News Bioeconomy Forestry Paper Pulp
NRCan investing $96M in projects that boost forest sector competitiveness

Natural Resources Canada has launched a call for proposals for two programs that promise to boost the competitiveness of Canada’s forest sector.

Seamus O’Regan, minister of natural resources, made the announcement on Jul. 2.

The first program, Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT), will invest $82.9 million over the next three years to bring new products to commercial scale, with a focus on low-carbon projects that result in new or diversified revenue streams in the bioeconomy, such as bioenergy, biomaterials and biochemicals.

Pulp and paper and lumber mills, as well as new entrants to the forest sector, are invited to apply for the IFIT program.

To date, the IFIT program has funded 43 projects involving world-first technologies, producing a range of new bioproducts and generating new revenues for forest sector companies.

The second program, the Indigenous Forestry Initiative (IFI), will invest almost $13 million over the next three years to support Indigenous participation in forestry-related opportunities, businesses, careers and governance.

Projects fall under environmental stewardship, forest resource use and management, and forest bioeconomy participation. Examples include training and skills development, startup or expansion planning for businesses, and developing forestry-related tools and technologies.

The application process is now open for both programs and organizations are encouraged to apply on Natural Resources Canada’s website.