British Columbia is partnering with forestry manufacturers to build a strong forest-products sector and support good jobs in B.C. through significant capital expansion in their operations.
“While workers and businesses in the forest sector have faced significant challenges over the past few years, there are tremendous opportunities out there in producing made-in-B.C. sustainable forest products,” said Premier David Eby. “That’s why our government is working together with the sector to help them transition to high-value product lines that make the best use of every tree harvested, while creating and protecting good, family-supporting jobs. These investments are a blueprint for the stronger, cleaner economic future we’re building here in British Columbia.”
Through the $180-million B.C. Manufacturing Jobs Fund (BCMJF), the province has committed as much as $70.3 million to forest-sector transition and diversification across 50 projects, which will create and sustain more than 2,500 jobs. Investments are focused on boosting high-quality, made-in-B.C. wood-product lines that create more sustainable jobs for every tree harvested.
The advanced wood manufacturing projects receiving BCMJF funding represent more than $334 million in total capital investment within B.C.’s forest industry, reflecting diverse aspects of the intricately connected sector, including the production of new made-in-B.C. wood products, processed waste-wood residuals and biofuels.
Many BCMJF investments will help meet the significant domestic and international demand, particularly in the homebuilding and construction industries, for engineered wood products, such as mass timber, panels and composite lumber.
Support for wood-product manufacturing throughout B.C. is an ongoing focus of the BCMJF, and the investments being made by the forestry sector are a strong signal of an industry in the process of transitioning, stabilizing and growing.
Funding through the BCMJF is part of a series of programs the province has introduced to support sustainability in B.C.’s forestry sector.
