B.C. Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar is leading a major trade mission to Japan and South Korea as the province looks to diversify its forestry markets and reduce dependence on the United States.
The seven-day mission, starting November 8, is the largest B.C. forest-sector mission to Asia. It follows the recent opening of a Forestry Innovation Investment office in London, England, part of a broader push to strengthen B.C.’s global trade network.
Parmar says the mission comes at a critical time as the U.S. under Donald Trump continues to impose tariffs on softwood lumber. He says British Columbia is responding by forging new partnerships and showing the world that B.C. produces high-quality, sustainably managed wood products.
Delegates will include First Nations leaders, forestry industry representatives, and Alberta’s Minister of Forests, Todd Loewen. The group will meet with Asian government officials and visit major manufacturers such as Mitsubishi Estate and Younglim Headquarters, Korea’s largest wood-product importer.
The B.C. government says market diversification will help protect workers and communities from market swings and U.S. trade actions, while positioning B.C. as a global leader in sustainable forestry.
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