VANCOUVER - Canadian wood product and forestry associations will receive $7.9 million from the British Columbia and federal governments. The goal of the investment is to promote new wood product markets in Canada and around the world.

 

B.C. Forests Minister Doug Donaldson presents at the 2019 COFI annual convention in Vancouver on April 4. Photo source: Twitter/@COFI_INFO

Fifteen forest industry trade associations and research institutes are receiving a share of a $7.9-million investment from the B.C. and federal governments aimed at promoting new wood products and new markets in Canada and abroad.

 

B.C. Forests Minister Doug Donaldson announced the investment at a BC Council of Forest Industries (COFI) conference in Vancouver on April 4, reported Wood Business Canada.

 

“Advancing new products and markets for B.C.’s world-class wood products supports good jobs in over 140 communities throughout British Columbia,” said Donaldson. “Advancing innovation in wood products and wood technology supports our strategy to maintain B.C. jobs in B.C.’s forest sector.”

 

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Wood Business Canada said $5.8 million will go toward expanding markets in Asia and North America and $2.1 million will go toward funding research, marketing, and education in British Columbia.

British Columbia - Canada's largest lumber-producing province - exported just over 514 million board feet of lumber to the U.S. in October 2018, down from 645 million board feet from the same time 2017. Many Canadian lumber leaders have taken a hit - including West Fraser, Canfor, and Conifex - and restricted lumber production, with West Fraser and Canfor curtailing production more than once.

 

Some Canadian lumber firms plan to expand in the U.S. Canfor's $120 million state-of-the-art softwood lumber mill is set to open early this year in Georgia. Canada's federal government is also facilitating the expansions of U.S. lumber producers in Canada. More than $4 million was pledged to upgrade Louisiana-Pacific's sawmill, helping to create more than 200 jobs.