british columbians & the forestry sector in 2019

1

BRITISH COLUMBIANS & THE FORESTRY SECTOR IN 2019 STUDY FOR COUNCIL OF FOREST INDUSTRIES AUGUST 2019, PROVINCE WIDE SAMPLE OF 1500

BC public feelings towards, mining, forestry and natural gas are broadly positive

79% “FAVOURABLE VIEW OF BC PRODUCERS OF

LUMBER AND WOOD PRODUCTS”

BC’S EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES

BC LUMBER/WOOD CO’S

BC NATURAL GAS CO'S

BC MINERALS/METALS CO’S

0% 100%

33%

29%

21%

67%

71%

79%

FAVOURABLE UNFAVOURABLE

Vast majority say it matters that there is a healthy BC forest sector in BC, but confidence in long term economic prospects is soft

87% “A STRONG FORESTRY SECTOR IS VITAL FOR

BC’S ECONOMY”

LONG TERM ECONOMIC PROSPECTS OF BC FOREST

PRODUCTS SECTOR?

GREAT DEAL/CONFIDENCE

FAIR BIT

LITTLE BIT

BIT OF PESSIMISM

FAIR BIT

LOT

50

4817

3528

7

DOES IT MATTER TO YOU THAT THERE IS A HEALTHY FOREST

SECTOR IN BC?

A LOT

QUITE A BIT

NOT MUCH/AT ALL 18%

53%

29%

BC forestry companies are seen as ethical and environmentally responsible, deserving of a good reputation internationally

80% “FORESTRY IN BC IS CARRIED OUT WITH

MORE CONCERN FOR THE ENVIRONMENT TODAY”

76% “BC IS AMONG WORLD LEADERS IN

SUSTAINABLE & RESPONSIBLE FOREST PRACTICES”

69% “BC FORESTRY HAS A GOOD REPUTATION”

79% “BC FORESTRY DESERVES

A GOOD REPUTATION”

Vast majority think BC wood products are a better environmental choice than other building materials

79% “BUILDING WITH SUSTAINABLE BC FOREST

PRODUCTS IS A BETTER CHOICE THAN CEMENT OR STEEL IN TERMS OF IMPACT ON

CLIMATE CHANGE”

Most believe BC forest companies are well run, but doubts are growing about whether there is as much opportunity in the future

BC FOREST PRODUCTS COMPANIES

BC FOREST COMPANIES ARE WELL RUN

OPPORTUNITIES ARE GROWING

0.7

53%

69%

52% 48%GREAT FUTUREPOOR FUTURE

HOW DO YOU SEE THE FUTURE OF THE FOREST SECTOR IN BC?

As concerns about prospects for the forest sector grow, fewer people would recommend forestry as a career to young people

61% “I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOUNG CANADIANS TO CONSIDER WORKING FOR A COMPANY THAT PRODUCES BC LUMBER AND FOREST

PRODUCTS”

There is broad desire to see the province do more to support investment in the BC forest sector.

78% “GOVERNMENT OF BC SHOULD TAKE STEPS

TO ENCOURAGE MORE INVESTMENT IN FORESTRY IN BC”

People attribute many causes of current problems in forest sector, including softwood dispute, fires & pests, volatile markets, competition and outdated thinking

People will support a broad array of useful solutions and are most enthusiastic about role of tech, innovation and promotion of BC wood products and building solutions

CAUSES OF PROBLEMS IN FOREST SECTOR

SOFTWOOD DISPUTE

BEETLES REDUCED FIBRE

FIRES REDUCED FIBRE

VOLATILE PRICE MARKETS

DIVISIONS IN BC

COSTLY REGULATION

GLOBAL COMPETITION

0% 100%

26%

26%

15%

13%

15%

11%

8%

41%

38%

45%

44%

35%

34%

32%

33%

36%

39%

44%

50%

55%

60%

MAJOR/BIG A PROBLEM NOT REALLY/AT ALL

IDEAS TO HELP CHART A COURSE FOR LONG TERM SUCCESS

TECH TO MINIMIZE/MAXZIMIZEBC WOOD IN BC PROJECTS

INNOVATIVE NEW FOREST PRODUCTSUSE TECH TO PROTECT/MAKE FIBRE GO FARTHER

INVEST IN PROTECTING THE WORKING FORESTMAKE BC CENTRE OF GREEN BLD EXCELLENCE

BC GLOBAL HUB GREEN BUILDINGDIVERSIFY MARKETS MORE

PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF WOODGREATER SHARE OF BENEFITS TO COMMUNITIES

CONSULT AND THEN DECIDEPROMOTE BUILDING W ZERO CARBON WOOD

TREAT NEIGHBORS LIKE PARTNERSDEFINE WORKING FOREST & LET PROS WORK IT

MAKE MORE PREDICTABLE ACCESS TO FIBREIMPROVE FLEXIBILITY IN REGULATIONS

REDUCE CONSULTATION LENGTHINCREASE INDIGENOUS INVOLVEMENT

100%

15%15%12%

5%7%

2%7%

4%2%

3%2%

3%2%1%

3%2%2%1%

31%27%

29%35%

33%34%

29%31%

31%28%

25%23%23%

22%19%20%19%20%

54%58%59%60%60%

64%64%65%67%69%

73%74%75%77%78%78%79%79%

SUPPORT GO ALONG WITH OPPOSE

Most people believe it is vital to BC’s economy to have a strong forest sector. They believe BC is a global leader from a sustainability standpoint.

At the same time, there is widespread understanding of many challenges facing the sector, and enthusiasm for a broad range of solutions, including a desire to see government take steps to help promote more investment in the sector for the future.

CONCLUSIONS