Forest Minister Doug Donaldson has approved the transfer of Canfor Corp.’s timber-harvesting rights in the North Thompson to rival Interfor Corp. in a long-awaited decision released Friday.
The transfer of harvesting rights, which amount to 349,000 cubic metres of timber per year, was intended to shore up operations for Interfor’s mill at Adams Lake, but needed the Minister of Forests Lands Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development under new rules introduced last fall. The decision on Canfor’s transfer, however, raised concern with community leaders over the time Donaldson’s staff took to come up with a recommendation.
Interfor will also be required to discuss log-purchasing options with secondary and value-added manufacturers in the North and South Thompson regions.