Courtesy of the City of Quesnel:
Tolko Industries Ltd. - Delegation
Tolko representatives provided Council with an update of Tolko’s fiber salvage of the fire-affected timber Cariboo supply area, post the worst wildfire season British Columbia has seen to date, as well as provided an update regarding the local Quest Wood sawmill’s operations. Tolko representative who provided this update are Mr. Tom Hoffman, Manager, External and Stakeholder Relations, Mr. Jerry Mooney, Woodlands Manager, Harvesting Cariboo, and Mr. Jason Clancy, Plant Manager of Quest Wood Sawmill in Quesnel.
Tolko - Quest Wood Sawmill
Sawmill’s operations have been curtailed to 50% and is currently running with one shift and it is projected to be 4 to 6 weeks before the sawmill will be at 100% capacity/two shifts. Presently, there are significant challenges with weather, contract workforce and accessible permits to enable log deliveries that support a two-shift mill operations. Current sawmill operations is from green, burnt and dead beetle-killed pine.
Salvage of Fire-Affected Timber – Cariboo Region
This past summer has been an unprecedented wildfire season in the Cariboo. The Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resources and Rural Development “Ministry” estimates that about 45 million m3 of timber on about 1 million hectares has been affected in the Cariboo. There are additional costs and operational expenses for forest companies around the harvesting of trees in areas that now have increased hazards caused by the wildfires. Also, the chips from burnt logs contain charcoal that cannot be used, nor purchased, by the pulp mills, and consequently these chips will be sold at reduced prices. In addition, there is additional reforestation costs in areas where no salvage revenues will occur due to the wildfires. Tolko is requesting Quesnel City Council to lobby the Provincial Government for key items in order to harvest in a way that makes sense for the company and makes sense for the environment. The lobbying requests are:
Expedite a rapid plan for access to a robust salvage plan in order to quickly harvest the mature trees that were burnt and process these mature burnt trees quickly into lumber. Time is of the essence because the longer the burnt trees remain the less viable they are for lumber.
Time is of the essence to reforest the land base burned by the wildfires as the barren lands make for efficient reforestation efforts.
Stumpage rates must reflect the commercial viability that considers the additional costs of harvesting, and processing burnt logs and the selling of reduced-valued chips that may contain charcoal.
Finally, on behalf of Tolko Industries Ltd., Mr. Hoffman wanted to thank everyone who worked on, and/or volunteered their time in, the Wildfire Emergency Response over this past summer.
Recreational Cannabis – Provincial Consultation Input
Local Governments have been given until November 1, 2017 to forward their consultation recommendations to the Solicitor General around limited and specific regulations for recreational cannabis. Recreational Cannabis is set to be legalized by the Provincial Government in July 2018. Please view the City Staff Report for full details of this issue via the City’s website. Council made recommendations to the Province on the following limited scope of proposed regulations:
Minimum Age Possession – 19 years of age, and under the age of 19 cannabis would be confiscated.
Public Consumption – once Federal and Provincial regulations are known, Council will consider amending its Smoking Bylaw to include recreational and medical cannabis restrictions/regulations.
Drug Impaired Driving – Penalty of Cannabis Fine Revenues to be returned to the City’s Policing Function.
Personal Cultivation – That the Province set standards to be the same, without variation, for all local governments to allow for consistency and understanding by the public.
Retail Model – Government Distribution System with Public Retailer model, with a move to potential Private Retailer(s) model in the future.
Revenue Taxation - Revenue taxations to be apportioned to cover the newly realized incremental costs that Local Governments will now be burdened with due to the legalization of cannabis AND any taxation revenue profits realized should be shared equally and separately among Federal, Provincial and Local Governments.
Illegal Distributors and Illegal Retailers – Federal and Provincial Governments to equip Local Governments with stronger tools to extinguish the illegal Distribution and Retail systems that are illegally distributing and illegally selling cannabis currently, and in the future.
Bylaw of the Month
The Bylaw of the Month for November is “Avoid Overnight Street Parking in Winter Months”. The City's Bylaw Enforcement staff will be out educating the public to avoid parking on the City’s roadways overnight during the winter months as this may prohibit safe and efficient municipal snow clearing and/or road maintenance services. For more information, please contact the City's Bylaw Enforcement Department at 250-992-5743.
Bylaws
Bylaw 1832 – Financial Plan Amendment – First, Second, Third Readings
Bylaw 1833 – Permissive Exemption Bylaw Amendment – Final Adoption
Next Meetings
7 pm, November 7, 2017 – Regular Council Meeting
5:30 pm, November 14, 2017 – North Cariboo Joint Planning Committee
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