Terrace council has endorsed a provincial advocacy campaign aimed at strengthening the B.C. forestry industry and raising awareness of the industry’s significance to rural B.C.
At its Mar. 9 meeting, council approved a request by a group of forest sector organizations to support the Forestry is a Solution advocacy campaign.
Launched Jan. 20 at the BC Natural Resources Forum in Prince George, the campaign seeks to demonstrate public support for the industry and urge the provincial government to take measures to strengthen the industry.
Councillor Brian Downie said the industry was undergoing tremendous change, and the changes were felt in most cities in Northern B.C.
“Obviously, the forest industries are in a period of huge change,” Downie said. “What’s missing sometimes is the impact on communities. We’ve felt it here. You go across Highway 16, there’s communities like Houston, for instance, or Fraser Lake that are really badly impacted.”
In its request for support, the city has pitched this initiative as a message to the province: forestry is still a strategic asset for British Columbia, even as it faces global competition, tough operating conditions, and trade pressures from the US.
Supporters of this initiative said forestry can help address several major provincial challenges, including building affordable housing with renewable materials, reducing wildfire risk through smart forest management, supporting skilled jobs, and increasing tax revenues for public services.
Downie said the initiative is meant to push the provincial government to provide more support for forestry communities.
“So what this initiative is, is to advocate to the province that the forest sector, forest-related communities, require support, require strategies, ultimately require funding,” he said.
The campaign outlines four priorities for government action, including speeding up access to economic timber, reducing regulations to help the industry stay competitive, improving BC Timber Sales to provide a steady log supply, and supporting partnerships with First Nations in forestry.
The coalition behind the campaign hopes to collect 5,000 signatures on its website to show public support for the government’s efforts.
Council ultimately voted to endorse the initiative.
