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The B.C. government alleges forestry companies logged without provincial authorization on dozens of occasions between January 2021 and July 2024.
But the ministry responsible for overseeing the industry can’t say exactly how much forest has been lost — and in some cases refused to provide any details about the consequences companies faced.
On at least 173 occasions between January 2021 and July 2024, forestry companies in B.C. allegedly cut, damaged or destroyed forest — or removed timber from the forest — without provincial authorization, according to B.C.’s compliance and enforcement database.
The Narwhal mapped the approximate location of these incidents using data from the compliance and enforcement database.
Canfor, in some cases listed as Canadian Forest Products Ltd., was named in 22 of the 173 incidents — more than any other company, the data shows. West Fraser Mills Ltd., meanwhile, was named in 13 incidents.
Spokespeople for Canfor and West Fraser Mills told The Narwhal that incidents of unauthorized logging are rare and typically affect a small area. But whenever they occur, the companies said, they are investigated and reported to the government.
But Tobyn Neame, a forest campaigner for the conservation organization Wilderness Committee, said there’s no way to know the full impact of unauthorized logging in the province because there’s so little transparency.
“They shouldn’t happen in the first place,” Neame added. “We need a province that holds industry accountable for their actions.”
In a statement to The Narwhal, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Forests said “unauthorized logging of timber is a high priority.”
Though the spokesperson said the ministry is committed to transparency, the government refused to release details of any enforcement actions it took in relation to the 22 incidents involving Canfor, directing The Narwhal to file a freedom of information request to obtain that information.
The spokesperson said new legislation, which came into effect in April, allows the ministry to release more details about violations of the Forest and Ranges Practices Act.
“In some cases, records may contain sensitive information that cannot be made public in order to protect the rights and privacy of the parties involved,” the spokesperson noted.
Documents would be added to the compliance and enforcement database, “where feasible once the investigation and appeal periods are complete,” the statement also said.
Neame said it comes down to a question of accountability: “The current government promised the people of this province that they would increase transparency in how forests are managed in the province, and they haven’t done that.”
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