It was moved and second that the Mayor, on behalf of Council, send a letter to Ravi Parmar, MLA, Minister of Forests regarding “The Future of Our Local Forest Industry”.
Yes, you should, as the mover. Yeah, I'm very supportive of this. I was doing research on it, and then they said, like us Department of Commerce is planning to raise duties by nearly 140%, which means we're. Really going to be in trouble. And there's a lot of businesses and a lot of our economy is dependent upon it. So it's just a working group. Again? I believe so. I think it's very important to have those conversations. Thank
to say. 45. What is it? Million whatever cubic meters. That's less than what the master chief forester set. The chief forester set here? Is 53 million, so it's less. So I think we're just being asked for them and it says to commit to their promise of what they've already done and I'm just bringing up. Sorry, I'm. Just bringing up the mandate letter for minister Parmar, and I'm just seeing if. The numbers are in there, but I think it's really important that we send a message. That we support. Our forestry industry here. They're in dire needs. Not only that, if we lose that, the money that we lose from just their tax base, we're going to be losing millions from Woodgrove's tax base because of the different closures. So I just think. It's just a letter asking for them to honor their commitment, which they've already made and then to streamline a permit, and they're going to have to look at it. So for me, I think it's a no brainer that it shows we're. Supporting hundreds of people in this town and millions of dollars.
Councilor Armstrong. Thank you. This would be my last. I just want to say I. Did find the minister's mandate letter. And there are exactly the two points. It says, work with all partners, including indigenous governments, to ensure in a sustainable land base to enable harvest of 45 million year while fulfilling our commitment to protect old group or Earl Gross story. And then also work with your minister, your colleagues and First nations share the promptly, efficient, effective delivery of permits required by industry. So. All we're doing is emphasizing what's already in the mandate letter, saying we support the mandate letter. You've got the support of our community to please do this for our community. So I can send you guys a mandate letter if you want,
Of moving back up to that and then continuing it for the next five years. That is counter to sort of what the province. Had forecasted. The reason why the allowable annual allowable cut is being reduced. Is because. There's just not enough. Valuable timber to cut, and hundreds of thousands of hectares have burned in the last decade, partly because. Of management, and so. If on the annual allowable cut. If they moved it back up to 45 million, then maintained it at that level. It would be near impossible. For the province to follow through on its commitments. Around old growth ecosystem based management, which is a shift from the timber supply management. And so. I just think that we're kind of waiting. Into provincial policy on this tariffs for one. And two, will actually provide a sustainable industry in the long term, which ultimately that we want because these are good jobs, and we want a sustainable industry. So the second request on the policy. I do support. I think there's always room to improve the permitting process. And that, and I think there's a lot of work that could be done there, but. The annual Alba cut aspect. I think it's just asking us to weigh too much in. And I'm not comfortable. Also. My understanding level to weigh into that, so I don't think I
Just with the annual allowable cut. I mean, I think this is something that. Has been an advocacy point of industry for many years. Came again up to Avic. And the whole Davy CC voted down for supporting the request on this because of the process that the province had put in place. We had a letter on this earlier. And now this letter, and I think the hope is that under this tariff environment that this is a policy change that could be attained because there is legitimate concern about economic slowdown and challenges but it's asking for a particular solution, but not addressing things like why isn't. Anybody lobbying to keep the raw logs in town. And have a milled. And so I do am concerned, though, by putting the council signature on. The letter. It is putting additional pressure on the province to shift a standing point. And one particular adjustment that could make it palatable. Maybe it would help this year if the owl annual couple is 45 million, would be to amend the letter to just say, change it to this year to 45 million m³. But maintain the process after this year to what the forester is saying, because this is asking for 45 million m³ for this year. And then indefinitely. And the hope is. To create environment for investment. Into. The forest industry, because now. There's a guaranteed timber supply, but. It's completely not acknowledging all the other work that's saying, hey, if we don't adjust our annual allowable cut, we're going to have increased forest fire problems. We are going to run out of valuable timber. At a quicker rate, so that in ten years. Is going to be very little supply and we're going to really have to shut down. The mills indefinitely because we've never taken the time to adjust our sales, and the longer we wait to adjust our sales is just more pain put off later on. And so, yeah, vote goes where it goes, but I'm
Eastmeer. Thank you. Yes, similar to Councilor Guestbreck's comment, I think personally. The piece. About the increase in the annual allowable cut. I don't feel like. That is within our jurisdiction. I don't think it's in our jurisdiction, and I don't think it's. Within our purview to. Be weighing in on that, and I just have to wonder. Why we're supporting a letter just from. Two mayors on this issue. We have the association of Vancouver island and Coastal Communities convention next. Like coming up this weekend. I feel like that would be a much more appropriate place to have a conversation about this. And to add the weight of Avic behind this kind of advocacy. If this is the right direction. For communities with sawmills. So. I'm not seeing why this letter needs to go from two. Mayors. And for that reason, I'm not in support of this. Councilor
Councilor Ishmir, then councilor Armstrong, thank you. Because I raised the point earlier about Avic. The convention this weekend and combining efforts. On lobbying around support for the forestry industry. I just want to highlight that there is a resolution. R 44 on forestry industry and sustainable fiber. And that came from the city of portal, Bernie. And so I just want to highlight that there is something coming forward that will be debated. By Vancouver island and coastal communities this weekend. And I think this piece could be something that communities could really rally around and lobby the government on. So I think that we're jumping the gun unnecessarily. With this letter when we could have a much stronger and more unified. Voice post avic on this. Thank you,
Gesselbrook. Sorry, I meant Councilor Brown. Thanks, your worship. I know. We extensively debated another letter recently. But. I'm just interested in this letter versus in response, we're calling your ministry to undertake the following actions. And it's that first one commit to the AAC. My impression is like or my understanding is the chief forester is the one that fits the AAC as an independent based on technical expertise. Increasingly, I think there's First nations co governance that factors into that. Previous cuts demand a whole host of factors. I guess I'm uncomfortable. Supporting a specific number when there's a process where the chief Forrester, who is supposed to be independent and very knowledgeable of these things. Sets the cut. I don't have any information to support why that process isn't working. And so because of that, I won't
Malley is ahead of me, Councilor Manley. Thank you. Yeah. I would concur with what councilor Brown just said, and I know we've been through a process in this province of reconciliation with First nations, and part of this permit and regulatory process. Is because we've gone through this process of reconciliation that we want more input from first. Nations. On the cut in their territories. We're dealing with this tariff threat, and I'm 100% supportive of our forest. Industry, but. We need to be managing our forests in a different way, and we need to be. Using our forest to maximize employment in our communities. Right now, we export 6.5 million year of raw logs from this province, and most of it comes from the east coast of Vancouver Island. And. We have a harmack mill is asking for feedstock, and right beside them, they're. Watching raw logs get exported. At the same time, we import $2.2 billion worth of softwood lumber products. Finished products from the United States. And so. If we've learned anything. In these last few months. Honestly with decades of the softwood lumber dispute with the United States is that we got to stop this model of ripping and shipping resources. Out of this country and use those resources to maximize employment. And. For secondary manufacturing to ensure that we get the maximum. Employment out of the resources that we have. And I would be calling upon those companies that are exporting raw logs to do their patriotic duty to stand up for Canada, to ensure that we use our resources for canadian jobs. To build canadian homes, to build, make canadian products for canadian consumers and for our export market and so I can support this letter as it stands. And I think that that's what we need to be pushing for is to build our forest industry, and I think that that's what Nanowa Forest products has been asking for. In the process. Talking to Paul Sadler about what he'd like to see going on beside his mill. He'd like to see beside Harmack, other wood based industries that can then help with the feedstock for that mill and produce value added products. To export and for Canadians. Thank you. Thank you very
I totally agree with Councilor Armstrong's. Comments, and I totally. Support sending this letter. It's not a federal campaign issue to me. This is a local issue for the central island as mayor Douglas. Has identified. And I don't think we can sit here and say that we support the forest industry. And then not support doing something. Let's put our money where our mouth is and support. At least this letter, because this industry needs all the support it can get, and our local economies depend on it. Thank
you. Thank you, Councilor Hemmens. Thank you, worship. I feel like we've debated this letter before. And I'm actually going to change my vote and I'm going to support you. Signing it tonight. For the simple reason. I think the province is going to put this to the side. The province is dealing with tariffs. It's the province's jurisdiction to deal with AAC. I actually. Think I resent a little bit being asked to weigh in on another. Government jurisdiction. And I'm hearing things from councilor Manly and councilor Armstrong and councilor. Brown that I'm actually not familiar with, and I feel like I need background in forestry to say yes, 100%. All of these specifics. A review. Of BC timber sales. I didn't even know BC timber sales was a thing until this. Letter came through. This is not my Bailey Wick, so I'm going to support you sending it because. I think the government's already on it, but. I do think the process of this is a little squishy for me. This is industry. Lobbying us to say specific things. If we didn't have the specifics, if we just said, listen, Minister, this is really. Important to our community. We request that you keep. Our mills in mind as you're negotiating the tariffs? I would. 100%. I'd sign that myself, but this is very specific, and it's asking me to have knowledge that I simply don't have. And I don't have the time to understand it. So I
Ravi Parmar, MLA. Minister Forest refuture of our local forest industry. As council can see, Mayor Douglas and his counsel have approved this letter, and he has requested my signature on it as well. And as per council policy, I would not and could not have fixed my signature to such a letter without the approval of council. So what I'm seeking would be a motion that authorizes me to sign that. Particular letter of the draft of which is attached moved counts for Armstrong second to councilor Thorpe. Discussion.
I was going to point out what councilor Armstrong has already pointed out. The exact quote is contained in the body of. The last paragraph on page one of the letter, and I will repeat. It. Your mandate letter from human David includes his priority, quote, to work with all partners, including indigenous. Governments toward ensuring a sustainable landbase to enable harvest of 45 million while fulfilling our commitment to protect old growth. Budget 2025. They predict only 30 million m³ will be harvested on crown land further declined into 29 million in 2027. Note. The AAC was more than 60 million m³ in 2024. With respect, I appreciate that people bring certain views to this. But let me try and put it in practical terms as the letter makes the statement fairly clear. North Kauchen gets 5.5 million a year in property taxes. Harmack alone pays the city 2.3 million a year. You're being asked to allow me to sign a letter in conjunction with the mayor of what I would describe, and he may take this the wrong way as a lefty Greeny Council. Sign a letter that simply says, commit to a 45 million a year cubic meter cut, which is what the premier is directing his minister for us to do o and streamline the permit regulatory process for processing timber harvesting because one of the reasons we're not getting anywhere is near the annual allowable cut is because the government is so. Bloody slow in getting the permits out the door, causing lack of fiber supply, which is threatening the viability of our mills, including harmack, at the very time when they're facing in critical economic pressures. I said it before, I'll say it again briefly. Either. We will continue to harvest trees in British Columbia. In Canada in general. With environmental regulation and. Union family supporting jobs or you will see the need for world fiber grow in other places where there's no or little environmental regulation where the working conditions are horrible. We don't. Have a work safety behind your back. And where, by the way, it won't be our neighbors who will be out of a job if things go bad. It'll be them. As well. With great respect, this is a simple letter of support. It's not asking much. It's. Coming from a sister municipality who sees a need for this. I would hope that council could. Find it in its heart to support what is a pretty modest request of government comply with the premier's mandate letter and streamline your regulatory process. So we can let people work and earn a living and pay the taxes which help pay for the salaries of everybody in this room tonight who's working