B.C. logger fighting provincial government for return of $180,000 timber sale licence deposit

Rock Creek logger Bill Bosovich is currently embroiled in a battle with the B.C. government over a $180,000 deposit that he is fighting to get back. Bosovich, a seasoned logger with years of experience in the industry, had paid the deposit to access a timber lot that he ultimately did not harvest due to a lack of demand in the market.

In the spring of 2023, Bosovich had entered into a deal with B.C. Timber Sales to log a 116-hectare forest area located 90 kilometers north of Rock Creek. The timber lot consisted mainly of lodgepole pine, with a significant portion of the wood being damaged by mountain pine beetle. Despite his initial plans to harvest the wood and pay the government at least $1.7 million for the timber, Bosovich was unable to find buyers for the wood as wood prices fell and major log buyers in the area showed no interest in his product.

When Bosovich informed B.C. Timber Sales of his inability to find buyers, he was offered a 12-month extension on the license, but only if he paid an additional $83,000 deposit. Unwilling to extend the license due to his belief that market conditions would not improve, Bosovich surrendered the license in December 2024 and requested the return of his initial deposit.

Despite his requests, Bosovich received a response from B.C. Timber Sales executive director Allan Powelson, stating that the government would be keeping his deposit. Powelson cited Bosovich’s responsibility to plan for contingencies and secure a market for the timber at the time of applying for the license as reasons for denying the refund.

In response to the government’s decision, Bosovich has continued to fight for the return of his deposit, sending multiple letters to the Ministry of Forests requesting relief from the forfeiture. However, Deputy Minister of Forests Makenzie Leine has informed Bosovich that there is no avenue for review or appeal under the Forest Act for the determination of deposit forfeiture relief.

As the dispute continues, the lots that Bosovich had a license to log remain unharvested and available to B.C. Timber Sales. The Ministry of Forests has stated that on average, around three deposits are forfeited each year, with only one being returned. Bosovich remains determined to pursue the return of his deposit, emphasizing his track record of successfully completing timber sales projects in the past.

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