BC Council of Forest Industries (COFI)’s president, Kim Haakstad, is feeling “disappointed by the absence” of support for the Forestry Sector in Budget 2025.
In a press release on Tuesday, March 4, Haakstads said “There is no one simple fix” to the challenges the forestry sector will face with the newly implemented tariffs, from President Donald Trump.
Premier David Eby and Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar have acknowledged the forestry sector will be hard hit by the broad scope the tariffs have on exporting all forest products.
On top of the tariffs, the forestry sector is now facing an increase in preliminary rates to 20.07 per cent on duties for softwood lumber.
“Ensuring predictable access to sustainable and economic fibre is critical to maintaining jobs and supporting operations in the province,” says Haakstad.
Another of COFI’s concerns in Budget 2025, is the government seemingly does not plan to commit to harvesting the 45 million cubic metres it outlined as part of its election platform.
Budget 2025 predicts a decline to harvesting to 29 million by 2027/28. Below what COFI says is the Allowable Annual Cut of 60 million cubic metres. Haakstad says the government’s committed harvest amount is crucial to maintaining jobs.
“Increasing the actual harvest to 45 million cubic metres would not only stop further job losses, but create the conditions to add jobs and generate hundreds of millions in additional tax revenue and stumpage fees.”
Haakstad says COFI is in support of the government’s streamlining of permit and regulatory processes for major projects. However, she urges that a similar approach needs to be applied to forestry projects.
“Timely action on these priorities is essential to safeguard BC’s forest sector, maintain good–paying jobs, and secure the industry’s long–term future in the face of mounting global challenges.”
–Files by Teryn Midzain, My Cariboo Now
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