Prosperity or Crisis? Examining the Efficacy of British Columbia's Forest Policy Choices to Support the Forest Industry

The Forest (Revitalization) Amendment Act 2003 significantly altered the conditions for holding major forest tenure agreements in British Columbia. The goal of this forest policy was to allow the forest industry to become globally competitive. This thesis asks whether or not this goal was successful and what trade-offs were incurred as a result. Using the Prince George Timber Supply Area as a case study, mixed methods of inquiry were employed. This study examines changes throughout the forest industry over a fifteen-year period. In this case, the forest industry became globally competitive. But, significant consolidation within the forest industry occurred. Moreover, while the timber harvest increased and processing became centralized, the forest industry’s overall contribution to the provincial economy declined significantly. This thesis demonstrates that the government remains committed to supporting the current forest industry. However, the aforementioned revitalization legislation may have lasting negative repercussions for the provincial forest economy.