Ontario Forestry Sector Braces for Impact: Union Warns of Job Losses Amidst Bill 46 Debate – Breaking News
TORONTO, ON – October 26, 2025 – Ontario’s forestry sector is facing a confluence of challenges, and a major union is sounding the alarm over proposed changes to provincial legislation. Unifor, Canada’s largest private sector union, has voiced serious concerns regarding Bill 46, the Protecting Ontario by Cutting Red Tape Act, 2025, specifically its potential amendments to the Crown Forest Sustainability Act, 1994. This comes at a time when the industry is already reeling from crippling U.S. tariffs and the escalating threat of wildfires.
Bill 46: What’s at Stake for Ontario’s Forests?
In a letter to the Standing Committee on Heritage, Infrastructure and Culture, Samia Hashi, Ontario Regional Director for Unifor, detailed the union’s anxieties. The core issue revolves around Bill 46’s proposed simplification of the regulatory process for taking forest resources for non-forest purposes – think roads, mining operations, and utility corridors. Unifor argues this could create an uneven playing field, as logging operations would still be subject to the full, more stringent licensing regime outlined in the 1994 Act.
“We’re deeply concerned about the unintended consequences,” Hashi stated. “This could undermine operational fairness, complicate compliance, and ultimately harm the competitiveness of Ontario’s forestry sector.” Unifor represents over 24,000 forestry workers across Canada, including more than 4,000 in Ontario, spanning logging, firefighting, wood products, bioenergy, and pulp and paper manufacturing.
A Perfect Storm: Tariffs, Wildfires, and Economic Uncertainty
The concerns surrounding Bill 46 aren’t happening in a vacuum. The forestry sector is already battling a series of interconnected crises. The ongoing lumber dispute with the United States has escalated dramatically. Recent increases in preliminary duties on Canadian softwood lumber have now pushed the combined tariff rate to a staggering 34.45%. Adding insult to injury, new tariffs under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, set to take effect October 14, 2025, will add a further 10%, bringing the total to over 45%.
Beyond trade wars, the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires pose a constant threat to forests, operations, and the communities that rely on the industry. These environmental pressures, coupled with necessary conservation measures to protect species and habitats, add layers of complexity to long-term planning.
Understanding Softwood Lumber Disputes: A Historical Perspective
The softwood lumber dispute between Canada and the U.S. is a decades-old trade battle. The U.S. argues that Canadian lumber is unfairly subsidized, primarily through provincial crown timber rights, giving Canadian producers an advantage. Canada maintains its system is fair and market-based. These disputes have historically led to cyclical rounds of tariffs and legal challenges, creating significant instability for the industry. Learn more about the history of the softwood lumber dispute.
The Human Cost: Layoffs and Community Impact
These financial pressures are already taking a toll. Investment in Ontario’s forestry sector has frozen, and workplaces are facing layoffs, production cuts, and even closures. Forest workers and their families are facing an uncertain future, and the economic viability of forestry-dependent communities is at risk. Unifor is advocating for a comprehensive industrial strategy, led by both federal and provincial governments, and developed in consultation with all stakeholders – especially the workers themselves.
“The defense and reconstruction of the Canadian forest sector requires a collaborative approach,” Hashi emphasized. “We need a strategy that prioritizes workers, sustainability, and long-term economic growth.”
Unifor maintains its support for effective, science-based regulations that promote responsible business practices, economic development, reconciliation, and conservation. The union’s concern isn’t about eliminating regulations, but ensuring a fair and balanced approach that doesn’t disproportionately burden the forestry sector.
As Ontario lawmakers consider the implications of Bill 46, the future of thousands of forestry workers and the health of the province’s forests hang in the balance. Stay tuned to archyde.com for continuing coverage of this developing story and its impact on the Canadian economy.
