As the challenges facing the West Kootenay’s forestry sector deepen, many have expressed concern over the potential for significant job losses. Tom Thomson, executive director of the Nelson and District Chamber of Commerce (NDCC), highlighted the potential ripple effects of the proposed 25 per cent tariffs from the U.S. “Forestry jobs are the backbone of Nelson,” said Thomson. “ If those jobs disappear the ripple effects are felt everywhere…It trickles down.” “It’s a bit too early to say for sure,” he added. “It could lead to huge layoffs in the forestry and manufacturing areas.”.. The provincial government has stated through a preliminary assessment that they project to lose $69 billion in economic growth between 2025 and 2028. They also proposed that the province’s gross domestic product (GDP) could decline by 0.6 per cent each year, with an estimated 124,000 job losses by 2028.