B.C.'s forest industry may not currently be operating at the lofty heights it once did, but that didn't wave any red flags for the province's new forests minister.

A former staff member of the Forests Ministry, Ravi Parmar says he asked Premier David Eby for the portfolio.

"I have a lot of respect for the hard-working men and women who work in the forests industry, directly and indirectly," Parmar said. "Like energy is for Alberta, forestry for B.C. is our bedrock industry 鈥� always has been, always will be 鈥� and it is my job to make sure that it stays that way."

Sworn into his new ministry role at a ceremony held at Government House on Nov. 18, Parmar says he is 鈥渢ruly honoured鈥� to take a seat in his cabinet. The new forests minister is already keen to get to work, listing sustainability of the industry, creating well-paid jobs, and ensuring B.C. gets the most value for its timber, as some of the key areas he already has his eye on.

鈥淚 think it's going to be my opportunity as someone who can bring in a fresh perspective, to come in here and work with the industry to find solutions to ensure that we have a vibrant and sustainable forest industry we can all be proud of for generations to come,鈥� said Parmar.

鈥淭hat's going to be my number one priority, making sure that the workers in the forest industry know that we have their back.鈥�

But the new minister says he is fully aware of the challenges he faces.

鈥淚t's so secret that we've had mill curtailments and closures, and we've seen that for some time, from the early 鈥�00s 鈥� thousands of jobs lost and mills closed,鈥� he said.

Protecting old-growth forests and building biodiversity into future plans are also high on Parmar's list of priorities.

鈥淚t's going to be my responsibility to make sure that we fulfill our commitment to British Columbians on our Old Growth Strategic Review,鈥� he said.

Fourteen recommendations were made in the 2020 Old Growth Strategic Review, including the immediate deferral of logging in the most biologically diverse at-risk areas.

鈥淎s the new minister of forests, it鈥檚 my job to make sure we fulfill those recommendations." 

Alongside his role as minister of forests, Parmar was also appointed deputy Government House leader, supporting leader Mike Farnworth, in a role he imagines will bring 鈥渕any challenges鈥� because of the B.C. NDP鈥檚 slim majority.

鈥淚t's going to be an all-hands-on-deck approach to make sure we have a parliament that works for British Columbians,鈥� he said.

Echoing the words of Premier Eby, who said the incoming government would be returning to "kitchen table" basics, Parmar says the public can expect to see a focus on community safety, health care, affordable housing and work to address the challenges of the rise in the cost of living.

"And of course, making sure that we're building an economy that delivers for people, for everyone,鈥� says Parmar.