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  March continues to be a busy month for COFI members and staff. Following on our successful day in Victoria at the Legislative Buildings on March 8 we are now focused on three major events at the end of the month - our first AGM, our Board meeting and the annual PWC Forestry Conference co-sponsored by COFI. Elsewhere in the Newsletter you can find out more about the events but I would like to thank, on behalf of the Board, the BC Government for their positive response to our meetings and discussion in Victoria. Looking out even further, we are now planning for our Board meeting in Kelowna in May in conjunction with a COFI sponsored community dinner. Hope to see you there!  John Allan |
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The Task Force included COFI Directors David Emerson, Sandy McDade and Jim Shepherd along with representatives from contractors, the IWA and independent fallers. The report, released on February 23rd, has 20 recommendations including: • Develop a sector-wide safety accord that will guide changes in attitude, procedure and operations, resulting in a new safety culture • Create an industry-owned and operated health and safety infrastructure that would include pre-qualification and certification of forest companies, contractors and independent contractors • Develop uniform training and certification standards for workers • Provide financial incentives for firms that adopt, and operate according to, a sector-wide safety model. The next step is for an Implementation Team to take the recommendations and develop a solid plan to take the steps needed to see a significant decline in death and injury in the woods. John Allan, COFI president, will join the Implementation Team and a COFI Board Advisory Committee has been established to guide his participation in the implementation phase. For more information, and to download a copy of the report, visit the Forest Safety Task Force website: www.forestsafetybc.com |
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 "In 2010, we are going to bring the world here for the Olympics and we are also going to show them our forest industry. We're going to show them what you can do with wood." Premier Gordon Campbell, Truck Loggers Association Conference January 2004 The Premier has set the goal of ensuring that the 2010 Winter Olympics are a showcase for the use of wood and a demonstration of the values associated with using wood as a building material. Ensuring that goal is met will require the dedication and support of many people from government, industry, the community and the Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games (OCOG). The forest sector has organized and has several streams of activities underway. COFI recently arranged a meeting with the OCOG staff for a forest sector coalition currently involving COFI, the Forest Products Association of Canada, Market Outreach Network, Canadian Wood Council, Wood Promotion Network and Coast Forest & Lumber Association. While the Canadian Wood Council focuses on assessing the technical aspects of the project other members of the coalition, including COFI, are working with the OCOG and government stakeholders to ensure that the use of wood during the Olympics will deliver the desired messages about Canadaís forest products and practices to the world. It is only 2004 and the CEO of the OCOG was only appointed within the last 60 days but the transition team, operating between the Olympic Bid Corporation and the OCOG, has continued to work on design of the Olympic venues. That includes the expansion of the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre which will be the media centre serving over 10,000 international media. It is the plan that several of the venues will be completed well in advance of 2010 to provide for staging international events and allow for Canadian athletes to train for the Olympics. For more information contact John Allan, President and CEO by e-mail: allan@cofi.org or by phone: (604) 891-1205. |
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  With the COFI restructuring complete it was time to ensure that the provincial government was aware of not only the new structure but also the current challenges faced by COFI members. On Monday, March 8, 2004, a 30 member COFI delegation, consisting of members of the Board of Directors and staff, descended on Victoria for the entire day. The timing was particularly productive considering that Premier Campbell had recently shuffled the Cabinet, impacting on a number of portfolios that in turn impact on the forest industry.The delegation met first with the Honourable George Abbott, Minister of Sustainable Resource Management and his Deputy Minister Jon O'Riordon followed by a meeting with the two Ministers directly responsible for forestry, the Honourable Mike de Jong, Minister of Forests and the Honourable Roger Harris, Minister of State for Forestry Operations and ADM Bob Friesen. The Premier was next and he spent over an hour with the delegation providing his views on the issues and responding to questions. It was then off to a luncheon meeting with senior civil servants including two Deputy Ministers to the Premier, several line Ministry Deputies, Assistant Deputy Ministers and other senior officials. The afternoon was just as busy as the delegation made an appearance in the Legislature where the Premier honoured them with an introduction to the legislative assembly. That was followed by a meeting with several MLA members of the Government Caucus Committee on Natural Resources and then a meeting with the Honourable Bill Barisoff, Minister of Land, Water and Air Protection and his Deputy Minister Gord Macatee. The day concluded with a reception at the Hotel Grand Pacific attended by the Premier, the Speaker, Cabinet Ministers, MLAs and their staff. It was a suitable conclusion to a very hectic but productive day and there was no doubt that Victoria knew COFI was in town and what was on the mind of the association's members. For more information contact John Allan, President and CEO by e-mail: allan@cofi.org or by phone: (604) 891-1205. |
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 Recognition, by Chinese regulatory authorities, of Canadian Certification and Grading Agencies and their marks of conformity will be a key factor in the development of the market for Canadian wood products in construction facilitated by China's new Code for Design of Timber Structures. To lay the groundwork for this recognition, COFI organized a mission to BC in early March for representatives from organizations involved in accrediting conformity assessment bodies and approving building materials. The objectives for the mission were to:
The mission, accompanied by COFI's Jennifer Yu, included six representatives, two each from China's National Certification and Accreditation Administration (CNCA), the China National Accreditation Board for Certifiers (CNAB), and the Science & Technology Committee (STC) of Shanghai Municipal People's Government Construction & Management Commission Building Materials Administration Office.
The mission resulted in a much better mutual understanding of the regulatory processes established in Canada and China. Certified and grade marked construction materials are not yet a normal part of the construction regulatory process in China. Options for future action by Canadian interests will be provided to the applicable agencies for review. For more information contact: Paul Newman, Director Market Access and Trade by e-mail: newman@cofi.org or by phone: 604-891-1215. |
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 The Firestorm 2003 report, an independent review to evaluate the overall response to the emergency and to make recommendations for improvement in time for the next fire season was recently released by the provincial government. The independent review was Chaired by former Manitoba Premier Gary Filmon. COFI has conducted a review of the document and found that it covered most of the issues at the overview level, but that it lacked specifics especially at the operational level. Some of the recommendations included were the need to: improve communications; reduce fuel build up in both interface areas and provincial parks; improve fire training; include fuel management in the planning processes; and, to develop emergency plans for the entire province. COFI was disappointed that the report failed to mention the need for strategies to facilitate the prompt salvage of fire burnt timber or the need for prompt reforestation of all burnt over areas. COFI looks forward to working with the provincial government to assist in the implementation of many of the recommendations of the Firestorm 2003 report. The full text of the report is available on-line at: www.2003firestorm.gov.bc.ca/firestormreport/default.htm. |
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 As reported in the February Newsletter, the NAFTA Panel hearing on "threat of injury" was held in Washington, D.C. on February 25, 2004. Subsequently, it has been announced that the Panel's report will be delayed until April 30, 2004. On Friday, March 5, the NAFTA Anti-Dumping Panel remanded a number of issues back to the Department of Commerce. It is expected that West Fraser will be eventually excluded from the Dumping case. If so, then the "all others" rate will be expected to increase. On the negotiations front, Trade Minister Peterson continues his consultation with Provinces and Industry Associations. For more information please see the following websites: BC Lumber Trade Council: www.bclumbertrade.com Government of Canada: www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/eicb/softwood/menu-en.asp Government of BC: www.for.gov.bc.ca/HET/softwood/index.htm |
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 BC's forest sector is the cornerstone of our economy and the sector has significant prospects for growth beyond 2010. Vision 2010 outlines the steps needed to position the industry for the challenges and opportunities ahead. COFI envisions the sector can add $1.2 billion in future economic activity to the provincial gross domestic product as a result of incremental growth in harvests derived from the same environmental footprint. Realizing this vision can result in an additional $500 million in direct contributions flowing to all levels of government from the industry and its employees; revenues that can be used to respond to ever increasing demands for public programs while ensuring that forest companies earn a return that encourages further investment in new technologies, products, markets and skills. COFI believes the forest sector has the potential to generate 30,000 new direct and indirect well-paying jobs from the most highly skilled and motivated employees working in the world's safest and most efficient plants to jobs in the design and maintenance of high-tech equipment. This will provide stability and continued opportunities for prosperity for forest-dependent communities across BC. BC can have an increasingly sustainable supply of quality fibre from the same timber harvesting land base for conversion into products that meet the needs of all of its customers. This vision of growth can also be realized while ensuring that ongoing access to forest resources is not only secure, but realized in conjunction with all stakeholders. COFI believes all this could be realized while meeting worldwide environmental standards and in conformity with public and market expectations for responsible stewardship of our forests. Our 2010 vision includes ensuring that British Columbians are recognized as extraordinary custodians of the natural beauty of our forests and committed to the preservation of its social and ecological values. To read and download Realizing the Vision 2010 and Beyond go to: http://www.cofi.org\library_and_resources\publications\pdf\RealizingtheVision2010andBeyond.pdf |
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 Forestry and Wood Shop high school teachers from throughout northern BC gathered in Prince George March 4 & 5th for the 3rd annual COFI Northern BC Forestry Teachers' Conference. At this year's conference, participants attended an evening social where they networked with representatives from College of New Caledonia and UNBC Forestry Departments. Participants also attended workshops on the new FRPA, presented by Steve Kozuki, COFI GM Forestry, and on "Wood Properties" presented by Les Jozsa "The Wood Guy". The conference ended with a sharing session where the forestry teachers offered key lesson plan ideas and materials to their colleagues. For more information contact Chris Lear, Manager, Forest Education by e-mail: lear@cofi.org or by phone: (250) 564-5136. |
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