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Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) was pleased to present its 2024 Awards of Excellence at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa yesterday, with The Transition Accelerator being awarded FPAC’s 2024 Partnership Award for its leadership in developing the Mass Timber Roadmap – an integrated forest-to-buildings value chain that can help support the drive to lower emissions building, address the housing crisis, and create good jobs in rural and northern communities.
The Partnership Award honors organizations and individuals who have demonstrated outstanding collaboration and partnership with the forest products sector, contributing to the innovation, growth, and sustainability. The Mass Timber Roadmap was developed after more than a decade of broader collaborative efforts to unlock and demonstrate potential of mass timber and outlines an ambitious and strategic vision for its future Canada and its potential to transform green construction and drive economic growth across the country.
"The Transition Accelerator has long advocated to better leverage sustainable forestry and Canadian forest products solutions to help lower Canada’s carbon footprint and support greener building construction. They are about finding practical and innovative solutions to solve problems and to ensure environmental and economic benefits truly run together," said Derek Nighbor, FPAC President and CEO. "Their leadership working with FPAC and the Canadian Wood Council in developing the Mass Timber Roadmap helped provide our sector with a strategic framework to advance sustainable building practices and reduce emissions. This award celebrates the impact of their work and the importance of collaboration to drive Canadian innovation and build a lower carbon economy," Nighbor added.
Dr. Dan Wicklum, CEO of The Transition Accelerator, has dedicated more than 25 years to research, innovation, and fostering collaboration between industry, government, academia, and civil society – leading initiatives that solve business and social challenges while building in net-zero emission solutions.
He also served as the inaugural co-chair of Canada’s Net-Zero Advisory Body (NZAB), guiding the federal government on the most effective pathways to achieve a net-zero Canada by 2050.
“Canada's forestry sector has been a cornerstone in building our nation, and it will play an essential role in our journey to an economically competitive, net-zero future. The rise of mass timber offers an incredible opportunity to elevate Canada’s primary resources, position our industries on the global stage, address the housing crisis, and significantly reduce emissions in the building sector. Collaborating with FPAC on the Mass Timber Roadmap was an exciting and impactful experience, and we are deeply honored that the Transition Accelerator’s efforts have been recognized with FPAC’s 2024 Partnership Award," said Wicklum.
FPAC provides a voice for Canada’s wood, pulp, and paper producers nationally and internationally in government, trade, and environmental affairs. As an industry with annual revenues exceeding $97B, Canada’s forest products sector is one of the country’s largest employers operating in over 600 communities, providing 200,000 direct jobs, and over 370,000 indirect jobs across the country. Our members are committed to collaborating with Indigenous leaders, government bodies, and other key stakeholders to develop a cross-Canada action plan aimed at advancing forest health, while supporting workers, communities, and our environment for the long term.
