The Forest Practices Board will conduct a limited-scope compliance audit of stand-level biodiversity practices and block reserve management in the Thompson Rivers Natural Resource District, beginning Monday, Oct. 19, 2026. The audit will examine the practices of BC Timber Sales’ Kamloops Business Area, the Lower North Thompson Community Forest and Gilbert Smith Forest Products. Auditors will review harvest planning, and on-the-ground practices and reporting, including the establishment and management of wildlife tree-retention areas and block reserves, to determine compliance with legal requirements. The audit area is within the Kamloops Timber Supply Area, which covers approximately 2.77 million hectares. The audit will focus on operations within the Clearwater, Dunn, Vavenby, Adams Lake and Barrière landscape units within the Kamloops Timber Supply Area. Wildlife tree-retention areas help support biodiversity by retaining trees and other forest features in harvested landscapes. They can also help protect important forest attributes, including riparian areas, cultural heritage values and visual quality.

Tolko Industries has signed a new partnership with the Westbank First Nation’s forestry company, Ntityix Resources, to manage forestry tenure in the Okanagan. The agreement sees Tolko transfer Forest Licence A98912, with an annual allowable cut of 52,100 cubic metres, to Ntityix Resources. The WFN company will then provide timber to Tolko’s mills under an automatically renewable 15-year deal. “This agreement reflects a shared commitment to reconciliation, economic development, and responsible forest stewardship,” said Mic Werstuik, CEO of Ntityix Development Corporation. “The transfer of this tenure expands Westbank First Nation’s participation in the forest economy and creates a platform for long-term Indigenous leadership in sustainable forestry management while supporting employment, capacity development, and stewardship within our traditional territory.” The deal means Ntityix will take over much of the work that goes into timber development prior to logs being sent to a mill.

Press Release by Ntityix Resources: Westbank First Nation and Tolko Industries Ltd. Announce Landmark Forestry Partnership and Tenure Transfer Agreement

The Municipal District of Opportunity No. 17 is pushing the provincial government to establish a reliable funding stream for the ongoing maintenance of local fireguards, warning that rapidly overgrown vegetation is creating severe new wildfire risks for northern communities. During a regular council meeting on Sept. 28 in Red Earth Creek, Reeve Marshall D. Auger shared a detailed update on the municipality’s recent advocacy efforts. He told the council that he and Deputy Reeve Brendan Powell recently met with Alberta’s Forestry and Parks Minister, Todd Loewen, to press him directly on the issue. The impromptu meeting took place during the Alberta Forest Products Association annual general meeting and conference. The gathering gave the local leaders a brief window to speak face-to-face with the provincial minister about their escalating safety concerns.

How can autonomous trucks be integrated in forest operations? That’s one of the questions that FPInnovations’ autonomous transportation team aimed to get clarity on during this year’s autonomous transportation pilot project. FPInnovations has facilitated collaboration between West Fraser and Kodiak AI,  a leading provider of Physical AI-powered autonomous vehicle technology, and had the opportunity to oversee a pilot which took place this summer in Hinton Alberta. The FPI-Kodiak team completed two test weeks which included crew training, validating safety procedures, collecting baseline data, and mapping key road segments to pinpoint operational constraints. With both manual and autonomous runs completed — combined with insights from logging truck drivers and site personnel — the team gained a sharper view of real‑world variables such as dust, grades, surface conditions, and mixed traffic. West Fraser, Kodiak and FPInnovations are now working together on defining the next steps from this initial validation, engaging with stakeholders and Alberta Regulators.