This year, the Construction Foundation of BC (CFBC) delivered Good Talk in the Forest—a powerful youth engagement initiative centered around cultural connection, career discovery, and community-led inspiration. The goal was to place Indigenous youth at the centre of conversations about the future of B.C.’s forest sector.
Spanning five Indigenous communities across British Columbia, the project hosted 32 sessions with 117 participants. Sessions brought together youth, community members, industry leaders, and traditional knowledge keepers in hands-on, wood-focused workshops including carving, furniture building, and tours of local wood-based infrastructure. These weren’t just introductions to tools or trades—they were safe, reflective spaces for young people to explore how wood-based careers can align with their cultural identity and personal goals.
In Ahousaht, for example, participants carved feast bowls from locally harvested timber while learning about the community-run wellness centre—an inspiring example of self-determined, wood-built infrastructure on the site of a former residential school. In Upper Nicola, youth visited the CLT-built Quilchena Community Centre and heard firsthand from architects, apprentices, and builders how local wood is shaping their future.
The project also helped participants with real-world next steps, including job readiness, school registration, and access to support services. Many of the younger participants expressed interest in pursuing training in carpentry, design, or forestry—showing how the program is a model for trust-building, empowerment, and industry transformation.
