Kevin Holland

THUNDER BAY — A panel of forestry officials says the regional sector has a number of things going for it. And the ability to adapt will be key in how it navigates some current challenging conditions. The second day of the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association’s conference in Thunder Bay last week featured a discussion on the state and future of the forestry sector in the north. It was led by Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission CEO Jamie Taylor and included representatives from a number of companies, as well as Associate Forestry Minister Kevin Holland. The conversation “is about resilience,” Holland said. “It’s a timely theme that reflects the challenges communities and industries are facing, along with the work underway to keep the region strong and growing.” “Forestry has long been a cornerstone of Ontario’s economy,” he continued, adding that, today, it supports close to 155,000 jobs directly or indirectly.