Auditor General releases forest report

February 16, 2012

The province's Auditor General has released his latest report on the forest sector.

John Doyle says the BC Government, responsible for over 90 per cent of British Columbia's forests, is not being clear on its commitments to reforestation and needs to strengthen the monitoring of forest practices.

The President of Steelworkers Union Local 21-71, Darryl Wong, representing thousands of forestry workers in the region, says the BC Government has simply cut too many staff tasked with keeping an eye on the industry.

"That really is a crisis in the Province of BC in my opinion, when you reduce or eliminate a significant group of people that are focused on the forest sector specifically, it leads to questions on what the government is actually doing about forest policy." 

Wong says another key issue is a mass exodus from the forest sector in recent years when the industry bottomed out.

"A significant number of our workers have gone into the oil fields, or have gone into mining or other areas... most of the forest companies now are having a very difficult time trying to find new employees."

Wong says there is a turnaround in the forest industry, albeit not as quick as he would like it to be.

Meanwhile, the Auditor General concluded his extensive forest report with six recommendations, including calling on the BC Government to establish a provincial forest plan, stating its long-term timber objectives.