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Legal Source of Fibre

All of the forest tenures we manage are in British Columbia and Alberta where a comprehensive suite of laws and regulations assures customers they are buying wood and paper products from sustainable and legal sources.

In British Columbia, we operate primarily on public lands. Under the province’s Forest and Range Practices Act, our forest divisions must prepare forest stewardship plans that show how our operations will meet objectives set by government for values such as soils, timber, wildlife, water, fish, biodiversity and cultural heritage resources. Before government approves the plan, we must invite and consider public and First Nation comments.

In Alberta, as part of our area-based tenure agreement with the Province, we are required to develop Forest Management Plans that consider a broad range of forest values and social, economic and environmental factors such as watershed, environment and wildlife habitat. As part of this process, we must provide an opportunity for public consultation when preparing these plans. In 2015, Canfor submitted a new forest management plan for FMA 9900037 to the Alberta government. It included a suite of strategies to ensure the mid- and long-term timber supply is optimized while still addressing other public and resource objectives.

British Columbia and Alberta monitor compliance through planned and random audits of forest operations and field inspections to ensure forest laws are being followed. British Columbia’s independent Forest Practices Board conducts audits and investigations, and issues public reports. In October 2015, the Board audited Forest Licence A70026, which Canfor’s Houston operation manages on behalf of Lowell A. Johnson Consultants Ltd. The audit found that operational planning, timber harvesting, road construction, maintenance and deactivation, silviculture, and fire protection activities complied in all significant respects to legislative requirements.

Canfor Pulp sources its fibre from the strictly regulated and monitored forests of British Columbia, making it a reliable source of pulp and paper from legally harvested and regenerated forests. Canfor Pulp has Forest Stewardship Council and PEFC chain-of-custody certificates.

Complying with International Regulations

Illegal logging is a critical international issue that undermines good forest governance. Canfor Pulp provides customers with the information they need to meet international policies including:

  • The European Union Timber Regulation (EUTR), which prohibits illegally harvested forest products from being placed on the market in EU member countries.
  • The US Lacey Act, which requires that importers must declare the species, country of origin and other relevant information.
  • Australia’s Illegal Logging Prohibition Act 2012, which requires that importers submit a declaration to minimize the risk of illegally logged timber in their supply chains.