Ward Stammer

BC Premier Eby’s Mandate Letter to Forests Minister Ravi Parmar ordered the ministry to help the forestry sector achieve a harvest target of 45 million cubic metres per year – a staggering 50% increase over last year’s total. That sounds good on paper. But it’s not going to happen. And when it doesn’t, you can already hear the excuses. …Now there’s talk of Ottawa imposing quotas on Canadian softwood exports to the US, a move that would add even more uncertainty. And you can bet this NDP government will use it as another excuse to stand back and let the annual allowable cut continue to slide further. Well, we don’t have the luxury of pretending. Even if the total harvest is only 30 million cubic metres, BC Timber Sales should still be producing at least six million. Instead, it’s on track to deliver less than three.