RUSTAD: The indifference of political parties has led to very poor management decisions on the land base driven by politics, not science

What a mess BC’s forest industry has become. This NDP government does not seem to care about workers or communities. They are only focused on where they can get votes for the next election. 

 

To understand why the NDP is ignoring the plight of the forest sector you must consider where their votes come from.

 

There is a perception promoted by environmentalists that forestry is bad. They promote false information about old growth. They also try to suggest that forestry somehow is bad for our climate. All of these are false narratives but they are the reason why there is no champion of the forest sector in the NDP government. Or for that matter, there isn’t even a champion for forestry in the BC United party.

 

All the other political parties are afraid of the cancel culture. They are afraid of standing up for what is right. They are afraid of supporting a healthy forest sector. They are afraid of losing a vote.

 

Why does this matter? 

 

The indifference of political parties has led to policies and legislation making BC the highest cost jurisdiction in North America if not in the world. It has led to very poor management decisions on the land base driven by politics, not science. And ultimately it has led to the hollowing out of BC’s forest sector, the mass loss of jobs and the devastating impacts on families and communities.

 

In the case of Fraser Lake, the devastating decision to permanently close the mill was years in the making. The company says they made the decision because of a lack of economically viable timber. Unfortunately this is true.

 

But what does this mean? 

 

Economically viable timber is determined by the quality of the trees, the volume, the distance from a manufacturing facility, the efficiency of the sawmill and then most importantly, the costs. Costs are not just stumpage but they include how long it takes to get permits, taxes, regulations, reporting, etc…

 

BC’s cost structure (all inclusive) is now close to double most other jurisdictions. It takes years to get permits. Around 20% of the volume available in a supply area comes from BC Timber Sales and they are not making much wood available if any.

 

Ultimately BC has now become known as a hostile environment for doing business, especially in "resource sectors like forestry"

 

Forestry is not bad.In fact, BC’s forest sector should be viewed as a solution to so many issues. Wood products are the most environmentally friendly products we can use. The industry is renewable. 

 

Alternative products have many more impacts on our environment. BC should celebrate the contributions a healthy forest sector can provide. In the interior, old growth rhetoric is a completely false narrative. The vast majority of our forested area needs renewal. The environment historically has been dominated by wildfires. We stopped fire from being a management tool on the landscape. Trees became far older than they would historically have been able to. Forest health issues became enormous problems. Fuel loads were allowed to build. And when dry conditions happen, we can see the results with massive wildfires. So much must change to move BC’s forested landscape into a better management model.

 

Coming back to Fraser Lake, the decision to close the largest employer will have a significant ripple effect for the entire region. What can be done?

 

First and foremost, the government needs to step up to the plate and support the workers, families and communities being impacted. Training, bridging to retirement and other support is critical. Second, some analysis needs to be done regarding the timber supply areas, available fibre, barriers to accessing that fibre, cost structure and future projections. This work should be done by an independent third party with NO connections to BC’s government or political parties. Third, the work from that analysis needs to determine the opportunity for making fibre available for any company that might want to consider using that location for a future forestry operation.

 

It’s time to get serious about BC’s future. 

 

Since 1991 it has been 32 years, 16 BC Liberal and 16 NDP. Can anyone point to anything that is better? We can not solve today’s problems with the same level of thinking that has caused them. 

 

A new approach is needed. That is what the Conservative Party of BC will bring to British Columbia.



John Rustad is the MLA for Nechako Lakes, and the leader of the Conservative Party of BC.