September 24, 2014
Ottawa
Natural Resources Canada
The Honourable Greg Rickford, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario, today tabled the State of Canada’s Forests Report 2014 in the House of Commons.
This year’s report highlights the exciting opportunities and growing sense of optimism in Canada’s forest sector. The report confirms the results of the Government of Canada’s targeted investments in the forest sector, increasing the value of Canada’s forest resources, opening new markets, supporting jobs for Canadians and enhancing Canada’s prosperity.
While the industry is showing strong signs of growth in some segments — lumber in particular — it is challenged by market trends in other areas. Nonetheless, the pace of recovery in 2013 allowed the industry to post some of its highest revenues in many years. The value of Canada’s forest product exports increased by 13.1 percent from 2012 levels — rising to $28.4 billion from $25.1 billion — and production levels were higher across all market segments.
The report also demonstrates to Canadians and the world that Canada is a leader in sustainable forest management and is committed to transparency in reporting on how its forest resources are managed and maintained. Canada’s forest lands include over 150 million hectares of forest land certified by third parties as being sustainably managed — 41 percent of the world’s certified forests.
The Government of Canada is helping Canada’s forest industry to diversify its markets and bring innovative, high-value products to the marketplace. Since 2007, the Government has invested $1.8 billion in support of the ongoing transformation and renewal of Canada’s forest sector.
Greg Rickford, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario
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