File photo (Heffley Creek Mill image credit - CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

FEDERAL SUPPORT

Forest Critic Stamer applauds federal funding, wants to see change at the provincial level

Nov 27, 2025 | 4:13 PM

KAMLOOPS — In an effort to help support industries struggling in the face of US tariffs, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced measures on Wednesday (Nov. 26) to help protect both the steel and lumber sector.

For lumber, the initiatives include prioritizing Canadian lumber in ‘Build Canada Homes’ and a ‘Buy Canada’ policy. Carney also announced an additional $1 billion in new support.

New dollars are flowing from the federal government toward the forestry sector, with an additional $500 million in loan guarantees and half-a-billion more in a different loan stream directed at softwood lumber producers.

“It’s encouraging that the federal government is putting more money in the pot, but there are still some underlying challenges. The prime minister did not talk about the softwood lumber agreement, he did not talk about some of the significant challenges that we are having in this province related to our provincial government, permitting and fibre supply,” said Forests Critic Ward Stamer.

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The Carney government also announced a 50 per cent freight rate discount on interprovincial shipments of lumber or steel beginning in the spring of 2026.

“The biggest win for British Columbia is the reduction in freight costs. That was a direct result of Premier (David) Eby and his advocacy,” said Forests Minister Ravi Parmar. “That is going to result in our ability to be able to get more lumber from British Columbia over to Ontario, a jurisdiction that right now relying on the United States to help build homes.”

While the money is welcome news for both the minister and critic, Stamer is worried the focus isn’t on the correct challenges, as forestry in B.C. remains at a crisis, pointing to another recent closure of a facility in Williams Lake.

“Drax, specifically, said one of the reasons why (it’s closing) is there wasn’t certainty of supply for their plant. That is the number one thing we keep hearing about,” said Stamer. “That is what we really have to get the minister’s attention on this is that we have got jams in permits, we have got jams in having access to fibre. We have to be able put our collective heads together and not just come up with another review or a taskforce, we need tangible results and we need them now.”