As British Columbia has matured, so has its forest industry, now a global leader in green practices. Forestry also has a HUGE impact on jobs in Vancouver and beyond. Here are some remarkable facts.
A report recently published by forest associations in partnership with Resource Works showed how forestry has a $31.4 billion annual footprint in British Columbia. Here are some highlights showing how and where this impact occurs.
Jobs
Employment generated by the BC forest industry in BC in 2013 was more than the employment reported for the natural gas industry, five proposed liquefied natural gas industry projects, the mining industry, 2010 Winter Olympic Games and the film and television industry. The BC forest industry supported 145,817 FTEs which was comparable to the natural gas industry, and more than three times the employment generated by the mining industry and the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
Economic impact
As shown below, the estimated GDP contribution of the BC forest industry to the provincial economy in 2013 was more than double the reported GDP of the mining industry and more than the combined reported GDP contribution of the mining industry, 2010 Winter Olympic Games, and the film and television industry. (Dollar amounts are in millions)
Value chain diagram
The value chain below provides a graphical illustration of the industry’s primary activities and linkages that exist with other industries and stakeholders with which it interacts. The value chain highlights both the diversity and complexity of the BC forest industry’s activities.
