In the early morning of June 15, Bradley Haslam, an 18-year old clean-up crew employee at our Lavington Division, became entangled in a conveyer belt at the mill. He was discovered by the Clean-up Shift Supervisor, who freed him from the equipment and, along with two others, administered emergency first aid until medical services arrived on scene. Bradley was transported to Vernon Jubilee Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival, despite the best efforts of everyone involved.

As a company, we are extremely saddened by the loss of Bradley Haslam and extend our sincerest sympathy to his family and loved ones during this difficult time. To know that a family has been forever changed by this tragedy is devastating. No words can convey the pain. The loss is heart wrenching, the impact lasting. Today, and for many days to come, our hearts will be with the family and friends of this young man as they face the unimaginable.

Our thoughts will also be with our employees at the Lavington Division as they return to work, because the days ahead will be difficult. We will have our Employee Family Assistance Program (EFAP) provider on site to offer support, and I encourage anyone needing help to seek out these services. I especially want to thank those who responded to the accident for their efforts to save this young man’s life. Their efforts are well appreciated.

As an organization, safety is our most important value. This tragedy serves to remind us of the vital importance of safety in our workplace. When something goes terribly wrong, as it did on Saturday morning, we have to step-back, re-evaluate, and move forward with a strong resolve to make sure a tragedy like this doesn’t happen again. For my part, I renew my commitment to take a leadership role across the organization to ensure everyone understands that safety is at the core of Tolko. This tragedy serves as a personal call to action for all of us to look out for each other and to make sure that everyone is safe.

Brad Thorlakson
Tolko President & CEO

ForestTalk.com - Your source for Canadian forestry news

The Act provides the authority to the Ministries of Agriculture and Environment to administer provincial Crown lands.

The Ministries of Agriculture and Environment will be holding consultation meetings throughout the province.  Consultations will help inform changes to the Act.  Crown land clients will receive notification letters of these meetings.

Consultations will address issues such as: improving client service; clarifying language and administration; identifying solutions for land-use conflicts; developing enforcement mechanisms; and strengthening regulatory frameworks.

Public meetings will be held at the following locations:

Regina
July 8, 2013
6 p.m. – open house
6:30 p.m. – presentation
Conexus Arts Centre, Shumiatcher Room
200A Lakeshore Drive

Prince Albert
July 10, 2013
6 p.m. – open house
6:30 p.m. – presentation
Prince Albert Inn, Salons A&B
3680 – 2nd Avenue West

Saskatoon
July 11, 2013
6 p.m. – open house
6:30 p.m. – presentation
Saskatoon Inn, Saskatchewan Ballroom A
2002 Airport Drive

More info:

• For more information on consultations or to provide comments, visit http://www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/PLA
• Frequently Asked Questions
• The Provincial Lands Act Discussion Paper (.pdf)
• Proposed update of the Provincial Lands Act

ForestTalk.com - Your source for Canadian forestry news

The man is Stephen Mark Whitmore, aged 46, from Courtenay, BC.

Whitmore was operating a piece of heavy equipment known as a wheel loader at the worksite, when the equipment tipped over. He was deceased at the scene.

The BC Coroners Service and WorkSafe BC are continuing to investigate this death.

Source: BC Coroners Service

ForestTalk.com - Your source for Canadian forestry news

Three government agencies exposed workers to the toxic herbicide 2,4,5-T — a dioxin-laced component of Agent Orange. The herbicide was used often to clear power line corridors throughout the province.

The exposures began with the use of 2,4,5-T in 1950 and carried on until 1979.  2,4,5-T was banned by the Ontario government in 1979, and in 1985 by the federal government.

Some workers were exposed to 600-700 times the safe exposure threshold.

Read more:
Ontario workers exposed to unsafe levels of Agent Orange (CBC)

ForestTalk.com - Your source for Canadian forestry news

• 28,100 ha in the Cariboo region near Alkali Lake, Exeter and Big Bar Creek (June 18 – July 3)
• 5,390 ha in the Lillooet area in the Gun Lake and Gold Bridge areas (June 18, weather permitting)
• 23,800 ha in the Merritt area near Stump Lake, Kingsvale, Coldwater and Kane Valley (June 15-17 weather permitting)
• 23,200 ha in the Kamloops region near Barnes Lake, Robbins range, Lac le Jeune, Logan Lake and Westwold (June 12-19, weather permitting)

The areas will be treated with Foray 48B, a biological control agent for the western spruce budworm.

All spray will be by helicopter.

Foray 48B is a biological insecticide that is widely used in B.C. and is registered with the Organic Materials Review Institute. The active ingredient in Foray 48B is the naturally occurring bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Btk). This spray affects only moth and butterfly larvae and can be used safely around humans and other animals. Birds, household pets, fish and beneficial insects (including honey bees) are not affected.

Source: Government of British Columbia

ForestTalk.com - Your source for Canadian forestry news

Green Investment Group worked out a deal with previous mill operator, Tembec, to purchase the mill.

Green Investment Group, established in 2005, preforms environmental cleanups on vacated, heavily contaminated industrial sites. Then they attract small biofuel and bioenergy companies to establish businesses on the sites.

First, Green Investment Group must comply with a Director’s Order from the Ministry of the Environment to clean up the site, including:

• closing the landfill on site
• closing the bark pile
• decommissioning the industrial sewer works
• secure the site
• follow existing groundwater monitoring plans
• remove all waste wood chips
• demolish all builds and structures on the site not being used for commercial purposes
• removal of all hazardous material
• provide a $6.8 million assurance fund to the Ministry of the Environment to cover the costs of the above

The public has 30 days to review and comment on the plan on the province’s Environmental Registry website.

The Ministry of the Environment’s Director’s Orders will ensure that the new owner and related parties, who have all agreed to its terms, are legally obligated under the Environmental Protection Act to complete the required actions.

Read more:
MOE approves sale of Marathon Pulp to U.S. investment group (TBNewsWatch)
Brownfield developer poised to land Marathon Pulp (Northern Ontario Business)

ForestTalk.com - Your source for Canadian forestry news

The current pension plan administrator, Morneau Shepell, blamed the previous administrator, Aon Hewitt, for the estimated $6 million miscalculation.

Both companies have agreed to present a mediator with their arguments in August.

Read more:
Former NewPage workers’ pension case heads to arbitration (CBC)

ForestTalk.com - Your source for Canadian forestry news

Kevin Sexton, with Sexton Lumber in Bloomfield, says the new rule means their trucks will be able to handle five to six extra tonnes per load, trimming the company’s costs by approximately $1 million a year.

“It’s good news for the sawmills, it’s good news for the pulp mill, everybody in the forest industry, because now we can reduce our cost, and that’s the name of the game today,” Sexton said.

Read more:
More wheels, more money for truckers (CBC)

ForestTalk.com - Your source for Canadian forestry news

The wasps eat the emerald ash borer beetles. Before these beetles, there were no natural enemies in North America for this foreign pest.

One of the wasps is a eulophid wasp and the other is a braconid wasp.  A third wasp hasn’t been approved because there wasn’t enough information to indicate if its release in Canada would be harmful to any of our native insects.

Eulophids are a little over a millimetre long, while braconids very slightly larger. Both lay their eggs inside other insects such as moths, butterflies and beetles. The young wasps hatch and eat their way out of the host insect, killing it.

Read more:
Approved: Tiny wasps that kill emerald ash borer (Ottawa Citizen)

ForestTalk.com - Your source for Canadian forestry news

The audit will examine timber harvesting, road construction and maintenance, silviculture, fire prevention and associated planning activities carried out by BC Timber Sales and timber sale licence holders.

The BCTS operating areas to be audited are scattered throughout the Kalum, North Coast and Nass timber supply areas. These areas cover over 80,000 square kilometres and include the major centres of Terrace, Kitimat, Prince Rupert, New Aiyansh and Stewart. The area contains mountainous terrain and many fish streams.

Once the audit work is completed, a report will be prepared, and any party that may be adversely affected by the audit findings will have a chance to respond. The board’s final report and recommendations will then be released to the public and government.

The Forest Practices Board is B.C.’s independent watchdog for sound forest and range practices, reporting its findings and recommendations directly to the public and government.

The board audits forest and range practices on public land, as well as appropriateness of government enforcement.

ForestTalk.com - Your source for Canadian forestry news