TLA – Building Forest Policy for British Columbians Without Catering to Foreign Interests

Vancouver – BC needs to change its perspective on softwood lumber trade with the US to better support the provincial forest industry. “Looking at everything through a US trade lens stops us getting to the heart of forest policy issues in BC,” said David Elstone, TLA Executive Director. “We can’t have frank conversations about forest policy, regulations and initiatives because we’re always looking over our shoulder at the US.” The report on the Contractor Sustainability Review led by George Abbott is due later this month and the TLA wants to make sure forest industry and government are in a position to act on its recommendations. “BC provincial governments have modified forest policy and regulation to assuage U.S. interests more than once. …which resulted in sweeping changes to BC’s timber harvesting rights and stumpage systems,” said Elstone. “Unfortunately, those changes ended up negatively affecting BC’s timber harvesting contractors and rural communities.”