As a result of The Rocky Mountain Goat news story “TRC signs $6 in new contracts” from Nov. 9th, several members of the forestry community have questioned why MCFC did not guarantee there is room in the cut quotas to handle the new contracts. The foresters suggested that the cedar chips and the split rail fencing needed for the new contracts come from either Class 4 or Class Z wood (essentially refuse wood that is often left on the forest floor to rot away) ) and therefore should not be included in the higher grade product quotas.
Marc von der Gonna, GM of MCFC, responded to those concerns stating:
“Grade 4 logs have always counted against our cut control (AAC of 50,000 m3), however, over the past few years, due to the mountain pine beetle epidemic, you can receive an exemption for all grade 4 logs that are delivered to a non-sawmill manufacturing facility (such as cedar split-rail mills). Unfortunately this exemption expires June 2012. We have been in discussions with MOFLNRO district and regional staff to try to get a permanent exemption for grade 4 cedar against our cut control, however, we are told that this would result in a lowering of our 50,000 m3 AAC. Grade Z logs do not count against our cut control.”
(Please note the attached simplified explanation of the different grades of wood and their uses – prepared with guidance from Eugene Runtz RPF)
MCFC and TRC representatives must still sit down and negotiate a price and delivery arrangements for the logs necessary to make these contracts work.
The result of accomplishing this task would be that some 35 primary and well paid jobs would be added to the local economy. Traditionally, new ‘primary jobs’ mean other additional jobs throughout the community in support of the new workforce.
If it goes through, next to government offices/jobs, TRC would become McBride’s largest employer.
