A comprehensive support package will fill the gap and help BC businesses affected by US tariffs produce and sell more of their products locally as well as overseas. … “President Trump’s unfair trade war is an attack on BC workers, businesses and communities – especially in our forest sector,” said Premier David Eby. “BThat’s why we’re enhancing proven programs to help BC businesses find new customers, create jobs and build a stronger, more resilient and self-reliant economy.” The support package provides new funding to existing programs:

• An additional $30M for a renewed BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund
• An additional $30M for the Integrated Marketplace initiative
• An additional $15M for the Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program
• And, $15M will expand the BuyBC program beyond agriculture

With the biggest impact from US tariffs being placed on BC’s forest sector, this support package includes a commitment that funding applications from the forestry sector and forest-reliant communities will be prioritized.

In the face of ongoing trade disputes, including those around softwood lumber, the Government of Canada is taking decisive action to support the forest sector. We are committed to protecting workers and jobs, and giving Canadian companies the stability they need to weather short-term shocks and retool for a stronger, more diversified future. In support of that commitment, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Finance and National Revenue, today highlighted a $30-million loan to Conifex Timber Inc. through the Large Enterprise Tariff Loan (LETL) facility. The funding provided through LETL will help the company adapt to current conditions, support its workers, and build a more secure future for the community of Mackenzie, British Columbia. This support comes as the Government of Canada enhances the LETL facility to better meet the needs of Canadian employers facing continued trade uncertainty.

Paul Manly

The Union of British Columbia Municipalities have endorsed Nanaimo’s request that the province ban raw log exports out of B.C. …Originally coming from the City of Nanaimo, the resolution argues that “the lack of adequate and affordable fibre supply has been identified as a key factor in the continued curtailment or permanent closure of B.C.’s sawmills and pulp mills, causing loss of employment and tax income for resource-based and resource-dependent communities.” …Under the B.C. Forest Act, currently raw logs have to be offered to domestic buyers before it can be exported raw, known as a surplus test. …“There is a surplus test, but the more mills that are closed, the easier it is to pass that surplus test,” Nanaimo Coun. Paul Manly explained. …According to the 2025 Economic State of British Columbia’s Forestry Sector, the value of log exports remained stable at around $400 million in both 2024 and 2025.

Ward Stamer

More Interior mills could close within months as B.C.’s forestry sector struggles with permitting delays and limited timber access, according to Kamloops-North Thompson MLA Ward Stamer. His warning follows a letter to Premier David Eby calling for urgent action on permitting delays, U.S. tariffs and other challenges facing the industry. …Stamer, a B.C. Conservative MLA and the Opposition critic for forestry, told Castanet he is concerned the province has yet to announce any meetings in response to the letter. He pointed to the recent closures of Domtar’s Howe Sound pulp mill and Canfor’s Northwood mill as signs the industry is struggling. …He warned that more mills, potentially including those in the Kamloops area, could close within three to four months if markets remain soft. Stamer said the government needs to streamline permitting while maintaining First Nations consultation. …”Aspen Planers is screaming for fibre in Merritt, and they’ve been shut down for a year,” Stamer said.