B.C.’s forest industry is a vital part of the province’s economy, and according to the Interior Lumber Manufacturer’s Association (ILMA) representing independent and innovative lumber manufacturers in the southern interior of B.C., small mills create more jobs per cubic-metre of timber than any other forest products producer, keeping economies and communities strong. A new Achievement Report, released by Vaagen Fibre Canada, shares the economic, social, and environmental benefits of the mill to the Kootenay-Boundary region.
“As one of our member mills, Vaagen Fibre Canada in Midway does an outstanding job keeping local people employed, and they understand what value over volume means,” said Dan Battistella, President of the ILMA. “Our association sees our members, like Vaagen, doing so much with our forestry resources, and along with other ILMA mills, have been at the leading edge of doing more with less. Their inaugural Achievement Report highlights their accomplishments, and we acknowledge their innovative and collaborative work.”
Vaagen Fibre Canada is a small, family-run mill located in the rural community of Midway in the Kootenay-Boundary region of the province. The mill’s leadership and workforce go above and beyond to add value to the wood they harvest, and the Achievement Report shares those details.
“We could not be prouder of the work our team accomplishes year after year in the areas of stewardship, building social license, engaging in public consultation, connecting with our First Nations partners, and building local employment opportunities,” said Dan Macmaster, Fibre Manager of Vaagen Fibre Canada. “We work hard to find unique and creative solutions with our partners like the Osoyoos Indian Band, the West Boundary Community Forest, and many others to secure sustainable access to reliable wood supplies.”
The Achievement Report not only highlights why Vaagen is laser focused on adding value, but also showcases how critical the mill is to the local rural communities of Midway, Greenwood, Grand Forks, Rock Creek, and Osoyoos where many of their workers reside.
“This Report is a celebration of our team and partners and it’s also an opportunity to show how interested we are to make new connections to create mutually beneficial opportunities,” said Macmaster. “Since we at Vaagen do not have forest tenure or a licence to harvest timber to keep our mill running, we need to be creative and collaborative in our approaches.
And to Macmaster, creativity is critical but there is also the focus to create forest policy that is focused on the right log to the right mill.
“To us, it’s not about more wood - it’s about secure and reliable access to fibre to ensure our mill is viable and can operate at maximum efficiency to put people first and our benefit workers, First Nations, and surrounding communities.”
Macmaster invites people to read the Achievement Report online at: https://issuu.com/vaagenfibrecanada/docs/vaagen_achievementreport-fall2021-issuu
People will learn about the work we do which ultimately helps our First Nations partners, rural communities, and natural resources thrive. It’s collectively working together to create sustainable forestry to support rural B.C. communities.”
For an Interview, Mill Tour or Tour of a Forestry Project contact:
Dan Macmaster, RPF, Fibre Manager
Vaagen Fibre Canada
dmacmaster@vaagen.ca | 250.528.0344
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