Ravi Parmer and Sheila Malcolmson spoke at length with local reporters on Friday, March 13 at Nanaimo's VIU campus regarding challenges and aid funding for workers impacted by B.C.'s battered forestry sector. (Image Credit: Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

Timber trouble

Diversifying forestry markets, new aid program discussed during minister visit

Mar 13, 2026 | 5:09 PM

NANAIMO — BC’s minister in charge didn’t mince words while addressing highly challenging times for the province’s forestry sector.

Ravi Parmar, who represents the Langford-Highlands riding, toured Nanaimo’s Vancouver Island University campus on Friday, March 13, which included discussions with industry representatives and addressing local reporters.

Parmar said “unacceptable” United States-imposed tariffs and duties applied to B.C. forest products represent the most significant barrier impacting the sector.

“It is very uncertain the path forward for forestry and for many it is very rocky as well as we deal with more closures and curtailments; it’s not just duties and tariffs, it is the impact of low lumber prices, it’s the complete collapse of the U.S. housing market.”

In addressing the need to move away from the constant “boom and bust cycle” inflicting the industry, Parmar said efforts are actively being made to diversify trading partners.

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Parmar pointed to recent work done by the new Forestry Innovation Investment, a provincial Crown corporation chaired by longtime prominent B.C. forestry executive Rick Doman.

The minister said Doman’s work includes broadening trade partners in the wake of ongoing crippling tariffs and duties.

“This is a bust period we have never seen before in the history of our province and it’s why the premier has given me the task of working with my colleagues to chart the path forward.”

Identifying opportunities for B.C. forestry products in the United Kingdom, Middle East, and north Africa were cited by Parmar as “key markets” to help jolt the industry.

Parmar spoke to the importance of producing more value-added lumber products to the United States, beyond commodity and dimensional lumber.

He noted the province is committed to further reducing raw log exports.

Parmar promoted a new manufacturing and processing investment tax credit announced in the recent provincial budget as a tool to assist the forestry industry.

New aid package

Alongside Parmar was his cabinet colleague Nanaimo-Gabriola MLA Sheila Malcolmson, who also serves as social development and poverty reduction minister.

Malcolmson expanded on a $70.4 million dollar fund announced last week by the Federal government to assist tariff-impacted forestry workers in B.C.

The funds can be accessed through over 100 WorkBC locations around the province, which includes regional centres in Nanaimo, Parksville and Ladysmith.

Nanaimo’s WorkBC Centre is located at 101-155 Skinner St. (Image Credit: Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Re-training programs are a key aspect of the fund, Malcolmson said.

“With another $70 million dollars spread over three years we’ll be able to serve, we anticipate, another eight thousand people a year from those direct forest tariff-impacted sectors,” she said on Friday.

Malcolmson specified the funds are intended to help more than just laid-off forestry workers, but also aid workers displaced by U.S.-imposed tariffs in general, including steel fabricators.

“We’re defining this broadly.”

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