It’s only been four months since Harrop-Procter Forest Products officially opened its doors on Kootenay Lake and business is taking off at the locally owned and operated sawmill.

“We established Harrop-Procter Forest Products with the goal of creating local employment,” said co-founder Rami Rothkop.

“Our mill now employs three to five workers and the future is bright for growth. That’s because builders who buy from us are looking for high-quality, sustainably sourced products that give back to the community,” he explains. “That’s what our mill is all about.” 

Community manages its local forest
The company’s products are sourced from the 11,000-hectare Harrop-Procter Community Forest, a 25-year renewable agreement provided by the Province to support local economic, social and environmental benefits.  A community forest is a form of tenure that helps diversify the forest sector by providing communities with greater flexibility to manage local forests.  

A keystone to the success of the company is recognition that the desire for locally sourced, sustainable products is expanding within the construction and home renovation industries. 

Harrop-Procter produces Forest Stewardship Council (fsccanada.org) eco-certified decking, siding, paneling, fencing, flooring, timbers, and a variety of cedar lumber.

Value-added wood production
With its link to the Harrop-Procter Community Forest and its investments in new mill equipment, the company can take a log from harvest to finished product, all at the same location. 

This kind of value-added wood production is mostly driven by small companies of 10 employees or less. Through collaboration and partnership, these small numbers add up to provide spin-off benefits that go beyond production, such as environmental stewardship, job training and community outreach.

The Community Forests Program began in 1998 and rapidly started to expand in 2004. There are now 56 agreements in place, accounting for almost two per cent of the total allowable annual cut in British Columbia. 

Learn more:

• More information on the Harrop-Procter Community Forest and its products, visit: http://www.hpcommunityforest.org/products/ecocertification.html
  
  
• For more information on the history of Community Forests, visit: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hth/timber-tenures/community/history.htm

You'll find more information about how communities across British Columbia are working to identify ways in which a number of key economic sectors can support their local economy on the Canada Starts Here: The BC Jobs Plan (bcjobsplan.ca) website.

In the coming months, the government will work with communities and industry partners to develop targeted strategies to help ensure these sectors can create more jobs and economic opportunity across B.C.