BC's Northwest Fibre: Untapped Resource

Thursday, February 25, 2010 11:30 AM

Elmer Derrick, on left, in Vancouver on Wednesday with Prince George Mayor Dan Rogers, Quesnel Mayor Mary Sjostrom, and Forests Minister, Pat Bell

Vancouver, B.C. - A coalition of forest licensees in B.C.'s Northwest corridor has banded together in the hopes of attracting investment to the region...

The Northwest BC Forest Coalition brings together 11 forest licensees from Smithers to Prince Rupert, representing a potential timber supply of 2.7-million cubic metres per year. While the group formed last March, members have been attending the business events in Vancouver, coinciding with the 2010 Winter Olympics.

"We're using the Games to showcase British Columbia as the world's largest exporter of softwood forest products and reliable supplier of high-quality products," says Forests Minister Pat Bell. "As part of our business hosting strategy, we're taking the opportunity to promote investment and job-creation throughout the province, including the tremendous fibre resource in the northwest."

Coalition spokesperson, Elmer Derrick of Gitxsan Forest Enterprises Inc., says, "Instead of continuing to compete against each other in a very limited market, we decided with urging from Minister Bell, to pool our timber volumes to entice new investors."

The group is marketing the area to Asian investors, in particular, highlighting:

the proximity of three year-round ports in Prince Rupert, Kitimat, and Stewart,
CN rail lines servicing the area that can ship to all points in eastern Canada and the U.S.,
and, for those interested in building manufacturing plants "to take advantage of the abundant fibre, an ample supply of electricity

The Northwest BC Forest Coalition launched its website last month to provide more information about opportunities in the area at www.nwbc-forestcoalition.org

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Posted on Thursday, February 25, 2010 11:30 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: acopolympics on February 25 2010 12:55 PM

Gee, wonder if Danny Boy took in the Canada/Russia game on Wednesday? You know, the games he wasn't accepting tickets for....at least that's what his public image said.... ?? Funny how he just managed to make this trip right at this time on short notice, using the excuse this was his only open timeframe.

Posted by: MrPG on February 25 2010 2:16 PM

Travel is part of the Mayor's job, like it or not.

Posted by: hammmy on February 25 2010 3:23 PM

Yes it WAS a quick trip wasn't it!

Posted by: ski50 on February 25 2010 3:50 PM

One of the problem with government spending is you tend to lose a sense of the reality of it.

So the Mayor and a couple of others take a junket to Vancouver. Say it costs $3,000.00. Okay, now go to your window and look at the house accross the street from you. Your taxes and theirs paid for that trip. Not potholes or cops.

Everytime these guys spend $1500.00 they didn't have to, a homeowner paid taxes to fund someone elses play time instead of what we really want or need.

Posted by: He spoke on February 25 2010 5:49 PM

I think its great that we are there being represented. its worth it. It cost 30,000 tax payers 10 cents each. Its worth it

Posted by: acrider54 on February 26 2010 6:26 AM

Give me 10 cents each and I can take a holiday too. I sure don't have the dollars anymore paying taxes to all forms of government so they can take a holiday on my 10 cents.

Posted by: gus on February 26 2010 7:52 AM

I believe he was back for a budget meeting at 4:30. Could not even see the game on TV other than a taped version.

Travelling soon becomes a dreaded experience for many who have to do it as part of their job.

Posted by: gus on February 26 2010 7:56 AM

The real story here is, if the Northwest Corridor has an untapped resource in its "fibre", why have the mills built to use the fibre as feedstock been having problems surviving for such a long time?

Posted by: who? on February 26 2010 8:01 AM

the issues with the NW fibre are not all that complicated. it comes down to very high logging costs due to terrain and the fibre itself. Much of it is pulpwood, most pulpmills done rely on whole log deliveries and chipping due to costs of competing with residual chip supplied mills, and also that out of whatever is harvested in the area, a large %age is simply waste, and gets left on the landing. im a nutshell, relatively poor fibre, high costs. what is interesting is some of the low elevation old blocks that were harvested ~30-50 yrs ago are coming online and look great for fibre supply.