Leader of the BC Conservative Party Lorne Doerkson made a campaign stop at a shake and shingle mill in Maple Ridge on Monday, Oct. 19, to announce new supports for forestry jobs in the province if his party is elected to office. Doerkson shook hands with workers at Waldun Forest Products in east Maple Ridge, in the riding of BC Conservative incumbent candidate Lawrence Mok, where he said he will give the sector more predictable access to fibre, speed up the permit process, and eliminate unnecessary permitting costs in the sector. …He set a goal of 45 million cubic metres, minimum, for the annual cut. …He also pledged his government would review and eliminate unnecessary permitting costs and encourage Indigenous participation in the forestry industry by investing in skills training and ensuring First Nations will benefit from any federal funding to support the industry. He also vowed to create competitive tax conditions.

British Columbia’s forest sector is at a turning point. Communities are feeling the effects of sawmill and pulp mill closures, catastrophic wildfires, changing markets, and general uncertainty about the future. British Columbians are also asking how forests can support healthy ecosystems, sustainable local economies, reconciliation, public safety, recreation, and other community priorities. We believe community forestry offers a tested and proven way forward and should be on the minds of British Columbians and on the platforms of those running for office in the provincial election. We are asking political parties, candidates, and the next government to make two clear commitments. These practical actions would strengthen local economies, support First Nations leadership and partnerships, reduce wildfire risk, and help build a more resilient forest sector: Expand the Community Forest Program and protect the policies and operating conditions that make community forests viable; and Provide stable, long-term funding for proactive wildfire management, planning, and risk reduction in and around community forests.

…But urgent action is needed to stop the deepening crisis in BC’s forest sector. Since 2022, more than 15,000 forestry jobs have been lost, and over 20 mills have closed or curtailed. The damage doesn’t stop at the mill gate. Every closure puts contractors, suppliers, secondary manufacturers, local small businesses and communities at risk. …As British Columbians prepare to vote for the next provincial government, COFI has outlined key policy priorities. The comparison sets out COFI’s recommended actions alongside the commitments put forward by the BC NDP and Conservative Party of BC. …This election is an opportunity to put forestry back at the centre of BC’s economic priorities. We encourage forestry workers, businesses and communities to engage with local candidates, share what is at stake, and ask how their parties will support a competitive and sustainable forest sector. View the full 2026 Provincial Forestry Platform Comparison on these issues: Stabilize BC Forestry; Secure an affordable and predictable wood supply; Protect and Invest in BC Jobs and Mills; Build Homes with BC Wood; Stand Up for BC Forestry in Ottawa and Washington, DC; and Other Forestry-related Commitments.