Forestry has long been a cornerstone of the B.C. economy, supporting 140 communities and many thousands of families throughout the province.
When combined with large areas designated as conservation zones and new protected areas, the working forest land base has been significantly reduced. This has increased competition for logs, driving up log costs. Greater regulatory complexity and uncertainty around access to fibre are also having an impact. Today, B.C. has become a high cost producer just at the time we are facing volatile market prices, punitive U.S. tariffs, and increasing global competition.
The Council of Forest Industries recently set out some ideas that we believe can help us get to a better future for the sector in a document “Smart Future: A Path Forward for B.C.’s Forest Industry.” Some ideas are not new. Some ideas can be implemented by industry, and some will require government action. All will require a collective effort.• Invest in, and protect, our working forest land base.
• Double down on market and product diversification. We must aggressively pursue new markets and customers around the globe, and continue to develop new high-value products.