Smith announces $19.6 million Forest Biomass Program
Graydon Smith, MPP for Parry Sound Muskoka, and the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry announced the creation of a new, $19.6 million Forest Biomass Program on Friday. This program will help develop untapped economic potential and environmental benefits offered by new and emerging uses of underutilized wood and mill by-products, known as forest biomass.
Smith says “This is good news for Ontario’s forestry industry, workers, communities and the environment,” adding that the new Forest Biomass Program will help create jobs, build local prosperity and enhance the sustainable practices essential to forest product operations.
The Program will support projects to harvest more wood from Crown forests, increase forest sector job creation and regional economic growth and find new uses for wood in collaboration with stakeholders, industry and Indigenous communities.
It includes four streams designed to position Ontario as a leader in innovative uses of forest biomass:
- Indigenous Bioeconomy Partnerships, to increase Indigenous participation in forest biomass opportunities and their economic benefits.
- Exploring Biomass Pathways, to help the public and private sector research technical, financial and scientific aspects of using forest biomass.
- Innovative Bioproduct Manufacturing, to increase the use of forest biomass in manufacturing, infrastructure, energy services and resource extraction.
- Modernization, to support forest sector transformation, competitiveness and participation through use of forest biomass.
Early this summer, the program will be open to applications for businesses, municipalities, Indigenous communities and not-for-profit organizations located in Ontario that have a project to expand the use of forest biomass and enhance the forest biomass supply chain.
The Forest Biomass Program will further the government’s Forest Sector Strategy and Forest Biomass Action Plan goals to build a strong forest sector via technological innovation and greater use of forest biomass.
To learn more about the program, visit: https://ontario.ca/page/forest-biomass-program
