Western Forestry Contractors' Association - WFCA

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Western Forestry Contractors' Association - WFCA The Western Forestry Contractors’ Association (WFCA) represents contractors across Western Canada’s silviculture and restoration sector.

We support workforce development, promote safe practices, and help build a strong future for our forests.

Member Spotlight 🌲 Gord and Cathy Newhook planted roots in 1984 when they started Next Generation Reforestation.What the...
10/12/2026

Member Spotlight 🌲 Gord and Cathy Newhook planted roots in 1984 when they started Next Generation Reforestation.

What they managed to grow was a beautiful family, a business and 42 years of restoring forests across Western Canada. Their son Will, who once rode along as a baby in Cathy's planting bags, is now the primary owner. He and his wife Caitlin carry the legacy forward today.

What Gord and Cathy started, the next generation is carrying forward. And the forests across Western Canada are better for it. 🌱

Want to become a member? https://wfca.ca/membership/

WFCA Team Spotlight! 🌲Say hello to Henry Yang, Co-Director of Stakeholder Engagement at WFCA and Senior Grower and Clien...
10/07/2026

WFCA Team Spotlight! 🌲

Say hello to Henry Yang, Co-Director of Stakeholder Engagement at WFCA and Senior Grower and Client Relations Manager at K&C Silviculture.

Henry started as a nursery technician at K&C Silviculture in 2014 and moved into management two years later. With a background in Natural Resources Management and a Master of Science specializing in microbiology in forestry, he combines both science and the people side of our industry every day.

And when he is not growing trees for the forest, he is growing flowers and vegetables on his hobby farm in Okanagan Falls.

Say hello to Henry in the comments.

For WFCA member Brinkman Reforestation Ltd., safety is second nature. 🌲🦺 Reforestation crews work in some of the most re...
09/30/2026

For WFCA member Brinkman Reforestation Ltd., safety is second nature. 🌲🦺

Reforestation crews work in some of the most remote and demanding conditions in the province. The hazards are real, and Brinkman takes each one seriously.

From on-demand access to virtual mental health specialists and physiotherapists, emergency response planning, driver training, wildlife safety and first aid certifications, safety is not an afterthought; it’s a benchmark.

Interested in becoming a member? Link in bio.

Finding gaps is what we do best.In manual brushing, thinning and spacing, injury rates, severity and costs are dispropor...
09/22/2026

Finding gaps is what we do best.

In manual brushing, thinning and spacing, injury rates, severity and costs are disproportionately high compared with other silviculture activities. With limited standardized training available, many contractors have developed their own safety programs independently.

Paul Nimmon of Lukwa Enterprises Ltd. is visiting crews on the ground across BC, observing and talking with workers to get a clear understanding of training gaps and learning opportunities.

Paul has completed a summary report for Vancouver Island, with the potential to expand the work to crews in other parts of BC.

This is the kind of quiet, foundational work that makes the whole sector stronger. 👏

Team Spotlight! 🌲 Meet Martin Labelle, a WFCA team member with 35 years in the restoration industry.Tree planter. Forest...
09/18/2026

Team Spotlight! 🌲 Meet Martin Labelle, a WFCA team member with 35 years in the restoration industry.

Tree planter. Forest engineer. Silviculture surveyor. Reforestation manager. Biomass specialist. Seedling sales professional. Martin has done it all, and it’s his expertise and knowledge that make him an incredible advocate for the restoration industry and the WFCA.

Meet our team: https://wfca.ca/board-committees/

When a mill closes, the impact reaches far beyond the mill itself.Over 20 mills have closed permanently or indefinitely ...
09/08/2026

When a mill closes, the impact reaches far beyond the mill itself.

Over 20 mills have closed permanently or indefinitely in BC since 2023, with a recent curtailment announced for Quesnel River Pulp in November. Less harvesting can mean less funding opportunities for forest improvement projects, directly impacting the health of BC’s forests.

CTV News spoke with WFCA's Timo Scheiber and John Betts about what is at stake. Read the full story here: https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/bc-mill-closures-hinder-reforestation-efforts-with-long-term-consequences/

They are on the ground working hard to protect BC’s forests and communities.As the 2026 wildfire season continues, thous...
09/02/2026

They are on the ground working hard to protect BC’s forests and communities.

As the 2026 wildfire season continues, thousands of people have contributed to wildfire preparedness and response across the province.

🌲 More than 700 contract firefighters on the ground.
🌲 BC Wildfire Service received approximately 2,400 applications for seasonal firefighting positions—a record number. Contractors received a significant increase in applications this year as well, showing young workers are keen to mitigate the effects of climate change.
🌲 Over 1,700 fire departments, First Nations and contractors trained for wildland firefighting operations.

To every firefighter, contractor and crew member out there this season: thank you.

Wildfire resilience starts long before a fire begins. From fuel reduction and thinning to forest restoration, WFCA members are part of the work happening across BC to build healthier, more resilient forests.

Interested in becoming a WFCA member? Learn more here: https://wfca.ca/membership/

Sometimes the scenic route teaches us more than we thought it would.🌲Mackendrick Hallworth had a plan. Graduate with a F...
08/28/2026

Sometimes the scenic route teaches us more than we thought it would.🌲

Mackendrick Hallworth had a plan. Graduate with a Forestry degree, with an engineering job lined up. He was set.

…and then the job fell through.

Only to have a friend sow a seed: what about tree planting?

Little did Mackendrick know that this reroute would unveil his passion. He took up tree-planting and quickly realized he loved being close to the land, examining the ground and putting his forestry knowledge to work in real time.

Today, he manages restoration projects that bring together communities, funding partners and contractors to restore forests after disturbance.

This is just one story of the many incredible hands behind restoring our forests. Have a story you want to share? Send us a message! 👋

What takes days to burn can take years to recover.And without active restoration work, many burned landscapes never full...
08/20/2026

What takes days to burn can take years to recover.

And without active restoration work, many burned landscapes never fully recover.

WFCA members are among the contractors doing the hands-on work, such as restoring burned landscapes, site rehabilitation and long-term forest management.

Reminder: If you see a wildfire, report it immediately. Call *5555 to reach the BC Wildfire Service or report it via the BC Wildfire Service website: https://wildfiresituation.nrs.gov.bc.ca/reportOfFire

Canada has a wildfire crisis and a workforce that can help. So why is it underutilized? 🤔Every spring, 6,500 tree plante...
08/11/2026

Canada has a wildfire crisis and a workforce that can help. So why is it underutilized? 🤔

Every spring, 6,500 tree planters across Canada restore an area of forest larger than Prince Edward Island. And while impressive, these incredible workers are still widely seen as just labourers.

WFCA's Jeff Lutes is pushing back on that narrative because he believes it's time to stop viewing tree planters through a narrow lens. It’s time to ask what problems they can solve.

Read his full opinion piece here: https://www.woodbusiness.ca/canada-has-a-wildfire-crisis-and-a-workforce-that-can-help-so-why-arent-we-using-it/

Address

720-999 West Broadway
Vancouver, BC
V5Z1K5

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5pm
Friday 8:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+16047368660

Website

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