Written by FRANK PEEBLES
Citizen staff
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Monday, 17 November 2008 |
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"The trip has been going very very well. We are starting to accumulate significant amounts of lumber that we have been able to sell into the Chinese marketplace, we are quite optimistic," he told The Citizen on Sunday. "There is a tremendous amount of activity focused on wood. They like dealing with Canadians, we are their suppliers of choice already, we really don't have to sell that. The work done previously by minister (Mike) de Jong and minister (Rich) Coleman prior to me coming on the file was exceptional, we have a relationship, and now it is time to start executing on those relationships."
In a hot construction climate that is almost entirely used to steel and concrete construction, Bell said it was like a signal of a positive new future for wood when he toured one particular building site that had some signs of home.
"We toured a project sight, Xyang'E school, a great example of wood frame construction," he said. "It will house a total of about 500 students, including residences for the students. Interestingly, while we were there, the Canfor wood that was on site had been produced both at Bear Lake and Mackenzie, we saw wrappers from both those Canfor mills, so that sends a strong signal that Mackenzie's future certainly can be driven by the Chinese market and the opportunities associated with it."
Bell also toured the construction of the Baoshan-Hongrun rural vocational school which will not only be built using wood frame construction (built in 60 days using wood donated by Canfor and Ainsworth) but also teach the skills. More and more Chinese construction students will be learning how to use wood, and that wood is poised to come from B.C., Bell said.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 17 November 2008 )
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