RUSTAD -- by 2025 rural forestry communities in British Columbia could have tumbleweeds rolling down the main street

More forestry curtailments and extensions ...

Coastal production going down ...

Interior production taking a serious hit and all the while NO response from government ...

The real challenge is that the problem is growing, and a turnaround is not in sight yet.

I've been trying to figure out just why John Horgan's NDP government won't step up to help the forest sector, workers and communities. I can only come up with three reasons, but I don't know which is right:

1) Simple incompetence ... they don't realize the difficulties, and they also don't realize that this isn't a short-term problem.

One company I spoke with thinks that 2020 could be a write off, and are hoping for a turnaround in 2021. One analyst I've read is suggesting there won't be a significant improvement in USA housing starts until 2025.

2) Don't extend help, and blame the former government in a perverted attempt to gain support for the next election.

3) They simply don't care because the majority of the impact is in BC Liberal ridings.

Many forestry families I know can’t wait until 2020, never mind 2021, and by 2025 rural forestry communities in British Columbia could have tumbleweeds rolling down the main street.

Mr. Horgan, the time for action is now!

John Rustad worked in the forest industry in logging and forest management. He started and operated Western Geographic Information Systems Inc. from 1995 to 2002 where he was engaged in forestry consulting. 

John was first elected to the BC Legislature in 2005 and was re-elected in 2009, 2013 and 2017. He served in various capacities including parliamentary secretary for Silviculture, parliamentary secretary for Forests, Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation and Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations.