VANCOUVER, BC – Kim Haakstad, President & CEO of the BC Council of Forest Industries (COFI), issued the following statement today in response to the Government of British Columbia’s 2026 Provincial Budget: “As the province navigates significant fiscal and economic challenges, the forest sector continues to face intense pressure. We welcome Budget 2026’s recognition of the urgent crisis facing the forest sector and the government’s plan to make targeted investments that support the sector today while building a more resilient future. We are concerned about the budget’s plan for a harvest level of 29 million cubic metres over the next three years—a figure that sits well below the province’s own Allowable Annual Cut (AAC) of approximately 60 million cubic metres. …Working together we can reverse the trend of mill closures and rising costs of doing business so forestry can continue to contribute to the well-being of families and communities across the province.