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Major biomass projects receive funding support from Ontario

The Government of Ontario is investing more than $9.4 million in 14 research, innovation and modernization initiatives to develop the untapped economic potential and environmental benefits of new and emerging uses of underutilized wood and mill by-products, collectively known as forest biomass.

A press statement notes that the following projects will receive funding from the Forest Biomass Program.

Modernization funding stream

• Thunder Bay Pulp and Paper Mill (Thunder Bay) – $5,000,000
  • The project will upgrade and improve equipment to modernize the mill’s electrical system, enabling future measures to expand green energy production, reduce emissions and increase forest biomass usage.

• Biopower Sustainable Energy Corp. (Atikokan) – $997,500
  • The project will increase production, improve efficiency and increase usage of forest biomass by acquiring new equipment and supporting modernization of the wood handling facility.

Exploring Biomass Pathways funding stream

• FPInnovations (Thunder Bay) – $100,000
  • The project will enhance forest sector business competitiveness and provide environmental benefits by exploring opportunities to reduce the operating costs and improve the carbon footprint of producing lignin, a versatile wood extract.

• Greenmantle Forest Inc. (Thunder Bay) – $62,500
  • The project will facilitate green energy production and increase forest sector sustainability by supporting the development of a green hydrogen facility using available wood biomass.

• Lakehead University (Thunder Bay) – $32,000
  • The project will advance forest biomass innovation and support development of alternative construction materials by investigating the strengths and potential uses of a green concrete containing forest biomass ash.

Innovative Bioproduct Manufacturing funding stream

• Whitesand First Nation (Thunder Bay) – $1,289,573
  • The project will support the use of forest biomass for heat and power generation by fulfilling site preparatory work to construct a wood pellet plant in Whitesand’s Bioeconomy Centre in Armstrong region.

• FPInnovations (Thunder Bay) – $250,000
  • The project will advance forest sector integration by identifying business opportunities among a biorefinery, forest operations and production facilities to support the development of a new wood biorefinery.

• Rutter Urban Forestry (Thunder Bay) – $245,000
  • The project will support renewable energy production and deliver clean and cost-efficient heat generation by acquiring a mobile forest biomass chipper and tractor to produce heating chips.

Indigenous Bioeconomy Partnerships funding stream

• Cat Lake First Nation (Sioux Lookout) – $250,000
  • The project will promote economic growth and opportunity by assessing the region’s forest biomass supply, identifying opportunities to increase its use and developing a strategic plan to guide development.

• Jason Mattson 2538745 Ontario Ltd. (Atikokan) – $250,000
  • The project will strengthen the forest sector supply chain and increase the regional use of forest biomass by purchasing a new biomass haul truck and self-unloading trailer.

• True North Trucking (Thunder Bay) – $250,000
  • The project will support forest sector business certainty by acquiring a new truck with a self-unloading trailer to deliver forest biomass to mills across Northwestern Ontario.

• Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek First Nation (Nipigon) – $250,000
  • The project will advance reliable and cost-efficient heat generation for homes and other buildings in the Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek community by promoting the use of harvested wood and mill residuals as heating fuel.

• Lac Seul First Nation (Sioux Lookout) – $237,280
  • The project will foster economic and social benefits by examining the engineering, environmental and business requirements to build three bioheat plants to heat schools and the community health centre.

• Lake Nipigon Forest Management Inc. (Nipigon) – $200,000
  • The project will increase the use of forest biomass and expand alternative fuel production by supporting the development of a renewable natural gas and biocarbon facility.