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Tolko strikes lumber deal with China
Frank Peebles Citizen staff
The economic possibilities for B.C. forest companies in China were given a jolt of excitement Sunday. Tolko Industries Ltd. announced it had signed a major purchase agreement with China’s largest lumber distributor.
It is the second such contract to sell lumber into China that Tolko has signed in the past year.
The announcement came out of a trade junket in China led by the premiers of Alberta, Saskatchewan and B.C.’s Gordon Campbell.
“I congratulate Tolko Industries Ltd. on this agreement, which is yet another example of how the trade relationship between the B.C. forest industry and China just keeps getting stronger and stronger,” said Premier Campbell. “Lumber demand from housing officials, developers, and construction firms is at an all-time high in China.”
Tolko signed its first major supply agreement with China National Building Materials in November 2009 as part of the largest-ever forest industry trade mission to China led by Forests and Range Minister Pat Bell of Prince George. The volume for that agreement was mostly to be supplied by Tolko’s Quesnel operation. This latest agreement will be filled by
other Tolko operations.
“The co-operation between the B.C. forest industry and governments to promote wood use in China are key to the success we’re seeing today,” said Tolko president and CEO Brad Thorlakson.
According to the provincial government officials currently lobbying in China on this trade mission, the Tolko contracts call for spruce, pine and fir lumber in a full range of grades and dimensions. China National Building Materials will distribute the lumber throughout China for a range of end-uses including concrete forms, remanufactured products for the apartment decorating and furniture markets, structural framing, and re-roofing projects.
“An estimated 300 million Chinese, the equivalent of the entire population of the United States, are expected to move from rural areas into cities in the next 20 years, creating a massive potential market for B.C. wood products,” said a written statement from the provincial government.
China is now B.C.’s largest offshore market for wood by volume as well as the fastest growing. B.C. wood sales to China doubled in 2009 from 2008 to $327 million.
See page 3 for additional coverage of the relationships developing between this region and Chinese business interests.
DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE -- Northern Medical Program family medicine graduate Susan Butow of Prince George tries on a ceremonial lab coat handed to her by Dr. David Snadden at the Class of 2010 graduation celebration Saturday at UNBC.A total of 23 graduates were honoured in the white coat ceremony.
See story in Tuesday's Citizen.
Citizen photo by David Mah
City buildings have date with wrecking ball
Frank Peebles Citizen staff
The drilling is about to start in the holes of decay in downtown Prince George. Some blights will remain for some time but are on the demolition list.
The Citizen has learned that as early as this month or early June at the latest, some of the recent real estate purchases made by the Commonwealth group of revitalization investors will be dealt their death blow.
“The Shipwrecked building and Mail Boxes Etc. building, both vacant, will be coming down as soon as the final asbestos inspection is completed,” said Dan McLaren, a principal investor with Commonwealth. “This is expected to occur in two to three weeks. We expect to tear down the bookstore (The Final Chapter used book store on George Street) in early July. Sassafras (also on George Street) will come down some time after that.”
The biggest structure in that vicinity, the Prince George Hotel, was purchased first by the Commonwealth group then transacted to the
City of Prince George, all with future development in mind. Acting mayor Garth Frizzell was asked why the P.G. Hotel was not yet the subject of demolition discussions.
“We didn’t budget any money for that in the last budget,” he said, the purchase of the building coming late in the budget development process. That budget, sans demolition funds, was only passed this past week, putting 12 months between now and the next opportunity to allocate the expense of razing the former hotel.
— See DEMOLITION on page 3
FUN AT THE FAIR — Joe McBurnie, left, his sister Madison,and brother Jacob are all smiles as they pass by their mom while taking a spin on the Hogwild ride Saturday at the West Coast Amusements fair at Exhibition Park.
Citizen photo by David Mah
Good deeds rewarded
Frank Peebles Citizen staff
The men and women empowered to carry badges are now also empowered to hand out badges of honour to youth caught in the act -of doing good.
RCMP officers are carrying bundles of TRST cards (Trust Cards) which stand for The Right Stuff. Each card has a coupon for either a free Big Mac or a free youth drop-in visit to The Family Y. Police members will be giving them out to young people when a cop nails them doing exactly what they are supposed to be doing: riding a bike and properly wearing a helmet, being helpful to an elder, putting litter in the garbage, having a good time in groups while being respectful to those around them, etc.
— see RCMP on page 3
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