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FPAC welcomes federal government’s recognition of forestry workers

Earlier this week, Governor General Julie Payette delivered the Liberal government’s throne speech, laying out the federal government’s priorities for the upcoming session of Parliament.

She acknowledged the role of Canada’s manufacturing, energy and forestry sectors in providing not only good jobs but also a path for environmental change.

The Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) welcomed the federal government recognizing the role that Canadian forestry workers and forest products play in lowering carbon emissions.

The following is a statement from FPAC President and CEO Derek Nighbor:

“Canada is home to less than 2 per cent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions and almost 10 per cent of the world’s forests. Our country is incredibly well-positioned to better leverage our world-leading sustainable forestry practices and Made-in-Canada forest products to create not only a lower carbon economy, but also drive much-needed economic recovery in rural and northern Canada.

In the face of the biggest health and economic crisis of our lifetimes, we have a window of opportunity here to develop a long-term plan to accelerate innovation in the forest bioeconomy and forestry clean tech, make more forest-based products here at home, expand export markets, build bigger and better with Canadian wood, keep communities safer from fire, and get more Canadians working.

We are proud to be recognized for our leadership in reducing carbon and sustainably managing our most precious renewable resource. It’s time to turn this environmental advantage into an economic and jobs advantage. We call on the government to work with us so we can make this happen.”