Paul Manly

The Union of British Columbia Municipalities have endorsed Nanaimo’s request that the province ban raw log exports out of B.C. …Originally coming from the City of Nanaimo, the resolution argues that “the lack of adequate and affordable fibre supply has been identified as a key factor in the continued curtailment or permanent closure of B.C.’s sawmills and pulp mills, causing loss of employment and tax income for resource-based and resource-dependent communities.” …Under the B.C. Forest Act, currently raw logs have to be offered to domestic buyers before it can be exported raw, known as a surplus test. …“There is a surplus test, but the more mills that are closed, the easier it is to pass that surplus test,” Nanaimo Coun. Paul Manly explained. …According to the 2025 Economic State of British Columbia’s Forestry Sector, the value of log exports remained stable at around $400 million in both 2024 and 2025.