Photo: Luc Rempel

Ravi Parmar, B.C.'s Minister of Forests, says investments in the B.C. logging industry will help fight back against tariffs put in place by United States President Donald Trump.

Parmar visited Canoe Forest Products on Tuesday to cut the ribbon on its brand new $14-million wood drying kiln.

He was joined by Neskonlith Indian Band Kupki7 Irvin Wai, Salmon Arm Mayor Alan Harrison and other local dignitaries for the event.

Parmar said he believed in B.C.'s logging industry and felt it was important to support it during uncertain economic times.

“It's no secret that our forest sector is facing a lot of challenges,” Parmar said. “It's why, when I became minister, I put three commitments out to British Columbians and to all of you.

“I want to restore confidence in the sector, I want to stand up for workers and families and forest-dependent communities each and every day, and I want to make sure that we're honouring our commitments to the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as part of this collective work.”

He noted while some logging companies in B.C. have laid off workers and moved their milling operations to the U.S., the Gorman Group, which owns the Canoe facility, has continued to operate mills in the province.

The Gorman Group also runs lumber mill facilities in Revelstoke and West Kelowna.

“I recognize that it's tough sometimes to do business here in B.C., and I'm working my butt off to change that,” Parmar said.

The new wood drying kiln at Canoe Forest Products has been in operation since the beginning of the year, but Tuesday's event marked the official commissioning of the machine, which will reduce the facility's reliance on Douglas Fir.

The kiln will allow the mill to diversify the species of wood it can use for its softwood sheathing, veneer and specialty plywood manufacturing, and is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the drying process by 10 per cent.

The minister said he recognized that $14 million was a "substantive" investment made by Gorman towards the facility, noting 200 people are employed at Canoe Forest Products.

"This ensures that those people, all of you that are working here, continue to have a good paying job and continue to be supported within your community," he said.

Gorman Group CEO Nick Arkle thanked the provincial government and Fortis BC for contributing to project funding.

The project received more than $2.2 million through the province’s B.C. Manufacturing Jobs Fund (BCMJF).

“While there's lots of challenges happening in B.C. right now, I sense the pendulum is starting to swing back, and I really believe that those who are still here in this province can make this into the industry that Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests, wants to see it get back to,” Arkle said.

“I want to thank you for the contributions to the manufacturing jobs fund that we received, because that was a huge contributing part of making this project go ahead.”

Parmar is in the midst of an Okanagan-area tour that includes visits to three other recipients of BCMJF grants.

Tolko Industries received an $8-million grant to expand its Heffley Creek operation, Gilbert Smith Forest Products in Barriere received $1.1 million to modernize its operation and purchase new equipment, and AccuTruss Industries in Vernon also received $100,000 to purchase and commission new equipment.