The minister of state for forestry operations brought encouraging messages about the proposed community forest plan to Sechelt last week.
Roger Harris was the keynote speaker at a dinner at the Seaside Centre on Monday night put on by the Sechelt Economic Development Partnership and the District of Sechelt.
The meeting, attended by more than 100 business and community leaders, tourism operators, government officials and forest industry representatives, was a chance to learn more about the community forest plan initiative and other government forest initiatives.
"I'm an advocate and feel very strongly about community forest licences," Harris said. "Instead of the provincial government legislating what to do with the forests, these plans help to put the trees in the hands of the community. "These plans are great because I feel a lot of communities, including Sechelt and the Sunshine Coast, want to have some control over the resources that are around you, so you can craft your own future."
On Tuesday, Harris had a more formal meeting with District of Sechelt council and the Sechelt Indian Band (SIB).
Sechelt Mayor Cam Reid said the meeting was positive.
"Again, just like on Monday night, we were given encouraging words of support from the minister," Reid said. "I believe our partnership venture is going in the right direction."
As part of the meeting, Harris was taken on a tour of the Sunshine Coast by helicopter with stops at the SIB value-added mill and the West Coast Log Homes site in Port Mellon.
"I feel he was impressed with what we had to offer," Reid said. "He also expressed his appreciation for the warm hospitality and the positive and constructive dialogue at Monday's dinner."
The district and the SIB signed a letter of intent last year, agreeing to work together on a bid to secure a community forest licence from the Ministry of Forests. The Town of Gibsons and the Sunshine Coast Regional District have also expressed an interest in the project.
The district is currently working on the technical design stage of its application process for a community forest licence. If the plan goes ahead, the province would grant logging rights over a portion of Crown land to a new community development corporation. The corporation would include representation from other local governments, the forest industry and community groups.
Reid said the next step in the process is for the Ministry of Forests to write back to the district establishing the volume of wood and the location of that volume.
"Our next step would be to develop a business plan to reflect that," Reid said. "It's a big task, but I feel we'll be supported because we've done our homework in a business-like manner."
