Dan Miller, former premier and provincial cabinet minister, has been hired as the independent, third-party facilitator for the next stage of the logging contractor sustainability review.

“As we move forward into the next round of facilitation, I’m pleased to have Mr. Miller on board,” said Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development. “It’s in everyone’s interest to ensure that the relationships between logging contractors and forest licensees is strong and thriving, so that our forest sector will continue to be a major contributor to B.C.’s economy.”

The logging contractor sustainability review, conducted by George Abbott and Circle Square Solutions, finished in May 2018. Its aim is to improve the overall competitiveness of both logging contractors and licensees.

The report made 13 recommendations that include making better use of technology, improving communications, better information-sharing and ensuring best practices for setting contractors’ rates of pay and dispute resolution mechanisms.

In his role as facilitator, Miller will bring B.C.’s contractor and licensee associations together to identify where there is consensus to act on the recommendations, and assess the costs and benefits of adopting recommendations on which there may be differing opinions.

Miller will report to the ministry before the end of October 2018.