Wildfires scorched a record amount of Canada’s national parks last year — the latest in a number of long, hot summers that have almost entirely depleted Parks Canada’s firefighting reserve. “We had a very busy fire year,” said director of fire management Jeff Weir. “We had more wildfires than normal and those fires burned larger…
A Canada-China free-trade deal could bring “billions and billions of dollars” to the sagging Canadian economy each year, according to an expert on the subject matter. Laura Dawson, director of the Canada Institute at the Wilson Center in Washington, recently co-authored a study on a Canada-China free-trade agreement. The study will be released next week….
Most people may not realize that a significant reduction on the Annual Allowable Cut (AAC) in the Williams Lake TSA could come in less than five years. If you read the fine print in the latest Chief Forester report there are some circumstances that could force a reduction before the estimated 10-year reduction period identified…
Sawmills in Ear Falls and Kenora are taking advantage of the ongoing recovery in the lumber sector and are ramping up production. Unifor national representative Stephen Boon said Wednesday that they are happy to see EACOM’s Ear Falls sawmill start full production earlier this week with an addition of a second shift (on) Monday. The…
Tolko Industries Ltd. is donating lumber for the new Women’s Contact Society Kidcare Daycare. The donation will provide material to frame and construct the lower and main level, roof, and floor of the centre and represents a donation of approximately $5,000. “We’re proud to support the project,” said Mike Dextrase, plant manager, Soda Creek. “The…
A Canadian pioneer — born on Vancouver Island with stops in Langley, Toronto and Calgary —has died. Harriet, a 14-year-old Vancouver Island marmot, died at the Calgary Zoo on Christmas Eve. Harriet was the oldest marmot in captivity and the last of the first group brought in from the wild to be part of a…
The City of Orillia has put its ash trees under surveillance to keep an eye out for the emerald ash borer insect, which has already made its way into Barrie, Midland, Oro-Medonte Township and Tay Township. “Right now, what we’re doing is monitoring,” said Rob Jackson, city arborist. “We’re working with Simcoe County, (and) they’ve…
Canada’s exports grew for the first time in four months in November, cutting the trade deficit in a sign the country’s weak currency is helping manufacturers even as the price of oil slides. Statistics Canada said on Wednesday the deficit narrowed to $1.99 billion from C2.49 billion in October. Analysts polled by Reuters had forecast…
Europe is in a bind. It has ambitious goals for changing its polluting energy system, and plans to source 20% of the EU’s total energy from renewables by 2020. But the main way it’s getting there is a method with murky credentials: biomass. Biomass can include many things, from quick-growing elephant grass to trees. But…
When Designboom described this house in Poland, designed by też architekci, as “a stealthy and brooding presence” I thought that was for sure, along with some other adjectives. But the next sentence caught my eye: “the dwelling is entirely clad with darkthermowood.” What’s that? ThermoWood is a Finnish product, sustainably harvested timber that is subjected to a three-stage heat…