Friday, July 31, 2020, Afternoon — Committee A
Well, thank you for that clarification, Minister. I appreciate it. I think what I really want to say is just that we know the forestry industry has experienced some unprecedented challenges over the last 18 months. The B.C. forest industry is facing declining markets, the mill closures. There have been strikes. Though it would like to look at a restructure, the current economy offers very little hope for the industry. It's a crisis that really rivals what was experienced back in 2008, where many families, as well as the communities where those families live are currently feeling extremely vulnerable. In fact, I think if we go back to almost a year ago when we were in Vancouver, meeting with the municipalities of British Columbia at the UBCM annual convention, it was at that convention that any and all communities with any interest in the forestry industry were asking government to do something. In addition to the elected officials that were there from local government, from all around British Columbia, what we saw was 200 truck loggers driving their empty trucks through the streets of Vancouver, screaming for help from anyone who was willing to listen, hoping that this government would listen. At the time, the minister and the Premier and other proponents of this government spoke of having to endure this transition period. They stated that they would, instead, push plans to promote value-added forestry products such as mass timber technology. I repeat value-added forestry. That's what the minister said. I just want the minister to remember what he said and when he said it. So I'd just like to take a moment now to introduce you to the town of Qualicum Beach, which is in my riding. It's located at the crossroads of the north-to-south Island Highway and the east-to-west Highway No. 4. It's a community of about 9,000 people, the majority of them being seniors and retired folks. The community is truly a community of team players. They are always looking for ways to help out. I certainly would know, because not only are they my constituents, but I've worked with them shoulder to shoulder as we built green shores, as we built green infrastructure, as we tackled single-use plastics and pioneered some social procurement programs to help those people who were facing barriers to work. As it happens, the town is also an active member of the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere, the biosphere region, and they have been for over six years. They have been in active discussions with many, many great stakeholders within groups of the biosphere region, including the forestry industry. As it also happens, they saw that there was a way to help the industry while also helping the region by bringing financial sustainability to their little airport and its surrounding airport lands. They went ahead and they developed a business plan. They did the outreach that they needed to do, including outreach with the last government, the previous B.C. Liberal government. They amended their official community plan and after hearing to their little airport and its surrounding airport lands. They went ahead and developed a business plan. They did the outreach that they needed to do, including outreach with the last government, the previous B.C. Liberal government. They amended their official community plan, and after hearing from over 2,300 people in the community, they amended that community plan. But they didn't stop there. Following that, they found an investor, and they worked with that investor to bring them to Qualicum Beach. They did so by involving our Island-based forestry companies, including Mosaic, which actually wrote a letter in support to bring that investor to the mid-Island. Mosaic endorsed the business wholeheartedly to be able to see that value-add right here on central Vancouver Island. After all, the forestry industry knew that they needed to look at more value-add, so why wouldn't they support a lumber company that was looking to start a brand-new glulam manufacturing and timber technology company and technology company? Makes sense, I think, right? Well, as you know, things change. We saw things change. We saw that as all this was moving forward, there was an election. The new NDP government got wind of this plan, and they sent a letter to the town of Qualicum Beach stating that they should stop what they're doing at once. The officials of the town of Qualicum Beach were told there was a new airport policy and that it had come into effect and that they must make an application to ensure that the airport's business plan is compliant. They were also told that they must demonstrate that there's financial need by the town in order to satisfy that this business, as well as the two other projects they were working on, could advance. The town complied, and they made an application to the minister's ministry, FLNRO. They demonstrated the financial need. The small airport loses roughly $300,000 per year, once all revenues and expenses are accounted for, so opportunities to grow revenue are vitally important for the town and for the taxpayers. Further to that, they sent out a request to meet with the minister because they knew that this was timely and it was vital to the economy, not only for the town and the region but the Island and the province. But to everyone's surprise, the meeting was denied. And it didn't stop there. It only got worse, because the government was watching communities suffer. Forestry workers and their families were crying out for help, and this government stood at UBCM to the sound of those truck loggers rushing the streets of Vancouver in desperation. This government stood and told the people of B.C. that they would need to endure this transition period, and then they stated that they would push plans to promote those value-added forest products and the mass timber technology. But basically it appears it was lip service to those families that depend on forestry. The government denied the application made by Qualicum Beach. They denied the value-add forestry company that was supported by the forestry companies of Vancouver Island. The town was specifically looking at opportunities at the airport. The three businesses were ready and willing to invest millions, create jobs on the land operated by the town, with the blessing of both the previous and the present council. It's under the management and the zoning and governance itself, but to which the province holds title. To date, the value-added forestry opportunity remains unapproved. Discussions started back, like I said, with the previous government. Again, we were supportive. But it was on September 25 that the FLNROD staff indicated at the UBCM meeting to the town that all aspects of the application were rejected — the search and rescue, the electric vehicle courier service and the glulam factory. They were told it was a cabinet decision. Can the minister tell me: on what date did cabinet make this decision?
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