Bailey says Ottawa must support B.C. forestry as it supports Ontario’s car industry

VICTORIA — British Columbia’s finance minister said she thinks the newly announced federal budget aligns with provincial priorities, but is calling on Ottawa to follow through on supporting forestry and the North Coast Transmission Line.

Brenda Bailey said B.C. expects the federal government to support workers in the softwood lumber industry, which is now facing what she calls “extraordinary” duties and tariffs of up to more than 45 per cent.

“What is happening in the forestry sector in British Columbia because of these unfair and unjust duties and now on top of that, these huge tariffs, is truly a travesty, and we have to stand up for workers,” she said.

Bailey’s comments come after an emergency meeting on softwood lumber earlier this week between Premier David Eby and Dominic LeBlanc, the federal minister responsible for Canada-U.S. trade, among others.

While Bailey said these discussions with the federal counterparts have been “excellent,” B.C. expects the same level of support for its forestry sector as the federal government gives to Ontario’s automobile sector, echoing comments from Eby first made during Monday’s meeting.

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced $1.2 billion in federal support for the softwood lumber industry in August, but Eby has been pushing for more support since.

Eby told reporters Monday that it has been “incredibly difficult to hear that the topics being discussed with the United States are energy, aluminum and steel” with softwood lumber as foundational to B.C. as the automobile sector is to Ontario.

Both Victoria and Ottawa have subsequently agreed to creating a working group to support the industry in the face of ever-increasing U.S. fees and tariffs. Eby also used Monday’s meeting to announce that B.C. would hold off on running ads in the United States to explain the effects of tariffs.

The Forest Products Association of Canada said in a statement Tuesday that Ottawa’s support of $1.2 billion for the softwood lumber industry will immediately help, but the federal government must find more certain trading arrangements with the United States.

Association president Derek Nighbor said in a news release that “lumber must remain a priority at the negotiating table.”

“It’s critical to not only lumber manufacturers, but to every single employee across Canada’s forest sector value chain,” he said.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday afternoon, Bailey said she’s glad the federal budget is showing ongoing commitment toward critical minerals, but added that her government is “still looking for support” for the North Coast Transmission Line.

She said that infrastructure, with an estimated price tag of $6 billion, will help B.C. electrify LNG and mining projects in northwestern B.C.

Todd Stone, chief executive officer of the Association for Mineral Exploration, said Canada has what he calls a “generational opportunity” to benefit from mineral exploration and mining.

“Today’s budget shows how the federal government intends to grasp that opportunity with tools that bring certainty and investment to Canadian mineral exploration.”

Support but also criticism for the federal budget has come from the B.C. Chamber of Commerce, whose interim CEO Alex McMillan said in a statement that his organization supports measures intended to increase Canada’s economic productivity and competitiveness.

“Investments in infrastructure and security, along with tax incentives to expand manufacturing and critical mineral development, are important steps in advancing economic opportunities in B.C.,” he said in the statement.

But McMillan also added that Canada’s economy “remains heavily dependent on trade with the United States” in calling for more trade diversification.

He also expressed concern about the size of deficit.

“Economic growth has slowed sharply while government spending continues at an unsustainable rate,” he said. “At $78.3 billion, this year’s deficit has grown significantly from what was projected 11 months ago.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 4, 2025.

Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press