The Coastal Forest Policy Coalition is sounding the alarm over what it describes as a structural crisis in British Columbia’s coastal forest sector, citing mill closures, job losses, and a chronic lack of economically viable fibre supply driven largely by policy constraints.
In a statement released on December 12, the Coalition pointed to the recent mill closure in Crofton, B.C., as the latest example of mounting pressure on coastal operations. According to the group, the sector is operating far below its sustainable potential, leaving mills without logs, workers without jobs, and communities facing long-term decline.
Harvesting far below sustainable levels
Coalastal harvesting volumes have fallen sharply over the past decade. In 2025, the Coast is expected to harvest 6.5 million cubic metres of timber, less than half of the 15 million cubic metres considered the sustainable allowable annual cut.
The Coalition says the shortfall reflects a permitting system that has become increasingly complex and time-consuming. Permit submissions have dropped 93%, from roughly 2,300 per year in 2016 to just 167 by mid-2025. At the same time, permit preparation timelines have stretched from about 90 days historically to 300 days today.
As a result, coastal harvesting has declined by 50% over the past ten years, contributing to the closure of nine mills since 2018 and the loss of 5,400 jobs since 2022.
“When the fibre supply system operates at only 43% of sustainable capacity, the impacts cascade through the entire economy,” the Coalition said, noting that contractors, millworkers, governments, and forest-dependent communities are all affected.
Log exports not the cause, Coalition says
The role of log exports has been a recurring point of debate in British Columbia, but the Coalition rejects claims that exports are driving mill closures.
Under current provincial policy, only logs not used by domestic mills are eligible for export. Mills are given the first right of refusal, meaning exported logs are typically surplus material that does not meet local requirements for species or grade.
According to the Coalition, international markets provide an essential outlet for these logs, supporting harvest economics and helping maintain employment across the sector. Without exports, the group argues, the overall fibre system would weaken further, accelerating mill closures rather than preventing them.
Call for collaborative solutions
The Coalition says the current crisis is the result of layered and cumulative policy changes that have made it increasingly difficult to move timber from public lands to market. It is calling for more efficient, predictable pathways for sustainable harvesting, while maintaining environmental and social commitments.
Formed as a cross-sector alliance, the Coastal Forest Policy Coalition includes forestry companies, contractors, and worker representatives. Its members include Domtar, Harmac Pacific, Mosaic Forest Management, Western Forest Products, United Steelworkers, and the Truck Loggers Association, among others.
The group says it remains committed to working collaboratively with governments, First Nations, and local communities to restore stability to the coastal forest economy.
“Coastal forestry can have a strong future,” the Coalition said, “but only if we work together to address the root causes of this crisis. Without action, further closures and job losses are inevitable.”
Source: Coastal Forest Policy Coalition
