Taking the New Forest Act to Communities Across BC

This legislative framework addresses long-term instability in BC’s forest sector by aligning forest management with the ecological limits of the land base and the economic needs of communities. It is built around the Protect–Restore–Harvest framework and is intended to stabilize timber supply, restore watershed function, and support durable regional economies.

Vancouver Island Tour Sponsors

Sentinel Educational Foundation and the Watershed Sentinel magazine are the sponsors of the Vancouver Island leg of the 2026 New Forest Act Roadshow. Their support is helping bring public education about forest policy reform to communities across Vancouver Island.

2026 Roadshow Schedule

More details for each stop will be posted as they are finalized. 

Golden – Tuesday, June 2, click here for details
Nelson – Wednesday, June 3, click here for details
Trail – Thursday, June 4, click here for details
Penticton, Saturday, June 6, click here for details
100 Mile House – Monday, June 8, click here for details
Campbell River – Thursday, June 11, click here for details
Quadra Island – Saturday, June 13, click here for details
Courtenay – Monday, June 15,click here for details
Port Alberni –Tuesday, June 16, click here for details
Honeymoon Bay – Wednesday, June 17, click here for details
Powell River – Friday, June 19, click here for details
Victoria – Monday, June 22, 2026, click here for details

What These Events Are

Each Roadshow stop is a public presentation and Q&A focused on the New Forest Act.

Topics include:

• why BC’s forestry system is producing instability
• why timber supply has become increasingly unreliable
• how ecological damage and economic decline are connected
• what the New Forest Act proposes instead
• how the Protect–Restore–Harvest framework works
• what a realistic transition could look like

The New Forest Act framework is built around three core priorities: ecological integrity, community-based decision-making, and community-based economies.

Event Format

Each event will generally include:

• a presentation by Jennifer Houghton
• also, Dave Weaver, retired forestry professional, will co-present at Campbell River, Courtenay, and Port Alberni
• also, Herb Hammond, forestry professional and forest ecologist, will co-present in Nelson
• a moderated question-and-answer period
• practical information on how people can support the campaign

These are public education events. They are not rallies, protests, panel discussions, or open-ended public forums.

These events are presentations followed by moderated Q&A.

Registration and Admission

Most Roadshow events are:

By donation at the door.
No pre-registration required unless noted on the event details page.

Please check the individual event page before attending in case local hosts require registration or have venue-specific information.

Hosts

Vancouver Island Hosts

• Campbell River — Council of Canadians, Campbell River chapter
• Quadra Island — local residents
• Courtenay — Save Our Forests Team – Comox Valley
• Port Alberni — Greg Herringer, RFT (recently retired BCTS Forest Technologist)
• Honeymoon Bay — Francis Hall, local resident
• Powell River — Council of Canadians, qathet Chapter
• Victoria — Elders for Ancient Trees and Broad View United Church

Mainland Hosts

• Golden — Golden Chamber of Commerce
• Nelson — West Kootenay Watershed Collaborative
• Trail — Charlie O’Shea, local resident
• Penticton — Council of Canadians South Okanagan, Senior for Climate South Okanagan, First Things First Okanagan
• 100 Mile House — Will Van Osch, local resident

Presenters

Jennifer Houghton, Campaign Director, New Forest Act Project
Boundary Forest Watershed Stewardship Society

Jennifer Houghton presents the New Forest Act in clear, accessible language, drawing on years of research, public education, and direct engagement with communities and decision-makers across BC.

Dave Weaver (co-presenter at select Vancouver Island locations, including Campbell River, others TBA)

Dave Weaver is a retired forestry professional with 37 years of on-the-ground experience across BC’s forest sector, including industry, consulting, teaching, and the BC Ministry of Forests. He spent over a decade developing silviculture policy and training foresters in alternatives to clearcutting. Dave is a co-author and co-developer of the New Forest Act proposal and is currently focused on watershed health assessment and restoration through his work with the Beaufort Watershed Stewards.

About the New Forest Act

The New Forest Act is a proposed legislative framework to replace BC’s current volume-driven forestry model with one that is grounded in ecological function, public accountability, and long-term community stability.

It would shift forest management toward:

• protecting primary forests and critical watershed areas
• restoring degraded and previously logged landscapes
• harvesting only on previously disturbed lands and only where ecological thresholds allow
• regional decision-making and stronger public-interest governance
• a more stable forest economy over time

Read the New Forest Act Executive Summary
Read the Full Proposal
Read the Backgrounder

Led by the Boundary Forest Watershed Stewardship Society

This Roadshow Runs on Public Support

Every presentation, every trip, every conversation – we make it happen because people like you chip in. Your donation covers educational materials, travel, and outreach to bring the New Forest Act to communities across BC. (BFWSS is a registered non-profit, not a charity. Donations are not tax-deductible.)