British Columbia Federation of Labour

New Westminster - The mounting crisis in BC’s forest industry needs immediate action said B.C. Federation of Labour President, Jim Sinclair, in calling for an emergency forest summit.

Sinclair noted that the provincial government’s 2003 forest policy changes have only made the situation worse. "Log exports have tripled, while BC sawmills are being forced to shutdown because they don’t have enough logs to process."

As part of a week of action to draw attention to the growing crisis in BC’s forest sector, the Youbou Timberless Society in the Cowichan Valley, counted 436 logging trucks leaving the valley with raw logs ready for export, while local mills remain idle.

Standing in front of the recently closed Western Forest Products mill in New Westminster, Sinclair said, "We’re now exporting enough raw logs to keep five mills like this one open. Closures like this will continue until the Campbell government in Victoria decides to stand up to begin to solve this crisis."

In 2003, the provincial government launched the then "Forestry Revitalization Plan." This week, Minster of Forests, Rich Coleman has acknowledged his government is creating a "Coast Recovery Plan."

"Coleman says he’s going to ‘revitalize’ the forest sector, we’re worried if the government ‘revitalizes’ anymore the forest industry will die," said Steve Hunt, Director of the United Steelworkers (USW).

"We need an open debate and an open discussion, we need to bring all participants to the table, not just corporations, so we can get people back to work," Hunt added

Since 2001, 40 sawmills in BC have closed, with an estimated loss of more than 15,000 jobs.

Forest workers represented by the USW, were in Victoria earlier this week, lobbying MLAs about the critical need to respond to the growing job loss in BC’s forest sector.