PROGRAM

COFI2023
CONVENTION

The 2023 COFI Convention is Sold-Out!

Dates and times are subject to change.

Program at a Glance PDF

Special thanks to our presenting sponsor

Wednesday April 12, 2023 

 

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM | Ice Breaker Reception – Trade Show Area

Sponsored by

Thursday April 13, 2023 

7:30 AM - 8:00 AM | Continental Breakfast

Co-sponsored by                

8:00 AM - 8:30 AM | Convention Opening and Welcoming Remarks

Speakers:

  • Greg Stewart, President, Sinclar Group Forest Products and Chair, BC Council of Forest Industries
  • Chief Dolleen Logan, Lheidli T’enneh First Nation
  • Mayor Simon Yu, City of Prince George
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM | Keynote: Regional Chief Terry Teegee, British Columbia Assembly of First Nations

The Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act: Where we’re at and where we’re headed.

Moderator:

  • Jason Fisher, Partner, MNP LLP
9:00 AM - 9:45 AM | Session: Reality Check – What is Going On?

Sponsored by   

Moderator:

  • Hayley Woodin, Editor-in-Chief at Business in Vancouver

An Industry in Transition: There is No Going Back

Speaker:

  • David Elstone, Managing Director, Spar Tree Group

New World, New Public Expectations in British Columbia and Canada

Speaker:

  • David Coletto, CEO and Founding Partner, Abacus Data
9:45 AM - 10:15 AM | Refreshment break

Co-sponsored by                 

10:15 AM - 11:00 AM | Session: Sustainable and Resilient Supply Chain Networks

Panelists:

  • Kelly Levis, Vice President – Industrial Products, CN
  • Kurt Slocombe, Vice President, Operations, Planning and Infrastructure, Prince Rupert Port Authority
  • Mitchell Zulinick, Co-CEO and COO, Arrow Transportation

Moderator:

  • Bill Adams, Vice President, Sustainability & Innovation, Mercer International
11:00 AM - 11:45 AM | Session: The Future of Work – Sustainable Jobs

Panelists:

  • Rod Bianchini, Chief Strategy and Compliance Officer, SkilledTradesBC
  • Dr. Caroline Dépatie, Associate Dean, Natural Resources and Environment, School of Construction and Environment, BCIT
  • Tricianne Kasubuchi, Director of Talent Development, Canfor
  • Clyde Scollan, Business Development, BC Regional Council of Carpenters

Moderator:

  • Elizabeth Shirt, President, GLOBE Series
11:45 AM - 12:45 PM | Pre-luncheon reception

Co-sponsored by      

12:45 PM - 2:15 PM | Lunch and Keynote: BC Minister of Forests, Hon. Bruce Ralston

Co-sponsored by                  

Moderator

  • Georgina Magnus, Forest Policy Analyst, BC Council of Forest Industries

2:15 PM - 3:00 PM | Session: Forest-tech and Digitizing Solutions for BC and the World

Panelists:

  • Joel McKay, CEO, Northern Development Initiative Trust
  • Dominik Roeser, Program Director, Forest Resources Management & Forest Operations Programs, Department of Forest Resources Management, UBC

Moderator

  • Dr. Kathy Lewis, Interim Dean, Faculty of Environment, University of Northern British Columbia
3:00 PM -3:45 PM | Session: CEO Panel

Sponsored by   

Panelists:

  • Ray Ferris, President and CEO, West Fraser
  • Chief Sharleen Gale, Chair of the Board, First Nations Major Projects Coalition
  • Greg Stewart, President, Sinclar Group
  • Stew Gibson, Chief Operating Officer, Paper Excellence

Moderator:

  • Cheryl Jahn, Reporter, CKPG News Team
3:45 PM - 4:15 PM | Refreshment break

Co-sponsored by            

4:15 PM - 4:45 PM | Armchair Dialogue: New Approaches to Land Use Planning in BC - Putting the Pieces Together

Speaker:

  • Hon. Nathan Cullen, BC Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship

Moderator:

  • Linda Coady, President and CEO, BC Council of Forest Industries
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM | Exhibitors Hospitality Hour

Co-sponsored by   

6:00 PM | Networking Reception at Coast Hotel

Co-sponsored by             

Friday April 14, 2023 

Friday Platinum Sponsor

7:30 AM - 8:00 AM | Breakfast

Co-sponsored by               

8:00 AM - 8:45 AM | Session: Modernizing and Growing Sustainability in BC’s Forest Industry

Sponsored by      

 

Panelists:

  • Lennard Joe, CEO, BC First Nations Forestry Council
  • Paul Rasmussen, President, Interior Lumber Manufacturers’ Association
  • Melissa Sanderson, Assistant Deputy Minister, BC Ministry of Forests

Moderator:

  • Nick Arkle, CEO, Gorman Group
8:45 AM - 9:00 AM | Spotlight Session with Sue Paish, CEO, Digital Supercluster
9:00 AM - 9:45 AM | Session: Winning Market Share in a Carbon Constrained World

Sponsored by         

Panelists:

  • Rick Jeffery, President and CEO, Canadian Wood Council
  • Doug Rooke, General Manager, Winton Homes
  • Mark Zacharias, Executive Director, Clean Energy Canada

Moderator:

  • Corinne Stavness, Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Western Forest Products
9:45 AM - 10:15 AM | Refreshment Break

Sponsored by   

10:15 AM - 11:00 AM | Session: Carbon and Timber: Competition or collaboration?

Sponsored by      

Panelists:

  • Francois Dufresne, President and CEO, FSC Canada
  • Domenico Iannidinardo, SVP, Forest & Climate and Chief Forester, Mosaic Forest Management
  • Laura Smith, Forest and Climate Specialist, Nature United 

Moderator:

  • Kate Lindsay, SVP and Chief Sustainability Officer, Forest Products Association of Canada
11:00 AM - 11:45 AM | Keynote: Hon. David Eby, Premier of British Columbia

Co-sponsored by  

11:45 AM - 12:00 PM | Closing Remarks and Exhibitor Passport Prize Draw

  Sponsored by     

12:00 PM - 12:45 PM | Boxed Lunches Available

Co-sponsored by  

12:45 PM | Convention Close

*Please note new time for Convention Close 

MEET OUR MEMBERS
BC Council of Forest Industries (COFI)

TEL: 604-684-0211
EMAIL: info@cofi.org