BC to Support Nine More Forestry Firms to Modernize and Diversify Production

On Friday, British Columbia announced support for nine additional forestry companies aimed at modernizing operations, innovating product lines, and diversifying fiber sources to expand high-value, made-in-BC wood products and support jobs.

Through the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund (BCMJF), the province is contributing up to CA$2.5 million to nine wood-products manufacturers to plan or complete capital projects. Eligible investments include new facility construction, upgrades to existing plants, equipment purchases to increase production efficiency and fiber utilization, waste reduction initiatives, and planning activities tied to future capital investments.

For example, Canadian Bavarian Millwork and Lumber in Chemainus will receive up to CA$1.4 million to help build a new facility and acquire advanced equipment. The upgrades are expected to increase production capacity and expand the use of fiber to produce new solid and engineered wood products.

The expansion is projected to create five to 10 new jobs and will include training for existing employees on state-of-the-art, AI-enabled machinery, the province said, while supporting longer-term growth and innovation.

Additional projects include:

• Leslie Forest Products (Delta, BC) — Up to $420,000 for new equipment to boost efficiency, diversify fiber inputs, reduce waste, and create three jobs.
• F&T Technologies Inc. (Deroche, BC) — Up to $350,000 to establish a manufacturing facility for wood-based biopolymer products, creating six jobs.
• Island Precision Machining Ltd. (Central Saanich, BC) — Up to $124,000 for advanced equipment to expand architectural millwork and cabinetry production, creating 12 jobs.
• Riverside Forest Products (Surrey, BC) — Up to $50,000 for planning work tied to a potential capital project.
• homeD Modular Building Technologies (Powell River, BC) — Up to $50,000 for planning and technical assessments for a next-generation modular manufacturing hub.
• Kitsumkalum Development Limited Partnership (Terrace, BC) — Up to $42,817 for operational and technical assessments related to restarting Skeena Sawmills.
• Tla’amin Timber Products Ltd. (Powell River, BC) — Up to $38,725 for planning a value-added wood processing facility.
• Simpcw Resources LLP (Vavenby, BC) — Up to $10,750 for business planning and financial modeling for a capital project.