Quesnel Mayor Bob Simpson says the BC forest sector is likely on pins and needles today.
Referring to the surprising election of Donald Trump in the U.S., Simpson says the biggest concern for us here in the Cariboo is the expired softwood lumber agreement.
He says Trump has been clear that he is anti-free trade and wants to renegotiate NAFTA…
“i would have a concern that he may want to support punitive taxation against our industry as a first step and a direction. It would be an easy win for him, it would you know show that he is going to play tough on fronts like this.”
Simpson says, despite being vulnerable, Quesnel is well positioned to get through this however.
He says Council has been taking several factors, including softwood lumber, into consideration when making it’s budget decisions.