Mosaic Forest Management and We Wai Kai First Nation Reach Agreement for Collaborative Planning and Timber Harvesting Services
Mosaic Forest Management (Mosaic) has reached a two-year agreement with We Wai Kai First Nation (We Wai Kai) for collaborative planning and timber harvesting services within We Wai Kai territory on Quadra Island and in the Jackson Bay region on BC’s mainland coast. The landmark agreement builds on the partnership established in 2022 between Mosaic and Way Key LP and a Memorandum of Understanding between We Wai Kai and Mosaic in May 2023.
Harvesting services for this agreement will be supported by Way Key LP, a collaboration between We Wai Kai and the ROGA Group of Companies to provide timber harvesting services to the mid-Vancouver Island region. The company is wholly First Nation-owned and provides meaningful employment to fourteen We Wai Kai band members.
“The timber harvesting services agreement with We Wai Kai is a successful example of Mosaic Forest Management’s efforts to foster Indigenous participation in the forest economy,” said Rob Gough, Mosaic Forest Management’s President and CEO. “We recognize that sharing local knowledge through this agreement is a critical part of sustainable forest management.”
“We Wai Kai Council has made significant investments in our forestry businesses and in building relationships with licencees that operate in our territory,” said We Wai Kai Chief Ronnie Chickite. “This agreement contributes to our vision of leading and supporting sustainable forest management in our territory. It is an important step in what we hope to be a lasting and comprehensive relationship with Mosaic Forest Management. There is much work still to be done.”
Mosaic is committed to recognizing and respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples and was the first forestry company in BC to achieve Progressive Aboriginal Relations Certification from the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business. In 2023, Mosaic was recognized with Gold-level certification, making it the first and only timberland owner in Canada to achieve this standard of excellence. For more information, please visit MosaicForests.com/PARCertification.