Canada announces plan to ban some single-use plastics by the end of 2022. In related news: the Chemical Industry says the move will crimp recycling innovation, while biodegradable and compostable plastics see some upside. In other Business news: it’s days 3 of the CN Rail strike; West Fraser deals with equipment fire at Quesnel River Pulp; Kruger inaugurates its Sherbrooke Tissue Plant; and San Group’s Port Alberni investments.
In Forestry news: Canada celebrates National Indigenous Peoples Day; BC updates its climate change strategy; and the US Forest Service Chief previews his prescribed fire review. Meanwhile, mass timber news from Vancouver, Australia, Switzerland and Korea; and new wildfires of concern in Arizona and New Jersey.
Finally, Western Red Cedar helps create healing spaces for BC cancer families.
Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor
MONTREAL — CN Railway. says it has gone the extra mile to meet union demands amid a strike by signal and electrical workers, who say the concessions do not go far enough. About 750 CN employees walked off the job across the country Saturday morning. In an open letter to employees, CN’s Rob Reilly says the railway “met or exceeded every one of the union’s demands,” including a 10 per cent wage hike over three years. Union negotiator Steve Martin says in an interview that the claim is technically accurate but “misleading,” with offers to improve conditions and compensation amounting to small increases. CN says operations remain uninterrupted under its contingency plan. It continues to encourage the union to end the strike through an agreement or binding arbitration. Martin says the union is unwilling to consider arbitration, but it filed a counter-offer Sunday afternoon.
San Group has been pouring millions of dollars into creating a tight ecosystem in Port Alberni, B.C., to keep costs for the business and the environment down and make the best use of every log they can get their hands on. …The provincial government looks to defer up to 26,000 square kilometres of old-growth forest, redistribute timber harvesting rights to First Nations and communities, and give government greater oversight with a view to making the province “the landlord of the forests again.” All the while, looking to the value-added sector to drive the industry forward, while cracking down on log exporters. The irony of this, according to the industry, is that remanufacturers depend on high-value old-growth logs. Some feel the government simply does not understand the forest industry. …We visited the San Group in February to find out how they are reacting to this paradigm shift.
Amid the materials shortages, price hikes and other craziness of the housing market last year, something remarkable happened. US builders completed more apartments in large multi-unit buildings than ever before. …This news may come as something of a surprise amid a pandemic that emptied downtown office buildings and brought real estate bidding wars to outer suburbs and mountain resorts. Big apartment buildings don’t really seem to match the moment. …The disappearance of this “missing middle” between single-family houses and larger multifamily structures has been much lamented. …According to Characteristics of New Housing data, 77% of the multifamily units completed in 2021 were in wood-framed buildings. While “mass timber” buildings of up to 18 stories are now allowed, “stick” framing is the standard in US wood-framed apartment construction. …But why the shift from small apartment buildings to big? I don’t think consumer demand really explains it.
People in British Columbia will be better protected from the impacts of wildfires, flooding and extreme heat through the new Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy. The strategy includes actions across ministries supported by $513 million of investment to ensure British Columbia is prepared for climate impacts in the near term, while setting the foundation for future action. …”This new strategy takes targeted action now to support … more cultural and prescribed burning in partnership with Indigenous Peoples”, said George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy. The strategy outlines a range of government actions to help people and communities prepare including: an expanded role for the BC Wildfire Service to provide enhanced wildfire prevention and preparedness; the development of a comprehensive provincial flood strategy and flood resilience plan; an extreme heat preparedness plan; and investments in nature-based solutions that will reduce the impacts of flooding and droughts by restoring healthy watersheds.
ARIZONA — Governor Doug Ducey on Thursday declared an emergency as firefighters struggled to contain three new fires, including the 2,000-acre Fish Fire southwest of Hannagan Meadow off Highway 191 in the White Mountains. Crews also worked to contain two fires near Flagstaff, which have caused evacuations. The Pipeline Fire on Thursday was 25,000 acres and 27% contained. The 5,300-acre Haywire Fire was 11% contained about 7.5 miles northeast of Doney Park. …Hot dry weather and high winds continue to drive the three fires, combined with critically dry fuels caused by an unusually hot, dry spring. The early snowstorms in December and January faded away due to the high temperatures — and the dry soils reduced runoff. Monsoon weather is expected to develop this week. Initially, that poses a fresh danger — since early monsoon weather fronts deliver more lightning strikes than rain./cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/pmn/2H4ZDTDOXBHNVAXYA772CUGBYE.jpg)