Companies have announced shutdowns or curtailments in more than two dozen mills in the province, putting hundreds out of work and slashing economic growth predictions. Advocates are calling for urgent government action to stem the bleeding.
The largest driving factor is the province's complex stumpage system that results in high fees, he said. The Forests Ministry said stumpage fees are based on market demand and the current rates reflect the scarcity of timber supply that has resulted from the mountain pine beetle outbreak and been exacerbated by several severe fire seasons.
Most of B.C.'s forest land is publicly owned, so companies have long-term tenure rights and the government charges them stumpage to harvest trees. In contrast, most land in the U.S. is private and companies face costs associated with replanting. The NDP government has also introduced Bill 22, which would control tenure transfers. Currently, a company that is scaling back or shutting down a mill can transfer its tenure to one that is operating, but the government wants oversight over these transfers to protect the "public interest," a term not defined in the legislation, Peacock said.
How about plant trees
Stop selling whole lumber to China.
Yes you can only squeeze so much taxes out of a industry, then they try to readjust their model to try and make money, you throw up barriers. US market seems to be rolling along and else where in the world. Wonder what the problem is?
Yes don’t vote for Trudeau
gee we'd like to help but we have our own issues here with the no pipeline and all. maybe when that's resolved ...
Who does forestry when the provide is like half Chinese
Wait, now I've got another crisis to worry about
BC should just diversify, that’s what people tell Alberta to do.
We need to adopt sustainable forestry policies. A tree farm is not a forest
Cue the paleocon trolls who can't even bother to read the article. 'High log prices and dwindling timber supply are driving the crisis in British Columbia's forestry industry' Abnormal fires and insect infestation are two causes cited. Both attributable to climatechange.
Trudeau and Horgan have sold Canadians out to the Chinese, India and the UN. Where are these 100 000s new green jobs in their supposed green economy?
Camping on van. Isl. watched raw logs being transfer log boom to US my son layed off because no logs to cut.wrong
Yeah don't vote liberal
Trudeau and the genius Freeland are on the job. They have the forestry workers back. Sigh....we’re screwed.
The forestry industry is a victim of its own effiency, the once abundant and flurishing forests which was the habitat for now near extinct animals is not endless.
Does BC even know about this issue? their dumbasses are too busy protesting pipelines.
- Stop selling raw logs to anyone and have them all processed in Canada before exporting. Fixed it.
Justin, JUSTIN. Come quick. Your the only one that can help. We now need you to save jobs in BC. Plus while your here you could maybe go surfing!!! Nothing to see in Alberta!!
oh yea its called hemp!!
When goverments destroy industries.
ICYMI BC must get ahead of this.
Ah yeah stop this climate change non-sense
If I remember correctly this is a repetitive problem every time the NDP take the reigns.
Yes get rid of Trudeau
CBCAdrianH Introduce a universal basic income, start a government program to employ people to rewild forests and protect biodiversity, create some kind of grant system so people can diversify the economy away from just logging in small BC towns?
Great article. Very informative. This has been coming for years and years. Mills needed to shut down because there were too many for the mid term timber supply to support. Gov’t can’t fix that.
Build pipelines
B.C. jobs not worthy of Trudeau breaking the law again?
Yes many things. But none you're willing to participate in. defundCTV
Absolutely we all have to come together to save it. Fight for it. We have cannibas now for many things that we used trees for. Re forestration for every tree cut we plant 3 more. We only have one planet, one Canada. Let’s do what’s right to save it! ❤️🇨🇦❤️🙌
A change of government
Yeah, October 21, 2019 TrudeauMustGo