Interim opposition leader Trevor Halford told logging contractors Friday that the province’s forestry downturn is being driven by a system that is “not functioning at the pace this sector requires.”
Halford, the Surrey-White Rock MLA and interim leader of the B.C. Conservatives since Dec. 4, 2025, spoke Jan. 16, 2026, at the Truck Loggers Association’s 81st convention and trade show at the Westin Bayshore in Vancouver.
“This crisis is not about forests disappearing. It is not about fibre not existing. It is about permits not moving, decisions not being made, and systems that do not function at the pace this sector requires,” Halford said.
On the edge of collapse
Halford opened by citing a Vancouver Sun report published earlier in the week that described the B.C. forest industry as “on the edge of collapse,” and by quoting Truck Loggers Association executive director Peter Lister, who told the convention he had “never seen it as bad” in more than 35 years in the sector.
Halford’s remarks came a day after Forests Minister Ravi Parmar told contractors at the association’s Leaders’ Luncheon that the government is trying to improve fibre flow, permitting timelines and working relationships with First Nations.
Companies including West Fraser and Domtar have pointed to fibre and market conditions in announcing closures at 100 Mile House and Crofton, adding to pressure on contractors who rely on mill demand.
Industry leaders have pointed to cost pressures, curtailments and delays in accessing economically viable wood. The Vancouver Sun report cited by Halford said B.C. logged about 32 million cubic metres of timber last year, well below an annual allowable harvest of 45 million cubic metres, and noted industry concerns about U.S. softwood lumber duties averaging about 45 per cent.
Parmar, meanwhile, highlighted the province’s “Path to 45” target, a push to lift harvest volumes toward 45 million cubic metres, and cited changes aimed at making public timber sales more workable for operators.
No stability without predictable supply
Against that backdrop, Halford said the industry has heard “explanations” from the government, but needs measurable results. “Accountability matters. Transparency matters. Results matter,” he said.
He argued that stability is impossible when mills cannot secure predictable supply and contractors cannot plan beyond a single season. “There is no stability when harvest levels remain far below what the Chief Forester says is sustainable, not because fibre is gone, but because government systems block access,” he said.
The DRIPA debate
Halford also zeroed in on Indigenous consultation and the province’s implementation of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA). The law was passed unanimously in 2019 and requires the province to work, in consultation and co-operation with Indigenous peoples, to align B.C. laws with the United Nations declaration.
“The problem is not reconciliation. The problem is how this government has implemented DRIPA,” Halford said. He argued that the act has “introduced uncertainty instead of clarity, delays instead of decisions, and conflict instead of collaboration,” and called for DRIPA to be repealed to “restore balance and certainty.”
“Repealing DRIPA is not about taking anything away from First Nations,” he said, adding that his party’s approach would prioritize “clear rules,” “clear timelines” and “clear accountability,” with government setting the framework and then “getting out of the way so industry and First Nations can function.”
Cautious optimism
He closed by telling contractors he was “cautiously optimistic” the sector can recover, while promising sustained pressure on the NDP government.
“We can work together. We can get through this,” Halford said. “And we will continue to hold the government’s feet to the fire until policy starts delivering for the people who actually do the work.”
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