…In what was called an “unprecedented summit,” the forest industry’s three major unions in B.C. — Unifor, United Steelworkers and Public and Private Workers of Canada — released a report outlining mill closures, continuing job losses, fibre supply shortages and issues related to old growth and logging tenures that have been eroding the province’s harvesting, pulp and paper, and wood manufacturing sectors. The unions say they want to be part of key reforms for a modern, value-added and sustainable provincial forest industry. The union report documents a stark decline in B.C.’s forest industry, where the province’s share of wood products has gone from half of all Canadian production to a third, as mills shutter permanently or are curtailed for long periods. More than 10,000 direct and indirect jobs have been lost over the past decade alone, including 3,000 across the industry in the past year. …The unions are proposing four key measures to stop the tailspin…

VICTORIA, BC – Rank-and-file forestry workers, union leaders, policymakers, and researchers gathered to hash out solutions to the crisis facing British Columbia’s forestry industry during a policy summit on March 12 in Victoria. The summit, jointly hosted by Unifor, the United Steelworkers union, and the Public and Private Workers of Canada, was an unprecedented gathering of workers who have experienced firsthand the many mill closures and related job losses in an industry that was once world-renowned. “…the crisis in the industry is driven by a lack of a plan to sustainably harvest fibre and a raw logs export policy that exports jobs,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor Western Regional Director. Scott Lunny, USW Director for Western Canada said, “B.C.’s forestry unions are stepping up to provide leadership. There was unanimity in the room today and I know there can be a bright future for B.C. forestry if good, unionized jobs are a top priority.”

A new report warns of a “deepening” and “never-ending” crisis in B.C.’s forestry sector and criticizes government’s inadequate response to it. Titled ‘A Better Future for B.C. Forestry’, the report was co-prepared by Unifor, United Steelworkers, Public and Private Workers of Canada. It finds the sector has “experienced a perfect storm of repeated and intersecting crises” that have “devastated.” …Forestry’s contribution to the provincial economy has declined from more than $8 billion to $5.2 billion. …Recommendations include the creation of a permanent, province-wide forestry council focused on the preservation of high-quality jobs in forestry-related industries; development of a province-wide plan for a sustainable fibre supply; and maximization of value-added production out of the available supply. The report also includes a critical assessment of existing government responses, which “have consisted largely of a slate of relatively small and ad-hoc assistance programs, delivered with little attention to the need for an overall strategy to sustain the industry.”

BURNS LAKE, BC — On March 5, representatives from Hampton Lumber met with the Burns Lake council to provide an update about the sawmill industry in town. Randy Schillinger, Hampton Lumber CEO, said the company wants to explore new ideas and pathways that would benefit the lumber industry’s future. He noted that lumber companies in B.C. were losing money and having a tough time, which was why sawmills were shutting down. “We need to see a pathway for success,” he said. He said that there was a market for mass timber products that had yet to be developed. His company was seeking assurance from the community that it would have a supportive future based on this product. Schillinger said his company recently invested with RedBuilt to ensure this product has a market.