As National Forest Week is celebrated across the country, Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) is announcing the winners of its 2023 Awards of Excellence program. Today, FPAC announced Alexis Bolduc-Gagnon as the recipient of the Rising Star Award from Canada’s forest products sector. The Rising Star Award is dedicated to celebrating young individuals who bring innovation, dedication, and a fresh perspective to their workplaces while making distinct contributions to the field of forestry.
"The Rising Star Award celebrates bright and promising talents who are shaping the future of Canada’s forest sector,” said FPAC President and CEO Derek Nighbor. “We are delighted to honor Alexis Bolduc-Gagnon of Resolute Forest Products, whose unwavering commitment to excellence and forward-thinking mindset have positioned him as a true rising star within the forest products sector.”
“His contributions exemplify the spirit of innovation and dedication that will drive our sector’s growth. Alexis is so committed to his work that he is actually not able to celebrate his recognition with us in person as important maintenance work is planned at the mill he works at. He’s intelligent, passionate about what he does, and is one of our industry’s budding stars. We are proud to celebrate Alexis this week,” Nighbor added.
Alexis embarked on his journey into the forest products sector during his health and safety studies at the CEGEP of Jonquière. He interned at Resolute’s Kénogami paper mill in 2019, and in 2022, Alexis was appointed the Superintendent of Health and Safety for the Dolbeau paper mill, where he continues to work today. His understanding of the domain of occupational health and safety is remarkable, defying expectations for someone so young at just 25 years old with three years of full-time work experience.
A native of Saguenay, Alexis currently resides in Mashteuiatsh First Nation, an Indigenous community in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean. The diverse tasks his role entails along with the opportunity to learn and contribute to the forest products sector resonate with him deeply. Alexis takes immense pride in his work, as it not only promotes safety but also contributes to the local prosperity of his region.
"I consider myself extremely privileged to be able to contribute positively to the health and safety of my factory and play a vital role in a field that I am passionate about. The forest products industry offers a variety of challenging and stimulating tasks. Each day brings new opportunities for learning and professional growth, making my work fulfilling and exciting,” said Alexis.
“Receiving this award is a great source of pride and additional motivation to continue investing myself in this wonderful domain of forest products," he added.
About Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC)
FPAC provides a voice for Canada’s wood, pulp, paper, and wood-based bioproducts producers nationally and internationally in government, trade, and environmental affairs. As an industry with annual revenues exceeding $73B, Canada’s forest products sector is one of the country’s largest employers operating in hundreds of communities, providing 205,000 direct jobs, and over 415,000 indirect jobs across the country. FPAC and its members are committed to collaborating with Indigenous leaders, federal and provincial governments, labour partners, community groups, and other rightsholders and stakeholders to secure and advance the sector’s environmental, social, and economic potential for the long-term.
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