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Homegrown Hurdles Plague Canadian Forestry Revival
5 Jun
Summary
- Excessive regulations are a major barrier to industry revival.
- Underinvestment in manufacturing hinders sector's growth.
- Task force seeks national strategy for a vibrant forest sector.
The Canadian timber industry is at a crossroads, with ministers acknowledging that the traditional model of exporting commodity lumber is no longer viable. A "perfect storm" of challenges, including "unjust" tariffs from the United States and declining global demand for products like newsprint, has impacted the sector.
A recently released task force report highlights that the most significant obstacles to reviving the industry are domestic. These include excessive regulations, underinvestment in manufacturing capabilities, a lack of innovation, and insufficient domestic demand for wood products.
In response, the federal government is preparing an action plan, anticipated within days, which will outline a national strategy to invigorate the forest sector. Provincial ministers, such as B.C.'s Forests Minister Ravi Parmar, express enthusiasm for collaboration with the federal government and other provinces and territories to secure necessary funding and support for forestry workers.
