalation means that more than 25,000 of the union’s 34,000 members are taking strike action, with over 550 worksites across the province behind picket lines.

Ward Stamer

A two‑week curtailment at Interfor’s Adams Lake sawmill, announced Friday, threatens the livelihoods of roughly 400 families in the region, according to Ward Stamer, BC Conservative Forest Critic and MLA for Kamloops‑North Thompson. In an interview with Radio NL, Stamer warned that this latest shutdown is symptomatic of deeper troubles in B.C.’s forestry sector, pointing to rising costs, U.S. tariffs, and regulatory delays as key drivers of the crisis. …“Grand Forks was the first domino to fall a couple of weeks ago, and now it’s Adams Lake. It’s devastating,” said Stamer. …Stamer emphasized that the forestry industry requires the same urgency and coordinated response as other major sectors… “This is just as serious as what’s happening in the auto industry, or energy, or mining,” he said. “If Ottawa won’t push back on tariffs, then we need other tools. Right now, we’re just pointing fingers while communities suffer.”

Additional coverage in CKPG, by James Peters: Forests critic warns Shuswap-area Interfor mill curtailment could lead to domino effect 

British Columbia’s forest sector is at a crossroads — facing tough challenges, but also leading the way in solutions that matter most to our province: housing, wildfire resilience, reconciliation, and sustainable economic growth. At the 2026 COFI Convention, leaders from across industry, government, and Indigenous and community partners will come together to rebuild competitiveness and chart the future of a strong, sustainable forest sector. Join us in Vancouver for the largest forest sector gathering in Western Canada. April 8 – 10, 2026 at the JW Marriot Parq Vancouver

New tariffs on softwood lumber imports implemented by the U.S. this week are adding another concern for the industry in Saskatchewan, which was already concerned about its future after this year’s massive wildfire season. The effective new tariff amount for softwood lumber into the U.S. is 45 per cent, which Carl Neggers said could mean tens of millions of dollars to the industry in this province – he’s the CEO of Forest Saskatchewan, an industry advocacy group. …the recent Trump tariffs on finished products like dimensional lumber are affecting Saskatchewan mills significantly. …He suggested diversification of product, like taking Saskatchewan lumber and building pre-fab homes in the province and using them for places like First Nations and communities impacted by wildfires. …”We don’t want the bigger provinces taking advantage of our power positions and marginalizing our industry,” he said. …in 2023 the province sold $101,638,000 of lumber products into the U.S.

MACKENZIE, BC – The BMI Group has completed the acquisition of the former Mackenzie Paper Mill, marking a key step in advancing industrial readiness across British Columbia’s northern resource corridor. The 885-acre property, which includes … direct rail access, will be re-established as Willmarck Mackenzie, a name that reflects both geography and legacy. As a strategic site with regional potential, Willmarck represents the place where forests, waters, and industry converge to shape the future on the shores of Williston Lake. Located in a resource-rich district … Willmarck offers multimodal transport access through CN Rail and key highway networks. The site’s scale and connectivity position it for adaptive reuse across a range of industrial and logistics applications consistent with BMI’s readiness and renewal approach. The property complements BMI’s national portfolio of former paper and industrial sites …which have been repositioned as multimodal, logistics, and critical-mineral hubs serving Canada’s next-generation resource and manufacturing economy.

Dan Albas

Canada’s competitiveness in key industries has been under pressure for years — and recent developments show the problem is worsening, with new waves of job losses hitting strategic sectors. Nearly six years ago Kelowna residents were alarmed by news that our local Tolko lumber mill would close, leaving about 174 employees out of work. … In that same period, Canfor curtailed operations at all of its B.C. sawmills for two weeks over the holidays due to high fibre costs and weak markets, affecting roughly 2,100 workers. At the time, I argued that some B.C. forest companies were not leaving the industry so much as leaving British Columbia, redirecting investment to U.S. mills where policy and cost structures are more competitive. Unfortunately, the trend has intensified in the Interior. …The policy advantages on the U.S. side make their jurisdictions more attractive for capital, which pulls jobs and production away from communities in B.C.’s Interior.

Van Urban Timber is set to expand its operations in the Squamish Business Park following council approval of a development permit. They applied to the District for a development permit to allow them to build an accessory building to house a sawmill in the Squamish Business Park. Council voted 6-1 in support of issuing the development permit allowing expansion. The proposal came before council because the application included variances. The company has operated on the property since 2022. Currently, the property includes a sawmill and retail lumber yard, as well as accessory and storage buildings. The new building would replace the existing smaller sawmill. … “A wood processing facility that wants to expand, I think is great news for our local economy, and what’s being sought in this application I find to be completely reasonable within the industrial setting that it’s proposed,” he Coun. John French.