B.C. Conservatives promise to end stumpage fees, review fire management if elected

B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad announced his plan for the forestry sector a week before the official launch of the provincial election campaign

Author of the article:

Published Sep 14, 2024  •  1 minute read

B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad speaks during a news conference in Richmond, B.C., on July 30, 2024. British Columbia Conservatives are promising changes to the way forests are managed, a week before the official launch of the provincial election campaign. Photo by DARRYL DYCK /THE CANADIAN PRESS

VANDERHOOF — British Columbia Conservatives are promising changes they say will bring more “stability” to the province’s struggling forestry industry.

B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad announced his plan for the sector a week before the official launch of the provincial election campaign, saying a Conservative government would do away with stumpage fees paid when timber is harvested and instead put a tax on the final products that are produced.

Article content

Rustad is promising to streamline the permit process and review both what he calls the province’s “uncompetitive cost structure” and how wildfires are managed.

Rustad says all the changes are in the name of bringing “stability” and “hope” to the industry that has seen multiple closures of mills in rural communities over the last several years.

Most recently, Canfor Corp. decided to shutter two northern British Columbia sawmills earlier this month, leaving hundreds of workers unemployed.

At the time, Forests Minister Bruce Ralston said the sector was a “foundational part” of the province and the current NDP government would work to support both local jobs and wood manufacturing operations.

Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don’t miss the news you need to know — add VancouverSun.com and TheProvince.com to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here.

You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber: For just $14 a month, you can get unlimited access to The Vancouver Sun, The Province, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Vancouver Sun | The Province.

Article content