Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) President and CEO Derek Nighbor released the following statement in response to today’s launch of the federal government’s 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan by Environment and Climate Change Canada Minister Steven Guilbeault:
“There is no path to a net-zero carbon economy without sustainably managed forests and using more wood and wood-fibre based products in our homes and communities. While today’s announcement was heavily focused on the oil and gas sector, there are a few noteworthy points for Canada’s forest sector and its workers:
• Over $600 million to support investments in greener buildings and homes including the development of the Canada Green Buildings Strategy, a timber construction research and development initiative, the development of a low-carbon buildings innovation hub, and support for home retrofits and energy efficiency improvements.
• Expansion of the Low Carbon Economy Fund through a $2.2 billion renewal which can support innovation at Canadian mills and further decarbonize the built environment, and a commitment from government to build upon the Greening Government Strategy for federal procurement.
• A commitment from government to enhance coordination across federal funding programs and strengthen investments to accelerate the adoption of fuel switching.
• $780 million for the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund which can further promote forestry solutions to support climate action and conservation projects in Canada’s sustainably managed forests – including exploration of negative emissions technology for the forest sector.
We will continue to work closely with the federal government on forestry solutions related to greenhouse gas emissions reductions, wildland fire mitigation plans, and national adaptation strategies – all the while ensuring that our full value chain decarbonization contributions are recognized and our workers and their families can be sure that we will have more resilient forests and a stronger forest industry of tomorrow.”
FPAC provides a voice for Canada’s wood, pulp, paper, and wood-based bio-products producers nationally and internationally in government, trade, and environmental affairs. As an industry with annual revenues exceeding $75B, Canada’s forest products sector is one of the country’s largest employers operating in over 600 communities, providing 225,000 direct jobs, and over 600,000 indirect jobs across the country.
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