AMHERST, NOVA SCOTIA -- Atlantic WoodWORKS!, a new regional initiative led by the Maritime Lumber Bureau, aims to encourage the use of wood for commercial and other non-residential construction projects.

The two-year, $700,000 progam has the support of the government of Canada and the provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador.

“This joint initiative is a wonderful opportunity to help promote our forest products industry to the rest of the world,” said New Brunswick Economic Development Minister Paul Robichaud. “The Atlantic WoodWORKS! initiative will assist our producers and our wood sector.”

Atlantic WoodWORKS! is an expansion of the Canadian Wood Council’s WoodWORKS! program into the Atlantic region. Its overarching objective is to encourage the expanded use and consumption of made-in-Atlantic Canada solid wood products in commercial and municipal construction projects. Various promotional activities will be carried out under the program, including technical support and seminars, and the development of a newsletter and website. Atlantic WoodWORKS! will educate architects and other building project decision makers that wood is a renewable and responsible choice that meets their environmental objectives by lowering a project’s carbon footprint.

According to the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), the forestry sector contributed $1.9 billion to Atlantic Canada’s economy, employed close to 21,000 Atlantic Canadians, and exported $2.6 billion worth of products in 2010.

The government of Canada, through ACOA, is contributing $500,000 over a two-year period to the project under the Business Development Program (BDP). In addition, the provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador are investing a combined total of $134,096. The Canadian Wood Council is investing $159,317.