Forests Minister Parmar says B.C. has flagged Middle East as emerging export market

The minister says of “one of the areas of interest” for the provincial government is the Middle East, particularly Saudi Arabia and Dubai.

Parmar says the outreach to new markets is part of a larger strategy to make B.C. less dependent on lumber exports to the United States.

Paul Choi, Parliamentary secretary for trade, said during Monday’s announcement that the government made a commitment to ensure forestry workers are never again put in the position of relying mostly on the U.S. market.

“So, we got to work immediately to diversify our forestry economy, finding new trade partners, new markets and new opportunities across the globe.”

The announcement comes weeks before the start of a trade mission by Premier David Eby to China, and amid additional demands from B.C. to Ottawa for support for the softwood lumber sector.

The federal government last week announced $1.5 billion in support for various industries impacted by U.S. tariffs, but that did not include support for B.C.’s softwood lumber industry.

The exclusion drew criticism from Eby, who demanded that Ottawa also support the softwood lumber industry.

The federal government’s announcement did include the promise of additional supports for the industry.

Parmar said government hopes in the coming days, weeks and months, that it will see “serious federal investments” to help B.C. truly transform the forest sector, “away from boom and bust to stability and certainty.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 11, 2026.

Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

Forests Minister Parmar says B.C. has flagged Middle East as emerging export market

More Local News