Government of Canada Supporting Competitive Forest Sector at Home and Abroad

The Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Natural Resources, has announced $2.8 million in funding to expand domestic and overseas market initiatives for Quebec’s forest industry.

In his keynote speech at the États généraux du bois dans la construction 2010, Minister Paradis committed $1.2 million through the Canada Wood Program to the Quebec Wood Export Bureau (Q-Web) to support the development of overseas markets for Quebec wood products.

An additional $1.6 million was committed through the North American Wood First Initiative to support programs delivered by Cecobois (Centre d’expertise sur la construction commerciale en bois) to help increase the use of wood in non-residential construction in Quebec.

“The forest sector and the local communities it supports form the backbone of our economy, and this Government is ensuring they are getting the support they need,” said Minister Paradis. “These initiatives will facilitate the promotion of Quebec wood and wood products from here to the shores of Europe and Asia.”

This funding is part of a $170-million investment from Canada’s Economic Action Plan to deliver Forest Sector Innovation and Expanding Markets Initiatives to assist the Canadian forest sector in responding to global economic challenges.

These funds complement other federal forest sector initiatives in Quebec, such as:

• the establishment of a Canada–Quebec Forestry Task Team, which has resulted in $235 million in investments to support projects benefiting forest workers and communities;


• the $1-billion Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program, which provides Quebec-based companies with access to $265 million in financing to initiate environmental projects in their facilities; and,


• the recently established Temporary Initiative for the Strengthening of Quebec’s Forest Economies, which will help Quebec forest communities expand and diversify their economic activity with $100 million over three years.

Source: Government of Canada