Coalition for Fair Lumber Imports Reiterates Concerns Regarding Changes to British Columbia’s Interior Stumpage Pricing System

(PRNewswire)

The Province of British Columbia has begun to implement changes to its pricing system for public timber which are likely to permanently lock in recent timber pricing abuses that are in direct violation of the U.S.-Canada softwood lumber trade agreement. The Coalition for Fair Lumber Imports maintains that correcting and remedying B.C. stumpage pricing abuses that were, and continue to be, in violation of the SLA is essential to preserving the integrity of the trade agreement.

“British Columbia’s abusive stumpage pricing practices have been harmful to the entire North American lumber industry outside Interior B.C.,” said Steve Swanson, chairman of the Coalition and president of the family-run Swanson Group in Oregon. “But these abuses have been a lifeline thrown to the B.C. industry by the provincial government, so it is not surprising that the B.C. industry spokesperson, Mr. John Allan, believes all is well under the SLA. However, all is not well when B.C. has been violating the SLA for the last three years. The Coalition will continue to press for full retroactive compliance with the SLA,” stated Mr. Swanson. Read more here.