The Government of British Columbia announced today that it is investing $6.2 million to support the forest sector in expanding global markets for B.C. wood products.

Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Steve Thomson made the announcement on behalf of International Trade Minister Teresa Wat, while attending the Council of Forest Industries annual meeting in Prince George.

The funding is being made available to nine industry trade associations that deliver market development programs on behalf of government and industry. Association activities will focus on expanding markets for B.C.’s solid wood products, with investment priorities reflecting evolving market opportunities in Asia, the U.S.A. and Europe. Activities will be delivered on a cost-shared basis, with additional funding provided by industry and the federal government, through Natural Resources Canada.

B.C.’s contribution is being managed through Forestry Innovation Investment (FII), the Province’s market development agency for forest products. FII also administers the Wood First program, which fosters the innovative use of wood and wood building systems in B.C., and other programs that promote the many environmental benefits of B.C. forest products.

Building international markets for B.C.’s natural resources is a central part of the BC Jobs Plan, the government’s strategy for spurring economic activity and job creation throughout the province.

More than 60,000 British Columbians throughout the province work directly in the forest sector and its 7,300 companies. The government is committed to supporting these jobs and businesses by partnering with the forest industry to build on its success in Asia and to explore new niches in the recovering U.S. market.

See the attached backgrounder for the list of trade associations receiving funding from FII in 2015-16.

Quotes:

Minister of International Trade Teresa Wat -

“B.C. succeeds when the province has a strong and vibrant forestry sector, and promoting this industry is a key priority for our government. Combining the skills and resources of industry and both levels of government allows us to deliver more comprehensive market development efforts in priority markets in Asia, the U.S. and Europe and generates higher returns on our collective investments.“

Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Minister Steve Thomson -

“Communities across B.C. continue to rely on the revenues and jobs generated by the forest sector. Through the investments in market development announced today, the province is working to ensure a bright future for the sector and for the communities and people that depend on it.”

Council of Forest Industries president and CEO James Gorman -

“With this funding, the Council of Forest Industries will continue to promote B.C.’s world-leading forest products to growing economies in Asia including China and South Korea. Our members are already leaders within the global forest products industry, helping to drive the economy of B.C. and the communities in which they operate.”

Quick Facts:

• B.C. is a world leader in softwood lumber production and exports, with 80% of industry output sold outside the province.
• In 2014, B.C. exported $5.8 billion in softwood lumber exports.

Learn More:

www.BritishColumbia.ca connects B.C. companies and communities with international opportunities and promotes our competitive advantages to investors and decision-makers around the globe.

Learn more about the BC Jobs Plan at:  http://engage.gov.bc.ca/bcjobsplan/

A backgrounder follows.

Media Contacts:

Media Relations
Ministry of International Trade
250 356-9801

BACKGROUNDER

Market Initiatives Funding in 2015-16

Forestry Innovation Investment (FII) manages an annual, competitive Call for Proposals process to fund market access and market development initiatives.

A 13-member evaluation panel, with representatives from FII, the federal government and the forest industry reviewed and scored the funding applications received in response to the 2015-16 Call for Proposals.

For 2015-16, the following organizations will receive funding (some amounts have been rounded):

BC Wood Specialties Group - $629,000

• Pursue niche opportunities for value-added wood products in the U.S. and Canada.
• Organize the 2015 Global Buyers Mission in Whistler to connect pre-qualified international wood products buyers with B.C. value-added wood product manufacturers.
• Develop market opportunities and increase sales in China, Japan, South Korea, Mexico and Eastern Europe.

Canada Wood Group - $3.29 million

• In China: expand the use of B.C. wood products in the construction and remanufacturing sectors by providing training and quality support, and addressing limitations in current codes and standards.
• In Japan: develop innovative building solutions to expand the use of B.C. species in non-residential applications.
• In South Korea: address codes and standards constraints and deliver wood-frame construction training to support innovative building solutions, such as multi-family and hybrid systems and infill walls.
• Expand the B.C. forest products sector’s representation with market access and development teams in China, Japan, Korea and India.
• Address phytosanitary concerns and product-acceptance issues in global markets for B.C. wood products.

Cedar Shake and Shingle Association - $112,000

• Develop market opportunities and increase sales for cedar shake and shingle manufacturers in the U.S. through events, promotional materials and support for industry standards.

Coast Forest Products Association - $179,000

• In Japan: facilitate the commercial adoption of B.C. coast species by builders, architects and pre-cutters through a wide array of in-market activities, such as presentations, seminars and technical support.
• In China: increase awareness and technical knowledge of coastal species by providing end-users and supply chain members with a greater understanding of B.C. species, products and grading rules in order to create demand in landscape and appearance grade applications.

Council of Forest Industries - $300,000

• In China: make building professionals, developers, media and various levels of government aware of the benefits of modern wood frame construction.
• In Japan: expand opportunities for spruce-pine-fir (SPF) lumber and promote wood-frame construction in the non-residential sector and in large scale structures, and support the use of SPF products in the post and beam sector.
• In South Korea: grow the use of SPF lumber in multi storey / multi-unit buildings, in infill wall systems and in outdoor applications (preservative treated).

Engineered Wood Products Association (APA) - $70,000

• Expand Canadian oriented strand board (OSB) exports to Japan through addressing remaining technical barriers to trade and through market promotion and technical education of Japanese specifiers about OSB’s performance attributes and benefits.

Western Red Cedar Lumber Association - $900,000

• Promote Western red cedar as a premium building and finishing material for use in the repair and remodel sector, and in new residential and non-residential construction.

Wood Pellet Association of Canada - $71,000

• In Europe: communicate the carbon-related benefits and sustainability of Canadian wood pellets to the industrial and heating sectors, and improve the regulatory environment for wood pellets and work toward improving ocean shipping logistics.
• In Japan and Korea: investigate market potential for wood pellets with large-scale end-users.

Wood Products Council - $662,000

• Provide technical advice, education, and support to the design community to enable greater understanding of wood, driving demand and increasing use of wood relative to alternative materials.
• Promote the use of wood in a variety of non-residential and multi-unit construction projects in the United States.
• Grow demand for innovative wood products and building systems.

Note: This list covers FII’s funding to the Market Initiatives Program, excluding the Wood First program.

Media Contacts:

Media Relations
Ministry of International Trade
250 356-9801