Earlier today, Canada and the United States announced a new joint initiative to engage governments around the world in greening government operations with a view to advancing global net-zero emission targets. Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) welcomes this cross-border collaboration and is excited about the opportunity it presents for sustainably-sourced and made Canadian wood, pulp and paper, and lower carbon forest bioproducts.
Sustainably managed forests and the wood products harvested from them are key tools in the global move to a net-zero carbon economy by 2050. While wood has long been used as a construction material, the benefits of using wood, including new mass timber products, is increasingly being recognized world-wide as a low carbon, sustainable material of choice.
Using more mass timber as well as established wood frame construction in buildings also has the potential to be transformative in expanding the construction of affordable housing units, seniors’ residences, schools, recreation facilities, tall commercial and residential buildings, and bridges, while overall reducing GHG emissions and creating Canadian jobs.
In response to today’s announcement, FPAC President and CEO Derek Nighbor said:
“We welcome this thoughtful collaboration between two of the world’s closest trading partners. Canada’s forest sector and its workers are keen to advance climate smart forestry and forest products solutions in our move to a net-zero carbon economy by 2050. Increasing government procurement of carbon-storing wood and environmentally-friendly products sourced from sustainably managed Canadian forests is just one solution that can help us achieve this goal together. We look forward to continuing our work the US and Canadian governments and our supply chain partners. This effort has real potential to build a greener economy, protect family-supporting jobs, and get more Canadians working.”
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 $80B, Canada’s forest products sector is one of the country’s largest employers operating in over 600 communities, providing 230,000 direct jobs, and over 600,000 indirect jobs across the country.
For more information, contact:
Kerry Patterson-Baker
Vice President, Communications
e : kpatterson-baker@fpac.ca
t : 613-563-1441 ext. 314
Follow us on Twitter: @FPAC_APFC
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