Alberta’s government has set forth a bold vision to combat climate change. It has also taken concrete steps to diversify the province’s economy with the creation of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade and the Premier’s Advisory Committee on the Economy. These initiatives create an extraordinary opportunity for Alberta and Canada to take a…
Prince George’s newest MP used his first speech in the House of Commons to press for action on the softwood lumber agreement. On Tuesday morning, Cariboo-Prince George representative Todd Doherty rose to add his response to last Friday’s speech from the throne. In keeping with other Conservative party member critiques of the Liberal government plan…
The recent story about the illegal harvest of a significant area in Long Lake Provincial Park was shocking for many. How could this happen? A beautiful area of forest, not only protected as a park, but also visible to a significant number of people who drive by on their way to and from work every day, was…
Free use permits to cut a Christmas tree on Crown land are available from forest district and FrontCounterBC offices in most areas of the province. Local district offices can identify areas of Crown where one tree may be legally cut for personal use. Permits are not available for the Chilliwack and South Island forest districts…
Teal Cedar Products Ltd. is suing the Western Canada Wilderness Committee (WCWC) over a blockade of logging road construction in the Walbran Valley on Vancouver Island. Teal Cedar filed a notice of civil claim in BC Supreme Court on November 24. Defendants also include WCWC employees Torrance Coste, Dave Cascagnette, Trevor Schinkel and “persons unknown.” The company claims the Wilderness Committee and Coste organized…
British Columbia will be the only province expected to post growth of better than 3 per cent over the next two years. According to The Conference Board of Canada’s latest Provincial Outlook, real GDP is forecast to grow 3.1 per cent this year and 3.6 per cent in 2016. “The bright outlook for the province…
Hardwood has been relied upon by designers and builders for centuries as a proven and flexible building material across architecture, furniture and interior design projects. However, the increasing international demand for tropical hardwood has led to the destruction of rainforests in countries such as Brazil and Indonesia, contributing to climate change. Contractors, architects and builders…
B.C. forest products exports grew in the first 10 months of the year, compared to sales year-to-date up to October 2014. Statistics Canada reports that solid wood product sales were up three per cent and pulp and paper products were up 2.3 per cent. The only major commodity with lower sales was logs, down by…
WorkSafeBC has handed out nearly double the amount of fines for industry safety infractions this year and 2014 over the previous two years, part of a new approach to use penalties as deterrents. In 2014, 433 penalties were issued totalling $6 million. As of last week, already 509 penalties have been handed in 2015 out…
A new student residence under construction on the University of British Columbia campus will be one of the tallest wood buildings in the world. UBC says the 18-storey structure builds on the university’s commitment to sustainability and innovation. The eco-friendly structure will stand 53 metres tall and house more than 400 students after its completion,…