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The Wood Innovation Group
Welcome to the TWIG Newsletter! We're working to help shape the future of the value-added wood products industry. Our events and programming provide a dynamic platform for professionals to connect, learn, and share innovative ideas. Our newsletter is dedicated to those interested in using creativity and design to transform wood into finished products while blending tradition with cutting-edge technology.
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Your voice matters. If you have events, projects, or ideas to share, reach out to us at info@twigbca.ca
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Wood-First-Wednesday
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Red Truck Beer Company, 295 E 1st Ave, Vancouver,
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The Vancouver group meets again for its regular gathering at a local craft brewery More Info+
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Sea-2-Sky Wood Network
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Rubenovitch Furnishings & Co, 37831A 2 Avenue, Squamish
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The Squamish group is headed to the shop of S2S organizer Lenny Rubenovitch More Info+
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More info for these events will be expanded on below, and the up-to-date TWIG events can be found online at twigbc.ca/events/
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TWIG needs your input!
Like a tree, TWIG is always growing—and we need your feedback to help shape our direction. Every year, we take time to reflect on our events and programming to better understand what’s working and where we can grow.
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To help guide our plans for the year ahead, we’ve prepared a short survey (less than 5 minutes) and would love to hear from you. Your insights will help us continue to build events, workshops, and opportunities that bring real value to you and the broader wood sector.
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Thanks for being part of the TWIG community!
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With forest-felt regards,
Patrick Christie and The TWIG team
info@twigbc.ca
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Crafting the Future of BC Wood Culture
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In the final leg of this series, we outline our vision for the future of BC’s wood industry and discuss what our community must do to bridge the gap between where we are today and where we need to go. Our previous articles have examined global and local histories—reflecting on our own industry and exploring wood-based cultures from around the world. We’ve highlighted the impact of design and craft on wood products and culture and underscored the urgent need for a cultural renewal in BC’s wood industry. We have shown that a wood identity isn’t just about raw material; it’s about people’s connection to wood and how it’s woven into everyday life. In strong wood cultures, products carry symbolism rooted in tradition and way of life, and they are crafted with sustainability in mind—ensuring that forests endure and communities remain connected for generations. These cultures are inherently innovative, resilient, and proud, with their wood products and craftsmanship gaining global recognition. In BC, we already have the elements needed for a strong wood culture—we now must focus on shifting our perspectives, connecting the dots, and implementing the systemic changes that will shape our future
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From these explorations, we have identified five core components that can guide us toward a renewed and robust wood culture for future generations. In this part, we focus on the first two elements that lay the foundation for this vision.
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Deeper Integration of First Nations’ Cultural Perspectives
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As we highlighted in Parts 1 and 2, much of BC’s wood industry has been shaped by ideas, machines, practices, and principles transplanted to BC from Western countries. These influences have steered the industry for generations. While we cannot rewrite history, we must acknowledge our past—including the impacts of colonization—and work toward a future that reconciles our history. A future for BC’s wood industry must balance the pros and cons of our past and engage all stakeholders in a renewed vision.
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The impact on BC’s forests has been profound: the abundant old-growth ecosystems have been reduced to a fraction of their original footprint, and the replanted areas differ significantly in both ecosystem composition and fiber quality. At the same time, BC is home to companies that are globally recognized for innovative timber design and engineering—many with deep, multi-generational ties to the region. To truly move forward, we must modernize our industry by shifting our focus toward higher-value products derived from second-growth wood—and by innovating the way we develop wood products and engage all stakeholders in the process.
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Integrating First Nations into today’s industry is essential—but it is a new landscape to navigate, as for generations our systems were set up to exclude these perspectives. Instead of merely inserting Indigenous perspectives into existing frameworks, our industry must evolve to reflect the distinct traditions and worldviews of Indigenous communities alongside modern practices. We must work to create a new, hybrid system that brings together the perspectives, aspirations, and ideologies of both Indigenous peoples and settlers. Successful relationships are built on trust, commitment, and a willingness to listen and understand each other’s viewpoints. In combining our differences, we can forge a common, resilient identity.
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The work underway with the Value-Added Accelerators and the First Nations Forestry Council is already laying the groundwork for this change. As a community, we can support this transformation by attending events, listening, learning, and sharing our perspectives. Although there is no single solution today, this collaborative effort is essential if we want our forests to support our people through jobs and economic opportunities while remaining the backbone of our identity and a space for recreation.
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Revival and Celebration of Craft-Based Industries
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While innovation on larger scales is a prominent focus in current initiatives, craft—particularly small-scale, artisanal wood production—seems underrepresented. As we explored in Part 4, craft-based industries have long been the foundation of wood economies around the world and are essential to a strong wood culture. When we travel, it’s often the handmade items we bring home that encapsulate a place’s significance—through their function, aesthetics, and materiality. These objects, crafted by a maker’s hand using time-honored tools, carry meaning and symbolism as translations of culture that can endure for generations.
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Investing in local craft helps sustain these small industries. As consumers, we can choose locally made products, and governments can support programs and policies that enable these makers to thrive. While a single craft operation might seem small, collectively, they can form a substantial force—remembering that today’s large industries once began as small endeavours. In BC, we have a tremendous opportunity to look at craft as a means to transition toward a higher-value wood product industry.
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We are creating spaces for makers to showcase their work through TWIG’s ongoing partnership with IDS and our annual exhibit at the Interior Design Show. BC is rich with touchpoints—places where tourists come to experience the beauty of our province—and in these locations lies a chance to display the best of BC’s wood crafts. With the proper support, systems, and partnerships, we can create sustainable avenues for BC makers to share and sell their work. Our investment can help them earn a living, grow into larger operations, and contribute to a vibrant wood economy.
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In sum, a renewed wood culture for BC hinges on integrating Indigenous perspectives and investing in a revival of craft industries. By bridging tradition and technology, we lay the foundation for an industry that produces wood products as symbols of identity and progress. In the next part, we’ll explore our perspective on innovation and how a people-centered approach can drive transformative change across the wood value chain.
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---> You can find a link to the PDF of the previous articles HERE
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New workshops will be announced soon!
- Computational Design w/ DIALOG + Intelligent City (late April)
- Rebuilding the PNE Rail Cars w/ MYJ Fabrication (May)
The Shape Workshop series offers micro-learning units that break down various aspects of the value-added wood industry into concise, knowledge-building sessions. Each workshop spotlights topics, case studies, and businesses that exemplify core innovations, ideologies, and processes in adding value to wood. Designed to fill knowledge gaps and inspire creative thinking, these workshops provide insights for workers in the wood industry and encourage a “think outside the box” approach to wood products. We aim to make the information accessible by defining industry-specific terminology and simplifying complex topics into easy-to-digest knowledge bites.
The workshops will cover various topics designed to reflect the priorities of B.C.’s value-added wood sector. These include sustainable building systems, advanced manufacturing and assembly methods, the integration of computational design, resource optimization through circular economy practices, and the development of high-value wood products. The workshops aim to equip participants with practical knowledge and tools that contribute to the sector’s long-term growth and success by focusing on innovation and collaboration across the value chain.
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Forest Innovation & Bioeconomy Conference
The Westin Bayshore
1601 Bayshore Dr., Vancouver, BC V6G 2V4
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FIBC is a premier event showcasing the development and manufacturing of innovative bio-sourced products and high-value applications. Join to discover what’s new in innovative bioproduct research and the latest commercialization opportunities and discuss how the Forest Bioeconomy intertwines with other sectors. As we move to find high value bioproducts, technologies and processes, there is a vast opportunity to realize innovation and socio-economic benefits. Don’t miss out on this chance to explore research and business opportunities by interacting with top researchers, industry innovators, and policy makers. In addition, you’ll get to experience the rich history, diverse cultures, and breathtaking natural beauty of Vancouver during the best season of the year.
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- Innovation, Research and Development
- Commercialization and Bioeconomy Cluster Development
- Indigenous Community Bioeconomy Development
- Startup Business to Business Match Making Session
- Demonstration of Innovative Bioproducts and Technologies
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***All UBC events and training can be found online at here
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Taking action to evolve BCTS
The Province is currently reviewing BC Timber Sales (BCTS) and is seeking input from the industry on how it can better support economic opportunity, value-added manufacturing, and community partnerships. This is an important opportunity for those working in BC’s wood sector to help shape the future of timber access and forest management.
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Your feedback matters—a dedicated task force has been assembled to guide this process, and your input will help inform important changes that support the industry's future.
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This review is a positive step toward strengthening operations and ensuring BCTS continues to meet the evolving needs of the forest industry. An evolved BCTS will lay the groundwork for a forestry sector that focuses on the needs of communities, workers and First Nations.
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Are you looking to hire someone? Do you have a new position opening up at your company? Let us know, and we can make a posting here to share it with our readers.
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Expanding regional networks
We are on the lookout for leaders and community builders to expand TWIG's regional networks in the communities where they live. We operate in Squamish, Victoria and Vancouver and are seeking new places to expand our networks. We would love to see new networks grow in Northern BC, the interior, the Sunshine Coast and anywhere else in BC. We believe in these networks and their ability to impact communities and help develop regional innovation.
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If this resonates with you and you are passionate about creating community, we would love to hear from you. Please contact us at info@twigbc.ca, and we can schedule a call to explore what might be possible.
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Donate to TWIG
At TWIG, we believe the best connections happen informally—and that innovation grows when new relationships are formed. That’s why we keep some of our events free, open, and easy to join.
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To keep this going—and for our funding model to work—we rely on financial contributions from the industry. Your support not only keeps the wheels turning but also shows that the work we do matters.
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If TWIG has offered you connections, inspiration, or opportunities, we invite you to show your support. Every contribution makes a difference.
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Got an idea? Need some Testing?
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Do you have a concept, product, or prototype that you want to realize? TWIG can work with you to make this happen with financial support through The Wood First Program. Carried out through the Center for Advanced Wood Processing (CAWP) and its team of technical staff, we are able to provide an array of support on various wood-based projects.
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