The first use of the B.C. NDP governmentB次元官网网址檚 new authority to intervene in long-term corporate forest tenures came when Canfor Corp. shuttered its Vavenby sawmill in 2019 due to dwindling timber supply and sold the cutting rights to Interfor for $60 million.

The transfer went ahead after former forests minister Doug Donaldson and his deputy, long-time industry executive John Allan, provided a payment of $2.5 million to the Simpcw First Nation to buy a share of the tenure. Documents obtained under B.C.B次元官网网址檚 freedom of information law describe difficult negotiations, with the Simpcw first demanding $1 million more to regain rights to their traditional territory in the Clearwater area north of Kamloops.

Premier John Horgan says that agreement led to the latest step in his governmentB次元官网网址檚 overhaul of Crown forest management. It came five years after B.C. saw Canfor and West Fraser close competing sawmills at Houston and Quesnel in 2014, exchanging timber rights to keep CanforB次元官网网址檚 Houston sawmill and West FraserB次元官网网址檚 rebuilt Quesnel mill going in the wake of pine beetle damage that reduced the annual cut.

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RELATED: Forest tenures to be bought back, Horgan tells industry

The Vavenby transaction allowed Interfor to supply logs that keep its historic Adams Lake sawmill near Salmon Arm going. But HorganB次元官网网址檚 government wasnB次元官网网址檛 about to see it happen without recognition of Indigenous title and resource rights in the regions

B次元官网网址淎lthough it was difficult and hard negotiations, it was a template for where weB次元官网网址檙e going when it comes to compensatory take-backs,B次元官网网址� Horgan said of the payment to the Simpcw June 1. B次元官网网址淲e need to look beyond the tenure holders to the people of British Columbia.B次元官网网址�

Five big forest companies still control the largest portion of B.C.B次元官网网址檚 timber rights, and HorganB次元官网网址檚 plan to double the Indigenous share isnB次元官网网址檛 based solely on using taxpayersB次元官网网址� money to buy it back. It includes strengthening the ministerB次元官网网址檚 authority to decide on harvesting and road building, and the intention to B次元官网网址渆nhance legal mechanisms to allow tenure to be redistributed for harvesting.B次元官网网址�

Forests Minister Katrine ConroyB次元官网网址檚 first demonstration of that came in May, when B.C.B次元官网网址檚 largest timber supply area around Prince George came up for renewal with a new, reduced cut set by Chief Forester Diane Nicholls. that the Indigenous share of that allowable cut would be increased four-fold to almost 15 per cent of the vast area.

The Carrier Sekani Tribal Council, whose members benefit from the decision, sees that as a start only. Speaking on behalf of the group at HorganB次元官网网址檚 announcement June 1, Takla First Nation Chief John French said the 1.24 million cubic metres of wood apportioned to Indigenous tenure holders in the region is the biggest in B.C.B次元官网网址檚 history.

B次元官网网址淎s true partners, we need to have access to tenure volume equivalent to 50 per cent of what our territories contribute to the forest sector,B次元官网网址� French said. B次元官网网址淓qual revenues from shared forest.B次元官网网址�

The allowable cut in the Prince George Timber Supply Area was reduced by a third in 2017, lowering it from all-time highs between 2004 and 2012 to allow salvage logging of beetle-killed timber.

tfletcher@blackpress.ca
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