A new forest licence is expected to strengthen the forestry sector in the Kootenays, providing a steady timber supply to a Nakusp-area manufacturer and supporting jobs across the region.
The province has awarded a non-replaceable forest licence to Box Lake Lumber Products, allowing the company to harvest about 445 truckloads of logs annually for the next five years.
The licence covers timber located roughly 50 kilometres from Nelson and is intended to support local processing and manufacturing in the Kootenay region.
“A stable supply of wood to small-town forestry companies is a win for everyone in the community,” said Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests.
“This means more wood, 445 truckloads yearly, for manufacturing companies, logging contracts for haulers and another boost to our value-added wood manufacturing sector. Our independent wood manufacturers put B.C. on the map as the global leader in high-quality wood products, and this licence is one more way to support that work.”
The licence will give Box Lake Lumber Products access to previously unharvested timber, including wood on steep terrain and fibre affected by wildfire or pests.
That supply is expected to support operations at the company’s mill and create work for contractors and haulers in the Kootenays.
“We are thankful to be the successful bidder of this forest licence,” said Daniel Wiebe, president of Box Lake Lumber Products.
“This licence will help us secure logs to keep our mill operating. We look forward to working with the ministry and Interfor, and are very appreciative of their support.”
The timber volume comes from Tree Farm Licence 3, held by Interfor.
Building a regional manufacturing hub
Provincial officials say the Kootenays are emerging as a key centre for value-added wood manufacturing, with companies producing finished goods rather than exporting raw logs.
Box Lake Lumber Products manufactures split-rail fencing used in parks, farms and residential settings, with products shipped across North America and Europe.
The licence was identified through the province’s Value-Added Accelerators initiative and targeted to Kootenay-area manufacturers to help expand local production capacity.
“Rural communities across British Columbia depend on forestry as a major economic driver,” said Steve Morissette, parliamentary secretary for rural economic development.
“This licence supports local value-add, meaning strong paycheques for workers in Nakusp. It ensures that previously unused timber will now translate to forestry jobs, world-class wood products, and rural economic growth.”
The province says it is increasing access to fibre for smaller manufacturers through programs such as BC Timber Sales’ Value-Added Manufacturing Program.
In 2025, 20 per cent of BC Timber Sales’ available timber sale licence auctions were allocated to support value-added producers.
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