THUNDER BAY --- Forestry ministers from across Canada will converge on Northwestern Ontario with industry leaders next week for three days of high-level meetings on the rebounding industry.
The National Forest Innovation Summit will meet in Kenora on Wednesday and Thursday, then the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers will wrap up the week in Thunder Bay on Friday.
The Kenora sessions will include roundtable discussions on emerging technologies and challenges to the sector. Kenora MP and Minister of Natural Resources, Greg Rickford will deliver a host address on Thursday.
"By helping Canadian companies to lead the world in developing and commercializing new high-value products and technologies, we are supporting jobs and opportunities for Canadians," Rickford said in a release.
"I look forward to welcoming key partners from across Canada to Kenora next week so that together we can chart a course for the next phase of economic growth in Canada's forest industry."
When meetings move on to Thunder Bay on July 10, provincial and territorial forestry ministers will discuss issues of mutual interest with Thunder Bay-Atikokan MPP and Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, Bill Mauro.
Mauro believes Ontario has a lot to teach and learn about promoting the sustainability of forestry in the province on the international stage. He's looking forward to meeting with his provincial and territorial counterparts to exchange best practices and opportunities to cooperate on broader initiatives.
"I think one of the pieces we started doing six or seven years ago is issues related to innovation in the industry," Mauro said.
"When the forestry industry was buffeted by a lot of different consequences that led to the loss of major employment in the industry back in '05-'06, in all of Quebec, Ontario B..C. -- the major forest jurisdictions being similarly affected -- we in Ontario began a process of trying to identify and put money into other products and uses we could get out of the forest."
