Whereas the closure of sawmills in the region has caused significant economic distress within local communities that has led to a decline in local employment opportunities which negatively impacts the livelihoods of residents and local businesses; And whereas recent shutdowns provide a concern that wood harvested in one area will be transported to another for processing, thus jeopardizing the local economic value for communities most impacted: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM requests that the Province considers policy to ensure that timber rights that can reasonably be considered attached to a sawmill that is being closed, or that were originally provided to the company or companies that owned that sawmill, be transferred to local andor Indigenous governments upon closure in order to foster economic diversification and community resilience.
Ministry of Forests The government is interested in improving the social licence involved with holding forest tenures to ensure sustainable, equitable and lasting benefits to First Nations, communities and workers. Currently, BC Timber Sales BCTS Review is underway to ensure the forestry sector is continually evolving to overcome challenges and create a vision for a stronger and more resilient future. This review will provide recommendations, including but not limited to, how BCTS can: - create forestry-sector growth, competition and diversification, - provide predictable market access to fibre, - diversify access to fibre for the secondary manufacturing sector, - strengthen partnership with First Nations and local communities, and - create more jobs for contractors, workers and communities. In 2019, the Forest Act was amended to introduce a requirement that all transfers of forest tenures must be approved by the ministry. The approval process includes an assessment of the marketing of fibre and the public interest. A substantial amount of tenure has changed hands on a willing-buyerwilling-seller basis. In the fall of 2021, the government introduced legislation to authorize the ministry to take back forest tenures for redistribution. Supporting regulations are in place, providing the government with additional powers to support communities, First Nations and BC Timber Sales. Any further changes will be implemented with careful consideration of the declining timber supply and global market volatility.