Business

The progress of upgrades at the Grand Forks and Castlegar sawmills of International Forest Products Limited (Interfor) is one reason for optimism for as they enter a new fiscal year.

In their quarterly results announced today, president and chief executive officer Duncan Davies noted that the 2011 year ended with market improvements.

After a five-and-a-half-year tenure at the helm of the city’s largest commercial venture, Al Hitzroth will be bidding Zellstoff Celgar adieu.

Hitzroth, Celgar’s 55-year-old managing director, Operations & Technical, told The Source today that his final day will be February 24, as he relinquishes Celgar’s top spot to current director of strategic initiatives Kevin Anderson. Hitzroth will then be heading to New Brunswick to take on a new and exciting challenge within the pulp industry.

The Province has completed a comprehensive review of options for provincially operated meat inspection services at Class A and B licensed abattoirs.

This ensures that B.C. continues to provide the most effective, safe meat inspection system possible when the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) steps back from this role. The Report on the B.C. Abattoir System Inspection Review can be found online at: www.health.gov.bc.ca/protect/meat-regulation

Madison's Lumber Reporter has learned that the United States' claim against Canada, for alleged subsidies on British Columbia's timber stumpage rates, has been reduced from US$499 to US$303.6 million.

In the American rebuttal of Canada's defense, which was filed on Dec. 23, 2011 but only made public this week, the U.S. Trade Representative's (USTR) office is asking for almost 40 percent less penalty against Canada than previous U.S. filings had indicated.