TORONTO — The Ontario government is getting to the root of the matter by recently launching the Roadmap to Protecting Ontario’s Forest Sector, a 10-year path that aims to protect the workers, businesses, families and communities of the province’s forestry sector.
The sector generates close to $21 billion in revenue and supports over 154,000 jobs across the province, explains a release.
But with 97 per cent of its forest product exports going to the United States, the U.S. duties and tariffs pose an immediate threat.
The government’s plan features three pillars:
- Defend workers, communities and businesses by reducing the impact of U.S. tariffs and duties, working with the federal government to keep critical mills operating and promoting Ontario forestry and forest products.
- Adapt the forest sector to be more competitive in the global market while safeguarding the long-term sustainability of Ontario’s forests by reducing regulatory burden. This will be accomplished by working with the sector to help modernize and improve facilities.
- Grow long-term demand for Ontario’s forestry products by helping the sector develop and commercialize new forest products, attracting international investment and using more wood to build Ontario as part of the province’s Buy Ontario
The roadmap builds on the Advanced Wood Construction Action Plan and investments under the Forest Biomass Program, the Forest Sector Investment and Innovation Program and the Forest Access Roads Funding Program.
