A second attempt at a letter of support for a forestry industry lobby campaign against cutting regulations was quashed by Nanaimo city council in a split vote.
Earlier this year, the province passed changes to the Forest Act, the Forest and Range Practices Act. Among these changes, there became increased discretion by the government in issuing cutting permits and road permits, as well as new enforcement measures allowing the province to refuse a replacement timber tenure or to not issue one if the company failed to pay penalties or were non-compliant.
On Sept. 9, lumber industry representatives presented to Nanaimo council, on behalf of the Forestry Works for B.C. campaign, requesting a letter of support against the current regulations. The campaign is a collective effort that represents several forest-based organizations and companies, including Coastland Wood Industries, Nanaimo Forest Products, Jones Marine Group and the Truck Loggers Association.
Paul Sadler, CEO of Nanaimo Forest Products, told councillors that the industry's future in B.C. is uncertain.
"[With] the current rate of harvest decline the sector will lose the critical mass to sustain itself and the impacts will be felt not just by local businesses but by every British Columbian," he said. "Today the sustainable annual cut, determined by the chief forester, is one-third of one per cent of the province's forested lands but rapid change to rules and regulations are making it so that B.C. forestry companies cannot get access to the [annual allowable cut]."
The cities of Campbell River and Terrace have previously issued letters of support.
Nanaimo council rejected the initial request in a split vote.
"The reason why harvest rates are low is in response to all the controversy around old-growth and unsustainable practices," said Coun. Ben Geselbracht, who voted against the lobbyists' request. "There's a new permitting process that was put in place to enhance ford stewardship and enhance public participation."
Geselbracht expressed that he was uncomfortable with not having the potential letter in front of him to examine, as well as the vagueness in the request.
"It's unclear what's being asked for, eliminate the new permitting process? Because I'm definitely not in favour of that. Is it asking the government to improve the permitting process? I'm in favour of asking to increase efficiency, but depending on how it's framed, and from Forestry Works, sometimes some of the stuff has quite a strong spin on what's being suggested."
Other council members who voted against included Coun. Hilary Eastmure, Paul Manly, Janice Perrino and Erin Hemmens.
During a subsequent council meeting on Sept. 23, Mayor Leonard Krog brought the request back for reconsideration. Along with the request, he added a sample of a letter they could use, that he had written for consideration.
The request failed, with those against including Coun. Tyler Brown, Manly, Geselbracht, Eastmure and Hemmens.
Coun. Sheryl Armstrong spoke in favour, saying she believed it was "very important to do this" after sitting in on natural resources meetings at the recent Union of B.C. Municipalities convention.
"I went and talked to Indigenous First Nations leaders for forestry, etc., and they're very, very supportive over this," she said. "They want to see a joint management plan come together with all the stakeholders and I think that's what this does. It's not about asking to change dollars, it's asking the province to work with all stakeholders to come to an agreeable plan."
She added that by not giving allowances for local logging, it forces construction companies to get their wood from elsewhere.
"I think it's something we need to look at to try to also support our local businesses which support local people and bring our tax dollars here."
Thorpe also spoke in favour, saying that he viewed the letter as "supporting local business and our local economy."
"We had representatives from Harmac and Coastland Wood here," he said. "These are major employers in our city and they are major taxpayers and I think we have a duty to listen to when they make a reasonable request for a general letter of support for their industry."
Geselbracht, who remained against the letter, said that by signing their names to it he felt they would "be lending their voice to a particular campaign that doesn't quite reflect the values of our community and what we've been advocating for."
"It's veiled that basically the changes that were brought in around a policy shift to more ecosystem-based management, conservation and the permitting process incorporating First Nation values and interest, to look at changing that," he said. "I think it was a lot of work that went into getting this on the table in terms of the provincial government to go ahead with it, this includes old-growth deferrals."
Coun. Paul Manly said he's "very supportive of the local forestry industry," but he also spoke against Nanaimo city council signing the letter.
"The city of Grand Forks has been flooded multiple times because there's no forest to hold back the water when we get this excessive rain," Manly pointed out. "I think that the provincial government is making some positive steps towards more conservation-based ecosystem and science-based forestry, and also more involvement with First Nations."
