The Province has announced its intentions to modernize forest policy and develop a long-term vision for the sector. The vision is focused on three guiding principles: increased sector participation, enhanced stewardship and sustainability, and a strengthened social contract to give government more control over management of the sector.
In response to the announcement, UBCM president Brian Frenkel spoke to the ways in which forest sector is integral to the well-being of all B.C. communities, and the need for the province to adopt an approach that recognizes and mitigates climate change; affirms the broader values of forests to communities; and contributes to sustainable local jobs and economies.
The intentions paper highlights many forest policy asks made by UBCM members, including:
- increasing fibre access for local value-added manufacturers;
- improving accountability in tenure management;
- a compensatory framework to redistribute forest tenures to Indigenous Nations, forest communities and small operators;
- continued commitment to act on the recommendations of the Old Growth Strategic Review in collaboration with Indigenous leaders, local governments, labour, industry and environmental groups;
- the need to support and protect workers with the need for additional old-growth protection;
- promoting the use of wood; and
- strengthening compliance and enforcement.
UBCM has been directly involved in forest policy discussions with the province through several processes. President Frenkel continues to represent UBCM at the Minister of Forests Advisory Committee on the Forest and Range Practices Act, and is also currently appointed to the Mass Timber Advisory Council and Land and Natural Resources Round Table.
For further information, please review the Province’s presentation on the intentions paper.