B.C. invests $11 million on value-added lumber manufacturing amid U.S. uncertainty

The Canadian Press

· Posted: Apr 23, 2025 4:33 PM EDT | Last Updated: 28 minutes ago

The British Columbia government is investing up to $11 cardinal toward 4 projects successful the state aimed astatine boosting the section mass-timber manufacturing sector.

Jobs and Economic Development Minister Diana Gibson says successful a connection that the backing comes astatine a clip erstwhile authorities concern is needed to fortify "homegrown B.C. companies" successful the forestry assemblage that supply value-added manufacturing for the province's lumber supply.

Gibson says the backing besides creates much than 100 jobs successful respective regions, portion securing employment for hundreds much successful the industry.

Among the projects receiving backing is Nelson-based Spearhead Timberworks, which volition get up to $7.5 cardinal to assistance physique a caller accumulation installation for curved, laminated timber, bonding layers of wood to make large, durable structural components for buildings.

In Castlegar, Mercer Celgar Limited Partnership, a kraft pulp mill, volition person arsenic overmuch arsenic $1.75 cardinal to modernized its log lines and instal equipment, portion Penticton's Greyback Construction volition get astir $235,000 to renovate a erstwhile mill tract arsenic it diversifies into prefabricated lodging construction. 

Another task receiving the backing is Langley-based operation plywood shaper Westlam Industries, which volition get $1.5 cardinal for a caller works and automated instrumentality to summation accumulation for gathering section lodging and commercialized structures.

The Spearhead concern is expected to make much than 60 jobs, portion the Westlam backing whitethorn mean hiring up to 46 much workers, the state says.

"We're moving alongside manufacture to physique a stronger, much resilient system that works amended for radical and communities," Gibson says.

The state says the caller installation would let Spearhead to marque "high-complexity, high-value" mass-timber operation components that would boost the company's quality to vie for concern internationally.

The backing is being administered done the provincial Manufacturing Jobs Fund, aimed astatine helping section companies turn and make much made-in-B. C. products.

The state says astir a 4th of all B.C. wood-product makers person applied for backing done the program.

The concern comes astatine a clip of increasing uncertainty facing B.C.'s lumber industry. U.S. President Donald Trump wants to boost American lumber accumulation and has directed investigators to look into the imaginable harms of importing Canadian lumber.

West Fraser Timber president Sean McLaren has said that request for Canadian lumber could beryllium hampered by the imaginable inflationary effects of tariffs imposed by the United States.