The first use of the B.C. NDP government91裸聊视频檚 new authority to intervene in long-term corporate forest tenures came when Canfor Corp. shuttered its Vavenby sawmill in 2019 due to dwindling timber supply and sold the cutting rights to Interfor for $60 million.
The transfer went ahead after former forests minister Doug Donaldson and his deputy, long-time industry executive John Allan, provided a payment of $2.5 million to the Simpcw First Nation to buy a share of the tenure. Documents obtained under B.C.91裸聊视频檚 freedom of information law describe difficult negotiations, with the Simpcw first demanding $1 million more to regain rights to their traditional territory in the Clearwater area north of Kamloops.
Premier John Horgan says that agreement led to the latest step in his government91裸聊视频檚 overhaul of Crown forest management. It came five years after B.C. saw Canfor and West Fraser close competing sawmills at Houston and Quesnel in 2014, exchanging timber rights to keep Canfor91裸聊视频檚 Houston sawmill and West Fraser91裸聊视频檚 rebuilt Quesnel mill going in the wake of pine beetle damage that reduced the annual cut.
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The Vavenby transaction allowed Interfor to supply logs that keep its historic Adams Lake sawmill near Salmon Arm going. But Horgan91裸聊视频檚 government wasn91裸聊视频檛 about to see it happen without recognition of Indigenous title and resource rights in the regions
91裸聊视频淎lthough it was difficult and hard negotiations, it was a template for where we91裸聊视频檙e going when it comes to compensatory take-backs,91裸聊视频� Horgan said of the payment to the Simpcw June 1. 91裸聊视频淲e need to look beyond the tenure holders to the people of British Columbia.91裸聊视频�
Five big forest companies still control the largest portion of B.C.91裸聊视频檚 timber rights, and Horgan91裸聊视频檚 plan to double the Indigenous share isn91裸聊视频檛 based solely on using taxpayers91裸聊视频� money to buy it back. It includes strengthening the minister91裸聊视频檚 authority to decide on harvesting and road building, and the intention to 91裸聊视频渆nhance legal mechanisms to allow tenure to be redistributed for harvesting.91裸聊视频�
Forests Minister Katrine Conroy91裸聊视频檚 first demonstration of that came in May, when B.C.91裸聊视频檚 largest timber supply area around Prince George came up for renewal with a new, reduced cut set by Chief Forester Diane Nicholls. that the Indigenous share of that allowable cut would be increased four-fold to almost 15 per cent of the vast area.
The Carrier Sekani Tribal Council, whose members benefit from the decision, sees that as a start only. Speaking on behalf of the group at Horgan91裸聊视频檚 announcement June 1, Takla First Nation Chief John French said the 1.24 million cubic metres of wood apportioned to Indigenous tenure holders in the region is the biggest in B.C.91裸聊视频檚 history.
91裸聊视频淎s true partners, we need to have access to tenure volume equivalent to 50 per cent of what our territories contribute to the forest sector,91裸聊视频� French said. 91裸聊视频淓qual revenues from shared forest.91裸聊视频�
The allowable cut in the Prince George Timber Supply Area was reduced by a third in 2017, lowering it from all-time highs between 2004 and 2012 to allow salvage logging of beetle-killed timber.
tfletcher@blackpress.ca
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