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Top 10 Under 40: Meet Myriam Lapierre from Resolute Forest Products

The next generation of leaders in Canada’s pulp and paper industry are striving hard to build a resilient future. The winners of the 2023 Top 10 Under 40 program are constantly raising the bar for their peers with their forward-thinking initiatives and their zeal to make a lasting difference. The future of the industry is in the secure hands of these young professionals. They not only take ownership of their responsibilities but contribute beyond what is expected of them.

The winners this year work in different roles and capacities within the industry, but share some key characteristics – strong work ethic, commitment to their roles and a desire to innovate and improve.

Today, we introduce Myriam Lapierre, environmental technical assistant at Resolute Forest Products, Saint-Félicien, Que.

As an environmental technical assistant at Resolute Forest Products’ Saint-Félicien (Quebec) pulp mill, Myriam Lapierre has demonstrated exceptional dedication and expertise in her field.

Her journey with Resolute began while she was pursuing her undergraduate degree in forensic chemistry at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières. She interned for three summers as a technician at the mill, conducting environmental analyses, investigating pollution sources, and assessing production and product chemicals. Her passion for the pulp and paper industry was ignited during this time and she earned a full-time position at the mill upon graduation.

Lapierre’s commitment and competence were further exemplified when she successfully assumed the responsibilities of the manager of technical services and product quality during their two-month absence.

In 2022, she was selected to participate in a one-year project with Resolute’s Emerging Talent Program, a human resources initiative. Lapierre’s team focused on employee recruitment and retention, and she led the efforts in refining their final presentation’s structure and talking points. Her team’s project was recognized as the best in the program and their recommendations related to employee retention were incorporated into the company’s practices.

Currently leading a team of four laboratory technicians, she holds the additional responsibility of supervising compliance, ensuring the retention of lab licenses, and handling regulatory submissions pertaining to environmental analyses for factors such as effluents and air emissions.

Apart from her technical prowess, Lapierre possesses admirable interpersonal qualities. She communicates effectively, building strong relationships with both internal colleagues and key external stakeholders, such as the Ministry of Environment and Environment & Climate Change Canada.