B.C.91裸聊视频檚 forest industry is 91裸聊视频渂ecoming un-investable91裸聊视频� as new restrictions on old-growth logging and a shift to direct government control of Crown lands take hold under sweeping reforms brought in by Premier John Horgan91裸聊视频檚 government, delegates to the Truck Loggers Association were told Wednesday.
Paul Quinn, a forest industry analyst at RBC Dominion Securities, spoke to a virtual panel discussion from Oregon, describing the continuing investment shift by B.C. companies to the U.S., Alberta and Ontario. He said B.C.91裸聊视频檚 major legislative changes passed in 2021 91裸聊视频渢ransfer almost complete control to the government91裸聊视频� after years of what had been known as results-based regulation in a tightly controlled industry.
91裸聊视频淚f that91裸聊视频檚 what we want, that91裸聊视频檚 what we91裸聊视频檙e going to get,91裸聊视频� Quinn said Jan. 12. 91裸聊视频淪imply put, B.C. is becoming un-investable.91裸聊视频�
Russ Taylor, now a consultant after moving from sales with Interfor to 28 years with International Wood Markets Group studying the U.S., Asia, Europe and Russia, warned that B.C.91裸聊视频檚 value added manufacturing has recovered from an earlier decline. But new restrictions on cedar and other old-growth timber mean reduced opportunities in a value-added business that has marginal returns.
91裸聊视频淭he vast majority of value added is dependent on old growth,91裸聊视频� Taylor said.
He described the province91裸聊视频檚 focus on mass timber technology as 91裸聊视频渢he flavour of the month,91裸聊视频� estimating that lumber for that market can only support a couple of sawmills. He noted that Penticton-based Structurlam, B.C.91裸聊视频檚 leading mass timber company, has opened a manufacturing plant in Arkansas in partnership with Walmart to supply its new home office campus and grow the industry using that region91裸聊视频檚 southern pine.
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The B.C. government91裸聊视频檚 policy shift is to redistribute Crown harvest to more and smaller operations, and to transfer more of the forest resource to Indigenous communities with land rights. Taylor said B.C. is already a higher-cost market than other provinces and U.S. producers, and further wood supply restrictions can only force new investment to lower-cost jurisdictions.
Quinn said public companies he works with are already working effectively with Indigenous partners, but they are continuing to pay stumpage to the province while sharing revenues with first nations. He called for the B.C. government to 91裸聊视频渞ip the Band-Aid off91裸聊视频� and get on with transferring Crown timber revenue to Indigenous title holders, rather than expecting companies to invest with both costs added in an already uncompetitive wood cost structure.
tfletcher@blackpress.ca
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