Forestry Minister plans talks with West Kootenay industry leaders to address U.S. tariff threats

By Samantha Holomay
Castanet
January 17, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada West

Ravi Parmar

The Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar says he plans meet with Nelson and Castlegar forestry leaders to discuss the industry’s future amid the U.S. tariff threats. “We call it a tariff, but this is a tax, and in relation to forestry, this is going to mean that for the millions of homes that need to be built in the United States, Americans are going to have to pay more because of their president,” said Parmar in an interview with Castanet News. …Referring to discussions with industry leaders, including Ken Kalesnikoff, CEO and president Kalesnikoff Lumber Co. Ltd. in Castlegar, a key player in mass timber in B.C., Parmar noted that the company utilizes approximately 300,000 cubic meters of timber annually and is focused on value-added opportunities in the region. “I think the Americans have a misunderstanding of B.C. ‘s forest sector, of Canada’s forest sector,” he said, adding that the tariffs would be unfair and unjust.

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