'Significant pressures' in forestry prompt review of BC Timber Sales, province says

The "significant pressures" on British Columbia's forest industry have prompted a review of BC Timber Sales, the organization that manages about 20 per cent of the annual allowable cut.

Forests Minister Ravi Parmar says in a statement that the review will ensure the sector can continue to evolve to overcome challenges and create a more resilient industry in the future.

Parmar says he has asked Lennard Joe, CEO of the First Nations Forestry Council; George Abbott, a former B.C. government cabinet minister; and Brian Frenkel, a councillor with the District of Vanderhoof, to lead the review.

The statement says taking the action recognizes the pressures the forest sector is under from declining allowable annual cuts, difficulty accessing fibre, global economic conditions and heightened environmental and trade protections.

Recommendations expected from the review include creating growth and diversification in the industry, providing reliable access to fibre, strengthening partnerships with First Nations and providing more jobs.

BC Timber Supply manages about 20 per cent of the province's supply of lumber.

The review will also consider input from the Provincial Forestry Forum, a group that brings together all interests in the sector, including contractors, value-added manufacturers, industry and labour.

"Our work to get more value out of our forests is a top priority as we grow the B.C. wood-manufacturing sector," Parmar says in the statement. "That's why we are doubling the amount of (timber sales) volume that is dedicated to value-added manufacturers, from 10 per cent to 20 per cent. That's about 1.1 million cubic metres in 2025 alone."

The Opposition B.C. Conservative party says the industry needs "immediate, tangible action" rather than "more reviews and delays."

The party's forests critic, Ward Stamer, says the harvesting approval process needs to be sped up and there should be more access to fire-damaged timber and residual fibre to ensure mills have the resources they need to survive.