Everyone remembers the meteoric rise, during the pandemic, in the price of two-by-fours charged to consumers. This caused discontent among many forest producers, who felt deprived of their share of the profits. Good news for those in Bas-Saint-Laurent: after three years of negotiations, they have just reached an agreement on the price of softwood lumber with one of the main sawmills, the Lebel Group.
The agreement reached is based on a tiered system that intervenes in the event of a surge or drop in retail lumber prices.
We have set a price per solid cubic meter which applies at levels from $500 to $2,000 per board foot. This makes it possible to set a minimum paid price, which takes into account compliance with a reality of profitability, both for sawmills and for producers. »
This conclusion is quite a turnaround for the Softwood Sawn Wood Emergency Unit, which was created by producers in the region, in 2021, in the midst of a pandemic, to resolve the issue of profit distribution and to manage negotiations . “In May last year, after two years, we realized that we were facing a failure,” explains Stéphane Forest. It was subsequently that the idea of a minimum price emerged. »
That said, Stéphane Forest indicated that some producers would have liked a higher price. “We have to qualify because it’s a minimum price. It is not a real fixed price,” explains the manager. He says he is satisfied with the turn of events. “You should know that this is a first step. I am happy to have been able, after all this time, to re-establish dialogue with the Lebel Group. »
It is planned to have the agreement approved by the Régie des Marchés Agricole et Alimentaires du Québec. “Some producers (who preferred to have free rein) were worried about it, but approval will simply have the advantage of giving us the right to a mediation system in the event of a conflict,” explains Mr. Forest.
He also indicated that discussions for an agreement on remuneration are also underway with another sawmill, without wanting to specify which one. “It’s progressing well,” he says.
Stéphane Forest also emphasizes that the emergency unit has other ambitions aimed at establishing various security mechanisms for forest producers. “We are also thinking of establishing payment deadline agreements by sawyers or financial guarantees for the delivered wood,” he says.