forestry

Canfor President and Chief Executive Don Kayne said the lack of fibre supply led to the closure of its sawmill and pallet plant in Chetwynd, whose mayor says that the community will have to digest the closure for a while. But Allen Courtoreille also tried to strike a positive note. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

Mayor says mill closure is ‘devastating’ for small community of Chetwynd, B.C.

Canfor’s closure eliminates 120 jobs in a community of 2,500

Canfor President and Chief Executive Don Kayne said the lack of fibre supply led to the closure of its sawmill and pallet plant in Chetwynd, whose mayor says that the community will have to digest the closure for a while. But Allen Courtoreille also tried to strike a positive note. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
North Enderby Timber is pleased with a new provincial government program that’s providing access to the provincial timber supply for secondary manufacturers that make value-added products. (File Photo)

Province helps North Okanagan timber company harvest security

New program supports manufacturers making products such as mass timber, plywood, veneer and flooring

North Enderby Timber is pleased with a new provincial government program that’s providing access to the provincial timber supply for secondary manufacturers that make value-added products. (File Photo)
People taking part in an Extinction Rebellion protest against old-growth logging march onto the empty Cambie Bridge, in Vancouver, B.C., Saturday, March 27, 2021. A man who took part in four traffic-stopping protests in Metro Vancouver in an effort to save old-growth forests has been given a conditional sentence and six months probation. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

House arrest, probation for old-growth protester who blocked Metro Vancouver traffic

Benjamin Holt was sorry for the inconvenience the demonstrations caused other people

People taking part in an Extinction Rebellion protest against old-growth logging march onto the empty Cambie Bridge, in Vancouver, B.C., Saturday, March 27, 2021. A man who took part in four traffic-stopping protests in Metro Vancouver in an effort to save old-growth forests has been given a conditional sentence and six months probation. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
(Black Press Media file photo)

Competition Bureau to investigate industry claims of sustainable forestry management

Environmental group says such claims constitute false advertising

(Black Press Media file photo)
An aerial shot shows the Canoe Forest Products Ltd. plywood/veneer plant in Canoe. (Image courtesy of Canoe Forest Products Ltd.)

Business stable for Canoe Forest Products in Salmon Arm despite some industry closures

Although the company isn’t immune, market forces remain kind to plywood/veneer production

An aerial shot shows the Canoe Forest Products Ltd. plywood/veneer plant in Canoe. (Image courtesy of Canoe Forest Products Ltd.)
Kane Blake and the Okanagan Forest Task Force will be removing debris left at abandoned campsites in the West Kelowna backcountry. (Jacqueline Gelineau/Capital News)

Forced to move with nowhere to go: Homeless in West Kelowna backcountry leaving messy location

The Okanagan Forest Task Force to clean up the area off Bartley Road after the residents leave

Kane Blake and the Okanagan Forest Task Force will be removing debris left at abandoned campsites in the West Kelowna backcountry. (Jacqueline Gelineau/Capital News)
West Fraser Williams Lake Plywood. (John Wiege photo)

B.C. to dedicate some provincial timber supply to value-added industry

Program focusing on products such as mass timber, plywood, veneer, panelling and flooring

West Fraser Williams Lake Plywood. (John Wiege photo)
B.C. Premier David Eby at the Crofton mill announcement, backed by Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation Brenda Bailey. (Photo by Don Bodger)

$68.8M to retool B.C. mill to produce wood-based single-use plastic replacements

Government, Paper Excellence investments putting 100 workers back to work in Crofton

B.C. Premier David Eby at the Crofton mill announcement, backed by Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation Brenda Bailey. (Photo by Don Bodger)
A provincial promise of $50 million holds the promise of making use of low-value wood that would otherwise by burned. (Photo courtesy of Cranbrook Fire & Emergency Services).

Province pumps $50-million into increasing fibre supply in B.C.

Premier David Eby announced the funding Thursday

A provincial promise of $50 million holds the promise of making use of low-value wood that would otherwise by burned. (Photo courtesy of Cranbrook Fire & Emergency Services).
The state of the forest industry has drawn a lot of this week as Premier David Eby continues to address key industry leaders. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

B.C. forest industry looks to get out of the woods amid meetings with government leaders

Industry faces declining prices, other challenges as Eby speaks of ‘exhausted’ and ‘stressed’ forests

The state of the forest industry has drawn a lot of this week as Premier David Eby continues to address key industry leaders. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
Minister of Forests Bruce Ralston and Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation Brenda Bailey flank Premier David Eby as he announces $90 million over three years to support high-value industrial and manufacturing projects. (Omineca Express)

B.C. announces up to $90M over 3 years for areas impacted by changes in forestry

Announcement gets applause from industry leaders with some pushing for additional measures

Minister of Forests Bruce Ralston and Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation Brenda Bailey flank Premier David Eby as he announces $90 million over three years to support high-value industrial and manufacturing projects. (Omineca Express)
The Cascade Lower Canyon Community Forest says they are disappointed after discovering someone has stolen at least $15,000 worth of wood from them. (Matt Wealick)

Thieves snag $15K of wood from B.C. helicopter logging site

Culprits would have needed major equipment to drag the logs away, says Fraser Valley forestry group

The Cascade Lower Canyon Community Forest says they are disappointed after discovering someone has stolen at least $15,000 worth of wood from them. (Matt Wealick)
Softwood lumber is pictured in Richmond, B.C., Tuesday, April 25, 2017. An estimated 300 jobs in British Columbia will likely be gone by the end of the year as Canfor Pulp Products closes the pulp line at its Prince George pulp and paper mill. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

Hundreds of jobs affected as Canfor announces pulp line closure at B.C. mill

Vancouver-based company blames a lack of fibre for its pulp operations

Softwood lumber is pictured in Richmond, B.C., Tuesday, April 25, 2017. An estimated 300 jobs in British Columbia will likely be gone by the end of the year as Canfor Pulp Products closes the pulp line at its Prince George pulp and paper mill. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
(file)

Canfor extending temporary sawmill curtailments in B.C.

Decision expected to remove about 21 million board feet of production

(file)
Vernon-based Tolko Industries Ltd. has announced extended downtime for the month of January for its divisions in Armstrong, in the North Okanagan, and Soda Creek in the Cariboo. (tolko.com)

Tolko extends downtime at mills in North Okanagan, Cariboo

Armstrong and Soda Creek divisions to be down through to end of January, then re-evaluated

Vernon-based Tolko Industries Ltd. has announced extended downtime for the month of January for its divisions in Armstrong, in the North Okanagan, and Soda Creek in the Cariboo. (tolko.com)
Canadian environmental groups have filed a complaint against Sustainable Forestry Initiative, claiming the company is not in fact following sustainable practices. (Credit: Pixabay)

Greenwashing complaint filed against Canada’s biggest certifier of sustainable forestry

Sustainable Forestry Initiative not actually following any criteria, critics say

  • Dec 28, 2022
Canadian environmental groups have filed a complaint against Sustainable Forestry Initiative, claiming the company is not in fact following sustainable practices. (Credit: Pixabay)
Logs from a Baird Bros. logging truck are about to be dropped into the Shuswap River in this undated photograph from the Enderby and District Museum archives. Enderby and District Museum and Archives photo.

Know the past to plan for future of Okanagan forests

LETTER: We should use line skiders and chainsaws on steep hill sides to prevent erosion

  • Dec 8, 2022
Logs from a Baird Bros. logging truck are about to be dropped into the Shuswap River in this undated photograph from the Enderby and District Museum archives. Enderby and District Museum and Archives photo.
The corporate logo for forest products producer Canfor Corp. is shown. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO

Canfor temporarily reducing Canadian production due to weak market conditions

Move will reduce production by about 150 million board feet in December and January

The corporate logo for forest products producer Canfor Corp. is shown. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO
Western Forest Products announced capital investments totalling $29 million at operations in Saltair, Nanaimo and Chemainus. (Black Press Media file photo)

Western Forest Products to temporarily reduce lumber production levels in December

Reduction being made to manage inventory levels to current market conditions.

Western Forest Products announced capital investments totalling $29 million at operations in Saltair, Nanaimo and Chemainus. (Black Press Media file photo)
This historic photo is Ken Graf, Don and Otto Sandberg beside a heavily loaded logging truck. The men are in the Bear Creek area at Sandberg Creek, circa 1952. This photo was shared on the Old Kelowna Facebook page with the credit of Don Sandberg. Do you have historic photos of West Kelowna and Peachland that you would like to share, if so email us at newstips@westknews.com

Training puts Indigenous people in the driver’s seat of North Okanagan logging trucks

B.C. funds Okanagan College program in Vernon for 8 eligible residents

This historic photo is Ken Graf, Don and Otto Sandberg beside a heavily loaded logging truck. The men are in the Bear Creek area at Sandberg Creek, circa 1952. This photo was shared on the Old Kelowna Facebook page with the credit of Don Sandberg. Do you have historic photos of West Kelowna and Peachland that you would like to share, if so email us at newstips@westknews.com