BC NDP continues to fight for forestry workers hit hard by decades of tariffs

VANCOUVER -A re-elected BC NDP government would continue to fight for forestry through a plan centred around defending the forest sector against ongoing tariff attacks and standing up for workers.

For decades, the forestry industry has felt the brunt of unjust U.S. tariffs, and Trump tariffs are intensifying the impact. BC NDP Leader David Eby has a plan to continue defending jobs and workers, which includes retrofitting mills, supporting mills at risk of closing, and creating a new Task Force to work across government to protect jobs.

“Families and communities that depend on forestry need to know the government has their backs, and the BC NDP will be there,” said BC NDP leader David Eby. “A re-elected BC NDP government will keep working to support workers, as we did to prevent the closure of the pulp and paper mill in Howe Sound.”

The BC NDP plan includes:

1. A new funding stream in a permanent B.C. Manufacturing Jobs Fund to retrofit more mills to allow them to manufacture value-added products, lower the cost of producing goods, or expand to non-U.S. markets.
2. A new $120 million Forestry Jobs Protection Fund over two years, to support workers, communities and mills at risk of closing with targeted support.
3. A new task force including industry, labour and ministries to take action to keep mills impacted by Trump’s tariffs open.
4. Strengthening forest management practices including faster permitting and ensuring consistent access to fibre.
5. Continuing to find and develop non-US markets for BC Wood.

The BC NDP government successfully negotiated a B.C. tariff relief package with Prime Minister Mark Carney, improved BC Timber Sales’ harvesting performance by 25% to get more fibre to mills, and cut wildfire salvage permitting timelines in half, to 25 days, delivering 3 million cubic metres per year of uneconomic wood fibre to mills that otherwise would have been left behind or burned.

Key facts:

• Funding for mills will be provided through a new Forestry Competitiveness stream within the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund.
• A re-elected BC NDP government would create a new 2-year $120M Forestry Jobs Protection Fund to provide direct support to workers, mills, and communities.
• The BC NDP government has already provided $90 million through the B.C. Manufacturing Jobs Fund to support forestry workers and help affected communities transition.
• The BC NDP government has previously provided targeted funding through the Forest Enhancement Society of B.C. to increase fibre supply, keep local mills running, and protect forestry jobs.