The Government of British Columbia welcomed a long-term export contract for B.C. forest products that will create long-term stable jobs for forest workers and forest-dependent communities.

Thirteen B.C. communities are leading the nation as they adopt innovative and safe mass timber technology for taller wood buildings that are faster to build, better for the environment and create new jobs and opportunities for forest communities in the province.

British Columbia’s forest industry is facing difficult times. In the Interior, the end of the pine beetle cut, lower prices for lumber, and back-to-back catastrophic wildfire seasons have led to a number of sawmill closures. This has created hardship for workers and uncertainty for the communities that depend on forestry for their livelihoods.

The British Columbia government is launching a regionally driven renewal of the province’s Interior forest industry, aimed at developing a competitive, sustainable future for forest companies, workers and communities.

The jobs and livelihoods of 1,500 British Columbia forestry workers are being secured by Paper Excellence Canada’s (PEC) acquisition of Catalyst Paper’s facilities in Crofton, Port Alberni and Powell River.

Speech to BC Business Summit 2017 - Hosted by the Business Council of British Columbia