For the District of Mackenzie, forestry is more than just an industry. It is identity, history, and survival.
Councillor Peter Kyllo describes a town shaped by wood and work. “We’re a small community right now… about 3,500 people, primarily built for logging.” In its peak, that number more than doubled. The mills drove everything.
A town built on timber
“The forest industry has been the lifeblood of Mackenzie,” he says. “It was our primary employer, and it kept the wheels going.”
That reality has changed. Where six sawmills once operated, only one remains on a single shift. That contraction shows up in empty properties, reduced services, and a shrinking tax base.
“The impact has decimated our economy,” Kyllo says. The town absorbed a major hit in tax revenue in a single year. With fewer people and fewer industries, recovery is not straightforward.
The shift has also changed how people live. Contractors no longer stay. They commute in, then leave. The sense of permanence has eroded.
A life shaped by the land
Kyllo’s connection to forestry is personal. He grew up in the backcountry, working and travelling through it long before policy debates reached it.
“My early days were on the back of a horse, going hunting and fishing,” he says. Summers meant guiding trips deep into the mountains. Winters meant logging work.
“It’s a natural fit,” he adds. “You spend the summer in the mountains, then the winter cutting trees down.”
That rhythm reflects a broader truth about resource communities. Work is seasonal, physical, and tied to the land. Forestry, in that sense, is not only economic, it shapes lifestyle and access.
Kyllo also points to an often overlooked benefit. Forestry roads open up the backcountry, creating access to places most people would never reach otherwise. Without them outdoor experiences would be confined to crowded parks. Forestry, at its best, expands opportunity rather than limiting it.
Policy, perception, and unintended consequences
Kyllo does not hesitate to point to policy failures. He argues that well-intentioned protections have sometimes produced the opposite effect.
“Protected areas have done more to damage our forest industry than any other policy,” he says.
He cites pest outbreaks as examples. In his telling, limited intervention in protected zones allowed infestations to grow unchecked. By the time action was possible, the damage had spread far beyond park boundaries.
The result is a reduced fibre supply. For a town like Mackenzie, that is existential.
He also raises concerns about oversight. Current systems rely heavily on industry reporting, with limited independent verification. That creates gaps in accountability.
In one example, penalties for violations are so low they fail to deter behaviour. “The biggest fine on the books is $285,” he says. “That’s it.”
For Kyllo, the issue is not regulation itself, it is inconsistency. Policies shift with governments and public sentiment, often disconnected from on-the-ground realities.
“When policies change by the whim of government or perception… you cannot run an effective long-term program,” he says.
A case for stability
Despite the challenges, Kyllo remains clear about forestry’s potential. He sees it as one of the few industries capable of providing long-term stability.
“Forestry is a solution to our employment and our economy,” he says. “It’s steady, it’s predictable, and it’s regenerative.”
That last point matters. Unlike finite resources, forests can be managed across generations. With proper planning, the cycle can repeat indefinitely.
“You can log an area… and 100 years later, you’re right back where you started,” he says.
But that requires the consistency he says is lacking. Long-term stewardship depends on rules that do not shift every few years. It also requires trust between government, industry, and communities.
For Mackenzie, the stakes are immediate. The town is still standing, but thinner than before.
Kyllo’s message is practical, rather than nostalgic. Stability, accountability, and realistic policy could still sustain places like his community.
Without that, the decline may not stop.
Ian Biana writes for the Resource Works Accelerate team and can be reached at [email protected].
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