Seven Mi’kmaq First Nations have filed a lawsuit against the New Brunswick government over its forest policy and management agreements with industrial forestry companies. The chiefs contend the province’s forest strategy, management agreements, management plans and the Crown Lands and Forests Act itself amount to an unjustified infringement of their Aboriginal and treaty rights. “We will continue to…
Certifying a forest to a sustainable forest management standard is an important way for managers to assure their markets and the general public of the sustainable forestry they practice on their lands. It also helps indigenous communities ensure our values are reflected in the management of those forests. Beyond defining sustainable forest management practices, forest…
Snuneymuxw First Nation’s arms-length economic group kicks off its second cut of Mount Benson forest this month with a half-million dollars in its pocket. The Snuneymuxw Economic Development Group of Companies contracted out the sale of 40,000 cubic metres of its Mount Benson forest to Coastland Wood Industries, a Nanaimo-based veneer mill. It’s also chosen…
Premier Christy Clark’s vow to push work at the $9-billion Site C dam “past the point of no return” may be music to the ears of some construction contractors, but not to all pulp and paper firms. In a great irony, as the costs soar into the billions to build infrastructure to supply “clean” electricity…
University of B.C. research into forest renewal, quantum computer nanotechnology, solar power, high-tech manufacturing, forestry products and the subarctic ocean climate got a boost of $3.5 million Tuesday from the federal Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). The six UBC projects tapped for grants include forestry professor Suzanne Simard’s research into forest…
Parliamentary Secretary Kim Rudd, on behalf of the Honourable Jim Carr, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, today met with forest sector stakeholders and highlighted the Government’s support for growing and developing markets for Canada’s sustainably produced, high-quality forest products. Parliamentary Secretary Rudd’s speech discussed five key areas for the transformation of Canada’s forest sector, including…
The University of British Columbia’s finance committee has voted against selling off the school’s fossil fuel holdings, saying it would go against their fiduciary duty. The finance committee, part of the school’s Board of Governors, made the recommendation Wednesday to keep fossil fuel stocks as part of the university’s $1.4-billion endowment, while also creating a…
An Ojibway community on the north shore of Lake Superior is carving out a path to prosperity in forestry. Biigtigong Nishnaabeg (formerly Pic River First Nation) has taken possession of new European-made harvesting equipment to launch a forestry company to start harvesting off its traditional land this winter. Coupled with that is the news of…
Wood products producers are encouraged by the Trudeau government’s decision to sign the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the first step to ratifying a sweeping agreement with Japan, Australia and other Asian countries. International Trade Minister Christia Freeland said this week she will take the next “technical step,” allowing the TPP to be debated in the House of…
Catalyst Paper announced today that it has been served with two Notices of Civil Claim by the Halalt First Nation and its business partners. Catalyst denies the allegations contained in both claims and intends to vigorously defend itself. The first claim was filed by the Halalt and its members alleging Catalyst has illegally trespassed on, and…