File photo. (Image Credit: CFJC Today)
Forestry Sector

Cariboo residents asked to provide feedback on Williams Lake timber supply area review

Aug 13, 2026 | 8:41 AM

WILLIAMS LAKE, B.C. — Residents in the Cariboo are asked to provide feedback on the timber supply review for the Williams Lake area. 

B.C.’s Ministry of Forests says the Williams Lake timber supply area (TSA) discussion paper contains the results of a timber supply analysis and describes the geography, forest management practices, natural resources and current legal requirements in the area. 

In a news release issued Thursday (Aug. 13), the province says the information will be used by B.C.’s chief forester to determine how much timber can be harvested in the Williams Lake TSA annually. 

However, before setting the new allowable annual cut (AAC), the chief forester will consider input from residents, First Nations and industry members. Residents are asked to submit their comments before Oct. 5, 2026

The province says when B.C.’s chief forester, who is a registered professional forester, makes an AAC determination, it is an independent, professional judgment. It’s based on information from technical forestry reports, First Nations engagement, public input and the government’s social and economic objectives. 

Under the Forest Act, AACs must be reviewed at least once every 10 years for all 37 timber supply areas and 34 tree-farm licences in B.C. 

The Williams Lake TSA covers nearly 5 million hectares in the Cariboo, with an AAC of nearly 3 million cubic metres per year.