Identifying the Public Interest in Proposed Timber Tenure Dispositions

The Forest Act requires the Minister, or their delegated decision maker, to consider whether or not to approve the disposition (transfer) of a forest tenure agreement, or if conditions should be attached to an approval. They must consider the effects of the disposition on the marketing of fibre in British Columbia and the public interest.

The public interest for a proposed tenure agreement disposition is considered within the context of encouraging diversity and competitiveness in the forest industry. This may include personal, community, environmental and economic values, and business relationships that are proposed or existing between the intended holder of the tenure agreement and other parties.

The Minister, or their designated decision maker, wants to hear from the public regarding proposed tenure agreement dispositions. Your comments can express support or concerns, or suggest conditions to protect the public’s interest that could be placed on the approval of a proposed disposition.

Not all proposed dispositions will warrant a web-based public submission process via this web page. However, comments and inquiries related to any proposed tenure agreement disposition can be submitted directly to the Minister's office or to the Forest Tenures Branch (see link at right).


Proposed Tenure Transfers

Government is currently seeking input from interested citizens of British Columbia regarding the following dispositions to ensure that government considers the full breadth of public interest associated with the tenure agreement and proponents involved. Please click the link provided to access an online form to submit your comments. Your comments are intended to be received anonymously and should not include any self-identifying text, images or documents.

Please note:  If you choose to submit comments, please note that the following criteria will be considered to ensure that submissions are acceptable and will be considered:

  • Does not contain profanity or is defamatory, threatening, hateful, personally disparaging, harassing, indecent, vulgar, obscene, illegal, immoral or sexually explicit (partially masking profanity or other unacceptable language by substituting asterisks or other symbols into a word is not acceptable if the word remains recognizable);
  • Does not appear to, or does actually, infringe the copyright, trade-mark, right of privacy, right of publicity or any other intellectual property or other proprietary right of any third party;
  • Does not contain information about, or images (e.g., photographs, videos or illustrations) of, any person other than the person submitting the content;
  • Does not advertise any product, person or organization, or directs attention to another website for personal gain;
  • Does not provide links to, or information about, other sites that contain unlawful, objectionable or inappropriate content;
  • Does not make unproven or unsupported accusations against individuals, groups or organizations;
  • Does not appear to be spam-like messaging, a repeat posting or a template letter writing campaign; and
  • Must be specific to the proposed transfer of the forest tenure agreements identified.

Description of the Proposed Timber Tenure Transfer

Size of the agreements involved

Location of agreements

Public Input Closes

The Minister of Forests has received a request from Interfor Corporation for:

The subdivision of Replaceable Forest Licence A19235 into an amended A19235 and new A98667 and the subsequent transfer along with associated road permits as follows:

  • Amended A19235 – 29,486 m3 to
  • A98667 – 20,000 m3 to Matchlee General Partnership Ltd.

The transfer of A86838 – 49,485 m3 and associated road permits to Cisaa Forestry LLP

Review:

Submit a comment

98,971 m3/year

Arrowsmith Timber Supply Area

March 15, 2023

4:00 pm

The Minister of Forests has received a request from Interfor Corporation for:

The subdivision of Replaceable Forest Licence A19220 into an amended A19220, a new A98741, and a new A98809 and the subsequent transfer along with associated road permits as follows:

  • A98741 – 18,550 m3 to Klahoose First Nation
  • A98809 – 81,450 m3 to Klahoose Forestry Limited Partnership
  • Amended A19220 – 81,031 m3 to Klahoose Forestry Limited Partnership

The transfer of Replaceable Forest Licence A19224 – 81,450 m3 and associated road permits to Tsain-ko Forestry Development Corporation

The transfer of Replaceable Forest Licence A98515 – 40,000 m3 and associated road permits to Tsain-ko Forestry Development Corporation

Review the background information for Sunshine Coast Timber Supply Area.

Submit a comment

221,450 m3/year

Sunshine Coast Timber Supply Area

April 24, 2023

4:00 pm

The Minister of Forests has received a request from Interfor Corporation for the transfer of the following Replaceable Forest Licences and associated road permits:

  • A94730 – 104,689 m3 to KCFN Forestry Ventures
  • A94732 – 63,495 m3 to Quatsino First Nation
  • A94731 – 87,015 m3 to Cape Mudge Forestry Ltd.
  • A94733 – 42,330 m3 to Cape Mudge Forestry Ltd.
  • A94734 – 36,047 m3 to Cape Mudge Forestry Ltd.

Review the background information for North Island Timber Supply Area.

Submit a comment

168,184 m3/year

North Island Timber Supply Area

May 15, 2023

4:00 pm

The Minister of Forests has received a request from Interfor Corporation for the transfer of the following Replaceable Forest Licence and associated road permits:

  • A16841 – 24,488 m3 to Metlakatla Forestry Corporation

Review the backgrounder for Great Bear Rainforest North Timber Supply Area.

Submit a comment

24,488 m3/year

Great Bear Rainforest North Timber Supply Area

November 30, 2023

4:00 pm

The Minister of Forests has received a request from Interfor Corporation for the subdivision of Replaceable Forest Licence A19238 into an amended A19238, a new A98746, and new A98747 and the subsequent transfer along with associated road permits as follows:

  • A98746 – 50,000 m3 to T’Se’Kame Forestry Ltd.
  • A98747 – 75,000 m3 to

125,000 m3/year

Great Bear Rainforest South Timber Supply Area

To be determined – formal process has not been initiated.

The Minister of Forests has received a request from Interfor Corporation for the subdivision of Tree Farm Licence (TFL) 45 into and amended TFL45 and a new TFL64, and the transfer of TFL64 along with associate road permits as follows:

  • TFL64 (new subdivision from TFL45) – 25,000 m3 to Matsayno Sustainability Corporation

Review the background information for TFL45.

25,000 m3/year

TFL45

To be determined – formal process has not been initiated.

Recent Tenure Transfers

Government previously sought input from interested citizens of British Columbia regarding the following dispositions.

 

Description of the proposed Timber Tenure Transfer

Size of the agreements involved

Location of agreements

Public Input Closed

The Minister of Forests has received a request for the approval of the transfer of multiple licences, listed below, and associated road permits, from Louisiana-Pacific Canada Ltd. to Pacific Woodtech Canada Holdings Ltd.

  • TFL55 - 65,325 m³/year
  • RFL A18669 - 118,919 m³/year
  • RFL A17645 - 263,466 m³/year
  • RFL A82664 - 40,000 m³/year

Review the proponents' statement announcing their proposed transaction.

487,710 m³/year Thompson Okanagan and Kootenay Boundary Regions 

January 31, 2023

(Original closing date November 17, 2022)

The Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development has received a request for the approval of the transfer of Non-Replaceable Forest Licence (NRFL) A89983, and associated road permits, from Fort St James Green Energy Limited Partnership to Bionorth Energy Limited Partnership. Bionorth Energy is a partnership among Arrow Northern Services Inc., the Nak’azdli Development Corporation, and Nexus PMGInfrastructure Advisory Services.

NRFL A89983 is a bioenergy licence issued under section 13.1(5) of the Forest Act. The licence expires on October 30, 2038. The licence is currently restricted to the following timber specifications:

  • A minimum of 70% Pine species content based on gross cruise volume, and
  • A minimum of 70% pine volume content must be damaged timber based on gross cruise volume, and
  • No greater than 150 m³/ha or less volume per hectare based on net cruise volume.

Review the proponents' statement announcing their proposed transaction.

370,000 m³/year

Supply Blocks A, B and C of the Prince George Timber Supply Area

January 4, 2022

4:00 pm

The Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development has received a request for the approval of the transfer of Replaceable Forest License (“RFL”) A17007 from Canadian Forest Products Ltd. to Peak Fort Nelson Properties Ltd.

RFL A17007 is administered within the Fort Nelson Timber Supply Area.

The Minister approved this transfer on August 18, 2021.

A17007: 553,716 m3/yr Northeast Natural Resource Region

March 3, 2021

4:00 pm

PricewaterhouseCoopers Inc., solely in its capacity as trustee of the assets, undertakings and properties of C. & C. Wood Products Ltd., requests approval for the disposition (transfer) of the Non-Replaceable Forest Licence (NRFL) A79982 from C. & C. Wood Products Ltd. to Quesnel Investments Corporation.

NRFL A79982 is administered within the Quesnel Timber Supply Area and has an allowable annual cut of 68,130 cubic meters per year (m3/yr). There is a total of 577,889 m3 remaining under the licence and the term of the licence expires on December 31, 2027.

A79982: 68,130 m3/yr Cariboo Natural Resource Region

October 12, 2020

4:00 pm

Canadian Forest Products Ltd. & Interfor Corporation

Tree Farm Licence 18 and Forest Licence A18688, which include 21 associated road permits

Tree Farm Licence 18: 164,500 cubic meters per year

A18688: 184,481 cubic meters per year

Thompson-Okanagan Natural Resource Region

October 2, 2019

4:00 PM

Conifex Inc. & Fort St. James Forest Products General Partner Ltd. (Hampton Lumber Mills – Canada Ltd.)

Forest Licence A77955 and 22 associated road permits

A77955: 440,000 cubic meters per year

Omineca Natural Resource Region

October 2, 2019

4:00 PM