B.C. Unlocks Timber, Fights Tariffs

0:00British Columbia's forest minister, Robbie Parmar, just dropped some big news on fixing the timber crunch in the softwood lumber game. They're pushing changes to the forest act, and forest and range practices act to unlock wood fiber from spots hit by wildfires, bugs, and storms. This could pump out up to 17,700 extra truckloads of fiber through auctions by the BC. Timber sails agency for thinning forests, cutting wildfire risks, and salvaging damaged trees. These moves open doors for loggers, contractors, value-added mills, and first nation's partners, aiming to steady the flow for everyone in the chain. Meanwhile, Parmar's in Ottawa pressing the feds for a long-term softwood deal with the U.S. to counter those hefty tears that have been slamming, imports. The industry's been hurting bad, with fiber supply down over 40% since 2018, running mills at just 60% of sustainable, harvest levels. Beetle infestations, massive fires, and U.S. duties have shuttered mills and wiped out thousands of jobs, even as demands spikes for affordable housing.

1:06Builds, industry voices are hyped, curtainiquadette from the BC. Council of forest industries calls it a fix for the critical timber shortage, and Union Chair Jeff Bromley says it'll help coastal ops and prints. George holds strong against stuff they can't control by Trump-era tariffs. Parmar's not stopping there. He's calling out the U.S. as an unreliable buyer and setting up a forest trade office in the UK to diversify exports. These steps should keep mills humming, workers paid, and communities breathing easier in BC's forestry heartland that's your update from Vancouver News today, powered by AI.