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Cascades announces the sale of its Flexible Packaging plant in Mississauga to Five Star Holding
Cascades Inc.
October 8, 2025
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada East
KINGSEY FALLS, Quebec — Cascades announced that it has reached an agreement to sell its Flexible Packaging plant activities to Five Star Holding based in Houston, Texas. The $31 million transaction is effective immediately. Cascades’ will retain ownership of the site real estate. Located in Mississauga, Ontario, Flexible Packaging is Cascades’ only plant that manufactures printed flexible plastic packaging and films. …The Flexible Packaging operations employs 45 people, all of which will be retained by Five Star at closing. …The transaction includes a supply agreement between the two parties to ensure the continued production and supply of the flexible film that is used by Cascades’ Tissue and Packaging sectors. “Today’s decision will allow us to reduce our debt and support the optimization of our operational platform,” said Hugues Simon, CEO of Cascades.
Tariffs widen trade gap, pressure mounts on Bank of Canada
By Liezel Once
Canadian Mortgage Professional Magazine
October 7, 2025
Category: Finance & Economics
Region: Canada
Canada’s international trade deficit swelled to $6.3 billion in August, its second-largest shortfall on record, as new United States tariffs took a heavy toll on key exports and injected fresh volatility into cross-border flows. The latest figures, released by Statistics Canada, show how US trade policy continues to affect Canadian exporters and make the Bank of Canada’s next interest rate decision more complicated. Exports in August fell 3% by value and 3.2% in volume, led by sharp declines in copper ore and lumber shipments, both of which were hit by new US tariffs. …Imports, meanwhile, rose 0.9%, buoyed by higher consumer goods, a sign of resilient household demand, even as business investment remained soft. …Exports to the US, Canada’s largest trading partner, fell 3.4% in August after three consecutive monthly gains, and were down 8% year-over-year. Exports to non-US destinations edged up 1.8% from a year ago but slipped 2% from July.
Lumber futures fell toward $600 per thousand board feet, easing from the near two-month high of $615.50 on October 3rd as the prior speculative rally reversed amid softer demand, looming tariff implementation, and inventory rebalancing. Demand has weakened as homebuilders and material buyers pull back amid higher construction costs and tighter mortgage affordability that curb new housing starts. At the same time, many market participants had frontloaded purchases ahead of the US 10% Section 232 tariff on softwood lumber and higher duties on wood furniture and cabinets effective October 14th, creating a short-term inventory overhang that reduced fresh order flow. On the supply side, domestic sawmills have ramped up shipments to cover earlier shortages, while Canadian exporters remain constrained by heavy anti-dumping and countervailing duties that limit flexibility, easing prompt tightness. [END]
Eco-friendly Toilet Paper Brand Who Gives a Crap Rolls Into Canada
By Who Gives A Crap
Cision Newswire
October 8, 2025
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada
TORONTO — Who Gives A Crap, the purpose-driven toilet paper brand that donates 50% of profits to help provide clean water and toilets for all, has officially landed in Canada – offering soft, stylish and sustainable household products that are good for your bum and great for the planet. New research commissioned by the brand found 83% of Canadians are unaware of the impact the traditional toilet paper industry has on the boreal forest. …Every year, more than a million acres of the boreal are decimated, threatening biodiversity and accelerating climate change. Simon Griffiths, Co-Founder of Who Gives A Crap, “By switching to 100% bamboo or recycled rolls, Canadians can help protect one of the world’s most important forests.” …Now sold in nearly 40 countries… it’s already one of Australia’s top toilet paper brands and is growing fast in the UK and US. [
Mass timber takes centre stage at North Bay’s eco-friendly rec centre
The Bay Today
October 7, 2025
Category: Wood, Paper & Green Building
Region: Canada, Canada East
As Ontario updates its building code to allow taller wood structures, the City of North Bay is leading by example with a state-of-the-art recreation centre built using nail-laminated mass timber panels. The City hosted WoodWorks and the Canadian Wood Council today for a site tour at the new North Bay Community and Recreation Centre, which highlighted the use of mass timber construction. …Steven Street, Executive Director of WoodWorks Ontario… “Mass timber construction not only supports local jobs and communities, it also highlights the region’s manufacturing expertise and strengthens forest industry supply chains, demonstrating how homegrown, renewable resources can deliver high-performance, low-carbon buildings that benefit people, the environment, and regional economies.” …Updates to the Ontario Building Code became effective January 1, which now allow mass timber buildings up to 18 storeys, making wood a viable low-carbon alternative to traditional building materials such as steel and concrete.
October 17, 2025 | River Rock Casino Resort, Richmond | Join us at the Coastal Currents – Forestry Fibre Flow Forum to connect with local primary sawmillers and value-added manufacturers, dive into fibre flow realities, explore regional challenges, and discover new pathways to collaboration and partnership. Together, we will:
Get to know local sawmillers and manufacturers for future partnerships.
Understand fibre flow, constraints, and access opportunities.
Investigate regional challenges and strategies to support value-added manufacturers.
Promote First Nations involvement in the value-added space.
Explore fibre flow opportunities for Nations entering manufacturing or supply agreements.
An outcome of the Value-added Accelerators, this Forum focuses on advancing value-added manufacturing on British Columbia’s Coast. The Accelerators, launched in 2023, bring together the BC First Nations Forestry Council, BC Value-added Wood Coalition, BC Council of Forest Industries (COFI), and the Ministry of Forests, including BC Timber Sales.
BC Council of Forest Industries announces the 2025 Forestry Scholarship recipients
BC Council of Forest Industries
October 7, 2025
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada West
Vancouver, B.C. – The BC Council of Forest Industries (COFI) is proud to announce the recipients of its 2025 Forestry Scholarships. Since 2007, COFI has supported students pursuing professional, technical, and trades careers in the forest sector through its annual scholarship program. Each recipient will receive $2,000 to support their post-secondary studies at institutions across British Columbia.“These students represent the next generation of forestry professionals. They are helping shape an industry that’s more innovative, sustainable, and diverse than ever before,” said Kim Haakstad, President & CEO of COFI. …“COFI’s Forestry Scholarships reflect the commitment of our members to inspiring and empowering the next generation of leaders across the province,” said Jim Costley, Manager of Forest Education at COFI. “Whether these students become forest professionals, engineers, or data analysts, their skills and passion will help shape BC’s forest sector and the communities it supports.”
The first rural hospital-based air ambulance program in the country was born out of tragedy 50 years ago near the Hungry Horse Reservoir. In July 1975, a 27-year-old logger named Dennis Buck was severely injured in a workplace accident. His crew worked with a nearby forest service helicopter to form a makeshift rescue operation. Unfortunately, Dennis died before he could reach the hospital, an all-too-common occurrence in the logging industry at the time. Recognizing the need for change, Clyde Smith, co-founder of the Montana Logging Association, put his own logging business up as collateral and worked with Kalispell General Hospital, now Logan Health Medical Center, to form an air-ambulance program to rural workers across northwest Montana. Today, 50 years later, ALERT has evolved into a comprehensive emergency medical transport program. In addition to more than 21,000 helicopter flights in its history, the service now includes a fixed-wing aircraft transport service, a specialty pediatric and neonatal flight nurse team and dedicated ground ambulances…
Hello early bird! We just want you to know that the news team is busy adding stories to this page. Be sure to check back at 8:30 am (PST) for the full line up of articles.
Canada’s international trade deficit swelled to $6.3 billion in August, its second-largest shortfall on record, as new United States tariffs took a heavy toll on key exports and injected fresh volatility into cross-border flows. The latest figures, released by Statistics Canada, show how US trade policy continues to affect Canadian exporters and make the Bank of Canada’s next interest rate decision more complicated. Exports in August fell 3% by value and 3.2% in volume, led by sharp declines in copper ore and lumber shipments, both of which were hit by new US tariffs. …Imports, meanwhile, rose 0.9%, buoyed by higher consumer goods, a sign of resilient household demand, even as business investment remained soft. …Exports to the US, Canada’s largest trading partner, fell 3.4% in August after three consecutive monthly gains, and were down 8% year-over-year. Exports to non-US destinations edged up 1.8% from a year ago but slipped 2% from July.
Lumber futures fell toward $600 per thousand board feet, easing from the near two-month high of $615.50 on October 3rd as the prior speculative rally reversed amid softer demand, looming tariff implementation, and inventory rebalancing. Demand has weakened as homebuilders and material buyers pull back amid higher construction costs and tighter mortgage affordability that curb new housing starts. At the same time, many market participants had frontloaded purchases ahead of the US 10% Section 232 tariff on softwood lumber and higher duties on wood furniture and cabinets effective October 14th, creating a short-term inventory overhang that reduced fresh order flow. On the supply side, domestic sawmills have ramped up shipments to cover earlier shortages, while Canadian exporters remain constrained by heavy anti-dumping and countervailing duties that limit flexibility, easing prompt tightness. [END]
