Nation-Led Innovation in Value-Added Forestry

In late June, the Forestry Council’s storyteller Zac Whyte visited Secwépemc and Simpcw Nation Territories to capture an exciting joint partnership in action. The Adams Lake Indian Band, in collaboration with Gilbert Smith Forest Products (Barriere, BC) and Woodtone’s remanufacturing facility (Armstrong, BC), is launching a new on-reserve value-added manufacturing facility near the interior village of Chase.

The initiative will create jobs for Adams Lake members by turning cedar trim ends—typically chipped or shipped away—into usable products through finger-jointing and remanufacturing. Once BC Hydro connects 3-phase power to the site, the facility is expected to employ 10–20 people per shift, directly bringing opportunity and economic growth to the community.

A full video capturing this collaboration will be released later this summer—stay tuned!