Midway Mill Releases Inaugural Achievement Report
By Contributor
B.C.’s forest industry is a vital part of the province’s economy said a report released by Vaagen Fibre Canada.
Small mills create more jobs per cubic-metre of timber than large forest product producers, keeping economies and communities strong, according to the Interior Lumber Manufacturer’s Association (ILMA) who represent independent and innovative lumber manufacturers in the Southern Interior of B.C. A new Achievement Report, released by Vaagen Fibre Canada, shares the economic, social, and environmental benefits of the mill to the Kootenay-Boundary region.
“Vaagen Fibre Canada in Midway does an outstanding job keeping local people employed, and they understand what value over volume means,” said Dan Battistella, President of the ILMA.
“Vaagen, like many of our ILMA members mills, does so much with our forestry resources and has been at the leading edge of doing more with less. Their inaugural Achievement Report highlights their accomplishments, and we acknowledge their innovative and collaborative work.”
Vaagen Fibre Canada is a small, family-run mill located in the rural community of Midway in the Kootenay-Boundary region of the province.
The mill’s leadership and workforce go above and beyond to add value to the wood they harvest, and the Achievement Report shares those details.
“We could not be prouder of the work our team accomplishes year after year in the areas of stewardship, building social license, engaging in public consultation, connecting with our First Nations partners, and building local employment opportunities,” said Dan Macmaster, Fibre Manager of Vaagen Fibre Canada.
“We work hard to find unique and creative solutions with our partners like the Osoyoos Indian Band, the West Boundary Community Forest, and many others to secure sustainable access to reliable wood supplies.”
The Achievement Report not only highlights why Vaagen is laser focused on adding value, but also showcases how critical the mill is to the local rural communities of Midway, Greenwood, Grand Forks, Rock Creek, and Osoyoos where many of their workers reside.
“This Report is a celebration of our team and partners and it’s also an opportunity to show how interested we are to make new connections and create mutually beneficial opportunities,” said Macmaster. “Since Vaagen does not have forest tenure or a licence to harvest timber to keep our mill running, we need to be creative and collaborative in our approach to securing fibre.
To Macmaster, creativity is critical but there is also the focus to create forest policy that is focused on the right log to the right mill. “To us, it’s not about more wood – it’s about secure and reliable access to fibre to ensure our mill is viable and can operate at maximum efficiency to put people first and benefit our workers, First Nations, and surrounding communities.”
Macmaster invites people to read the Achievement Report online at www.Vaagen.ca “People will learn about the work we do, which ultimately helps our First Nations partners, rural communities, and natural resources thrive. It’s collectively working together to create sustainable forestry to support rural B.C. communities.”
Macmaster invites people to read the Achievement Report online at www.Vaagen.ca “People will learn about the work we do which ultimately helps our First Nations partners, rural communities, and natural resources thrive. It’s collectively working together to create sustainable forestry to support rural B.C. communities.”
Foresters visit an ecosystem restoration project outside of Rock Creek. — Submitted photo
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