Logging talks progress in Port Alberni area

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The Ucluelet, Hupacasath and Tseshaht First Nations, in partnership with the Coulson Group of Companies, have completed the first stage of negotiations with Weyerhaeuser in their bid to be the successor logging contractor for the Sproat Lake Division.

A framework agreement reached last month sets the stage for the parties to negotiate the proposed business details for the overall forestry and logging contracts. A significant amount of negotiation is still required before a binding agreement can be achieved and these negotiations are expected to take place over several months. The parties share a desire to reach a successful outcome, but this is contingent on agreeing to critical contract terms, including cost structure. In addition to these broader discussions, the parties agreed to move forward with an interim forestry and engineering contract for up to 80,000 cubic meters.

Weyerhaeuser announced last year it wanted out of logging operations, and started negotiating with First Nations and others to take over logging operations.

"We'll be doing everything. It's a stump to dump contract," said Hupacasath Chief Councillor Judith Sayers. "We'll be doing the engineering on a block-by-block basis, logging, transporting the logs to the sort, and all of that," she said.

Sayers expressed her delight in achieving this milestone.

"Local First Nations in partnership with Coulson see this as an opportunity to finally achieve a major step towards asserting our inherent right to manage and benefit from our local natural resource base. We applaud Weyerhaeuser's efforts to date."

Tseshaht Chief Councillor David Watts believes this agreement is "an important first step towards creating meaningful long term employment and training for First Nations."

Ucluelet Chief Councillor Ed Mack expressed the view that the "Ucluelet First Nation are pleased to be in partnership with our neighbours in achieving true community sustainability."

"This is only the first step. There's still a lot of negotiations towards the final details," said Sayers, who added similar negotiations between Weyerhaeuser and other companies took between six and eight months to complete. "We're very hopeful. The motivation from all parties is there, and Weyerhaeuser is very serious about offering benefits to First Nations."

Coulson's president and chief executive officer Wayne Coulson, echoed the views of his partners and looked forward to concluding the implementation stage of the negotiations. "We've done a lot of work to get here, but there's still a lot of work to do," said Coulson. "Weyerhaeuser is willing to work with local businesses and First Nations. But at the end of the day this deal only happens if we deliver world-class results and competitive rates."

Stan Coleman,manager of Weyerhaeuser's timberlands for the West Island, said he also is pleased by the progress. "There is a great deal of goodwill at the table. Everyone recognizes that we face stiff global competition and that we must create a new cost structure that will allow us to be competitive and to create some certainty for employees and the community."