COLLINS: Note to government — don’t screw this up!
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NOT SURE IF THE RUMOUR is true, but I’m hearing that the machines that print our money are wearing out — so what money we have, we need to spend wisely.
The government, this week, announced it was putting well over a billion dollars into the forest industry, one of the sectors hit hardest by Donald Trump’s tariffs. Our forest industry has been struggling for a long time. It seems we haven’t found Willy Wonka’s magic ticket that will pave the road to prosperity. Much of this money will go to loan guarantees to keep companies afloat. Another huge chunk will be used, hopefully, to find new efficiencies, find new markets, find markets for some types of wood that won’t work in house walls, but may have a use if it’s repurposed somewhere else.
Even before Trump’s tariffs were applied, the stumpage system, which determines how much companies will be charged to cut wood on Crown land, was a mess and still is.
This is the tip of the iceberg. And it’s a big iceberg. Also remember that any major efficiencies will likely result in some job loss. Thus, every stakeholder has to be part of the solution. It’s hard to imagine it happening, but First Nations, unions, governments at all levels, mills of all shapes and sizes, companies and financiers, must come to the table and fight for something that will carry us into the next 25-50 years. It has to happen if the industry is to become strong again. These stakeholders have to come face to face with the realization that they can no longer sit on Santa’s knee and expect a big load of cash under the tree on Christmas morning.
