Government of Canada invests in British Columbia’s forest sector to support jobs and strengthen communities

On May 14, 2026, the Honourable Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced a $12.4-million federal investment in 14 projects that will strengthen the forest sector in British Columbia. These projects will advance new, low‑carbon wood technologies; expand the use of mass timber in construction; support Indigenous groups and forest sector businesses; increase the capacity of manufacturers to add more value to wood products; and diversify export markets for Canadian forest products. 

Indigenous Forestry Initiative

Project name: Gitxsan Land Use Planning Project
Recipient: Laxyip Management Office Society
Location: Hazelton, British Columbia
Funding amount: $360,000
Description: The proponent will develop a roadmap for economic development that upholds traditional Gitxsan laws and oral histories. Led by the Hereditary Chiefs, the project will prepare land-use plans for each watershed to guide collaborative economic development. Key objectives include advancing economic opportunities in forestry, mining and recreation through Indigenous led decision-making, increasing training and participation of Gitxsan Members in forestry careers and strengthening partnerships to support sustainable business planning. This work will promote long-term economic growth and create lasting careers for the Gitxsan in natural resource management.

Project Name: Upgrading of Kiln and Accessories
Recipient: Tl’esqox (Toosey) First Nation
Location: Riske Creek, British Columbia
NRCan Funding: $337,109
Description: Tl’esqox (Toosey) First Nation will install and commission an industrial wood-drying kiln and purchase a forklift to expand its forest sector manufacturing capacity. This investment will enable it to increase value-added processing of locally sourced timber and improve operational efficiency within existing forestry operations. The project will position its business to generate increased revenues, create employment opportunities and strengthen long-term Indigenous participation and leadership in the forest sector.

Project Name: Year 2 Apprentice Heavy Duty Mechanical Trades Training Program
Recipient: Burns Lake Development Corporation
Location: Burns Lake, British Columbia
Funding: $60,000
Description: Burns Lake Native Development Corporation (BLNDC) will deliver a 12-week Apprentice Heavy Duty Mechanical Trades Training internship to support workforce retention and certification for Indigenous trainees in the forest sector. The project will support five apprentices to complete required in-class and on-the-job training placements to advance progress toward Red Seal certification. The project will be delivered in partnership with the College of New Caledonia and Burns Lake Native Logging Ltd.

Project name: Old-Growth Forest Stewardship Plan
Recipient: ʔEsdilagh First Nation
Location: Quesnel, British Columbia 
Funding amount: $48,600
Description: The proponent aims to strengthen its participation in the Quesnel Forest Landscape Planning Pilot Project, led by the B.C. Ministry of Forests, with a focus on old-growth management. The project will draw on both traditional and scientific knowledge to inform this work. A community plan will also be developed to help shape definitions, priorities and stewardship approaches for old-growth forests.

Project Name: FireSmart Mobile Woodshed Prototype Construction and Testing
Recipient: Lytton First Nation
Location: Lytton, British Columbia
Funding: $46,481
Description: Lytton First Nation will construct and test two full-scale prototypes of the FireSmart Mobile Woodshed, a fire-resistant, trailer-mounted firewood storage unit. Building on prior conceptual design, this phase validates the shed’s fire resiliency, mobility and structural integrity through field-based testing, ensuring compliance with BC FireSmart guidelines. The project will support Lytton First Nation’s goals of wildfire preparedness, economic development and sustainable use of local timber.

Project name: Forest Tenure Management Systems
Recipient: Kalum Ventures Limited
Location: Terrace, British Columbia
Funding amount: $45,000
Description: The project aims to acquire and implement Phoenix Connect, a comprehensive forest management software used widely across the forest sector. The system supports data collection and streamlines the planning, tracking, reporting, monitoring and administrative management of cutblocks, roads, engineering and silviculture activities. Kalum Ventures Ltd. will use this tool to enhance its forest management operations and continue delivering economic benefits to the Kitsumkalum people.

Project name: Forest Stewardship Monitoring Implementation
Recipient: Cheslatta Carrier Nation
Location: Southbank, British Columbia
Funding: $45,000
Description: The proponent will advance the monitoring components of its forest stewardship plan to better assess and understand key forest values, including nontraditional forest products. Strengthened data collection and evaluation will support adaptive forest management and ensure stewardship decisions reflect community priorities and cultural principles.

Project name: AXSILAXA AHWHEATNAGWUSN Implementation
Recipient: Quatsino First Nation
Location: Coal Harbour, British Columbia
Funding: $45,000
Description: The project will implement the Axsilaxa Ahweheatnaglvusn Land Use Plan through an integrated resource management plan focused on forest stewardship. This work includes developing subplans, engaging Quatsino Lands Guardians and integrating Indigenous knowledge with scientific expertise to guide balanced forestry practices. The project supports self-governance, long-term prosperity, the transfer of intergenerational knowledge and ecological and community well-being.

Investments in Forest Industry Transformation Program

Project name: Spearhead Advanced Timber 
Recipient: Spearhead Timberworks Inc.
Location: Nelson, British Columbia 
Funding: $7,500,000
Description: The project aims to diversify markets with new, higher-value products, address fibre supply constraints and strengthen regional forest economies. It will build a new facility capable of manufacturing double- and single-curved glue-laminated timber, also known as glulam, and hybrid-glulam building components from locally sourced, underutilized hardwood fibre.

Project name: Demonstration Plant for the Production of Novel Wood Fibre Insulation and Protective Packaging
Recipient: Yinka Dene Economic Development Limited Partnership
Location: Burns Lake, British Columbia
Funding: $1,660,500
Description: The project will reinvigorate the forest sector in B.C. by developing higher-value forest products, including new biomaterials for protective packaging and advanced building and construction materials. This will be a joint venture between Yinka Dene Economic Development Limited Partnership (a corporation wholly owned by the Wet’suwet’en First Nation) and Plantee Bioplastics Inc. under the name DicinFoam LP (dicin is “wood” in Wet’suwet’en language). The project will construct a pilot manufacturing facility to produce DicinFoam’s wood fibre protective packaging and Plantee’s wood fibre foam insulation, with an annual capacity of 100 tonnes of biodegradable foam for the next three years. The facility is designed to be feedstock-agnostic, converting low-value wood waste, such as insect- and fire-damaged fibre, slash, bark, sawdust and shavings, into value-added, fossil-fuel replacement bioproducts. This demonstration plant will be scaled up to several Indigenous-owned manufacturing facilities, and the two technologies and processes will be commercialized upon securing appropriate private and non-dilutive funding.

Global Forest Leadership Program

Project name: Global Forest Leadership Program FY2025/26 – BC Forestry Innovation Investment (BC FII)
Recipient: Forestry Innovation Investment (BC FII)
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia 
Funding amount: $805,209
Description: The project aims to advance Canada’s leadership in sustainable forest products by promoting B.C.’s innovative wood solutions in priority international markets. The proponent will also deliver activities in China, India, Vietnam, the United Kingdom, the Middle East and North Africa to diversify markets, reduce trade barriers and advance global climate objectives.

Project name: Global Forest Leadership Program FY2025/26 – Canada Wood Group (CWG)
Recipient: Canada Wood Group (CWG)
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia 
Funding amount: $519,294
Description: The project will enhance efforts to diversify markets in Japan, Korea, China and Central Europe by focusing on high-potential applications for Canadian wood identified through research. The proponent will also combine Canadian expertise with local personnel and in-country knowledge.

Project name: Global Forest Leadership Program FY2025/26 – BC Wood Specialties Group (BC Wood)
Recipient: BC Wood Specialties Group (BC Wood)
Location: Langley, British Columbia 
Funding amount: $486,075
Description: The project aims to organize a targeted presence at trade events, tradeshows and missions for building materials and construction in Japan, South Korea, China and Mexico. The proponent will also facilitate connections between buyers and small and medium-sized enterprise manufacturers to boost awareness and drive sales growth of British Columbia’s value-added wood products.

Green Construction Through Wood Program

Project name: Mass Timber Training Network: Advancing Trades for a Sustainable Future (MTAT)
Recipient: British Columbia Institute of Technology
Location: Burnaby, British Columbia 
Funding amount: $483,000
Description: The project focused on expanding the use of wood as a low‑carbon building material by addressing key barriers to mass timber construction such as skilled‑trade shortages, limited standardized training and gaps in the wood construction sector. Because mass timber is part of the broader modern methods of construction ecosystem, progress in one area requires progress in the other. The project brought together industry partners to create a trades training framework for mass timber and establish a foundation to accelerate modern methods of construction education across Canada.