KELOWNA, B.C. – The Government of Canada is investing more than $9 million to help Canada's forest sector expand overseas markets and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from forest industry transportation.
The announcement was made by the Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of Natural Resources, at the Council of Forest Industries (COFI) convention.
"This investment will help the Canadian wood-products industry become more innovative and competitive as it builds on emerging opportunities in offshore markets, particularly in China, Japan and South Korea," said Minister Lunn. "The major portion of this funding – $7.69 million – will support the activities of the Canada Wood Export Program, known as Canada Wood, and is expected to leverage more than $15 million in offshore market development opportunities."
The investment will support more than 100 projects, including initiatives to expand offshore markets for high-quality wood products. In addition, funding will support activities in the areas of wood-frame construction training, building codes and standards development, product testing, market acceptance and accreditation of Canadian wood products.
The Government of Canada's funding contribution to Canada Wood, administered by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), will be accompanied by funding from the wood-products industry and the provinces of British Columbia and Quebec.
"This investment to develop Canada's wood-export markets is another way that the government is helping Canadian forest-based communities," added Minister Lunn. "COFI is an active participant in Canada Wood and has been extremely successful, especially in Japan, where more than a million homes have been built with wood products from Canada."
The Canada Wood Program is part of the $127.5-million Forest Industry Long-Term Competitiveness Initiative announced as part of Budget 2006 to promote the continued competitiveness of the Canadian forest industry in Asian markets and the European Union.
The Canada Wood Program is part of the $127.5-million Forest Industry Long-Term Competitiveness Initiative announced as part of Budget 2006 to promote the continued competitiveness of the Canadian forest industry in Asian markets and the European Union.
The balance of the funding announced today is a $1.4-million ecoTRANSPORT investment over four years through NRCan's ecoENERGY for Fleets program. This funding will promote the use of new and emerging technologies in forest industry transportation to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The investment is part of an agreement between NRCan's Office of Energy Efficiency and Feric, a division of FPInnovations.
FOR BROADCAST USE:
The Government of Canada is providing more than $9 million to help Canada's forest sector find new overseas markets and reduce the industry's transportation fuel consumption and GHG emissions. Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn made the announcement at the Council of Forest Industries Convention in Kelowna.
Media may contact:
Louise Girouard
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister
Natural Resources Canada
Ottawa
613-996-2007
The general public may contact:
Mon-Fri, 8:30-4:30 EDT
Telephone: 613-995-0947
TTY: 613-996-4397
(teletype for the hearing-impaired)
E-mail: questions@nrcan.gc.ca
