Shareholders of PRSC Limited Partnership were informed that stipulations have to be met before Island Timberlands can harvest its trees on PRSC lands.
At the Thursday, August 6 Powell River City Council meeting, Councillor Russell Brewer said Powell River Waterfront Development Corporation had asked for an update on Island Timberlands’ plans for harvesting trees it owns on two PRSC properties. A letter in response to the request for an update had been received from PRSC, which is a joint venture between the waterfront development corporation and the Sliammon Development Corporation governing the properties it purchased from Catalyst Paper Corporation.
Brewer said the letter outlines that PRSC had requested plans, assessments, and other applicable documentation from Island Timberlands, and expects copies of those assessments, plus assurances that they will meet all the federal, provincial and municipal legislation that applies.
To date, PRSC has not received the requested information, Brewer said.
In order to harvest the trees, Island Timberlands needs a timber mark, which is required by the ministry of forests, lands and natural resource operations before moving any timber in the province, according to Brewer.
“Until updated plans have been provided to PRSC, a timber mark will not be provided,” Brewer said. He assumes that if Island Timberlands wants to proceed in the fall as they have indicated, there will be compliance with the PRSC requests and a timber mark will be applied for at that time.
Brewer said there had been some chatter in the past week that Island Timberlands was not going to be harvesting on the PRSC lands but he believes the company has pulled out for now, with the high fire hazard rating and dry summer weather.
“I don’t think there is any news,” Brewer said. “It was circulating out there that they [Island Timberlands] were pulling out of Powell River and never coming back but I’m presuming that’s not the case unless someone’s heard something we haven’t. There’s no status change since back in May.”
According to the letter from PRSC President Clint Williams, when Island Timberlands began logging its own privately managed forest lands inside city boundaries this past spring, there was serious concern expressed by residents about the environmental impacts of the company’s harvesting activities. In response to the concerns, PRSC twice requested that Island Timberlands provide proof that the company was taking appropriate measures to comply with all regulations related to its logging activities. There was also a request to provide finalized harvesting plans for the two properties as it was led to believe that the previous plans that had been shared were being adjusted. The limited partnership also requested a timeline for when Island Timberlands plans to start harvesting the properties.
“Both times that PRSC contacted Island Timberlands on these issues it was told that the company was doing the work necessary to ensure compliance and that it would share the information when it was complete,” Williams stated in his letter. “Island Timberlands also informed the limited partnership that it would likely move forward with harvesting the trees on the two properties late in August or early in the fall.
“To date, PRSC has not received the information it requested and has told Island Timberlands that it will not apply for the timber mark that Island Timberlands requires to move wood off of the property until its requests are met.”
