Related links

Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations

Land Tenures Branch - Crown Land Program Areas

Log Handling

Application Documents

In addition to reading the information on this webpage, the following documents should be reviewed prior to submitting your application:

The following documents MUST BE COMPLETED prior to submitting your application:

Complete Application Package which includes:
Log Handling

Log handling contributes to employment and economic activity in British Columbia. It enables logs to be routed to the facilities that will best utilize them.

The Log Handling Program provides upland and aquatic Crown land for log handling operations and activities. These fall into two broad classifications.

General log handling use refers to the following industrial uses of Crown land and related improvements:

  • log storage;
  • booming;
  • dumping;
  • sorting; and
  • barging in both remote areas and locations not associated with intensive log handling.

Intensive log handling use means the industrial use of Crown lands as well as related improvements directly associated with a mill or other wood conversion facility, or a facility such as a centralized log sort, either dryland or aquatic.

Log Handling Tenure Types and Fees

The Province of British Columbia (the Province) may issue tenures in the form of leases or licences of occupation.

Upland annual rents are based on actual land values or a minimum annual amount.

Aquatic annual rents are based on log-handling pricing zones. For intensive use, the latter prices double.

Options include:

  • a lease may be available for a term of up to 30 years and requires an annual rent at 8% of lease value or a minimum of $500;
  • a license of occupation is available for a maximum term of 10 years, with an annual rent at 7.5% of licence value or a minimum of $500; or
  • a temporary permit with a maximum term of 6 months may be available for site investigation.
Is Subleasing Allowed?

Prior approval is required for a sublease. The normal term of a sublease is 2 years. The maximum sublease is 5 years. The lessee is responsible for any required rental.

Who Can Apply?

Applications for log handling leases or tenures may be made by:

  • Canadian citizens or permanent residents who are at least 19 years of age;
  • registered partnerships and/or corporations that are registered in the Province of British Columbia or incorporated under the laws of Canada;
  • non-Canadians who own adjacent upland.
Special Requirements

Some log handling tenures must meet special requirements, including the following:

  • for a tenure over aquatic land, a Log Handling and Storage Prospectus must be included with the application;
  • the upland owner's consent is required if the tenure affects that owner's access to deep water;
  • a land survey must be completed for lease dispositions; and
  • a performance and clean-up guarantee may be required to be posted by the lessee or licencee upon issuance of tenure.

More information on the Log Handling Policy.

The most common reason for delay is submission of an incomplete application, which is then returned to the applicant. To ensure an application is processed as quickly as possible, be sure to complete all the required documents identified in the Requirements List/Management Plan and submit the required Application Fee.

If your application is accepted, you will be notified if Advertising is required. Please wait for confirmation before advertising.

If you have questions regarding any aspect of the application process, a specific file or a proposal about a specific area, please contact FrontCounter BC.