More than 60 forestry, Indigenous, government and economic development leaders gathered in Williams Lake to identify shared priorities and advance collaborative action for the future of forestry in the Cariboo Chilcotin.
Hosted on Thursday, July 23, 2026 by the City of Williams Lake, the Cariboo Chilcotin Forestry Forum brought together a diverse cross-section of forestry leaders and stakeholders for discussions focused on strengthening the region's forest economy, supporting sustainable jobs, improving wildfire resilience and advancing long-term forest stewardship.
“It was a pleasure to see so many forestry and community leaders gathering in Williams Lake,” said City of Williams Lake Mayor Surinderpal Rathor. “The depth of experience, knowledge and commitment was inspiring. What stood out was the shared determination to work together on practical solutions that will support healthy forests, stronger communities and a sustainable forest economy. Forestry has long been the backbone of the Cariboo Chilcotin and British Columbia, and by working together we can help ensure it remains a strong contributor to our communities and our provincial economy for generations.”
Throughout the day, participants discussed opportunities to strengthen regional collaboration, improve forest management practices, enhance wildfire resiliency, address fibre supply challenges and ensure local perspectives help inform future forestry decisions.
Six priority areas emerged from the discussions to help guide future collaboration across the region:
1) Strategic partnerships
2) Wildfire resiliency
3) Communication and public awareness
4) Reliable access to fibre for local forestry operations
5) Land stewardship and restoration
6) Greater utilization of every harvested tree
The importance of local knowledge, long-term stewardship and community-based decision-making was a recurring theme throughout the forum.
"For me, one of the most encouraging outcomes was seeing so many organizations come together to identify what is missing locally in the Cariboo Chilcotin region and where we can move forward collectively,” said Gord Chipman, Executive Director of Woodlots BC. “Forestry challenges are experienced differently across the province, and solutions need to reflect the realities of the communities they affect. Woodlot licence holders have demonstrated for generations that local knowledge, long-term stewardship and community-based decision-making create more resilient forests. By reducing barriers and giving local forest managers greater flexibility to do the right thing, we can strengthen both our forests and our communities.”
Agreeing with Chipman's insights was Todd Chamberlain, General Manager of the Interior Logging Association (ILA), who attended alongside leadership from the ILA Board of Directors.
"The collaboration across the Cariboo Chilcotin sets a benchmark for the province. Local communities must drive these forestry decisions because they bear the heaviest burden of any mistakes," Chamberlain said. "We need immediate, decisive action; further manufacturing curtailments will devastate our membership."
Participants also emphasized the value of continued regional collaboration to ensure forestry remains a strong economic driver for communities throughout the Cariboo Chilcotin.
"Bringing so many people and organizations together with local government demonstrates that our region is ready to work collaboratively and bring forward practical solutions," said Margo Wagner, Chair of the Cariboo Regional District. "Too often we spend time identifying problems, but this forum was focused on identifying solutions and presenting strategic recommendations we believe will help strengthen the future of forestry in the Cariboo Chilcotin."
The Cariboo Chilcotin Forestry Forum marks the beginning of a collaborative process. Over the coming months, participants will refine the recommendations into a regional action plan, establish working groups and continue advancing opportunities for coordinated action across the sector.
Regional leaders also intend to invite the Premier and provincial ministers to the Cariboo Chilcotin this fall to discuss the forum's recommendations and explore practical solutions to support the future of forestry in the region.
"What made this day unique was the willingness of so many organizations to come together with a common purpose," said Beth Veenkamp, Manager of Economic Development for the City of Williams Lake. "Rather than focusing on individual priorities, participants worked collaboratively to identify practical actions that will benefit the entire region. The conversations reinforced that the Cariboo Chilcotin has the expertise, partnerships and leadership needed to shape the future of forestry in the region. Our next step is to build on this momentum, continue working together and advance these recommendations into meaningful action."
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