North Vancouver – The Independent Wood Processors Association of British Columbia (IWPA) welcomes the BC government’s amendments to the Manufactured Forest Products Regulations further restricting raw lumber exports throughout British Columbia creating more opportunities for manufacturing higher value wood products and keeping more jobs in BC.
“Restricting the export of large cedar and cypress raw lumber will provide more opportunities for BC manufacturers to make higher value wood products from these valuable and renewable wood species, while ultimately retaining more jobs for British Columbians,” said Andy Reilly, chair of the IWPA, and co-chair of the BC Value-Added Wood Coalition. “I want to thank the BC Government for working with the IWPA, along with other manufacturers, and listening to our recommendations to further restrict raw lumber exports across all of BC’s international border.”
“British Columbians understand restricting log exports creates more jobs here in our province, and now this regulation will restrict the export of ‘square logs’ that can be further manufactured into higher value wood products,” said Brian Menzies, Executive Director of the IWPA and a member of the Value-Added Wood Coalition. “The IWPA will continue to work with the BC Government on the implementation of this regulation to ensure the compliance and enforcement program supports the forest industry to transition to more BC-made, higher value wood products.”
Previously the Manufactured Forest Products Regulations only restricted the export of raw lumber from the coastal region. Like log exports, raw lumber exports are restricted through the payment of a fee-in-leu. When raw lumber is further processed in BC, the tax, (replicating the softwood lumber duty) is reduced to zero depending upon value improvement during manufacturing. As of February 1, 2024, the Manufactured Forest Products Regulations will apply throughout the province providing incentives for the forest industry to further manufacture raw lumber into higher value wood products such as siding and fencing. If the raw lumber is not further processed, a manufacturer will pay an export fee-in-leu. More about the provincial regulatory changes can be found here: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023FOR0067-001843.
About the IWPA
The Independent Wood Processors Association (IWPA) represents British Columbia’s higher value wood manufacturers that maximize the use of every stick of wood. The IWPA consists of over 60 member companies, who do not have the long-term renewal timber tenures or ownership of large private forested lands but instead source most of their wood fibre on the open market. These companies make a diverse range of value-added wood products that include the beautiful wood you see around your homes: fencing, decking, wood siding, railings, flooring, window frames, pulp, and veneer to make paneling. The IWPA also represent the value-added ecosystem of wood manufacturers such as non-tenured primary manufacturers, custom mills, custom cutters, and wholesale lumber brokers who work together to ensure the right log goes to the right mill maximizing the value of each log harvested.
For further information please contact
Brian Menzies
Executive Director
Independent Wood Processors Association of BC
250-213-5397