With the annual harvest a fraction of what it once was and a declining workforce, British Columbia’s forestry minister admits that the industry is in a state of transition – but needed changes won’t happen without participation of First Nations. The Ministry of Forests announced a review of B.C. Timber Sales … the review seeks to find the potential for growth and diversification in an industry that has seen harvests shrink in recent years. …BC Timber Sales has at times been at odds with First Nations in whose territory the Crown timber is for sale. In 2014 a dispute over how the agency was managing cedar in the Nahmint Valley led the Tseshaht to blockade access to logging roads… more disagreements followed when BCTS sold timber from the valley without the First Nation’s consent. …Lennard Joe, CEO of the BC First Nations Forestry Council, is on an expert team assembled to help with the BCTS review.

Canada may find itself in a stronger position than the United States if a trade war breaks out between the two countries.  Don’t take my word for that. That’s Paul Krugman speaking. You know, the distinguished professor of economics. …Dr. Krugman argued that U.S. president-elect Donald Trump may imagine that the United States would have the upper hand, but it ain’t necessarily so. …“If you look at the actual composition of U.S.-Canada trade, it suggests if anything that Canada is in a stronger position if trade war breaks out,” he wrote. This is because, “outside oil and gas, U.S. producers have more to lose in terms of reduced sales in Canada than Canadian producers have to lose in reduced sales to the United States.” Moreover, Dr. Krugman speculated, “Trump really, really won’t want to impose tariffs on Canadian oil, which would directly increase energy costs in the U.S. Midwest.”

Energy and forest products dominate the list of what B.C. ships across the U.S. border, as a Conservative MLA accused David Eby’s NDP government of leaving the province unprepared for tariffs threatened by incoming president Donald Trump. A new report from the Business Council of British Columbia underscores the importance of B.C.’s trading relation with the United States. It finds energy (mainly natural gas, some electricity) accounts for 27 per cent of all exports to the United States, closely followed by forestry and building material products (24 per cent). …Overall, 54 per cent of provincial exports go to the United States, which makes that country B.C.’s largest trading partner. …Workers in mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction contribute $481,834 in GDP each; utilities sector workers $483,142 and forestry and logging workers  $186,613 — “all significantly higher” than the provincial average of $126,209 per worker. “A decline in these jobs would significantly reduce provincial output and income,” the report said. 

See the full report here: New Report Highlights B.C.-U.S. Trade Ties Amid Tariff Threats 

VANCOUVER, BC – Western Forest Products announced that its hourly employees represented by United Steelworkers Local 1- 1937 have voted to ratify a new collective agreement. The new six-year collective agreement has a retroactive effective date of June 15, 2024, will expire June 14, 2030 and provides for the following general wage increases: Year 1 – 4%, Year 2 though Year 5  – 3%, and Year 6 – greater of 3% or the rate of inflation. The new agreement also includes enhancements to certain benefits and terms of mutual interest for the USW and the Company. …Western’s President and CEO Steven Hofer said: “We are pleased that our USW-represented team members have found it meets their interests and needs. …The BC forest sector is facing many challenges, and we look forward to working together with our union colleagues to build a brighter future for our company.”

David Elstone

It’s hard to predict the level of interest from buyers for the San Group’s sawmills and manufacturing plants on Vancouver Island and in Langley, given the uncertain economic climate, says a B.C. forestry consultant. Land, facilities and equipment in Port Alberni and on the Lower Mainland will be attractive to some purchasers, said David Elstone, a professional forester and business analyst who is managing director of Spar Tree Group of North Vancouver. But the bigger question is whether buyers would be interested in continuing forest-sector operations or would consider the land more valuable for another kind of use, Elstone said Friday. …Anyone who purchases San Group assets would want to have forest tenure, Elstone said. One of the company’s weaknesses was that it did not control the supply of timber, which forced it to turn to the open market to buy logs at a time when fibre was in short supply.

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.