Audit of BC Timber Sales program finds issues with road and bridge maintenance

Logs are pictured in the waters of the Fraser River in Richmond, B.C., Tuesday, April 25, 2017. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward)

The Forest Practices Board says an audit of the BC Timber Sales program and timber sales license holders in the Boundary region found "significant issues" with road and bridge maintenance.

It says the board conducted a "full scope compliance audit" of all activities between June 2022 and June 2023 in the Kootenay Business Area in south-central B.C. along Highway 3.

The watchdog says it found that the agency did not inspect any high or very high-risk roads and that only a small amount of moderate-risk roads were inspected during the audit period, which is not compliant with the Forest Planning and Practices Regulation.

Since the audit, it says the agency has improved its road-maintenance system.

The board says the audit also found that Tolko Industries Ltd., which is a timber sales license holder, did not repair broken guardrails on a bridge used by industrial traffic during the audit period.

Since the audit, the board says Tolko has replaced them.

It says the audit found no other concerns with harvesting or silviculture practices, and that other forestry activities were "well done."

While it said fire hazards were abated in a timely manner, it says license holders did not complete fire-hazard assessments on time for the majority of cutblocks sampled, which is required by the wildfire regulations.

Keith Atkinson, chair of B.C.'s Forest Practices Board, says that is an "unfortunately common audit finding and is an area requiring improvement."

Each year, the Forest Practices Board randomly selects one of the 31 BC Timber Sales units to audit. Based on its findings, the board can then make recommendations to improve practices and legislation.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 6, 2024.