As Long as the World Needs Forestry, It Should Be Canadian

3 Reasons Why the World Needs More Canadian Forestry

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#1 - Global wood demand is growing

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Canada has an opportunity to capture some of the growing market for forestry products abroad, creating good, well-paying jobs here at home while supporting a more robust economic future for the country.

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Global consumption of primary processed wood products – defined as sawnwood, veneer/plywood, particle/fibreboard and wood pulp – is projected to grow by a minimum of 37% by 2050, according to a report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) ^[1].

Wood is renewable and recyclable, and it lends its versatility well to new construction methods that are using it to replace more traditional materials, says the FAO.

Growing wood product consumption will primarily be driven by higher incomes in emerging market economies, where consumers will have improved access to goods such as clothing, furniture, paper, and packaging.

#2 – Economic opportunities for families and businesses

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Forestry is an essential sector of the Canadian economy --- By continuing best management practices and adapting to changing marketing dynamics, our country has an opportunity to expand the economic impact created by the forestry sector.

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At a time when labour productivity and per capita gross domestic product (GDP) are dropping and economists sound the alarm bells for our country, forestry could help attract new business investment and aid in turning Canada’s economy around.

A strong forestry sector supports Indigenous and non-Indigenous families nationwide through job opportunities, business contracts, and public revenue generation.

Forestry directly and indirectly employs more than 345,000 workers across Canada in 2021 ^[4], including more than 11,000 Indigenous workers ^[3]. Over 300 communities rely on the industry for jobs and economic opportunities ^[3], many of which are found rural and remote regions of the country.

Additionally, the sector adds billions of dollars to our economy annually --- figures that have only grown over the past several years. In 2012, for example, forestry added $18.9 billion to the economy versus $33.4 billion in 2022 ^[5]. Our exports of forestry products have also grown over the same period: in 2012, total exports tallied $25.2 billion versus $45.5 billion in 2022 ^[5].

Despite challenging market conditions in addition to emerging issues such as falling prices and inflation, the forestry sector is poised to rise above. According to Natural Resources Canada, the sector’s transformation to become more efficient and shift towards higher-value and specialty products will continue to support the creation of new job opportunities from coast to coast ^[3].

#3 – Reliable forest management practices

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As a result of its forest management practices, Canada stands out as a vital part of the global forestry supply chain and should be an obvious go-to supplier of choice for the world's needs.

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With so much of the world’s forested lands, Canadians feel an inherent responsibility to appropriately manage their forests, as shown by our country’s commitment to internationally accepted standards ^[2].

A few examples showing just how exceptional Canada’s forest management is, according to Natural Resources Canada ^[2][6], include:

• Canada’s forest management is based on science, resource monitoring and reporting, and includes consultations with stakeholders, the public, and Indigenous communities
• Companies granted to tenures or licenses to harvest forests are required to adhere to forest management practices set forth by the respective regulator(s), which the province or territory must approve before operations commence
• Long-term forest management practices are complex and made up of several parts, including:
  • Input from various experts on fish and wildlife, forest ecology and biology, land use, parks and natural heritage, wildfire, pest management, enforcement, and more
  • Engagement with stakeholders, Indigenous communities and the public on objectives and long-term goals and strategies
  • Forest management certifications which compliment Canadian laws and ensure that companies are operating legally and in compliance
• Monitoring, knowledge improvement, and innovation to increase efficiencies and capabilities of forest management planning
• Unique harvesting strategies that adhere to the unique forestry compositions across Canada’s vast forested lands
• Since 1990, less than 0.5% of Canada’s forests have been converted to non-forest land use
• Each year, less than 0.5% of Canada’s 367 million hectares of forested land is harvested
• Canada is home to 9% of the world’s forest but is responsible for only 0.37% of global deforestation that has occurred since 1990
• Just 9.5% of the world’s forests are independently certified to best forest management practice, with 41% of these certified lands being located in Canada

Join Us Today!

Supporting Canada’s forestry sector means a stronger and more prosperous future for our families, while positioning our country as a go-to supplier for the resources a growing world increasingly needs.

As long as the world needs forestry, it should be Canadian.

Join us online to learn more about Canada’s natural resource sectors – forestry, mining, energy, agriculture – and the overwhelmingly positive impact they have on Canadian families and the world at large.

The world needs more #CanadianForestry products to meet growing global demand. pic.twitter.com/SiTcqG7EFM

— Canada Action (@CanadaAction) August 31, 2024

SOURCES:

_{1 - https://natural-resources.canada.ca/sites/nrcan/files/forest/sof2022/SoF_Annual2022_EN_access.pdf}

_{2 – https://natural-resources.canada.ca/sites/nrcan/files/forest/sof2023/NRCAN_SofForest_Annual_2023_EN_accessible-vf(1).pdf}

_{3 - https://www.fao.org/newsroom/detail/consumption-of-primary-processed-wood-products-predicted-to-grow-37-percent-by-2050/}

_{4 - https://cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/statsprofile/employment/CA}

_{5 - https://natural-resources.canada.ca/our-natural-resources/forests/state-canadas-forests-report/forest-industry-contribute/16517}

_{6 - https://certificationcanada.org/en/certification/forest-management-certification/}