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- Published on Monday, 30 March 2015 17:15
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Time to address the raw log export crisis on the coast
Hi PAOV,
The export of raw logs is a crisis in BC. Despite outcry from forest communities, unions, policy experts, political leaders, environmental groups and thousands of citizens, this controversial practice has reach record levels in recent years.
The spike in raw log exports, facilitated by the BC government, has been a disaster for BC’s environment and our forest economy. The province – and especially the coast – has seen dozens of mill closures and thousands of lost jobs. BC is the only province that exports raw logs in large volumes, and as a result, it has less jobs and creates the less value per tree harvested than any other province in Canada.
We’re sending trees, money and jobs out of BC – and we’re doing it at a faster rate than ever before. If we put the logs we exported in a single year onto logging trucks and lined those trucks up end to end, they would stretch from Vancouver to Thunder Bay, Ontario!
We need to address this problem, and it’s municipal governments that are showing real leadership on the issue.
The Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities (AVICC) is a body comprised of the mayors, councillors and regional directors for all cities, towns and districts on Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, Discovery Islands and the Sunshine Coast. At its upcoming annual convention, this association of municipal decision-makers will vote on a resolution to call on the provincial government to re-examine raw log export policy. (Scroll down to read the full text of the resolution.)
Pressure from local governments can have a big influence on provincial policies and laws, so it’s critical that we let our municipal leaders know we stand behind their calls for action on the raw log export crisis!
Will you take a moment to write to the association and show your support for this important resolution? The AVICC convention is April 10-12, so please click here to write your letter now!
For the wild,
Torrance Coste | Vancouver Island Campaigner
Wilderness Committee
The full AVICC resolution is as follows:
R17 Provincial Government – Re-examine Log Export Policy
(Introduced by Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District)
WHEREAS Coastal log exports increased 65% by volume from 2010 levels to 6,348,674 m3 in 2013 and the Coast represents 90.6% of total log export volume in the province of BC;
AND WHEREAS the coastal forest industry has grown dependent upon log exports with unintended consequences to the manufacturing sector;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities request the Provincial Government re-examine the Log Export Policy and the impact this policy has on the Coastal Forest Industry, and that the Provincial Government investigate options for modifying the Log Export Policy in light of the increased Coastal Log Exports over the last several years.
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