Bruce Ralston, Minister of Forests, has released the following statement in response to today’s North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) panel ruling on Canada’s challenge of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s final dumping determination on softwood lumber:

Water restrictions for the lower Salmon River and Bessette Creek will expire this week, ending temporary protection orders put in place in August 2023 to help protect threatened salmon populations.

Following significant rainfall in some regions of Vancouver Island, fish population protection orders will be rescinded in the Koksilah and Tsolum rivers, allowing certain water usage to resume.

Bruce Ralston, Minister of Forests, has released the following statement to mark National Forest Week, Sept. 17-23, 2023:

Bruce Ralston, Minister of Forests, has released the following statement in response to Canfor’s investment in Houston mill operations:

Due to increased grizzly bear activity in the upper Chilko River area during salmon-spawning season, access to Chilko-Newton Road, south of Henry’s Crossing, will be closed from Sept. 1 until Oct. 31, 2023.

Residents and travellers are strongly urged to plan ahead and remain vigilant this B.C. Day long weekend, with much of British Columbia experiencing elevated wildfire risk.

Bruce Ralston, Minister of Forests, and Jagrup Brar, Minister of State for Trade, have issued the following joint statement in response to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s final determination in its fourth administrative review regarding countervailing and antidumping duties applied to Canada’s softwood lumber exports to the United States:

New measures to sustain the Great Bear Rainforest as one of the world’s most treasured and diverse coastal temperate forest ecosystems have been introduced.