B.C. forests minister slams Nanaimo over zoning proposal, Harmac feels threatened

B.C. forests minister slams Nanaimo over zoning proposal, Harmac feels threatened

Published 1:45 pm Thursday, December 18, 2025

B.C.’s minister of forests is condemning Nanaimo city council’s decision to look into a zoning amendment that would require site-specific zoning for emissions-intense industry on industrial lands.

In a letter to mayor and council dated Dec. 10 and shared on social media this week, Ravi Parmar called the motion “severely short-sighted” and argued it could “result in lost investment, confidence and assuredness in the local forest sector.”

“This decision would restrict the ability for Harmac to make needed investments in their capacity, and as a result threatens their operations,” the minister wrote. “The Harmac Pacific pulp mill is an employee-owned operation that is both the key driver of the local forest sector, and a major employer in Nanaimo’s economy.”

Coun. Paul Manly made a motion to ask for the report at a meeting Nov. 17, and the motion passed with a 5-4 council vote. Staff are expected to report back to council with options for a zoning amendment that would exclude emissions-intense heavy industry such as “waste energy, incinerators, chemical plants, thermal electrical generators, petroleum refineries and [liquefied] natural gas export facilities” from existing industrial zoning in order to require site-specific zoning.

Arguing in favour of his motion, Manly said that under current regulations, a foreign multi-national could buy land at Duke Point and propose a waste incinerator or petrochemical plant, which would leave taxpayers to either allow it or spend “millions of dollars” to fight it.

At a council meeting Monday, Dec. 15, Bruce Martin, from the Harmac employee-owner group, presented to council, arguing that zoning restrictions could affect the ability of Nanaimo Forest Products Ltd., the owner of Harmac Pacific, to market the lands proposed for development near Cable Bay Trail.

The company has previously submitted a zoning application to turn 98.3 hectares west of the trail, 950 and 1260 Phoenix Way, into an industrial zone.

“If this bylaw were to become a reality it would threaten the ability of our business to continue, it would restrict our ability to diversify and grow, which is essential to our success,” Martin said.

As an example, he pointed to Harmac Pacific’s $45-million power station, which uses pressurized steam from wood waste to spin a turbine which produces electricity that is sold to B.C. Hydro. Martin said in the future, the mill may wish to increase steam production, as one possibility, or put in another [electricity] generation project, which would mean more wood waste would be burned.

“As things get tighter and tighter with the fibre supply and like I say, the cyclical nature of the business, we find we’re having to look outside of conventional revenue for a pulp mill, which is selling pulp. So we are wanting to invest in other businesses.”

Manly said it’s his intention that a bylaw amendment would include exemptions for any waste energy that utilizes waste products, “as that is part of a circular economy.”

“The intention of the bylaw really is for large emitters to have a democratic process so we could have public hearings,” Manly said. “Complementary businesses like cross laminated timber, mass timber, another mill – any kind of forest product would be exempt from this bylaw.”

Northern Forest Products board member Frank Crucil also spoke at the meeting, stating that “this recent motion by council ties our hands.”

“My concern is you’re changing [heavy industrial development zones] in the middle of the game,” Crucil said. “Harmac has been there [for] 75 years, and you make up new rules.”