Community timber permits

Overview

A community timber permit is a timber disposition issued pursuant to section 22 of the Forests Act and sections 74.1 to 74.8 of the Timber Management Regulation, authorizing a person to harvest Crown timber. There are both coniferous and deciduous community timber permits.

• coniferous community timber permits authorize harvest of primarily coniferous timber with minor amounts of deciduous timber
• deciduous community timber permits authorize harvest of primarily deciduous timber with minor amounts of coniferous timber

Permit types

Community timber permits

Community timber permits are issued by sale to local eligible small operators. The timber dues for community timber permits are set at a fixed timber dues rate as per the Timber Management Regulation.

Commercial timber permits

Commercial Timber Permits include coniferous and deciduous timber won by competitive bids or direct sales for the authority to harvest timber. An eligible individual Albertan or corporation can hold a commercial timber permit. 

Reforestation obligations

In general, community timber permit holders pay a reforestation levy or fee to an authorized association for reforestation. The government sets reforestation standards. It also receives reforestation results for all timber dispositions. These results are monitored to ensure reforestation is successful.

For more information see:

• Reforestation standards

Timber permit size and term

The size of community timber permits can vary but are generally less than 5 thousand cubic metres, these are issued to operators harvesting less than 21 thousand cubic metres of timber from their own timber dispositions. Permits are valid for a 5-year period. 

The total production for a 5-year period for community timber permits cannot exceed 2.5 million cubic metres as outlined in 74.7(2) of the Timber Management Regulation.

How to get a permit

• Eligible persons may apply to become registered in a community timber program. Eligibility criteria can be obtained from the local forest area office.
• If a vacancy in the community timber program occurs, public notices for applications will be advertised on this website.
• Community timber permits are issued through a sale to persons registered in a community timber program.
• Approved registrants will be notified by the forest area.

More information

• Timber permit issuance process diagram
• Community logger registration
• Community timber manufacturer registration

Recruitment opportunities

None at this time.

Contact

Connect with your local forest area office, or:

Email: [email protected]