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Part of Timber permits

Commercial timber permits

The province issues commercial timber permits to individuals or corporate bodies by tender or auction, or non-competitively through direct sale.

Overview

Commercial timber permits are timber dispositions issued pursuant to section 22 of the Forests Act, and sections 37 to 41 of the Timber Management Regulation authorizing a person to harvest Crown timber.

Commercial vs community timber permits

Commercial timber permits provide timber access to operators that are not part of the community timber program. Operators holding commercial timber permits pay the dues rate set in the Timber Management Regulation.

Community timber permits are issued by direct award 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.

For additional information, see: Timber dues and crown fees.

Reforestation obligations

Timber permit holders pay a reforestation levy or fee to an authorized association for reforestation. When a forest management agreement holder or timber quota holder also holds a commercial timber permit, the forest management agreement holder or timber quota holder must complete the respective reforestation requirements.

The government sets reforestation standards. The government also receives annual reforestation results for all timber dispositions. These results are monitored to ensure reforestation is successful.

For more information, see:

Timber permit size

The size can vary. Generally, commercial timber permits are less than 5 thousand cubic metres of timber. They are allocated for both coniferous (such as spruce and pine) and deciduous (such as aspen) timber in Alberta.

How to get a permit

Under the authority of Section 38 of the Timber Management Regulation, commercial permits are allocated by competitive auctions or tenders, or non-competitively by direct sales. Commercial permits are sold annually to eligible bidders by sealed tender.

  • The government advertises the sales at least 2 weeks in advance online. The sales are usually between August to October. The sale notice placed on this page will include, the place and time of the sale, conditions and procedures of the sale. It also includes the obligations associated with the commercial timber permit.
  • Commercial permits require the holder to meet significant forest management standards and achieve a high level of environmental protection. Therefore, potential bidders must be aware of the significant obligations that will accrue to the successful bidder.
  • All bidders are strongly encouraged to use forest management professionals to advise them prior to submitting a tender, especially if they are not experienced in harvesting operations in Alberta.

Commercial timber permit sales process diagram

Current sealed tender opportunities

  • none at this time

Eligibility

Bidders may be either individual persons or corporate bodies. Bidders cannot be in default under the Forests Act or any regulations under the act, this includes being current on any debt or liability to the Crown in right of Alberta and to the Forest Resource Improvement Association of Alberta.

Individual bidders must:

  • be at least 18 years of age
  • have resided in Alberta for at least 6 months preceding the tender

Corporate body bidders must:

  • be in good standing with Alberta Corporate Registry

Permit sale results

Contact

Connect with Forest Tenure, Trade and Economics:
Email: [email protected]

Contact your local Forest area office