Coast Forest Products Association congratulates International Forest Products Limited (Interfor) for the positive audit results the company received recently.  The Forest Practices Board, BC’s independent watchdog for sound forest practices conducted the extensive audit on Interfor and found good practices.

According to the report, Interfor has diligently applied the planning and operational requirements which meet ecosystem-based management of the (EBM) since 2004.  EBM provides a framework for ensuring the co-existence of both healthy functioning ecosystems and human communities and achieving this is no small feat.  Interfor’s Coastal Woodlands Manager Ralph Friedrich stated, “We are operating in one the most geographically difficult areas of the province, and under some of the most stringent forest requirements in the world.”

Today’s audit report by the Forestry Practices Board lends further evidence of the positive steps that coastal forest companies have taken over the years.  These steps have resulted in the creation of the modern industry we see today, one committed to improving sustainability and forest stewardship all the while maintaining the ability to stay competitive in the domestic and global markets.

Coast Forest Products Association would like to congratulate Don Demens for his recent appointment as President and Chief Executive Officer of Western Forest Products Inc.  The leadership that he has brought to Western has yielded significant benefits to the company.  We very much look forward to continuing to work with Don on future initiatives in his new capacity.

Barely two months in and 2013 is already proving to be an eventful year.  As we get closer to the provincial election on May 14th, it is bound to get even more interesting.  Whatever the outcome, if the new government bases its policies on solid collaboration with industry then both coast forestry and the province will benefit.

We saw the result of industry consultation last month when Forests Minister Steve Thomson announced changes to forest policy on the coast.  The government’s recent move to accelerate the auction of 500,000 cubic metres of wood through BC Timber Sales will meet the immediate log supply requirements of sawmills.  Moreover, despite the challenges inherent in revising the log export policy, this solution also provides important revenue opportunities associated with log exports and enhances domestic log supply.  Essentially, the new policy delivers BC with more logs and jobs.  Read more

This week it was announced that Minister Pat Bell would not seek re-election for another term as the MLA for Prince George-Mackenzie.  His decision was based on medical reasons and we wish him all of the best for a speedy recovery and good health.

Over the years, we found Minister Bell to be one of the hardest working and most committed Cabinet Ministers with whom we have worked.  With personal roots in the forestry (he co-owned a logging company), his professional accomplishments for the industry were notable.

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International Forest Products Limited (“Interfor” or the “Company”) (TSX: IFP.A) is diligent in its ongoing application of ecosystem-based management (EBM) and in meeting British Columbia’s strict forest laws in the Great Bear Rainforest according to the province’s independent forest practices watchdog, the Forest Practices Board.

After an extensive audit, the Board determined Interfor met the legislative requirements of forest management throughout all aspects of its operations on two forest licences in the Mid-Coast Timber Supply Area, which forms a large part of the Central Coast also known as the Great Bear Rainforest. The area was at the centre of an internationally acclaimed landmark environmental agreement involving First Nations, the BC government, environmental groups, forest companies and coastal communities.  Read more

Coast Forest Products Association and its member companies supported Finance Minister Mike de Jong’s budget announcement today in Victoria while acknowledging that it will have mixed results for the industry.

The new budget is balanced and delivers fiscal leadership that will benefit British Columbians throughout the province.  There will be a systemic reduction in government expenditures, a modest sale of surplus assets (less than 2%) and the credit rating will be maintained while the GDP to debt ratio will be reduced.   Moreover, the government will continue its commitment to support market development and diversification in forestry and provide ongoing funding for forest health and inventories. This will not only allow for the continuation of the world-class management of B.C. forests but will also benefit forestry company employees, their families and coastal communities. Read more

Coast Forest Products Association and others from the B.C. forest industry returned recently from a successful trade mission to India.  Resulting from a partnership between the provincial and federal governments and industry, the delegation was hosted by Forestry Innovation Investment (FII) in association with Natural Resources Canada. The mission heralded an important first step in connecting the B.C. forest industry with potential customers in a growing market of 1.2 billion people.

“We applaud FII and the provincial and federal governments for their collaboration on hosting this trade mission to India,” says Rick Jeffery, President & CEO of Coast Forest Products Association and past Chair of the Canada Wood Group. “Because India is a complex market located on the other side of the globe, delegations such as these are vital because they facilitate huge opportunities for market expansion for our forest products.”

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The Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC), with support from the Government of Canada, is today launching TheGreenestWorkforce.ca, a resource tool that provides information on the dynamic direction of the industry and career opportunities on offer right across the country.

The industry is also launching a competition to give eight promising students across Canada a paid “Green Dream Internship” that includes a four month paid summer placement at a forest products company, an iPad Mini and a chance to win $5000. Click here to read the full article.

Daryl Walker of the BC Government and Service Employees Union recently wrote that new thinking and new approaches are needed for the future of our province’s economy. We agree.  However, from our perspective in the coastal forest industry, “the better way” for B.C.’s provincial government to balance its budget is to optimize and fully utilize the resources we already have in place.

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February 7 is a great time to look back at how much has changed on the ground in the Great Bear Rainforest – and since I became a member of the negotiating team representing industry, I see many  opportunities ahead for coastal forests and communities.

It was seven years ago today when the British Columbia government and First Nations announced land use decisions for the north and central coast planning regions, also known as the Great Bear Rainforest. The agreement, which included full protection for one third of the planning areas, has already led to significant changes on the ground– less harvesting, smaller cutblocks, and unprecedented protection for old growth.

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