Jock Finlayson and Ken Peacock

…B.C.’s exceptionally high proportion of public ownership of forest resources, coupled with the private sector’s dominant role in harvesting and processing, is unique in North America. This structure ensures that government policy and its implementation are principal determinants of the domestic business climate for the industry. … But government policies have aggravated the powerful headwinds confronting the industry, by further diminishing access to fibre and making it increasingly difficult for companies to operate day to day. This unappetizing mix has resulted in many mill closures and substantial job losses. …Unfortunately, the mandate letter for newly appointed Forest Minister Bruce Ralston signals that the NDP government’s policy priorities are likely to remain misaligned with the commercial success of B.C.’s biggest export industry. To us, this suggests that capital will continue to leak out of the province and that more forestry-related jobs are likely to disappear in the coming years.