As we look back at the year that was, there is one term that clearly comes to mind – resiliency.
On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to begin by recognizing the dedication and hard work of the team at FPAC, the many volunteers across our network of working committees, and, of course, the contributions of forest sector workers right across the country. You kept our industry moving at a time that has been challenging for many of our colleagues, their families, and our communities.
Yet for all the hard work, we end the year much the way it began – facing significant headwinds in the form of trade protectionism and global supply chain disruptions and the ever-present uncertainty related to the pandemic. Despite these challenges, our industry advances with so much promise and ability to address key risks and opportunities for our country, communities, and people.
Canadians delivered a clear message in the fall election campaign. They want real action on carbon and climate change. This presents a tremendous leadership opportunity for Canadian forestry, sustainable forest management, and forest products to drive our path to a net-zero carbon economy. The beauty is we can deliver on this promise while providing family-supporting jobs to advance post-pandemic economic recovery in communities across the country.
From the rise in tall wood construction that reduces pollution and the carbon footprint of our cities, to the potential of the emerging forest bioeconomy to displace more fossil fuel-intensive materials in our homes and neighbourhoods – Canadian forestry’s solutions for the environment and the economy are in plain sight.
FPAC’s voice in Ottawa is critical to advancing our solutions and enabling government legislation, regulation, and policies that will help us do even more. I hope you will enjoy reading through the 2021 Annual Report which highlights some of FPAC’s key activities and achievements this year.
FPAC is one of Canada’s top performing industry associations. One of its greatest strengths is its commitment to collaboration and finding success in partnership with Indigenous Peoples, labour and environmental groups, and local communities.
It has been an honour to serve my two-year term as Chair. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for FPAC and Canada’s greenest workforce.
All the best for 2022!
Following the profound disruptions to global supply chains that occurred in 2020, FPAC and its members have worked hard in 2021 to ensure Canadian forest products continue to flow to domestic and international markets. These efforts ranged from advocacy for a more efficient, reliable, and cost-effective Canadian freight transportation system to proactive engagement with key officials to inform legislators in Canada and abroad of the sustainable forest management that underpins Canadian forest product manufacturing. We have been proud to support our members in their work to manage through disruptions and will continue to advocate for improvements to infrastructure and access to information that increases their competitiveness on the world stage.
FPAC’s Joel Neuheimer was pleased to join colleagues from the Coalition of Rail Shippers for a virtual meeting with the Hon. Omar Alghabra, Canada’s Minister of Transport. FPAC and the other groups present were encouraged by the Minister's willingness to engage with and support shippers in their efforts to improve Canada's supply chain. Following the meeting with Minister Alghabra, FPAC continued its advocacy for greater efficiency, reliability, and cost-effectiveness within Canada’s transportation system with key federal officials including France Pégeot, the new Chair and CEO of the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) and Michael Keenan, Deputy Minister of Transport.
In response to a strike action that shut down operations at the Port of Montreal in April 2021, FPAC sent a letter to the Hon. Filomena Tassi, Canada’s Minister of Labour, calling for increased federal support for a productive outcome and signed onto a joint letter to Minister Tassi with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce that was quoted in The Globe and Mail. After Bill C-29 was passed, bringing an end to the strike, FPAC was pleased to see that its own advocacy on this issue was clearly heard by Members of Parliament — in the debate over this Bill in the House of Commons, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue, Francesco Sorbara, referenced FPAC’s public statements in his remarks.
FPAC has continued its efforts to provide members with access to robust supply chain performance and benchmarking data—creating a Rail Performance Data Dashboard that presents several key metrics within Transport Canada's weekly rail performance indicators for interpretation, a projection of monthly truckloads required by each facility participating in the FPAC Rail Car Fulfillment Survey, and a projection to determine the excess greenhouse gas emissions associated with underperformance within the freight rail network.
FPAC made appearances before House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry, Science, and Technology, and the Standing Committee on International Trade. Both appearances came as committees discussed Economic Recovery from COVID-19, which provided an opportunity to reinforce the many ways in which Canada’s forest sector can help drive Canada towards a net-zero economy as this process unfolds.
In a submission to the National Infrastructure Assessment, FPAC articulated a long-term vision for infrastructure in Canada as it relates to the forest sector—calling for a more reliable, efficient, and cost-effective supply chain, an emphasis on green building and construction using low-carbon building materials, and accelerating and enhancing the development and implementation of low-carbon fuels, including forest fibre-based biofuels.
In response to the emergence of two discriminatory procurement bills before the state legislatures of New York and California, FPAC coordinated an initiative to amend these pieces of legislation to recognize Canada as a world leader in sustainable forest management. Through broad and sustained engagement with provincial governments, Canadian consular officials, organized labour, industry partners in Canada, the United States, and Scandinavia, among other stakeholders, FPAC was pleased to see Governor Gavin Newsom veto the California legislation and the New York State Assembly shelve its bill until 2022. In December, FPAC began to advocate against a discriminatory recycling proposal in California that would unfairly discriminate against Canadian pulp and paper products.
FPAC’s President and CEO, Derek Nighbor, made guest appearances on podcasts from the Alberta Enterprise Group and Canada Economic Forum to discuss the “Deforestation-Free Procurement” bills before state legislatures in California and New York. During the discussion with Danielle Smith of the Alberta Enterprise Group, Derek was joined by Jeff Bromley of the United Steelworkers’ Wood Council. In addition to conversations regarding the status and potential impact of these bills, both appearances provided a forum for the exploration of Canadian forest sector solutions to pressing climate questions.
Host: Danielle Smith, Alberta Enterprise Group
Guests: Derek Nighbor, Forest Products Association of Canada & Jeff Bromley, United Steelworkers
Host: Mark Adler, Canada Economic Forum
Guests: Derek Nighbor, Forest Products Association of Canada
In the aftermath of devastating floods and washouts across British Columbia, FPAC moved quickly to support members recovery operations by providing real-time updates and information, clarification on the status of specific rail and road corridors, and coordination with provincial authorities around the flow of essential forest products through the Lower Mainland. In a joint letter with the BC Council of Forest Industries (COFI) to the Hon. Mike Farnworth, BC’s Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, FPAC requested urgent clarification for enforcement officers that commercial transport of forest products (wood, pulp, and paper), is considered to be transport "for an essential purpose,” as was the case during the COVID-19 pandemic. Minister Farnworth replied promptly to confirm that forest products are to be transported as a priority given they are "for an essential purpose.”
FPAC staff joined the Canadian American Business Council (CABC) for events in New York City and Washington, DC, offering opportunities to discuss the benefits of freer trade in forest products between the two nations. FPAC was able to connect with consular staff and trade commissioners for constructive dialogue. The events also coincided with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s visit to Washington, with FPAC’s President and CEO, Derek Nighbor, joining Prime Minister Trudeau at an event to advance discussions on the state of the Canada-U.S. relationship.
The forest sector directly employs as many as 227,000 people from coast-to-coast, representing a key driver of prosperity in some 600 forest-dependent communities—according to census data, wages and benefits in the forest sector are among the highest, most competitive, and fastest-growing in Canada, supporting families and individuals in rural, mid-sized and urban communities. We employ a diverse range of professionals including foresters, engineers, mapping specialists, field technicians, biologists, hydrologists, wildlife scientists, harvesters, conservation scientists, loggers, truck drivers, tree planters, and production line workers.
In 2021, efforts to ensure these benefits are accessible to under-represented demographic groups have taken centre-stage. FPAC is proud to serve as a facilitator for new ideas and initiatives in the Human Resources and Workforce Development space, connecting members with policy options and federal programs that serve their workforce needs—while supporting member companies’ pursuit of greater equity and inclusion within their workforce for women, Indigenous Peoples, youth, and new Canadians.
Our sector is united in its message—there is a bright future in forestry for all.
FPAC staff participated in a roundtable discussion intended to provide the Ontario government with insights into issues directly affecting women in the forest sector. The session included the Hon. Jill Dunlop, Ontario's Associate Minister of Children and Women's Issues, and the Hon. John Yakabuski, Ontario's Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry. The findings will be used to inform future government initiatives around increasing female representation in forestry.
As a member of the Canadian Institute of Forestry’s Gender Equity in Canada’s Forest Sector National Action Plan Steering Committee¸ FPAC staff joined partners from civil society, academia, and the public sector to identify persistent challenges and provide solutions that will encourage more women to join the sector. We were proud to support the development and release of several reports that seek to build an evidence base, foster an inclusive culture, and reposition the sector as a champion for diversity and inclusivity at every level.
FPAC’s Senior Vice President, Kate Lindsay, moderated a discussion during Pulp & Paper Canada's Women in Forestry Virtual Summit on the heels of International Women’s Day on March 8th. She was joined by Beth MacNeil of the Canadian Forest Service, Tolko's Tanya Wick, Canfor's Kara Biles, Mercer International's Charlene Strelaeff, and EACOM Timber's Johanne Latour. The summit drew more than 800 registrants and provided women working in the sector with an opportunity to share career advice and real-life experiences. It also recommends actions companies can take to recruit female employees and advance them to leadership positions.
FPAC continued its promotion of the GreenestWorkforce.ca platform—a comprehensive set of online resources available to employers and job seekers within the forest sector that was developed in partnership with labour groups, academic institutions, skills organizations, and federal partners including Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and Natural Resources Canada—by delivering a presentation at the 20th Commonwealth Forestry Conference (CFC), hosted by the University of British Columbia.
Alongside several national associations, employer groups, and other stakeholders, FPAC met with the Hon. Carla Qualtrough, Canada’s Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion. The discussion, intended to provide an opportunity for the Minister to hear directly from industry leaders regarding the future of Canada’s workforce, provided FPAC with an opportunity to highlight ongoing skills shortages and the need to expedite the Temporary Foreign Workers and permanent migration processes to address demographic headwinds facing Canada’s labour force. In her opening remarks, Commissioner Nancy Healey of the Canadian Employment Insurance Commission referred specifically to the forest sector’s need for support in recruiting workers to meet employer demand.
FPAC is a member of the National Industry Advisory Committee for Canadian Colleges for a Reslient Recovery. This coalition of leading colleges, cegeps, institutes and polytechnics from across Canada is working on a plan to help lead the transition to a cleaner economy. FPAC’s role is to bring a forestry perspective to the dialogue so post-secondary programs and training can align with industry needs as we work to develop thousands of training and research opportunities to help Canadians access good jobs, support the transition to a low carbon economy, and foster inclusion, diversity, and equity.
In 2021, FPAC built on the success of its Green Dream Internship Program — an initiative that provides a stipend to support 15 forest sector interns as they blog about their work experiences in Canada’s forests and mills over the course of the summer. In total, FPAC received over 75 pieces of content from the group, including blogs, images, and videos collected this year. The program generated 23 media stories with a combined reach of 284,955, which were covered primarily in regional western Canadian outlets—including interviews with 4 of the interns. These materials were shared throughout the year to give prospective employees a sense of what it means to work within the forest sector.
In pursuit of shared objectives around protecting biodiversity, combating climate change, developing a robust talent pipeline, and supporting local economies through sustainable forest management, the Ontario Woodlot Association and FPAC partnered to finance two bursaries at Algonquin College’s Forestry Technology Program.
During National Forest Week, FPAC was proud to announce the recipients of its annual Awards of Excellence program – which recognizes the outstanding individuals across Canada who have made exceptional contributions to the forest sector and to forestry communities. This includes winners representing Indigenous youth, female leadership, and forest community champions from across the workforce.
During a year in which COP26 brought together government, business, and environmental leaders from across the globe to pursue global climate action, FPAC has been clear that forest products represent an invaluable tool in Canada’s path to net-zero carbon emissions. Our products come from among the most sustainably managed forests in the world, offering carbon-sequestering properties and numerous opportunities to contribute to the circular economy and produce alternative forms of energy. At the same time, we recognize the importance of ensuring economic growth and innovation are balanced against the need to conserve natural habitats and ensure the biodiversity of Canada’s forests is maintained.
To that end, FPAC and its member companies have taken proactive steps to ensure the federal government, customers, investors, and the public are aware of the many opportunities to leverage sustainable forest management and renewable forest products in the fight against climate change and its impacts.
Prior to the 2021 federal election, the Government of Canada launched five thematic National Adaptation Strategy Advisory Tables—FPAC was asked by the federal government to join its Strong and Resilient Economy table as a member—Kate Lindsay, FPAC’s Senior Vice President, is the forest sector representative. The table will look at seven key economic sectors (agriculture, forestry, fisheries, mining, energy, tourism, and transportation) that account for over 30% of Canada’s GDP and are particularly susceptible to climate change impacts, offering recommendations for federal policy measures that support clean and sustainable economic growth.
FPAC and the Delphi Group have developed the framework for a comprehensive Climate Action Report, following discussions with climate experts at Natural Resources Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, and our Finnish and Swedish counterparts. The report will provide an overview of GHG emissions and removals across the forestry and forest product value chain, including contributions to net-zero by 2050, serving as a reference for member companies, governments, investors, and analysts, as well as the Canadian public.
During Climate Week NYC, FPAC’s Kate Lindsay joined an event hosted by the Consul General of Canada in New York to discuss how Canada's forest management regime can support and enhance climate change mitigation and adaptation. The panel, “Managing Canada’s Forests in a Changing Climate”, brought together thought leaders from industry, academia, and civil society to discuss potential contributions of Canada’s forests to solving key climate issues, including through the production of long-lived wood products that sequester carbon throughout their life cycle and the opportunity to displace fossil fuel intensive products with wood-fibre based ones.
On the margins of COP26 in Glasgow, FPAC’s Derek Nighbor facilitated a session that brought together international experts for a conversation regarding different forest sector solutions to fight climate change. In particular, the discussion explored how sustainable forest management and harvested wood products can contribute to global climate action through carbon sequestration and storage.
FPAC was invited to join a Corporate Knights Panel, in June 2021 titled, “How can Canadian Industries Lead on Natural Climate Solutions? New Science and Sector Leaders show us the way”. FPAC was joined by Nature United, Maple Leaf Foods, and Accenture Canada. This provided an opportunity to discuss wood products, climate smart forestry and forest innovation as part of natural climate solutions in Canada.
As Canada continued to manage its way through the COVID-19 pandemic, FPAC and its member companies have prioritized meaningful engagement with the federal government, partner organizations, and other stakeholders across the country working toward a green economic recovery.
As a sector that continues to prioritize clean growth and innovation at every level—from reducing emissions at mill sites to the development of cutting-edge bioproducts that offer new uses for by-products of primary manufacturing processes—we worked hard to pursue alignment between the federal and provincial governments on matters of mutual interest, and advocated for smarter legislation and more responsive regulations, policies, and funding programs to leverage the many economic and environmental benefits of products from Canadian forests.
In early 2021, FPAC met with Deputy Minister Christine Hogan at Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) to discuss the forest sector's contributions to federal carbon mitigation plans. The meeting was intended to ensure Deputy Minister Hogan and her team are clearly aware of the numerous and critical forestry and forest products solutions in our move to a lower carbon economy – and to get the federal government to more clearly recognize and capture these solutions in federal policy and regulations.
FPAC, in collaboration with industry partners in Ontario, federal government, local Indigenous government, provincial government, academia and NGOs, are supporting innovative approaches to species conservation in Canada. The Northwest Ontario Boreal Caribou and Multi-species Project, has brought a number of partners together to utilize modernized approaches for caribou monitoring (fecal-DNA), and is working through 2021 and 2022 on developing an innovative multi-species modeling approach to incorporate the many important local and cultural values associated with sustainable forest management and species at risk. Scott Jackson, FPAC’s Director of Conservation Biology is leading this work on behalf of FPAC.
FPAC has worked hard to shape proposed federal greenhouse gas emissions-reduction policies and programs in a way that not only minimizes the impacts of climate change, but also to ensure that regulatory barriers to not impede innovation, and the sector remains well supported as it transforms to the development of bioproducts, and creates investment — emphasizing these needs in formal comments on the following proposed or existing measures:
FPAC has continued its efforts to ensure government funding programs remain responsive to the needs of the forest products sector. FPAC met with senior officials at Industry, Science, and Economic Development Canada as a part of FPAC lobby days to share sector concerns around accessibility of the Net-Zero Accelerator Fund. FPAC also engaged with Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) on other funding programs providing opportunity for the sector including the Clean Fuels Fund.
FPAC was proud to see its member companies adopt voluntary measures to improve air quality over time. This year, all FPAC members submitted an initial assessment report under the voluntary Code of Practice (CoP) for the Management of Air Emissions from Pulp and Paper Facilities to determine the baseline year against which particulate matter (PM) and Sulfur Dioxide (SOx) will be reduced.
Using facility-level data including production, fuel, electricity, and steam that is collected through the FPAC Energy and Environment survey, FPAC continues to save members time by responding on their behalf to the Statistics Canada Industrial Consumption and Energy survey and avoiding duplicative efforts, all while maintaining a sound data set internally for the sector which can also be leveraged to advance discussions with government on important environmental policy matters.
FPAC compiled and analyzed international benchmarking data to demonstrate the environmental performance of the Canadian pulp and paper industry compared to international competitors. The analysis focused on greenhouse gas emissions, and while the results indicated that Canada is performing well, it remains behind Sweden and Finland. Advocacy efforts stemming from this analysis will aim to ensure federal funding programs allocate dollars for further decarbonization from the forest products sector, which has been an early adopter of clean technology as compared to other industries.
As she’s climbed up in her career, Mahima Sharma has proven herself to be invaluable to FPAC’s senior leadership team
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As the process of reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples continues across Canada, FPAC and its members have taken active steps to ensure our sector can make meaningful progress in its relationships with Indigenous Peoples, businesses, and communities. Within Canadian forestry, this process is unfolding on several levels—including the greater participation of Indigenous Peoples in the sector through direct control of the wood supply, joint ventures, and co-management agreements, increasing representation of Indigenous Peoples within our workforce, and the provision of program funding to advance Indigenous entrepreneurship. FPAC’s Indigenous Committee has served as a forum for the exchange of ideas and identification of federal programs for Indigenous engagement (including economic and skills development, capacity building, and infrastructure), as well as the collection of information on Indigenous involvement in the forest sector. FPAC and its members are committed to advancing reconciliation in all its forms.
FPAC entered a partnership with Outland Youth Employment Program (OYEP) to support its education and training program for Indigenous youth. This new program is available across Canada to OYEP participants and graduates year-round, and provides holistic and practical approaches to education, training & work opportunities that support and inspire youth to be the drivers of their personal and professional health and well-being – recognizing this path to socio-economic health is different for everyone. It builds on OYEP’s national network of land-based education, which provides work opportunities for high school aged Indigenous youth.
The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund is part of Gord Downie’s legacy and embodies his commitment, and that of his family, to improving the lives of First Peoples.
During ‘Secret Path Week’— a national movement to commemorate the legacies of Chanie Wenjack and Gord Downie by encouraging Canadians to take action in support of reconciliation—FPAC partnered with the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund (DWF), a charitable organization that seeks to continue the conversation that began with Chanie Wenjack’s residential school story. We were thrilled to host a special presentation to partners and members featuring student members of the Downie-Wenjack Foundation Youth Ambassador Program, who described their own work to support reconciliation in their schools, communities, and across Canada.
FPAC has been a partner of the Educational Leadership Chair (ELC) in Indigenous Forestry since its creation in 2017. Over these years, FPAC collaborate with the chair to foster positive relationships and to strengthen Indigenous community capacity to participate in sustainable management and development of forest resources. This year, we were pleased to participate in the renewal of the Chair for the next 5-year period as well as to see it grow to include more First Nations communities and industrial partners.
FPAC was proud to release its own Indigenous Cultural Awareness Training to the public, which is now accessible via FPAC’s website and YouTube channel. This resource was developed by NVision Insight Group Inc. – one of Canada’s leading Indigenous consulting firm-and was originally an exclusive product for FPAC member companies across Canada. It consists of six chapters that present the defining moments that have helped to shape the history of Indigenous Peoples and their relationship with European settlers, the British crown, and Canada. Part of the training looks at some of the legal issues surrounding the Canadian Constitution, the Indian Act, historical and modern treaties, recent rulings by the Supreme Court of Canada, and what they mean in practical terms. The training also provides some context to better understand the importance of cultural traditions and values for Indigenous Peoples and ways to better engage and interact with Indigenous Peoples.
In late July, FPAC launched Forestry For The Future, a multi-year strategic communications initiative to drive awareness among Canadians of the critical role forestry will play in growing a greener economy and supporting a more sustainable future. The effort was guided, supported, and shaped by forestry stakeholders and partners from across the country including government, forest sector workers, and Indigenous, labour, and other community leaders.
Forestry For The Future is built around a digital narrative brought to life at ForestryForTheFuture.ca. As a modern communications effort, it is designed to reach Canadians on the mediums and platforms where they get their information. A broad range of digital creative highlights our sector’s sustainability efforts and tells our carbon story as well as highlighting the innovations, practices, partnerships, and workforce diversity efforts central to our sector’s success.
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Forestry For The Future has successfully showcased Canada’s forest products sector as a key ally and partner in the quest for a greener, more inclusive economy. It has also relayed a compelling economic and sustainability story, one that is backed by data, science, accreditation, and practice.
FPAC’s Derek Nighbor was joined by Lacey Rose, co-founder of Women in Wood and the Registered Professional Forester for the County of Renfrew, for a virtual media tour of a managed forest near Pembroke, Ontario. The tour provided an opportunity to showcase the careful consideration of the complete forest ecosystem and needs of forest communities that inform forest management planning.
FPAC worked with Indigenous rightsholders, businesses, and partners to highlight and integrate Indigenous-led forestry efforts as a key element of Forestry For The Future. This support led to the development of “Indigenous Voices”, a project that amplifies Indigenous forestry influencers across our campaign and media, and highlighting Indigenous voices, practices, and opportunities as part of our documentary.
FPAC worked with members and partners to produce a compelling documentary Capturing Carbon: Fighting Climate Change Through Canadian Forestry that takes viewers from the forest floor, to the mill, to the mass timber high rise. The film includes cinematic footage from Williams Lake in the Cariboo region of British Columbia, Ripon, Quebec, and the St. Thomas and Nipissing areas in Ontario.
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