The new resolution proposes a ban on the export of logs and lumber.

It was reported that at the Nanaimo Regional District Council meeting on January 27, Nanaimo Mayor Paul Manly proposed a resolution for the upcoming Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities Association (AVICC) meeting, calling on local governments in British Columbia to urge the provincial government to "prohibit the export of logs and lumber from British Columbia to ensure that forests harvested on Crown land and privately managed forest land are processed within the province." 

Manley said the resolution encourages the development of "value-added manufacturing" in British Columbia, supports jobs in the forestry industry and provides support for sawmills to "help them transition to using the full range of marketable tree species".

It is understood that the resolution has been passed and will be submitted to AVICC for review. If passed, the resolution will be forwarded to the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM). 

Manley pointed out that the core reason for the closure of many sawmills on the island is the "lack of accessible and reasonably priced wood", while the province's average annual log export volume is as high as 2.8 to 3.5 million cubic meters. This kind of export does not include logs that have been preliminarily shaped and classified as value-added products. Some exported logs, due to the characteristics of the tree species (such as hemlock), do not match the processing capabilities of local sawmills and urgently need to improve raw material utilization through production line adaptability renovations.

However, Leanne Salter, the regional director of Coombs, said that the current contradiction is prominently manifested in that while some sawmills are on the verge of closure due to raw material depletion, others in operation are facing raw material shortages, yet logs are directly loaded and exported right in front of the factory gates. In response, she believes that the current resolution needs to be revised accordingly. 

After the meeting, Manly told The News Bulletin that the two levels of government meetings would provide an opportunity for him to appeal to the BC provincial government. He said, "Regarding the AVICC resolution, we may push for a special meeting with the relevant minister." He further explained that the proportion of log exports from Vancouver Island is as high as 30%, far exceeding the provincial average of 12%, and regional industrial conflicts need to be resolved urgently.

"AVICC may request a ministerial meeting during the BC Municipalities Conference," Manly added. "The conference has provincial MLAs and ministerial officials supervising throughout, and we can use this platform to discuss multiple issues. We have already had initial communication with other elected representatives, and AVICC will strive to facilitate a systematic thematic discussion on the forest industry of Vancouver Island."

It is reported that Salt, Bob Rogers (from Nanaimo), Taylor Brown and Ian Thorpe (all from Nanaimo), Doug O'Brien (from Parksville) and Leanne Wallace (from the Englishman River area) voted against the resolution. The 2026 AVICC conference will be held from April 24 to 26 in Victoria, while the BC Municipalities Conference will be held from September 14 to 18 in Vancouver. 

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