BC Wood held its 23rd Annual Global Buyers Mission (GBM) on September 10-12, 2026, and welcomed nearly 600 delegates from around the world to Whistler, BC, Canada. With continued economic challenges in many international markets, we were very pleased with the efforts of the buyers and suppliers who supported and participated in the 2026 GBM.
Many thanks also go to our government funding partners, without whose continued support we would not be able to deliver this world-class event: Forestry Innovation Investment Ltd. (FII), Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan), and Global Affairs Canada (GAC). Our main corporate sponsors this year included Glandell Enterprises, Gorman Group/Selkirk, Jazz Forest Products, Larix Resources, Daizen Joinery, Silva Timber Products, and The Waldun Group.
CEO Brian Hawrysh and Board Chairperson Kelly Marciniw were joined at the Opening Ceremony by special guest speaker Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar, who welcomed the group to Whistler and officially opened the 2026 GBM.
We registered international buyers from Australia, China, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Pakistan, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Again, recognition for a job well done must go to the Trade Commissioner Service and BC’s Trade & Investment Representatives in international markets, who assisted with buyer recruitment. Mission leaders included representatives from Canada Wood, BC Trade and Invest – Taiwan, BC Wood Japan, BC Wood Korea, and G&G Gestoria – Mexico. With their continued dedication, there were many first-time buyers at the GBM, opening opportunities for Canadian manufacturers to develop new business.
Once again, we hosted North American architects, designers, contractors, developers, engineers, and specifiers for our popular accredited WoodTALKS™ program, held in conjunction with the GBM. The program included a site tour, a lunch-and-learn and a sip ‘n’ learn featuring presentations by renowned architects and industry members, and a series of demonstration workshops on the tradeshow stage on Friday. These activities were very well received by both the architect community and participating exhibitors. WoodTALKS at the GBM also featured a Symposium on Saturday with keynote speaker Matthew Stanley of Stanley Office of Architectures, who presented alongside Eri Uhthoff of Kalesnikoff Mass Timber.
Canadian products on display from across the country included timber frame structures, engineered wood products, treated lumber (including thermally modified wood products), furniture, building materials, products and systems, western red cedar products, and a variety of other value-added wood building products.
BC Wood also organized two Extended Mission programs for incoming international delegates, featuring site visits and factory tours in the Lower Mainland, the Okanagan, and the Interior. These tours not only educate but also give buyers the chance to source high-quality, innovative, and competitively priced wood products immediately. The tours helped build future business relationships by familiarizing potential customers with Western Canada’s wood species. We thank the many local companies that opened their mills, plants, and facilities for these informative and productive tours.
New this year, we were proud to partner with Women of Lumber & Forests (WOLF) to host a Women’s Networking Event, creating a relaxed and welcoming space for women from across the wood products industry to connect, share experiences, and build new relationships. The event brought together more than 80 attendees from across the industry and international markets. The enthusiasm and engagement throughout the evening made it a great addition to this year’s program.
Held annually at the Whistler Conference Centre, the GBM continues to be Canada’s largest event dedicated to promoting value-added wood producers.
