COFI Convention kicks off

“Some (mills) are running one shift, offering rates are down from 80% down to 65%, which is not sustainable. Mills have to close if you if you’re running that low. So it means that the the harvest can only come up when the government policies are finally fleshed through and we can start to build on it again. So that’s possible, but it’s going to take a long time,” says Taylor.

“I think it’s important actually, if we can get that access to the timber supply, it will end up allowing those mills to ramp up and, you know, operate at full capacity and lower their costs,” says Kurt Niquidet, Vice President & Chief Economist, COFI.

But BC is still considered one of the most expensive jurisdictions to do business in forestry for a variety of reasons. Regulations being one

“Part of it is around the regulatory side of things that there’s just a lot of costs around regulatory burden,” says Niquidet. “And so some of that is there for good reason. But can we can we achieve it in a lower cost manner?”

And the question was posed to the panel, with such uncertainty, why would anyone invest capital in the industry?

“People’s perceptions of BC is really declining in terms of an attractive investment climate. But I think there’s levers that government can do and things the industry can do in order to turn things around. We have great potential. And so I think we can sort of become a place of to attract capital again.”

Niquidet says the permitting is also an ongoing challenge.

by Cheryl Jahn

COFI Convention kicks off

What's Trending